Chapter 5

Rosalie watched as Ivory strode out of the café. Tears streamed down her face at the sight, and she sat there for a long time before asking a waiter for the bill and leaving.

…

Rosalie's phone rang when she got out of the cab. The call was from an unsaved number. She had a headache and didn't want to answer it, so she rejected the call.

She was about to tuck her phone away when it rang again. It was the unsaved number again.

Feeling annoyed, she answered the call. Before she could say anything, Simon's fierce voice rang out on the other end of the line. "Did you tell Ivory to break up with me, Rosalie York?"

He rarely addressed her by her full name. She could tell from the messages she'd seen that morning that he was worried about her, but now, he was mad—because of Ivory.

Rosalie's heart throbbed painfully. She stopped at the entrance to the residential area and shut her eyes. "Simon, I hope you and Ivory won't show your faces before me anymore. It's your business whether or not she wants to break up with you, not mine. Don't call me anymore."

"Ivory told me you just met up with her!" Simon was irritated. "Do you know how despicable you are now, Rosalie? I didn't want to make things sound too nasty, but it's pathetic how you keep forcing me to marry you! I think of you as a sister—"

"A sister?" Rosalie let out an exasperated laugh upon hearing that again. She opened her eyes and exposed his ridiculous lie. "Is there any brother who would get handsy with his sister and make out with her?

"I didn't say any of these things in front of all those people yesterday because I still care about my pride and dignity, but that doesn't mean you can keep humiliating me!"

Simon fell silent for a few seconds. Then, he said gruffly, "Whatever it is, there's no way I'm marrying you. Apologize to Ivory, and we can still get along like siblings. I'll continue to protect you…"

"Why should I apologize to her? And who do you think you are to order me around?"

"You're living under my family's roof now, and we'll always see each other, whether or not we like it! Do you have to make the situation so nasty?"

Rosalie faltered. She clutched her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Then, she snarled, "Don't worry about that. I'll move out!"

She hung up before Simon could say anything else.

…

Rosalie took a cab to the Johnson residence so she could pack her things. When the housekeeper, Josie Smith, saw this, she called Simon.

By the time Simon got back, he saw Rosalie dragging her luggage downstairs. He strode toward her, his expression hideous. "What the hell do you mean by this, Rosalie?"

She glanced at him without answering. She walked past him with her luggage.

He grabbed her arm. "Are you seriously going to make a scene over this?"

His words dripped with impatience and annoyance.

Rosalie's eyes prickled again, and she shook him off. "Don't touch me!"

Simon retracted his arm, his expression dark. "You'd better think this through, Rosalie. Don't even dream of coming back here once you step out of this house!"

"I won't."

His expression darkened further. He said confidently, "You're not going back to the York residence, and how long can you stay with Sasha? She has a boyfriend. You can shamelessly stay there for a couple of days. Think about whether she'll get sick of you after some time!"

Rosalie pursed her lips. "I'll rent a place."

He snorted and undid the top button of his shirt. "You need money to rent a place. Do you have that?"

Before she could say anything, he disdainfully spoke the truth. "My family has paid for all your expenses over the years, and I'm the one who'll give you money to rent a place. Do you think there's any point in throwing this hissy fit?"

Rosalie's heart twisted painfully. She tightened her grip on her luggage and looked up at him, her gaze cold. "I get paid every month, and I have no intention of spending your money. The bank cards you and Melinda gave me are in the cupboard upstairs—"

He cut her off impatiently. "Do you think that measly pay you get each month is even enough to pay for the clothes you have on right now?"

She was taken aback. She looked down at the clothes she wore—Rowan had bought them for her.

She immediately understood what Simon was getting at and put her luggage on the floor. She unlocked it and opened it. "I bought everything here myself. I haven't taken even a single piece of the clothes and accessories you and Melinda bought for me!"

The clothes in the suitcase were folded neatly. They were the ones Rosalie wore regularly.

Melinda and Simon had treated her well over the years and bought her many nice things. Simon had bought her many clothes and accessories because he didn't want her to be dressed too plainly.

She'd worn and used the things he'd bought to please her "boyfriend", but she hadn't taken them with her.

After all, they'd been new when given to her, but they were secondhand items now that she'd used them… even if they weren't things she wanted.

"Josie, check her luggage!" Simon ordered.

Rosalie paled.

"That wouldn't be too nice, Mr. Johnson." Josie disapproved. All couples argued, but wanting to check Rosalie's luggage meant he thought she was a thief. Melinda would kill him if she heard about this.

"Do as you're told! Stop dragging your feet!" Simon roared.

Josie shrank back, scared by his outburst.

He continued, "Collect your pay and get the hell out of here if you don't want to check her luggage. Don't bother coming by anymore!"

Josie's eyes reddened from being yelled at. She looked at Rosalie, feeling trapped.

Rosalie nodded comfortingly at her, indicating that she understood the latter's situation. Only then did Josie crouch to check Rosalie's luggage.

There weren't many things inside—just some clothes and undergarments. Even the skincare she'd packed wasn't expensive. They were things she'd bought herself or that Sasha had given her.

Josie had worked for the Johnson family for over two decades, so she was familiar with luxury brands. When she was done checking, she stood up and said, "These are all Ms. York's own things, Mr. Johnson."

"Are you sure?" Simon snarled.

"You can go through the things yourself if you don't believe me."

He clenched his jaw without saying anything.

"Do you want to check my things?" Rosalie's voice was quiet, but the raw emotion in her red-rimmed eyes was impossible to miss. The intensity of her gaze made it unexpectedly hard for him to breathe.

When he didn't say anything, she crouched to shut the suitcase and lock it. Then, she started dragging it out of the house.

"You'd better think twice, Rosalie. The Johnson residence isn't a place that you can come and go as you please. Even if you regret this and come crying, I won't—"

"Don't worry. I won't ever come back even if I starve out there!" Rosalie left without even sparing Simon a glance.

He was so infuriated that he kicked a nearby chair, causing it to fall over on its side.

"Aren't you going to go after Ms. York, Mr. Johnson?" Josie asked.

"She'll be back sooner or later!" he snapped.

Simon knew Rosalie liked him. She was only acting like this to force him into giving in and marrying her.

He wouldn't fall for her trap. As long as he refused to take the bait, she would one day regret this!