Episode 4

The following day, Rose woke early and ventured out around 6 a.m., taking her usual stroll in the rain.

As she was shutting her door, she noticed Claramond exiting his apartment next door. He greeted her warmly.

"Good morning, Rosemary," he said. She offered a brief bow in response, her eyes cast downwards, then headed for the stairs.

After locking his own door, Claramond followed suit and made his way to the staircase.

Ahead by a few steps, Rose descended the stairs with a hint of excitement. Upon reaching the ground floor, she stepped out from under the sheltering eaves and was quickly drenched by the downpour.

Claramond, trailing behind her, emerged with an umbrella and noted how calm Rose appeared under the rain. Soon, he approached until he was by her side and spoke.

"You shouldn't get wet in this rain. It's acid rain, and you could fall ill," Claramond cautioned. At a loss for words, Rose simply looked down. He then shielded her with his umbrella, standing close, and offered her a smile. "Here," he said, taking her hand and placing his umbrella in it. Then he sprinted to his car parked a short distance away, waving goodbye before climbing in and driving off.

Rose remained still, watching the car with the umbrella sheltering her from the rain, then continued watching as it disappeared. Once it was gone, she looked up at the umbrella and walked to the convenience store to buy some groceries.

...

After a while, Rose returned from the store to her apartment. She began preparing breakfast and, as it warmed on the stove, went to start a load of laundry in the bathroom.

Everything was quiet until the doorbell rang. She hurried to answer it. Although she rarely looked anyone directly in the face, she recognized the clothes.

"Hello, Rose," her brother said as he entered as soon as she opened the door. Rose stood frozen, trembling slightly, then closed the door behind him.

Anxiously, she moved to where the sofas were and stood there, her gaze fixed on the floor, while her brother took a seat.

"What have you done? I hope you haven't gotten into trouble," Amon said as he took out a cigarette and began to smoke. She swallowed hard, bracing herself for whatever he would say. "Alright... let me get straight to the point... The press is asking about you. Lacking information, they've started to create theories, so father has made a decision," he told her, standing up and walking over to her. "You are going to marry someone; we're looking for a reputable person willing to marry you. However, everyone refuses to be associated with you... Aren't you tired of being problematic?" he said, clapping her shoulder.

Rose could only feel tears streaming down her cheeks as he walked into the bathroom. Once he was inside, she collapsed to the floor, kneeling and shaking as she cried silently.

Feeling miserable over her situation, the prospect of being bound to someone who would surely hate her caused her immense pain. At that moment, she thought of only one person.

"(Jaume... I need you...)" she thought. Only a minute later, it began to rain again, and she went to the balcony where, amidst tears, she allowed herself to be soaked, oblivious to the potential harm of the acid rain.

...

Minutes later, Amon was lecturing her about how things should be handled, from public appearances to potential interviews where she was compelled to speak. For the first time, she felt a strong desire to refuse, even though she knew it wasn't an option or her choice—it was an "obligation." But this time, she didn't want to comply.

As Amon talked about various matters and laid out photographs of men who might agree to marry her, she spoke up.

"I don't want to..." she whispered. Aaron overheard and looked up, visibly annoyed.

"What did you say?" he demanded. Avoiding eye contact, a nervous tic started in her.

"I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to..." she repeated over and over.

"Shut your mouth!" Amon shouted, standing up and moving closer, eventually slapping her. "I didn't ask what you want! This is a direct order from father!" he yelled. Yet, due to her nerves, Rose's tic persisted.

"I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to..." she whispered, trembling.

Fed up, Amon shoved her against the wall and slapped her several times until she fell to the floor in silence, now just murmuring "I don't want to" quietly as she bit her tongue and rubbed her sore cheeks.

"Ah... You're such a headache... It would've been better if you weren't born..." Amon uttered, adjusting his jacket and heading for the door. As he reached the doorway, he glanced back at her. "I'll come back when someone agrees to be with you, so try not to dress like this in the coming days. You look like a vagrant," he remarked before leaving.

As soon as he left, Rose broke down in tears, unable to hold back the small sobs. Unbeknownst to her, Amon hadn't shut the door properly. Hearing Amon's shouts from her own apartment, Anahera entered and found Rose, kneeling down and embracing her.

"Shh, little one... It's alright... he's gone," Anahera soothed her, providing comfort...

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