__________Rose’s Pov
’What is going on here? Who invited Damian Black and Jenna to this party? It is supposed to be my stage. Did that stupid Anabella do sothing without telling first? How dare she...’
How dare everyone forget whose night this is? How dare she co back from the grave just to steal it again?
Everyone’s eyes followed them—hungry, curious, dazzled. Not one of them even rembered I existed. Not even Karl...
I hated how easy it was for Jenna to take all the attention away from , even after her death.
Even when she was dead, she was still ruining my life.
My feet moved on their own to try and stop the pair from entering any further.. Before I knew it, I had walked quite a distance.
But I had no opportunity to get to the pair before I felt soone grabbing my arm. When I turned around, I saw Karl’s face. It was filled with concern for , but also a bit of guilt. But that guilt was not aid toward .
Of course it wasn’t. His eyes were flicking toward her. Just like always. Jenna first. second.
"Rose, where are you going? Please stay by my side. I promised your mother I will protect you today."
Karl told in a sincere voice. But jealousy and his actions from before caused my irritation to boil over and I snapped at him.
"Oh—! Is that your care for speaking, or your care for Jenna’s look-alike? Do you even care about and my reputation?"
I asked and imdiately knew I had spoken too much. Karl looked hurt by my words.
But I was not concerned. He won’t be able to break free from .
The real problem was the hyenas around , waiting for a chance to dig into . They were a real threat I needed to get away from.
"Karl, I-I am so sorry. I just felt stressed and snapped. Please, co with and I will help you feel better. Here, take my hand."
I offered Karl my hand and he took it like a possessed man. I knew he would not be able to deny my request, no matter what happened.
He was too much under my control to even try and break free. Especially after what we had gone through together.
But just to make extra sure that he would never go against , I needed to make myself look a little more vulnerable than before.
"Karl, please. I need your help. You are the only one who can help out. Won’t you co with and help out?"
He didn’t even look toward Jenna this ti. She watched us leave, and once again, she was the one left behind.
"Alright, I get it. Let’s go and be alone for so ti. We both need to calm down."
He told and we left right before Damian and fake-Jenna could co to us. This small thing felt like a victory and defeat at the sa ti.
Because even as I held Karl’s hand, even as he chose ... I could still feel Jenna stealing the room behind .
’Just go away and leave alone. Why do you always haunt with your presence?’
__________Jenna’s Pov
’So she chose to run after all. Then again, I expected nothing else from Rose. All she knows is how to run and hide.’
I could not help but look as Rose ran out of the room. I felt just a bit bothered that the one who dragged her out was Karl, his hand touching in a way he never touched .
But because my head was now clear, I could tell that the irritation did not co because I was jealous, but because I was uncomfortable seeing that display.
"What are you looking at? Don’t pay too much attention to those losers. How about you pay attention to instead?"
Damian asked as he wrapped his arms around . I was hyper aware of his presence and felt goosebumps go down my spine as I felt the ghost of his touch on my skin.
I was as aware of him as others were of us.
"Mr. Black, you brought the sa partner as last ti? My, it almost seems as if you are serious about this one."
Soone questioned and I felt my eyes turn toward Damian to hear his answer. Damian answered the man, his eyes not looking away from mine for even a single second.
"You are right. This one is special to and I am serious about her. After all, why else would I propose marriage to her? Don’t you agree, Minister?"
Damian finally broke eye contact with and turned to look at soone else.
His target was Ella, the security head of the ministry. She looked flustered by suddenly being questioned by Damian and she quickly took a drink and chugged it before she answered him.
"I would rather not talk about love and marriage, Mr. Black. Now, if you will excuse . I need to head sowhere else."
She ran away from us, not wanting to be a laughing stock.
People were watching, listening, waiting for blood. Now it was ti to act.
"Mr. Black, that was a cruel jab. You know as well as I do that Miss Ella is a pitiful person. Both her fiancés cheated on her in the past and left her publicly. You should be more careful with how you speak to those suffering from grief."
The old man tried to make Damian feel bad unsuccessfully.
"Oh-! Is that so? So Miss Ella is the victim here? Then I guess it is my fault. But isn’t it ironic? For her to be friends with Miss Rose and Karl Habson after they publicly cheated on Jenna Harvoir—"
"But this and that are different, Mr. Black. Miss Jenna was a bad person with a lot of bad reputation and rumors. She was a rotten tree bound to fall sooner or later. Both Miss Rose and Mister Karl only broke away when they could. Miss Ella, on the other hand, is a pure person who has a fragile heart."
The more I heard, the more I felt like I wanted to rage.
My hands shook against my dress, my nails dug into my palms. They spoke as if I wasn’t here. As if I wasn’t alive. As if I was sothing beneath their shoes.
What did these people know about to label as a ’rotten tree’? They just wanted to gossip about sothing and I was a convenient target.
Trash was more useful to them than I ever was.
By the ti I had realized how important it was to socialise in the business world beyond actual ’business’, it had been too late. People accepted with smiles, but they did not welco in their circles.
Unfortunately, I reaped the result of it in the end.
’Rose and Karl must have started trying to spread rumors about even before I realized. For just how long have they wanted to take revenge on for?’
I asked this but I got no answer. Only silence which felt thick, bitter and suffocating.
Damian’s expression was tight as he heard the people speak, and the older man realized that he was overstepping. Everyone sensed the shift.
"I hope you are able to take responsibility for your claims, Mr. Tanaka. Otherwise... there might be so consequences for you."
Damian told the older male and Mr. Tanaka let out a nervous laugh. So stepped back. No one dared breathe.
"Hahaha... you sure joke well, Mr. Black. Aren’t we both in the sa boat now? Surely you will help a fellow out when he needs it."
The man tried to make Damian take his side, but Damian’s attitude told him that it was useless and he backed off.
"I shall take my leave now. I do have to greet the host of this party, Miss Anabella as well. Now then, I shall see you around, Mr. Tanaka. If I can, that is."
Damian’s tone was too casual to be a threat, but sohow, I could tell that it was a threat.
Mr. Tanaka shivered at the cold tone, but then he looked at Damian with strong eyes.
"Kid, I have seen a lot of people like you and I would only advise you to be careful with how many enemies you make. Just because you have influence now does not an you cannot fall. Rember, we are in the sa boat."
The man insisted once more, his eyes shaking as he did. He wanted the last word.
But if he wanted to shake either or Damian, his determination felt too fragile. Damian gave the man a small smile as he walked away.
"Oh really? Then I guess we will both drown soon enough."
I spoke, causing the old man to shake.
When I first heard of Miss Anabella, I had pictured her as an old lady.
But in reality, Miss Anabella was quite young. She looked to be in her early thirties with a charm on her face and beautiful eyes.
"-and then, the kids surrounded and asked not to leave. Ah, my heart broke seeing that. But I could not stay with those kids forever-"
Her voice was soft and sugary, filled with so many lies that it made recoil. So sweet that it rotted. So bright that it blinded.
For a person who preached so much about security and safety of kids, she sure did her best not to hold back her threats.
’What a fake person. But that is good. It will make it easier for to tear off her mask in front of everyone.’
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