Chapter 4

Rosalie looked into Lucas' eyes. "Didn't you leave in the middle of last night? I didn't mention anything about coming here, Luke. How did you know I'd be here?" He held her hand. "My stomach acted up last night. I headed to the hospital without bothering you because I saw you were in the bathroom. I came back this morning and heard from Isabelle that she wanted to come here with you, so I tagged along." It was an almost flawless lie. Rosalie made a sound of acknowledgment without saying anything else. A wave of bitterness and anguish washed over her when they entered the cemetery and stopped before two graves that were beside each other. The two people who loved her most in this world were gone. Isabelle approached her at the sight of her tears and gently patted her shoulder. "Rosie, your parents may no longer be here, but you still have Luke. He'll care for you for life, and you guys are having a child soon. You'll have a new family." She sounded so sure of it that it was almost as if she was making a vow on Lucas' behalf—that his and Rosalie's marriage would never end. Lucas was quick to speak up after Isabelle. "She's right. I'll take good care of you and our baby, so don't be sad." Rosalie only found his words mocking. He'd sworn to care for her for life not out of love or responsibility but because of another woman and his secret, selfish desires. She swallowed her grievances and looked at her parents' photos on the gravestones. "Yes, I'll definitely have a new family." It just wouldn't have anything to do with Lucas. … It started drizzling once they were done paying their respects. Isabelle and Rosalie sat in the backseat while Lucas drove. Isabelle found the atmosphere to be a little glum, so she started a conversation. "I heard there's a new Etalean restaurant in the south of the city. Shall we try it out for lunch?" Lucas immediately switched directions. "I heard the owner is an Etalean and that the food there tastes just like what you'd get locally." "Really? The pizza I had in Partes…" The two of them started chatting just like that. They talked about everything under the sun, from food to Iropean culture. They also talked about things they'd seen and heard about lately. No matter what one party said, the other could easily continue the conversation. It never once went cold. They got along so well that they were almost like a couple who'd been together for years and shared everything with each other. Rosalie smiled self-deprecatingly at that thought. Lucas and Isabelle had indeed been together for years—the places they'd gone, the things they'd done for each other, and how well they knew each other… A stand-in like her could never compare. When they arrived at the restaurant, Lucas habitually handed the menu to Isabelle. She took it and was about to look through it when she remembered something and handed it to Rosalie. "You're pregnant, so you should have some dietary restrictions. You order, Rosie." Rosalie randomly picked a few dishes. Lucas frowned when they were served. "You can't eat any of these. Have you forgotten what the doctor said?" Isabelle looked at her and her belly, a trace of confusion flickering in her eyes. "Aren't you already four months along, Rosie? You don't look like it." Lucas shot to his feet, wanting to go over to check on Rosalie. However, he accidentally bumped into a server with a food cart. The cart toppled over, and everything on it spilled. Lucas instinctively shielded Isabelle from the food, but Rosalie wasn't as lucky. A scalding broth spilled onto her leg, instantly making boils flare up on her skin. Her face twisted from the pain, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead. She clutched the tablecloth tightly as the steam from the broth swirled upward. Then, she watched Lucas lift Isabelle into his arms and hurry off. Her heart sank into an abyss. Things descended into chaos. The server hurriedly helped Rosalie to a safe spot. As soon as she left the restaurant, she saw Lucas and Isabelle arguing. "I told you I'm fine! You need to get back in there and take care of Rosie!" "Your hand is red after being burned! Why are you sticking it out? I can take you to the hospital first before coming back for her. Why do you have to be so stubborn, Isabelle? You were worried about me getting hurt earlier, too! You've never forgotten about me, have you?" "So what if I haven't, and so what if I have? We're over, Lucas, and you've married Rosie! She's pregnant with your child!" Isabelle cried, sounding anguished. Lucas' eyes reddened at that. "You know very well that she'll never mean more to me than you!" That took Isabelle aback. She was about to say something when she saw Rosalie standing by the entrance. Her eyes widened, and her tone was panicked as she cried, "Rosie, what are you doing out here?"