Chapter 113: Unwelcome Alliance
Rose’s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t mask her shock. How could he say that so casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world? "My House," he had said, It wasn’t just the words but the nonchalant tone that left her reeling.
She stared at him, confused, trying to piece together his intentions. Sure, he had guessed that she’d been punished—he was right—but why was he suddenly being... nice?
Her mind drifted back to the humiliation she’d endured. Punished for drinking and coming home late, her parents had seized her car keys after she narrowly avoided an accident while drunk. They’d declared she wasn’t an adult yet and gone further by confiscating her apartment keys. To drive their point home, they’d instructed the security guards not to let her back into the house, locking her out for at least two days.
That’s why she’d shown up at Naomi’s doorstep. It hadn’t been the right thing to do—she knew that—but Naomi was the only person she could turn to. Now, though, Naomi was married, and Rose couldn’t help but feel like an intruder.
The hum of the engine pulled her back to the present. Rylan had started the car and was now steering it smoothly down the road. His calm demeanor only heightened her suspicion.
"Wait. What" That was all she said in shock.
"If you don’t want to come to my house, fine," he said, breaking the silence without so much as glancing at her. "You can leave the car."
Her eyes darted toward him, narrowing slightly. Was he seriously trying to manipulate her? Was he using her weakest point—her helplessness—against her?
The gates to the mansion loomed ahead, slowly swinging open as the car sped down the driveway. The sight of the grand estate barely registered in her mind as her attention remained fixed on Rylan.
"Why your house of all places?" she finally asked, her voice carrying a note of defiance.
Without sparing her a glance, he replied, "You can’t possibly stay with Mrs. Naomi now that she’s married. They’ll need their privacy."