Chapter 82
Chapter 82
Josephine anxiously arrived at Rose's rented unit and plopped all the shopping bags and gift boxes on the sofa. She then patted her chest that was still feeling some residual fear.
She said to Rose, "Sister-in-law, what should I do? My brother is suspicious of me. He sent someone to follow me around. I bumped into him downstairs earlier."
Rose's relaxed expression immediately turned pale. The cup in her hands shook tremendously as she stuttered, "Your brother is downstairs?"
Josephine saw how Rose turned into a coward within a split second and laughed. "Sister-in-law, I thought that you're the only person in this world who isn’t afraid of him and even dares to bicker or go against him. It turns out you're merely an origami tiger?"
Rose guiltily said, "You know how ruthless your brother can be at work. Which of those who went against him ever lived to see a good ending? If your brother knew that I'm still here, pulverizing me will not be enough to quench his hatred for me."
Josephine patted her shoulders. "That's too hyperbolic. The most my brother will do is take away both your cute babies and make sure that you won't be able to survive here by preventing you from getting a job. You'll just be left to die on your own."
Rose looked at Josephine, dumbfounded. "So it's better if he takes my life instead?"
Josephine looked at her guiltily as she said, "What shall we do then? Move houses again?"
Something struck Rose, and she asked Josephine," Why is your brother investigating you?"
Josephine's expression suddenly turned depressed.
After a sigh, she pulled out a long cigar from her exquisite limited-edition handbag. She lit it with a lighter and inhaled deeply.
The bright sparks shone at her eyes, reflecting her tears that were like a vast ocean with surging waves.
Rose unceremoniously put out the burning cigar that was in between Josephine’s fingers. "Nicotine and alcohol can never obliterate our sorrows permanently. Besides, I don’t want Jens and Zetty to inhale your secondhand smoke.”
Josephine placed the cigar on the glass side table and laughed bitterly. "Sister-in-law, do you want to hear m y story?"
Rose saw the unappeasable amorous gaze within Josephine's eyes. It was exactly the way Rose was years ago, carrying so much despair. She had wanted t o use her stubbornness and unwillingness to admit defeat to change her mediocre fate.
In the end, she had thrown herself into the vast ocean like duckweed, but she did not receive redemption.
Instead, what she got in return was infinite hatred.
"Tell me. I’m listening," Rose gently said.
The tears in Josephine's eyes rolled out even before she said a word. Her emotions brought her back to the time when she felt so unappeasable.
"When I was younger, I was very frivolous. I used to think that because I'm the young mistress of the Ares family and am quite attractive as well, I could chase after the man I fell in love with without a care in the world.'
At the mention of her past, those healed wounds in Josephine's heart were once again torn open. The freshly torn wounds were bleeding, and the pain was s o bad that her face scrunched up.
Rose behaved like a good listener, maintaining a calm composure while quietly listening to Josephine's story.
"He is the young master of the Severe family in Swallow City, Zayne Severe. He is a very handsome man, humorous and witty as well. I fell hopelessly in love with him the moment I first laid my eyes on him.
"Back then, I was full of innocence and couldn’t wait t o announce to the whole world that I liked him. I've done so many stupid things to pursue him. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
Unfortunately, love is such a sacred thing. It's not something attainable by hard work alone. However, the more unattainable it was, the more obsessed I became. I even went as far as drugging him just to get him..."
When Josephine narrated this part of the story, her emotions began to waver. Her breathing turned ragged, and her complexion turned pale.
Even Rose did not appear as calm as she should. Her pupils widened with shock and consternation.