Novel-novel oleh elyrian01

ROSE“No!” I screamed in my head but smiled at the reporter.“Yes of course I am..who wouldn't be or why won't I?” I asked but she was about to throw another question so I walked away instantly."You looked like you were about to ruin everything," Derek said the second we got into the car.I didn’t answer him right away. My chest was still tight. My head was screaming. My mouth had lied, again. I hated that I was getting better at this—at smiling when I wanted to cry, at nodding when all I wanted to do was scream no."I said yes, didn’t I?" I finally muttered, my voice low, bitter.He scoffed beside me. "Yeah, but you paused. Long enough to make it look like you were debating. You scared the hell out of me, Rose. This wasn’t the time to freeze."I turned my head toward the window. The glass felt cold against my forehead, but it did nothing to quiet the heat boiling under my skin. Outside, the city blurred past people, lights, cameras moving too fast to catch, too fast to hold onto."I

DEREKThe vows were done. The wedding was over.People clapped, smiled, raised their glasses like this was a real love story. Like we were the perfect couple.It wasn’t real. None of it was.My mom looked so happy as she talked to people around.Should I call this her wish? Maybe yes, it has happened.Next head… for the company.There was a small celebration after the church ceremony. Just enough music and champagne to make it feel like a proper wedding. I stood there for a while, quiet, watching people laugh and talk.I didn’t want to be there. I was trying to avoid everyone and everything but as you know, that's impossible. I didn’t want to answer questions or pretend I cared about what flavor the cake was. I just needed a break from the noise.I started looking around for Rose.If people saw us together, maybe they’d stop asking so many questions. I just wanted to get through the day without another fake smile.Then I saw her.She was standing by the corner, talking to her mom.He

ROSE“Oh, Rose… I’m so sorry, my little girl.”My mom’s voice cracked as she stepped into the room, closing the door gently behind her. She came to sit beside me on the bed, and I didn’t move. I couldn’t. My eyes were already wet, my cheeks streaked with tears I didn’t even remember shedding.“Please, don’t cry… is it because of the money? Everything will get better, I promise.”She reached out and brushed a strand of hair from my forehead, her fingers trembling slightly. I bit the inside of my cheek, hard, to stop the sob that was already pushing its way up. But it came anyway.I broke.The tears fell harder, one after another, and my chest shook as I tried to hold it all in. I turned my face into the pillow, hoping to muffle the sound, but my mom pulled me close and wrapped her arms around me. Her hug was warm. Familiar. Safe. But it didn’t make anything better.“Shhh… don’t cry, sweetheart. Please stop crying,” she whispered, her voice barely holding itself together.If only she k

ROSE“Marry me and you won’t have to worry about money ever again.”My jaw dropped. I blinked at him like he had just asked me to join a cult.“Excuse me?”“You heard me,” Derek said, adjusting his seat like this kind of thing happened every day.“I think there’s something wrong with your brain,” I replied, my voice shaking between laughter and rage. “Do you just walk around offering marriage proposals to random, broke women you find crying in garages?”He shrugged. “Only the ones who throw up in front of Teslas.”My face burned. “Wow. So charming.”He leaned forward. “I’m not trying to be charming, sweetheart. I’m being practical. You have a problem. I can fix it. I have a problem. You can fix it.”“Oh, I see,” I said, crossing my arms. “Because clearly the best solution for two total strangers is holy matrimony.”He gave a short, humorless laugh. “It’s not holy. It’s a deal. Nothing more.”“A deal?” I echoed, eyes narrowing.He pulled something out of his sleek leather bag and place

ROSEThe man standing beside me was twice as tall as me and I was on block heels. His shirt was strained at the top three buttons because it was trying to accommodate his sculpted chest. It wasn't fair that some people had it all: wealth, good looks, a mouthwatering body and a perpetual good hair day. I had done my best to put myself in order but I was nowhere close to his standard. I wiped my lips with the back of my hand and he eyed me with disgust he did not try to hide. The stench of what I had thrown up had already ruined my rep; what could he possibly want from me? “I don't think I heard you correctly. Did you say we could be of help to each other?” He pinched the bridge of his nose, irritated with having to repeat himself again. “Yes. You have a problem I can solve and I have a problem you can solve,” he explained slowly as if he was speaking to a dumb child. “So, it only makes sense that we help each other out. How many fingers am I holding up?” he suddenly held up a hand a

DEREK The sound of my alarm woke me up at six am sharp. My feet hit the ground ten seconds later, discarding the sheets protecting my face. When I found the other side of the bed empty, I was tempted to question my smart brain. Where was the girl I had slept with last night? The exotic dancer had stunned all her male audience with her seductive moves. The weasels had salivated over her, making stupid wolfish whistles when she did her thing. I constantly wondered how some of them managed to pay the entrance fee at Smoky Paradise. Perhaps they had pawned off their inheritance or tagged along with females who were an exception to the entrance fee rule. Nevertheless, none of that explained the missing girl. Didn't she want her money? She had better not be a thief. Stealing from the owner of the place where you worked was not a wise way to keep your job. But, damn, she had been so fucking good. I could not remember when last I spent my money on something so satisfying. There was no way