Lahat ng Kabanata ng I Swore Off Men; But My Enemy Wants An Exception : Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

Rosette’s point of view~~~Cesare didn’t speak right away.There was grief in his eyes then, yes, but also guilt. The kind that stayed silent because it knew it had no right to speak.He just stood there, his dark eyes fixed on me as though reading every line of pain etched into my face.Then, slowly, he moved past me. Not in a rush, not like he was trying to escape the heaviness of the room like James did but with a kind of respect. Like he understood the ache in my chest.He stepped around me and to my father’s side then gently pulled the sheet back up over his face, covering him fully again. I didn't stop him. I just watched his hands move gently but didn't say anything. I didn't have the strength to talk let alone move.Then, without saying a word, he picked up a napkin from the table beside the bed and came to stand at my front.He raised his hands and his fingers brushed against mine. I flinched, barely.“You're bleeding,” he said softly.I blinked. "What?"He lifted my hand

Rosette's point of view~~~“How on earth do you know about my son?”I stood by the kitchen counter with the cup still in my hand. The taste of the liquid lingered. He just looked at me, then straightened up with a casual shrug.“Like I said before,” he replied, voice even and devoid of guilt, “I prefer knowing my business partners very well.”My eyes narrowed. “Does that include interfering in their personal lives?”He tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable. “No. But in your case—yes.”The nerve.I scoffed and turned away, unable to look at him for a moment. My stomach churned, not from the drink but from the idea of being watched. Of being observed like a subject under a microscope. And yet, I wasn’t surprised.“This isn’t the first time you’ve surprised me,” I murmured, setting the cup down with a soft clink. “In fact, you’re full of surprises, Cesare Llewellyn. You probably sent someone to spy on me, dig up my life, uncover my child. And you know what? That’s probably t

Cesare’s point of viewI wasn’t supposed to be standing in front of her house this early.But after that call yesterday… after hearing her voice, hoarse and frayed yet so composed, telling me I should attend the funeral since I witnessed his death, more like giving me the permission to.I couldn’t wait for the sun to rise completely before coming here.I showed up in all black.It wasn’t for theatrics.It wasn’t even out of respect.It was because somehow, it felt right—like my presence needed to carry the weight of this moment.I drove and walked past the gates and doors like I belonged here.Nobody stopped me.Not the gateman or the bodyguards lurking outside. They seemed more than usual today. Rose must have heightened the security here.Not the housekeeper who opened the door either, nor the gardener who glanced up and nodded slightly as if I were expected.My presence yesterday had probably made a mark on everyone, even when I hadn't tried to.Inside, the house was quiet. Mournin

Rosette's point of view ~~~ Rosette?” His voice was a shiver down my spine. Of all the mornings, of all the places, of all the people I could have run into on the day of my father’s funeral, it had to be him. I backed towards the nearest shelf, clutching the gloves and handkerchief like they were some kind of protection charm. My pulse pounded in my ears. I didn’t think I’d ever feel like this again. A mix of infuriation and…fear. The light from above flickered, casting tall shadows across Blake’s face as he took one more step toward me. I held my ground, barely. He smiled. That boyish, charming smile that used to make my heart skip in another lifetime. But now, it chilled me to the bone. “I’ve been looking for you,” he said softly, as though that alone justified everything. “Since that day you walked out on me. I never gave up.” I took another step back. My heel bumped into the edge of the shelf behind me, and I cursed myself inwardly. Cesare was outside. Aside from him,

Rosette's Point of View ~~~"Ah—" I winced, the hiss escaping my lips before I could stop it."Sorry," the nurse muttered, focused as she dabbed antiseptic over my side with clinical care. The sting seared through me, and I gritted my teeth. I had been through pain before. Real pain. But this...This was different. Not because it hurt more, but because I was so damn tired of ending up in rooms like this, with people like him being the reason.Back in college, it used to be Cesare that made me visit the sick bay often. Then later, it was Blake and his family, having me end up in a hospital every damn time.Now, it's Cesare again.The lights above cast a pale blue tint over everything, including the gauze already stained faintly red on the tray beside her. My dress lay discarded on the nearby chair, ripped from the impact and soaked halfway up the hem. The nurse attending to me had to help me get another black wear as the replacement.The scent of antiseptic filled the air, and I tried