Chapter 14
As the dinner drew to a close, Roslyn's tears had fallen, her fragile smile shattered. Alexander's heart ached, but his silence had spoken volumes.
It wasn't until later, as they prepared to leave, that Alexander stumbled upon a forgotten card on the table:
"Happy Birthday to me."
A lump formed in his throat as realization dawned. This dinner, orchestrated by Roslyn's eager hands, had been her birthday celebration. And no one had known.
The memory lingered, a festering wound. Alexander's thoughts returned to the present, his regret and resentment toward his family simmering.
How could he have missed it? How could he have let her down so utterly?
The weight of his silence that evening now crushed him, a constant reminder of his failure to protect Roslyn from his family's toxicity.
The memories of that fateful dinner flooded his mind, and Alexander's heart swelled with regret and empathy. He realized now that Roslyn had been desperately seeking acceptance and belonging among his family, but instead she was met with cruelty and disdain.
"How alone she must have felt that night," Alexander thought, his conscience wracked with guilt. "Her grandfather, her only family, was gone, and I, her husband, stood idly by, allowing my family to ravage her spirit."
He recalled Roslyn's fragile smile, her eyes brimming with tears, and his own silence, which had spoken volumes. "I was her rock, her safe haven, but I failed her," Alexander thought, his self-reproach intensifying.
As he reflected on Roslyn's isolation, Alexander understood that her loneliness wasn't just about that one evening; it was a chronic condition, exacerbated by his family's toxicity and his own inadequacy.
"Roslyn's strength and resilience amazed me, but I didn't appreciate it then," Alexander thought, his admiration for her growing. "She endured the unbearable, and I didn't even notice."
The weight of his neglect crushed Alexander. "How could I have missed it? The signs were there—her hesitant smiles, her fleeting laughter, her desperate attempts to connect."
In that moment, Alexander vowed to make amends, prove his love and devotion to Roslyn, and ensure she never felt alone again.
"But is it too late?" Alexander wondered, his uncertainty gnawing at his soul. "Have I irreparably damaged our bond?"
Alexander's feet carried him toward the meeting room, but his mind lingered elsewhere, consumed by memories of Roslyn.
As he walked, the soft hum of the office faded into the background, replaced by the haunting image of Roslyn's tears, her smile faltering under his family's verbal assault.
"How could I have let her down so utterly?" Alexander thought, his self-reproach intensifying with each step.
He passed by colleagues, exchanging perfunctory nods, but his focus remained on Roslyn. Her laughter echoed in his mind, a bittersweet reminder of happier times.
Alexander entered the meeting room, taking his seat mechanically. His marketing team began their presentation, but he struggled to focus.
Numbers and charts blurred together as Roslyn's face hovered before him, her eyes searching for validation, for love.
"What did I ever do to deserve her?" Alexander wondered, his thoughts a jumbled mix of regret and longing.
The meeting room's fluorescent lights seemed to dim, replaced by the warm glow of Roslyn's presence. Alexander's heart ached, his soul crying out for a second chance.
"Can I make it right?" he thought, his mind racing with possibilities. "Can I prove my love and restore her trust?"
The meeting continued, but Alexander's participation was superficial, his mind trapped in the past, reliving moments with Roslyn, seeking redemption.
Alexander's gaze drifted, his mind still with Roslyn, as the marketing team droned on.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed, shrill in the quiet room. He glanced at the screen, his heart skipping a beat.
"Vincent" flashed on the display, his personal investigator.
Alexander's instincts stirred. Vincent only called with crucial updates.
"Excuse me," Alexander murmured, pushing back his chair. "I need to take this."
The team paused, expectant, as Alexander stepped out of the meeting room.
