Chapter 17
But now, that secret sacrifice felt like a foolish waste.
"Rose? Hey, you okay?" Chris's concerned voice pierced the haze of memories.
Roslyn forced a smile, trying to shake off the painful recollections. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just...bad memories."
Chris's expression softened. "What happened here?"
Roslyn hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "Just...Alexander's family...they were...unpleasant."
Chris's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, Rose...I'm so sorry."
He reached out, enveloping her in a warm hug.
For a moment, Roslyn let herself be comforted, letting go of the painful memories and the weight of Alexander's indifference.
As they sat there, Bellavista's grandeur faded into the background, replaced by the simple, genuine connection between two friends.
"Let's go in," Chris said gently. "We'll make new memories, better ones."
Roslyn nodded, her smile tentative but grateful for Chris's unwavering support.
Roslyn stepped into Bellavista; her eyes scanned the room, and her heart sank.
Seated in the corner, sipping champagne, were the last people she wanted to see: her ex-mother-in-law, Victoria, Aunt Malicia, and Alexander's cousin, Lylah.
Their eyes locked, and Roslyn felt a shiver run down her spine.
Victoria's face twisted in anger as she rose from her seat, her designer heels clicking on the marble floor.
"Roslyn, you have the audacity to show your face here?" Victoria spat, her voice dripping with venom.
Aunt Malicia and Lylah flanked Victoria, their faces mirroring her disgust.
"You ran away from my son's house, abandoned your duties, and now you're roaming around with unknown men?" Victoria's tone was laced with accusation.
"You proved yourself to be a gold digger, Roslyn. You only cared about Alexander's wealth and status."
Lylah chimed in, her voice shrill. "You're a shameless woman, Roslyn. You used Alexander for your own gain."
Aunt Malicia added her own barb. "You're nothing but a cheap, opportunistic tramp."
Chris stepped forward, his face darkening with anger, but Roslyn's hand on his arm restrained him.
"Let me handle this," she whispered.
However, when Lylah crossed the line, saying, "You're a worthless, used-up piece of trash," Roslyn's composure snapped.
With a fierce glare, Roslyn slapped Lylah hard, the sound echoing through the restaurant.
"How dare you?" Roslyn's voice was low and deadly. "You know nothing about me or my marriage."
Victoria raised her hand to strike Roslyn, but a firm grip restrained her.
"Mother, stop," Alexander's voice cut through the chaos.
Roslyn's eyes widened as Alexander stepped forward, his eyes locked on his mother.
"Alexander?" Roslyn's voice trembled.
Alexander's gaze flicked to hers, his expression unreadable.
"Roslyn, I—"
"Don't bother, Alexander," Roslyn interrupted, her voice cold. "I don't need your protection or your excuses."
With a fierce determination, Roslyn turned to face Victoria, Lylah, and Malicia.
"I may have married into your family, but I never belonged to you. And I'm better off without you."
Chris stepped forward, his arm wrapping around Roslyn's shoulders.
"Let's get out of here," he said, his voice firm.
As they turned to leave, Roslyn felt a sense of liberation wash over her.
She was free from the toxic web of Alexander's family.
And she knew she would never look back.
"She's a manipulative, selfish woman who only cares about herself," Victoria spat. "She trapped Alexander into marrying her with her fake innocence and charm, and then she had the audacity to leave him when she couldn't get what she wanted."
"She's a gold digger, always looking for ways to exploit our family's wealth and status," Victoria continued, her voice dripping with malice. "She never truly loved Alexander; she only loved what he could provide for her."
"And now she's flaunting herself with another man without even bothering to hide her infidelity," Victoria sneered. "She's a shameless, immoral woman who doesn't deserve our family's name."
"Good riddance to her," Victoria concluded, her eyes flashing with triumph. "We're better off without her toxic presence in our lives."
Alexander's face darkened with anger as he listened to his mother's venomous words, knowing they were unfair and unjustified.
