Chapter 34
ROSALIE
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I paced in the living room, my arms crossed tightly against my chest, my nerves fraying with every passing minute. Damien’s absence was enough to anger me, but Charlotte’s words were like salt in an open wound.
He hit my father.
The phrase looped in my mind, relentless and infuriating. I had told myself to remain calm until Damien returned, but as the clock ticked on, I felt my resolve crumble. Every second of silence, every echo in the house, only fueled my fury
The sound of the front door opening snapped me out of my thoughts. My head whipped around, and there he was–calm, composed, like he didn’t have a care in the world. He stepped inside, handed his coat to Margaret, and made no effort to even acknowledge me.
“Where have you been?” I demanded, my voice cutting through the stillness.
He glanced at me briefly, his expression unreadable. “Taking care of business.”
“Business?” I repeated, following him as he walked toward the stairs. “What business? Did it involve my family?”
He paused, his hand resting on the banister. “Drop it, Rosalie,” he said, his tone clipped.
“No,” I said firmly, stepping in front of him and blocking his path. “I’m not dropping it. What did you
do?”
He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as if I were the source of his exhaustion. “Rosalie, move.”
“Not until you tell me what you went to my father’s house for,” I snapped, standing my ground.
His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might try to push past me. But then he sighed again, lowering his hand. “T went to your father to make sure he understood something very simple: if he ever lays a hand on you again, he’ll have me to
answer to.
1 stared at him, my anger simmering just beneath the surface. “You threatened him?”
Damien’s broad shoulders filled the living room as he stared me down, his dark eyes narrowed with barely restrained anger. I stood my ground, refusing to let him intimidate me.
“You haven’t answered me,” I said, my voice firm despite the knot tightening in my stomach. “What did you do at my father’s house?”
“I already told you,” he said curtly. “I was handling business.”
“Business?” I repeated, my voice rising. “Was that business about my father? Did you go there to hurt him?”
His jaw clenched, the tension in his body palpable. “I went there to make sure he never laid a hand on you again. That’s it.”
“And that warranted violence?” I shot back, my anger flaring. “You hit my own father.”
His eyes darkened, a dangerous edge creeping into his tone. “I didn’t touch him, Rosalie. I don’t know who is feeding you lies about me but I didn’t hit him. Atleast not yet. But if I had, it would’ve been justified”
I felt my heart lurch at the coldness in his words. “You think you’re justified in barging into my family’s home, throwing around threats, and-”
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Chapter 34
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“I wasn’t threatening anyone,” he interrupted sharply. “I was protecting you. Someone had to.”
“I didn’t ask for your protection!” I yelled, my voice cracking
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That did it. Damien’s composure snapped like a fraying wire. His eyes burned with fury as he took a step toward me, his towering frame suddenly overwhelming.
“You didn’t ask for my protection?” he said, his voice low and dangerously calm. “Are you hearing yourself right now? Your father hit you, Rosalie. He left a mark on your face. And you’re telling me you didn’t need my help?”
“I could’ve handled it I shouted back, my own anger surging.
His face twisted with disbelief and fury, and his voice came out like a growl. “Handled it? How, exactly? By staying quiet? By letting him get away with it? How many times have you been subjugated in that house Rosalie?”
“I would’ve confronted him!” 1 snapped, my voice trembling. “I wanted the issue to die off first. You had no right to go to my home to hit and threaten my dad”
Damien let out a sharp, bitter laugh, his eyes narrowing. “Confronted him? Like you confronted Liam?”
The air between us turned frigid. His words hit me like a slap, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe..
“That’s not fair,” I whispered, my voice shaking.
“Fair?” he said, his voice rising. “Don’t talk to me about fair, Rosalie. I did what needed to be done because you sure as hell wouldn’t have
1 glared at him, my chest heaving with anger and hurt. “You don’t get to use that against me. What happened with Liam-
“What happened with Liam wouldn’t have happened if you’d stood up for yourself properly!” Damien’s voice thundered, cutting me off.
