Izabelle’s eyes widened as her eyes met with Marcel’s. They both stared at each other in shock and it was as if time stopped for them. Their eyes remained glued and their mouths fell open in shock. Izabelle was the first to remove her gaze from him and swallowed before looking at the cheerful face of her daughter and then at Marcel.
“Daddy is so cool, Mommy. He beat up those bad men to a pulp. They ran away,” Little Rosie giggled, bringing her mother’s attention back to her.“What bad men?”“They tried to take me away but Daddy saved me. He’s so cool, isn’t he?”Hearing that some bad men tried to take her daughter away, Izabelle dropped her carefully on the floor and inspected her body for any possible injury. Her eyes fell on little Rosie’s bruised wrist.“See, you’re hurt. Why did you move when I asked you not to?”“Sorry, Mommy. I was stubborn. Rosie won’t disobey you anymore,” she batted her eyes at her mother knowing fully well that she won’t remain angry at her when she gives that look. “Come, Mommy. I’ll introduce you to handsome Daddy,” Little Rosie held the hands of her mother and brought her to stand before Marcel.His dark eyes were staring right into her soul if that was even possible and she averted her gaze not wanting to meet eyes with him.Izabelle avoided eye contact with him and said.“Thank you for saving my daughter. I’m grateful,” she bit her lips after appreciating him.“You should hold her better next time. What if those men had taken her? If you can’t hold a child then give her to someone else. A little child like this shouldn’t be left alone. There are child traffickers everywhere,” his words came out harshly and he looked colder than ever as he stared at the woman and child before him.“Sorry for troubling you. I’ll heed your advice.”Without another word, he turned his back coldly at them and walked away followed by his assistant. Izabelle stood there star-struck, still trying to process all that happened less than two minutes ago. She had known that coming back to the United States, there might be a chance that she was going to run into Marcel but she never thought that it would be so soon and in such a situation too.In such a messy situation with him saving their daughter and pinpointing how bad of a mother she was. Although he might not mean it that way, that was what it came out to be.“Mommy?” She kept her emotions in check at hearing the voice of her daughter call and she managed to force a smile and stared at her.“Yes, honey?”“Are we going to see him again? I want him to be my daddy.”“Do..don’t say things like that. Come with me, your aunt is waiting.” She held the hands of little Rosie and with her other hand, she held their luggage and headed to the parking lot of the airport.They got to the parking lot of the airport and Izabelle’s eyes lit up when she saw a woman who seemed to be searching for someone and looking at her phone every passing second. The lady’s eyes landed on her and she smiled before walking toward the mother-and-daughter duo.“Izabelleee,” just as she got to them, she engaged in a tight hug with Izabelle and they hugged each other for a while before pulling away.“I can't believe it's you that's back in the United States. You're looking so good, girl. It's been almost a year since I last saw you. Welcome home.”“Thank you, Ruby. I finally made a decision. Perhaps it is the right thing to do.”“It is.”Ruby took their luggage and carried it to the truck of her car before turning back to them.“Hello little Sie Sie,” she greeted the frowning little girl.“Sie Sie, come on. Greet Aunt Ruby.”The little girl folded her hands under her chest and frowned at them before looking away. It Seemed like she didn't want to greet her.“Sie Sie,” Izabelle warned.“Hello, Aunt Ruby.”“You're so grown up now. I miss our little fights, Sie Sie. Guess what I got for you.”At the mention of a gift, Rosie’s attention was stolen and she stared at her curiously wondering what it was that her aunt bought for her.“Let's get into the car first.”They settled in the car and little Rosie insisted on sitting in the front passenger seat with her mother.“Here. I got you lots of storybooks. I know you love storybooks. I bought lots of them. The Mermaid and the Beast, Cinderella, Beauty, and the Beast, the Mermaid, and her knight…….”Little Rosie’s eyes widened as Ruby kept mentioning the names of the storybooks she got for her. Her previous frown was gone and replaced with awe. Her eyes fell on the back seat of the car and again, her eyes widened causing her to look so cute with her widened eyes and open mouth.The back seat of the car was loaded with storybooks just for her. No wonder aunt Ruby was still counting and saying the names of the books she bought.Doing all of these to impress one little child. Really?“That's all. They're more than fifty,” Ruby finally stopped speaking and stretched her hands to get one of the books and handed it to little Rosie whose eyes now shone in delight. She would have lots of storybooks to read and not feel bored when her Mommy is out. Aunt Ruby sure knows how to impress her.“And what are you supposed to say to her, Rosie?” Izabelle asked.“Thank you so much, Aunt Ruby.”“It's alright. Anything for our cute little Rosie,” Ruby smiled. “Ahh, Sie Sie. I hope you're no longer angry at your godmother, are you?”Little Rosie immediately closed the storybook she was starting to read and glared at her so-called godmother. Hmph. No wonder she was giving her all these storybooks that might take her weeks if not months to finish. She wants her forgiveness. “Is that why you gave me these books? Because you want me to forgive you? That's so artless, Aunt Ruby,” Rosie scoffed. “Ahh…no. That's not true,” Ruby scratched her head and started driving.”I bought the books because I knew you loved books. You know, it's my responsibility as your godmother.”“I don't believe you one bit, aunt. That's what you always say. Every time you do the same thing and buy me gifts. I don't want them. You can take your books back.”“No..no, I swear this is going to be the last time. The story books are for you. What will happen to them if you don't take them? Please forgive me one last time. I promise it won't happen again,” pleaded Ruby as she kept her eyes on the road but her sole attention was on the cute little prin
