Chapter 4

Roseline’s POV Tears blurred my vision as I ran toward the hospital as fast as I could, completely ignoring the white-and-blue-uniformed staff rushing about in the chaos of the ER. I can’t lose him… Not Brian… he’s the only one I can truly call family. I have no one else. He’s my only relative—my little brother. I couldn’t bear the grief that comes with the cruel disease he’s been diagnosed with. “Patricia…” I cried out in panic, a wave of sharp pain weakening my body. She looked at me, her eyes glistening with tears that hadn’t fallen, and it pierced my heart. I forced back my own tears and asked calmly, “How is he?” “Oh… sweetheart, it’s very bad… in fact, the doctors are worried it’s become critical. If he doesn’t have surgery soon, he might not make it.” Her voice was thick with helplessness. “But I always visit him. Why didn’t anyone tell me he was sick?” I asked, my voice cracking with emotion. My face scrunched up in anguish, regretting all the time I didn’t spend with him. Maybe… maybe he gave me a sign. “It happened so fast. We didn’t know what it was until the doctors finally figured it out—and by then, it was almost too late. Now there’s a big problem. We need a huge amount of money for his treatment. Otherwise… he’ll die. Can you help? That’s why I called.” “How much?” I swallowed hard and asked. “One million dollars,” she answered, sorrow heavy on her face. A stone slammed into me. My mind went blank. How am I supposed to come up with that kind of money? I can’t ask Isaac’s family—no—they betrayed me. But I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. “Don’t worry, I’ll do everything I can,” I promised her with a smile. Led by Patricia, I walked into Brian’s hospital room. He lay silent and resilient in his hospital bed—his face once so full of energy now completely expressionless. Something clenched tightly around my heart. My trembling hands rubbed my cheeks before holding his cold little hand tightly. “I won’t let you die. I’ll do everything I can to help you. I’ll never let you feel helpless or alone. You’re all I have,” I whispered inside, choking back the sobs. I kissed his forehead gently. I had to go find the money. As I was about to leave, Patricia grabbed my arm. “By the way… after you hung up, I also told Isaac. He’s always seen Brian as a little brother too. I hope…” My eyes went cold and desperate. I didn’t explain and left the hospital. I only hoped Isaac wouldn’t use this to threaten me. On my way out, a familiar face flashed on the giant screen hanging on the hospital wall. I stared in shock, my face filled with disbelief—as if I had seen the devil himself. But no… he was my Superman. The man who had completely bewitched me. No doubt about it. He was the man from last night—the one who nearly took me away. He stood calmly in front of a swarm of reporters, his face as stern as ever. His sharp eyes and chiseled jaw gave him an aura of power and arrogance. He spoke with authority, every syllable drawing me in, my eyes glued to his striking face. Adrian Foster—the CEO of the Foster Group. Possessing unimaginable wealth and a mysterious identity. His net worth was estimated at over 500 billion dollars. No one could calculate his true fortune—it was simply too vast, spanning nearly the entire universe. No wonder he treated women like business deals. Every woman was a conquered prize, discarded once claimed. He was announcing the launch of his new project. “Thank God…” I sighed, then cursed myself. “We’ll never see each other again,” I added, as fatigue began to take over. I had no strength left to be entangled with him. He lived in his own world, and I lived in mine—one filled with heartbreak and betrayal. We had nothing in common. Nothing good would come of being together. I forced a smile and left the hospital. As much as I wanted to keep looking at him, I restrained myself—clinging to the last shred of sanity I had. I hailed a cab and got in. It had been a long time since I’d been back to my apartment. Isaac had urged me to cancel the lease more than once. I had refused, painfully. Now, this apartment was my only safe haven. Trying to stay composed, I finally unlocked the door—only to see a face that sent rage flaring through me. Isaac. I thought I was dreaming—or hallucinating. My mental state over the last 24 hours had been unstable. It wasn’t until he raised his face and gave me a hard glare that I realized he was actually there. I knew my roommate was acquainted with Isaac. That was how he’d gotten in. Things had happened too quickly—she didn’t yet know Isaac had betrayed me. I clenched my fists, trying to contain the fury boiling inside. “What can I do for you, Mr. Jones?” I asked coldly. Isaac pressed his lips together and suddenly stood, immediately grabbing my arm. “Where were you last night?” he demanded. “I looked everywhere for you.” “Let go of me!” I snapped, but he was too strong—I couldn’t break free. He shoved me against the wall, and when his eyes fell on the marks on my neck, his expression darkened. His eyes turned red. “Goddammit, Roseline! You slept with someone else!” Huh… what even was the point of this? He was the one who dumped me! I finally exploded. “Yes… I slept with another man. He’s a hundred times better than you. His cock is way bigger. Can you leave my house now?” I spat the words in his face, venom dripping from every syllable. His face twisted into a sneer. “You wouldn’t dare!” he shouted, fists clenched beside me. “Oh, I did. Isn’t that what you wanted? If you need a woman, go screw your fiancée. Don’t bother me anymore. From the moment you let another woman step between us, I stopped being yours.” “How dare you let him touch you?! You’re mine!” He seized my hand, trying to drag me toward the bed. “I’ll show you who you belong to right now.” He had gone insane—or so I thought. I fought back with everything I had, my heart pounding like crazy—I even bit his hand. Blood stained his white shirt like splattered paint, but it didn’t stop him. He kept attacking, trying to force himself on me. Without mercy, he began tearing my clothes apart, shocking me to the core. During the struggle, I accidentally knocked over the vase on the nightstand. It crashed to the floor with a deafening sound. My ears rang from the impact. My roommate Tiffany immediately ran to the door, pounding on it and calling my name urgently. “Roseline! Roseline!” “Shh… be quiet,” Isaac whispered, clamping a hand over my mouth, cutting off my air as I gasped for breath. At last, I stomped on his foot and managed to break free of his grip. Tears blurred my vision again as I pointed at him. “If you touch me again, my friend will call the police. You’d better know your place. You’re not welcome in my life anymore. And I’m betting Ann wouldn’t love for this story to get out,” I threatened. “Are you alright, Roseline?” Tiffany called again, cutting through the tension. “I’m fine…” I called out calmly, pretending everything was normal. Then, silence returned outside the door. I grabbed a shard from the broken vase and pointed it at him. Isaac raised his hands and shrugged, sneering again. “Let me make you an offer, how about it?” “What are you trying to say?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Let’s cut the bullshit. Brian is sick. You need money. Right now, I’m the only one who can help you,” he said smugly, clearly waiting for me to surrender. Rage roared through me. I reached out, ready to slap him again—but he caught my wrist first. “Listen. Being my mistress is better than being anyone else’s whore.” I struggled violently, ready to drive the shard into his heart—but he finally let go of me. “I’ll be waiting for your call,” he said.Then he put that ring on my bedside table. With that, he slammed the door behind him. I collapsed to the floor, tears pouring down again. No. I won’t give in. I wiped away the tears immediately and started going through my contacts—looking for anyone who could help.