☠ROME☠
Rome's heart raced with worry when he saw Phoenix panicking and bolting away. Initially, his concern was for their baby, but as he chased after her, his worry shifted entirely to her well-being.
He was utterly clueless as to why Aunt Zara was calling out Phoenix's name repeatedly, but he knew he had to find her.
Damn, she was surprisingly fast for a pregnant woman. Rome halted when he saw her stop ahead.
The road was deserted, as this was a private property. He watched as she ran into a corner, prompting him to follow suit.
As he approached her, he could hear her whimpering. He didn't know why, but seeing her cry pained him deeply.
Phoenix had always been strong, smiling, and sassy. In all the time he'd known her, he had never once seen her shed a tear. Witnessing her cry now tore at his heartstrings, filling him with an overwhelming sense of guilt and helplessness.
He approached her slowly, noticing her attempt to stand but her weakness preventing her from doing so.
"Phoenix," he called softly as he drew closer.
His concern deepened as her crying only seemed to intensify.
Kneeling in front of her, he saw her trying to hide her tear-streaked face. He knew better than to press her for answers.
"You're going to be okay," he reassured her, wrapping his arms around her and gently patting her back.
Her head rested against his chest, her tears soaking his shirt, but he didn't mind. All he wanted was for her to feel safe and comforted.
"You will be okay," he repeated, continuing to stroke her hair soothingly.
They remained in that position for a while, until her sobs subsided into sniffles.
"Should we go home now, or would you like to stay here a little longer?" he asked softly.
She didn't respond, so he reached for his phone to call his driver, ready to take her wherever she needed to go.
The driver arrived within minutes, and Rome leaned closer to Phoenix.
"Can you stand, or would you like me to carry you?" he asked gently, but she remained silent. Without hesitation, he lifted her into his arms.
His driver swiftly opened the car door, and Rome carefully placed Phoenix inside before sliding in beside her.
"Where to, sir?" the driver inquired.
"The house," Rome replied tersely.
"Okay, sir," the driver acknowledged before starting the engine and pulling away.
Rome glanced at Phoenix, who still hadn't uttered a word. He could tell that whatever had happened had deeply affected her. But he couldn't shake his curiosity. Who was Aunt Zara to Phoenix?
He let out a heavy sigh, turning his gaze back to the road ahead, lost in his thoughts.
When they arrived home, Rome attempted to ask Phoenix some questions, but as usual, she ignored him.
He followed behind her as she made her way into the house. Romeo was in the living room, and upon seeing them enter, he shot Rome a questioning look, clearly wondering why Phoenix seemed so moody.
Rome met his gaze and shrugged, silently conveying that he didn't know either.
He continued to trail after Phoenix until she reached her room, where she abruptly opened the door and closed it in his face.
Rome sighed deeply, feeling a mixture of concern and frustration as he made his way to his own room. However, before he settled in for the night, he knew he had to check on Phoenix.
Quietly, he made his way to her room and found her sitting alone. Without saying a word, he placed the food he had brought for her on the bedside table.
She was clearly stressed, and he couldn't help but worry about her well-being, especially considering she was carrying his child.
As he returned to his room, he peeked back into hers and saw that she had at least eaten some of the food. It was a small relief.
With a faint smile, he finally climbed into bed, hoping that she would be able to find some peace and rest.
🖤PHOENIX 🖤
Sleep eluded me that night, my mind consumed by thoughts of her—my mother. It hurt deeply to think about her, to contemplate how she could abandon her own family for a life of luxury.
Why would she do that?
How could she leave behind her children and husband to suffer while she chased after another man and a wealthy lifestyle?
She was the epitome of selfishness.
Despite Rome's kind gestures and efforts to comfort me, my heart remained heavy. I couldn't shake the bitterness and resentment I felt towards the woman who gave birth to me, yet wasn't worthy of being called my mother.
Despite feeling tired and nauseous, I forced myself to eat yesterday, solely for the sake of the baby. If it weren't for this pregnancy, I wouldn't have touched a single bite.
Managing to muster up the energy, I got out of bed, took a quick bath, and brushed my teeth before retreating back to my room. There, I found Rome standing patiently, waiting for me.
"Hi," he greeted as soon as he saw me.
"Hey," I whispered back, noticing the relief wash over him before he smiled.
"Breakfast is ready. Should I bring it here?" he offered.
"No, don't worry. I'll come down," I replied, making him nod.
We stood there in silence, but I couldn't help but wonder if he wanted to say something.
"Are you okay now?" he asked, genuine concern evident in his voice.
"Yeah," I replied, forcing a smile.
"That's great to hear," he said, nodding.
"Um, thank you about yesterday," I said, and he nodded in response.
"Don't worry about it," he assured me before walking away.
Once I finished applying my lotions, I made my way downstairs.
Rome was already seated at the dining table, eating. It was a strange sight, as he and I had never eaten together before.
Taking the seat closer to him, I noticed my plate already set with an array of proteins.
"There's sausage, bacon, fried eggs. If you don't want any of these proteins, another can be prepared for you," Rome informed me.
"No, it's okay," I said, declining the offer, and he nodded before resuming his meal.
As I ate, I couldn't help but savor the delicious flavors of the food. I wished I could cook like this, but unfortunately, cooking was never my strong suit. That responsibility always fell on my dad and Beatrix.
My appreciation for the meal was evident as I let out a moan of satisfaction after biting into the bread filled with bacon, egg, and sausage. I then washed it down with a sip of tea.
However, I inadvertently moaned again after taking another bite, forgetting that Rome was seated beside me. When I glanced up, I noticed that Rome had stopped eating and was staring at me.
"Sorry," I apologized, feeling embarrassed, and he simply nodded before returning to his meal.
We ate in silence until the tranquility was interrupted by a sudden urge to vomit. I sprang up from my seat, startling Rome.
"What's wrong?" he asked, looking at me in shock, but I didn't have time to respond as I dashed to the nearby toilet, emptying the contents of my stomach.
I felt Rome's hand on my hair, his touch comforting as I continued to retch.
After flushing the toilet and rinsing my mouth, Rome's concern resurfaced.
"You need to eat, right?" he asked, but I couldn't help but scoff.
"You can cut the act now. I'm not crying anymore," I retorted, walking out of the toilet with him trailing behind me until we reached the dining area.
"Well, I was trying to be nice," he defended himself.
"Yeah, trying. But can you be nice for real?" I challenged, but he remained silent.
"See, you're still proud," I accused.
"Well, says the girl who's here just for my money," he shot back, causing me to roll my eyes.
"Yes, I am actually," I admitted, taking a seat and resuming my meal.
"See, Phoenix, I was trying to be nice to you, but can't you just play along?" he pleaded.
"Why? You're rich, what's the need? You can treat us poor people like garbage, and you can also leave us to be with someone who is rich," I replied, aware that I wasn't making much sense. Rome looked at me with confusion, clearly wondering why I said that.
"Leave you? I don't understand what you just said," he confessed, his confusion evident.
"Well, you don't need to understand. That's how rich people work," I asserted before storming out of the dining area.
To be continued...