“Ohh, Izabelle. Your daughter is getting scarier every passing day,” Ruby lamented. “Only to you,” Izabelle flicked Little Rosie on her forehead causing her to flinch and frown.They laughed. “Sorry Sie Sie, it was a slip of the tongue, hmm? I won’t take your mummy anywhere, okay?”“En.”Ruby swallowed and turned to Izabelle. She felt scared to ask her what she wanted to ask. If she did, the little girl was going to get angry. Ahh, such an obstacle to their friendship. They would always have to get Rosie sleeping if they want to do something or go somewhere. She mustered up her courage and asked. “Where should I take you guys? Would you like to spend some time in my apartment?” “No. You can just drop us at a hotel. I don’t want to bother you. Besides, I know you’re with your parents nowadays.”“It’s fine. I can stay because of you. You’re my bestie after all. I’m not bothered at all.”“It’s okay. We’ll just spend the night at a hotel. You’ve done enough for me already and I’m so gr
“Wowwww, this place is so pretty, Mommy. Is it a palace? Like the ones in those Disney books? Are there princesses inside?” Little Rosie exclaimed with her mouth wide open as she climbed down the car and stared at the white building in front of her. The building was so huge and beautiful that she resisted the urge to run into it immediately. “It's not a palace, Sie Sie and there are no princesses inside either. It's just a normal family house.” They were standing before a huge mansion with the name ‘Rossaddor’s Residence’ written in gold at the top of the wall. This place was just as she remembered it to be. It was the same after all these years. Nothing has changed. The cold walls, the piercing atmosphere, and the graveyard silence of the mansion. Nothing changed at all. Perhaps the people in it never changed and that was the reason why nothing changed in the Rosaddor’s Mansion. She could still remember her memories here. They used to be fulfilling. Her silent days here until ever
“Rosie Mae Rossasor,” Izabelle muttered. “Rosie Mae Rossador. Good choice of name,” Grandfather Rossador repeated, staring at the little girl beside her mother who was peering at him with her big round eyes wide open. Perhaps she was wondering who he was. “Come, little girl. Come greet your great grandfather,” he gestured with his arms wide open. “Great grandfather,” little Rosie pondered. Her mother had once taught her the meaning of these titles. Izabelle bent to her height and whispered something into her ears causing her eyes to widen. Rosie slowly and hesitantly climbed down the couch and walked to the grandfather’s side. He embraced her before carrying her to sit beside him. “I’m mommy’s grandfather. Mommy used to run around this mansion when she was younger.”“Mommy used to stay here?”The grandfather nodded. “Want me to show you Mommy’s pictures?” At Rosie’s approval, the grandfather clapped his hands and two maids came rushing into the hall at the same time. He ordered
Little Rosie’s eyes raised from her meal to stare at the person who just reprimanded her. She gazed at the person in confusion wondering if she was referring to her. But she was the only kid in the room. Did she perhaps do something wrong?“She’s a little shy, Aunt Danny,” Izabelle said. “Shy or poorly educated? What did I even expect? She's a b*astard child that you got before marriage. Surely she's poorly educated, after all, she grew up to this stage without a father,” Aunt Danny’s words came out extremely harsh but like always, no one challenged her in the dining hall and they all pretended as if they didn't hear that. Izabelle slightly tightened her lips and put her spoon down. There was an unspoken rule in the Rossador family. At dinner, if the grandfather doesn't start eating, then no one could and if he doesn't leave the dining hall, no one could either. But the little girl had started eating before anyone else, causing the family members’ anger to skyrocket. “She’s just a
Two weeks passed by swiftly and Izabelle already moved to a comfortable condo with her daughter and had recently finished the project for her studio. It was a replica of her previous studio. Big and classic and she was sure that soon, she would have a hall of celebrities and children from the elite society coming in. They were already booked but due to her busy schedule this week, she had postponed her work. Coming out of the new studio, Izabelle entered her car and drove towards little Rosie’s new school. Yep. Little Rosie now attended a new school in the city and she seems to kind of like her new school. She always talked about her new friends and how beautiful they were. She also mentioned that the teachers were nice to her. Her school was just a few miles away from the studio and one of the best in the city. Well, Grandfather Rossador had insisted that his great-granddaughter attend the best school in the city and not any low-grade school. She was a Rossador and must be treated
The window behind was slowly lowered revealing a strikingly handsome face she hasn’t seen in a while. He pulled his glasses and his eyes met with hers. “Do you want to take a ride?” Marcel raised his eyebrow and looked at her with a cold smile. He was handsome under the afternoon sun and his cold smile carried a hint of cold evil. The smile that always carried away a woman’s heart and pulled the strings. Those smiles that no one could see beneath it. Izabelle held the toy she bought for little Rosie and looked at him as if he were a stranger. Perhaps he was because the Marcel staring at her here was not the Marcel she used to know. He was a stranger to her. Suddenly appearing in front of her. Who knows what he was up to?Little Rosie’s school must have closed by now and she must be waiting for her with her teacher. She doesn’t want to keep her waiting for long. Izabelle only paused for a moment before she left without looking back as if she hadn't seen him or heard him speak and no
In the ambulance was her little daughter lying on a stretcher and the nurses placing oxygen on her to help her breathe. Before the ambulance door closed, she held it and rushed in followed by the teacher. “Rosie? Sie Sie, mummy is here, say something,” her hands moved to Rosie’s shoulder and she shook her as the ambulance started moving. Little Rosie lay on a stretcher without moving or saying a word. Her eyes were closed and her mother’s cries did nothing to help her. Izabelle’s tears flowed and she abruptly turned to the teacher who was sitting together with the nurses at the side. “Ho..how? What happened?” She yelled. “I don't know. S…she was just right beside me one moment and in the next, she was gone. When we f..found her, she was in the garden unconscious and there was smoke there. I don't know how it happened really, I'm sorry.”Izabelle’s tears dropped the more the teacher talked and she slumped on the chair beside the stretcher and covered her face with her palms. Her w