Max dragged Serena to the third floor balcony.
“What are you doing?” she complained in an irritated tone.
“Don’t you even try to deny it... You’re behind it, aren’t you?” he asked, looking at her suspiciously.
She quitted pretending and raised an eyebrow. “You should thank me. I gave you a little time with her, but you know what? ...You’re stupid. You let your chance go. You shouldn’t have let them be together again.” she protested.
“I’m not like you. I will not destroy someone and be selfish for my own good. I would rather let her go, than to see her unhappy with me.” he replied.
“And then what, huh? ...You’ll keep all the pain to yourself and cry real Jesus tears under your bed sheet?... Wow! You’re very generous. You deserve an award for idiots.” she said sarcastically.
“At least my conscience is clean. At least I didn’t let my selfish and desperate self take over me, and win because I deceived the person I love.” he argued calmly.
“Then, you’re right. We’re really different.” she replied, raising an eyebrow.
“Did the surgeries that were done on you also changed your attitude towards other people? ...Because you’re no longer the Serena we once knew.” he told her.
She only looked at him and didn’t give an answer.
Max left her alone after their conversation.
☆••••○○●○○••••☆
“Serena thought she saw you with Max.” Dylan said in a shameful voice.
“And you believed her? ...You believed that out of nowhere, she saw another girl with bright blue hair like mine with a guy who bears a resemblance to Max?” she asked in an upset tone.
He felt her disappointment in
her voice. “I know you think I'm stupid. Yes, I shouldn’t have believed her, but my head got polluted when she told me you and Max were kissing.” he reasoned.
“What?” she reacted in a shocked tone. After she heard that, she became more irritated with his childhood friend. After what she did to her violin, she couldn't believe she made up a story about her and Max to fool Dylan.
“Hey, I’m really sorry. Please come back home with me.” he pleaded.
“I can’t just leave Max after what he did for me.” she replied.
“Then, let me stay here with you.” he begged like a child.
She sighed. She knew there's no way she could convince him to leave her side. “If you stay here, Max might kill you.” she told him.
“He punched me. My face hurts.” he complained childishly.
“That’s your fault. Because of you I had to disturb him last night.” she replied, sounding very displeased.
“You didn’t sleep with him in one bed, did you?” he asked worriedly.
“Is that really how you think of me?” she asked in a pissed tone.
“No... I told you. I’m really jealous when you’re with him.” he reasoned.
She sighed again. “All right, let me talk to him first before we go home.”
☆••••○○●○○••••☆
Dylan waited outside the room with Serena while Rose was talking to Max inside.
“Now I know.” Serena spoke. “You’re in love with your helper.” she said in a bitter tone.
Dylan heard her, but he remained silent.
“No wonder you treat her differently. But how can you fall in love with someone you haven’t seen yet?” she asked, sounding unconvinced.
“I don’t have to explain myself to you. This is none of your concern.” He finally spoke.
She was hurt by what he said. “You’ve changed a lot.”
“So do you” he replied.
She let out a deep breath and didn’t speak anymore.
☆••••○○●○○••••☆
“Thank you for all your help, Max. I don’t know how I can repay you for all the things you’ve done for me.” Rose said sincerely.
“I’m not asking anything in return.” he replied.
“I know you’re still mad at him... but I can't bear to abandon him even after what happened. I'd be worried sick he might do stupid things again... and we both knew he would.” She paused and pulled a long face. “I’m also aware... that I'm hurting you right now... I’m sorry.” she added in a low voice as she was looking down.
“Don’t be... It’s not your fault I feel this way for you.” he replied softly. “Just… promise me you’ll be happy with your decision. Seeing you happy is enough for me.” he added.
She held his hand and looked straight into his eyes. “I will pray that one day, you’ll find a girl who will love you, and take care of you for the rest of your life.” she told him earnestly, but at that moment, he wished it was her instead. He wished she was that girl who would stay with him for the rest of his life.
“I can’t wait to meet her.” he replied with a smile.
She smiled too.
☆••••○○●○○••••☆
Serena was very uncomfortable driving the car with Rose and Dylan in the back seat. Whenever she takes a quick look at the rear-view mirror, she would see them sitting too close to each other.