I took a step back, my resolve faltering as his words sank in. But I refused to back down. “You think this makes you a hero? Harging into my father’s house, hitting him and playing the savior? You’re nothing but a bully, Damien. A tyrant who thinks he can control everyone around him.”
гусь
flared with fury, and in an instant, he grabbed my arm, his grip firm but not painful.
“You want to talk about control?” he said through gritted teeth, dragging me toward the nearest room. “Fine. Let’s talk.”
“Let me go!” I yelled, struggling against him.
He didn’t respond, his silence more terrifying than any threat.
“Damein leave me!” I yelled, hitting his hand as he dragged me through the house.
“Shut up!” Damien growled back, attracting the attention of Margaret and Maria who crept behind us as Damien’s grip was unrelenting
When we reached a certain door, he flung it open and pushed me inside, slamming it shut behind me.
“Damien!” I screamed, pounding on the door as I heard the lock click
“You’ll stay in there,” he said coldly, his voice muffled through the door. “Without food, without water. Maybe then you’ll learn some respect”
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“Respect?” I shouted, my voice breaking. “You think locking me up will earn my respect? You’re delusional!”
“Damien!” I shouted, pounding on the door. “Open this door right now?”
He ignored me, his voice muffled as he spoke to the maids outside.
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Damien’s voice cut through the air like a blade, low and menacing. “Listen carefully,” he said, his tone razor–sharp. “No one is to o open this door. No food, no water. Nothing. If I find out any of you disobeyed me, you’ll regret it
Margaret wrung her hands nervously, her face pale as she darted her eyes between him and the floor. “M–Mr. Damien.” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “P–Please. She’s your wife. She doesn’t deserve-
Damien turned on her, his eyes blazing with fury. “Don’t test me, Margaret,” he snapped, the venom in his voice enough to make her flinch.
Margaret recoiled, her trembling fingers gripping the edge of her apron as she took a step back.
Behind her, Maria hesitated, trying to summon her courage. “S–Sir,” she stammered, her voice weak. “Maybe–maybe just a little water-
“Enough” Damien’s voice thundered, echoing in the hallway. The maids froze, their faces stricken with fear. “Do you think I’m asking for your opinion?” he demanded, his tone sharp enough to cut stone. “You work for me, and you’ll do as you’re told. Or do I need to remind you what happens when someone disobeys me?”
Maria shook her head quickly, her wide eyes filling with tears. “No, sir… I’m sorry. We–we won’t
“Good,” Damien said coldly, his gaze hardening as it flicked between them. “Let me make this perfectly clear. If either of you opens that door or even so much as slides a crumb under it, you’ll regret it. Do I make myself clear?”
“Y–Yes, sir,” they murmured, their voices barely above a whisper.
Satisfied, Damien’s glare lingered on them for another tense moment before he turned and stormed down the hallway, his footsteps heavy and unyielding
Inside the locked room, Rosalie sat on the floor, her chest heaving as she fought to steady her breathing. The weight of the situation pressed down on her like a suffocating blanket, and her hands trembled against the cold wooden planks beneath her.
Through the door, she could hear the maids‘ hushed whispers. Their voices trembled as they moved away, their fear of Damien palpable. Then, silence.
Rosalie leaned her head back against the door, her throat tightening as tears pricked her eyes. Hot and unbidden, they blurred her vision, but she refused to let them fall–not for him. Not for the man who had dragged her into this twisted nightmare and locked her away as though she were nothing.
Her fingers curled into fists, her nails biting into her palms. Anger burned hot in her chest, consuming the remnants of her
fear.
“You don’t get it, do you?” she murmured, her voice shaking with both fury and sorrow. “All you’re doing is proving exactly why I’ll never trust you. Why I’ll never love you.”
The tears she had been holding back finally spilled over, hot and angry against her skin. She let them fall this time, her voice cracking as she whispered, “One day, I’ll be free from this marriage.”
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