Once Upon A Royal Christmas (Chaennie)

Chapter 19

"Look Ella," Rosie sighed as she sagged her shoulders. "I need to be honest with you. I'm not who you think I am."

Ella blinked and took a small step back as her forehead creased.

"What are you talking about?" the young royal asked.

"My name isn't Chaeyoung Son, and I didn't come here to be your tutor," Rosie took a deep breath. "My name is actually Roseanne Park and I work for Choi Networks."

For three seconds, they each stood in silence, watching each other before Ella's eyes widened and she stumbled backwards, banging her back into the dresser behind her. The knob Rosie knocked off days earlier fell to the floor, but Rosie didn't even notice. Instead she immediately threw out her hands to help steady the teenager, but Ella simply swatted them away.

"Don't," Ella told her, her hands clenching the dresser as she favored her right leg as she stared at Rosie with saucer round eyes. "You're a reporter?"

"Copy Editor technically," Rosie explained weakly.

"But you've been spying on us," Ella said, her brow growing ever the more furrowed. "Spying on me."

"No!" Rosie swiftly assured her, throwing her hands in the air. "I really wasn't! I swear."

"But then why did you lie?"

"I promise it was all just a huge misunderstanding," Rosie explained. "I was dropped off at the wrong entrance and I was just trying to stay out of trouble, but things got out of hand, and no one ever asked for my identification so I just figured I'd go along with it until something happened. And then I met you and your mom and aunt and my emotions got involved..."

"Then why were you searching for private information about my family?" Ella demanded, her hurt gaze slowly hardening.

"If I don't turn in something, my boss will fire me and that will be the end of any good career, and then Mike mentioned the adoption rumors and I thought I could--"

"You could profit off those rumors too?" Ella glared.

"No!" Rosie squeaked before clearing her throat. "Of course not. I just thought I could clear Jennie's name."

"That's Her Majesty to you."

Rosie's shoulder sagged as she dropped her head. She deserved that. She deserved that and more. What was she even doing here?

"I'm sorry," Rosie whispered. "I swear I never meant any harm in any of this. You all have been so kind to me. I haven't felt this much like myself since Australia. I just wanted to return the favor and try to help."

"How am I supposed to believe that?" Ella's brown eyes tore Rosie's heart. "How am I supposed to trust you when everything you've told me is a lie?"

"It was never a lie," Rosie mumbled. "Everything besides my occupation. Everything else was true. I even told you my name the first time I saw you."

And Rosie had. If anything, she had been more honest with Ella, Krystal, and Jennie than she had with even Alice. There had just been something about this country from the moment she stepped foot outside of the airport turmoil that felt right, like it was home and she was safe. These people in the palace had been nothing but kind and helpful to her, even when she had been nothing but complicated. Lisa whipped up the enormous breakfast orders, Krystal brewed her tea at night, Ms. Song printed off so many different curriculums, and even Jennie spared time out of her day for her. But Ella had done something far greater than Rosie could have ever done at her age: Ella listened and opened up. When they first met, Ella held up a distant and brazzen armor to protect herself, but she had slowly lowered it around Rosie and revealed her true self - worries, fears, and all. But now, Rosie saw all of that armor that had fallen away lock firmly back in place and her heart only broke more.

"Please believe me," Rosie pleaded.

Ella paused. "Give me your computer."

Rosie blinked. "What?"

"I need to know if you're telling me the truth," Ella told her. "Your computer can't lie."

Rosie paused, thinking it over before nodding. Sure, she ran the risk of Ella ruining her career and relationship with Choi Networks with this power, but it wasn't as if that wasn't already ruined already.

"I'll write down my passwords for you," Rosie offered, leaning over her desk to grab a pencil.

"And your phone."

"What?" Rosie's heart skipped a beat as she instinctively covered her hand over the pocket holding the device. "But it's..." Rosie sighed in defeat before handing it over to Ella. "Just if anyone named Alice or Rachel texts me, please tell them Merry Christmas for me."

"If they exist," Ella said, her eyes narrowing.

The way Rosie's throat tightened, she couldn't give a response beside shaking her head as her eyes teared up. She deserved that. Even if it did hurt.

"I'm sorry," Rosie whispered hoarsely, her head turning away as she desperately tried to hold back tears.

Ella's armor and glare wavered. For a few moments, Rosie saw the scared desperate teen she knew Ella to be, but it didn't stay for long as she pulled Rosie's laptop and phone closer to her chest as she slowly backed out of the room.

"I'll look these over tonight," Ella said, as she opened the door. "But I would recommend packing your things now if you know what's good for you."

Rosie forced down a swallow as she nodded. Then the door closed and Rosie found herself living the fear that she had had ever since the fire that took her parents all those years ago.

She was alone, forever.