Rose noticed it, but she ignored her. While she was quietly waiting for them to arrive back home, she saw Dylan rubbing his cheek. “Does it still hurt?” she asked.
“Yeah” he answered, wincing.
“Let me see” She held his jaw and checked the small gash on the side of his lower lip.
“Is it ugly?” he asked worriedly.
“Yeah… It’s pretty bad.” she answered. “We’ll try to fix it at home.”
“Okay” he replied, then he yawned.
“You sleepy?” she asked.
“I didn’t sleep well last night because I was worried sick about you.” he answered.
She could really see drowsiness on his face. “Put your head on my shoulder.” she told him.
"You sure?" he asked.
"Yeah" she answered.
He slid down a bit, then he rested his head on the tip of her shoulder.
When Rose looked at the rear-view mirror, she saw Serena looking back at her irately.
☆••••○○●○○••••☆
At the house, Dylan fell asleep in his bed while Rose was treating his injury.
At that moment, she became convinced her absence could really affect him and that he really loved her. As she was looking at his face, her heart softened for him again and she couldn't stop it anymore.
After she put an ointment on his wound, she got up, but before she could stand upright, she felt a weight pulling her shirt back. When she looked down, she saw Dylan's hand clutching onto her shirt. She smiled thinking that he didn’t want her to leave again even in his dreams.
She gently opened his palm to release her shirt. Then, she pulled the blanket up and covered his shoulders. After that, she left the room quietly and went to the kitchen.
“Hey, Rose. How’s sir Dylan?” Bridgette asked when she saw her.
“He’s fine now.” she answered.
“Why you didn’t tell me boss is in love with you?” Bridgette questioned, showing a smug face.
Rose was surprised and felt embarrassed. “How did you know about that?”
“Last night, when you left, he kept calling you around the house. He was very frantic looking for you until this morning.” she answered. “Does that mean one of these days, you will become my boss too?” she asked, teasing.
Rose got confused. “What?”
“I mean, when you become sir Dylan’s wife.” she clarified.
Rose hadn't thought of it yet. She suddenly became pressured. “Stop saying that, would ya?” she replied, sounding a bit embarrassed.
Bridgette did more teasing noises. “You’re very lucky. This is your chance to become rich.” she told her.
“I’m not interested in his money.” Rose replied.
“Just wait until you become Mrs. Walton.” she teased again.
“Hey, I said stop it.” Rose repeated.
Bridgette chuckled. “Oh! By the way, I saw Ma’am Serena went out of your room a few days ago.” She remembered.
Rose looked at her. “Really? ...When exactly?”
“The day you left to meet a friend... Are you close with her? Is she nice? ...I really feel she’s a snob.” Bridgette answered.
“We’re not friends.” she objected in a bitter tone.
“Oh, then what was she doing in your room?” Bridgette asked in a confused tone.
Rose didn't answer. She was angry, but she controlled herself.
☆••••○○●○○••••☆
When Rose went back to Dylan’s room, she found Serena inside sitting on the side of his bed. She was gently brushing his face with the back of her fingers. She looked when she heard the door opened.
For a moment, they stared at each other.
“Can I talk to you?” she asked.
“Sure” Rose agreed.
They went to the front balcony of the house and stood near the railing.
“When I first saw you in one room with Dylan in the hospital, I already sensed something.” Serena began. “I like Dylan since high school, but I know he only considered me as a pitiful friend back then. All I blamed for was my disgusting face, so I decided to travel far and undergo painful surgeries to change how I look. When I became beautiful, I also became confident that he will finally notice me in a romantic way. I know him. He likes pretty faces.” She paused and turned her head to Rose. “I'm aware that he likes you, but I’m still not giving up. We’ll both know the answer once he sees us.” she told her in a boastful tone.
“Claim all the beauty all you want. I don’t care. I didn’t intend this to happen. It just did.” Rose replied calmly.
“I don’t believe you. You’re a gold digger to me. You seduced him, so you can get out of your miserable, pathetic life.” she said bluntly.
“And you’re a nasty bitch to me. How could you sneak into my room and touched my stuff?” Rose blurted.
*
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*
To be continued....
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