Lahat ng Kabanata ng Taming the Devil: After Divorce, Tangled Up in You: Kabanata 221 - Kabanata 230

Rosie rose from Sebastian's office chair and quietly made her way out.She walked slowly down the corridor before stopping when she spotted Desiree sitting nearby, sipping a cup of coffee while scrolling through something on her iPad.Their eyes met.Rosie managed a small, tentative smile, hoping to ease the tension between them.Desiree immediately looked away.The gesture made Rosie's heart sink."I've packed your lunch bag and left it in the pantry," Desiree said without looking at her. "Just grab it and go."Rosie hesitated."Don't talk to me. I've got things to do."The dismissal was deliberate.Rosie lowered her gaze."Thank you," she murmured before walking towards the pantry.She collected her lunch bag, but instead of leaving immediately, she paused and glanced back at Desiree."Um... Desiree, I don't know if you'll like this, but..."She opened the lunch bag, took out a small container and placed it on the table."It's a cup of pumpkin pudding I made this morning. I made a l

Sebastian had been sleeping soundly, snoring as though he hadn't a care in the world.That peaceful sleep lasted until his phone began ringing incessantly.He frowned and groaned, a dull headache pounding behind his eyes. He had spent the entire night going through documents and hadn't finally allowed himself to close his eyes until five in the morning."Urgh... this is bloody ridiculous," Sebastian muttered.He reached blindly for his phone, squinting at the screen."Desiree?"He pressed the green button."What?""Sir, do you know what time it is?""Er... seven?""It's twenty past nine."Sebastian's eyes narrowed sleepily."Rosie called me a moment ago. She wanted to know whether you were already at the office because Izzie's play is starting in ten minutes."There was a brief silence.Then—"Oh, shit!"Sebastian's eyes flew open.He practically launched himself out of bed, rushing into the bathroom to splash cold water over his face. Seconds later, he was back on the phone."Desiree

Rosie fell silent for a long moment as they stared at one another.There was something different in her soon-to-be ex-husband's eyes—a vulnerability he had never allowed her to see before.And she would not lie to herself.It shook her.A tremor ran through her as she struggled to understand the overwhelming emotion twisting inside her chest. But one thing was unmistakable.Heartache.It was so intense that she felt as though her heart might simply give out beneath the weight of it.Tears gathered in Rosie's eyes. In that moment, she wanted only one thing: for the pain to stop.She had never wanted Charles's luxury. She had never cared about his enormous mansion, his wealth or the powerful connections that came with the Sterling name.All she had ever wanted was a simple life.A normal life with her husband and daughter."Rosie? Are you all right?" Charles asked softly.He lifted his hand and gently brushed away a tear that had slipped from the corner of her eye with his thumb.Rosie

Rosie and Charles simultaneously looked down at the phone.Both of them froze.The screen had cracked so badly that there was no longer any way to make out what was displayed.The phone rang again.But with the screen shattered beyond recognition, Charles couldn't see who was calling, nor could he press anything to answer it.And he was furious.No—furious didn't begin to describe it.Charles slowly lifted his gaze towards Rosie, his expression turning murderous."You will regret this, Rosie Sterling," he snarled.He clenched his fist once more before driving it towards her face."Ah!"Rosie threw both hands up instinctively to protect herself, but the blow still connected. Her hands absorbed some of the impact, sparing her nose from the worst of it, yet pain shot through her face all the same.Her palms were already burning and trembling from the force of the blow.Charles noticed the redness spreading across them and gave a cold scoff."See what happens when you disobey me?" he said

Rosie rushed towards her car, fumbling for the keys in the pocket of her jeans. The moment she found them, she unlocked the doors and hurriedly ushered her daughter inside before climbing into the driver's seat.She started the engine and pulled out of the car park without a second glance, her instincts screaming at her to get as far away from the school as possible.Right now, nothing mattered except getting to safety."Mommy..."Izzie stared at her mother with wide, worried eyes. Rosie's entire body was trembling, and one of her hands was red and swollen.Yet Rosie didn't respond. She kept her eyes fixed on the road, her lips pressed tightly together as she struggled to maintain control of the car.Seeing that her mother wasn't in any condition to talk, Izzie fell silent too.She lowered her gaze and fidgeted with her fingers, trying to make sense of what had just happened.It wasn't the first time she'd witnessed her parents arguing. But she'd never seen anything quite so terrible b