Chapter 12

Rosalie woke up with a loud yawn, having spent the night in the hospital after talking and crying to Rebecca as if she could hear what she was saying.

Having dozed off in the chair with her head resting on Rebecca's bed throughout the night, Rosalie was gazing at Rebecca's face when the door opened and a nurse walked in.

"Good morning, miss," the nurse greeted. Rosalie responded with a nod.

"I think you should rest as well; you look tired," the nurse said, concern etched on her face as she looked at Rosalie.

"I don't want to leave my mother. I should stay with her since I have nothing else to do," Rosalie mumbled, her voice weak.

"You don't need to worry about your mother. We'll take care of her as always, and we'll let you know as soon as she wakes up from the coma," the nurse reassured her. Rosalie hesitated for a moment before finally standing up from the chair.

"Okay, I'll leave, but please keep an eye on her," Rosalie said, and the nurse nodded before moving closer to Rebecca to check on her.

Rosalie glanced at her mother one last time before exiting the ward, a look of distress on her face.

As she walked out of the hospital, she suddenly felt embarrassed in her hospital gown, acutely aware of the stares from others around her.

"I could have driven myself home, but I don't even know where my car is anymore. I just hope that man doesn't come after me, and I don't want to believe he's my father because everything is so complicated right now for me," Rosalie mumbled as she stepped outside, but...

Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Cameron standing beside his car with his arms crossed.

Cameron flashed her a smile upon seeing her, which surprised Rosalie even more.

"What the hell is going on in his mind? Why is he suddenly smiling? Is it because of his money again?" Rosalie mumbled to herself before she walked closer to him.

"Why are you here? Is it because of your money? I thought, tonight was when I'd be doing the stripping, so what are you doing here?" Rosalie asked, but the smile never left Cameron's face.

"Where are you going? Get in the car; I'll take you there," Cameron said, ignoring her question.

"Why are you smiling? I don't want to go with you. I can walk by myself; nothing is going to happen to me, so I'm still going to pay your money," Rosalie said defiantly.

"You're in debt to me, so you're my responsibility. I can't let anything happen to you. Now get into the car and stop being stubborn," Cameron replied, his smile fading but not quite turning into a frown.

"You're so overprotective of your money, it's as if you're poor," Rosalie shot back.

Cameron chuckled at her words. "I can see you're back to your brave self, especially after you said sorry and thanked me yesterday-and even hugged me. I'd love to see that again," he said, eager to witness her reaction.

As soon as he spoke, Rosalie flushed with embarrassment, her face turning bright red.

Unsure of what to say or do, Rosalie began to walk away, and Cameron smirked before following her.

As soon as Cameron reached her, he lifted her off the ground, causing Rosalie's eyes to widen in surprise.

"What the hell are you doing? Put me down!" Rosalie shouted, feeling the warmth of his broad chest as he smiled down at her.

"What's wrong with him? Why this sudden behavior? Is he drunk?" A flurry of questions raced through Rosalie's mind, but she couldn't find the answers...

And she stopped struggling in his arms, gazing up at his face. Cameron couldn't help but smile, feeling her gaze on him as he walked back to his car. He gently set her down inside before getting in on the other side and zooming off.

Meanwhile, a man emerged from his hiding spot, an evil smile spreading across his face.

"I see you're trying to protect her, but you'll need to try harder..."

"I, Apache, will not rest until I kill them all," he declared, a chilling smile on his lips.

__

Cameron stopped his car in front of Rosalie's house, and she got out immediately.

Throughout the ride, Rosalie felt uneasy about his sudden change in behavior toward her, and she couldn't help but poke at him every minute.

As she began walking into the house, Cameron got out of the car and pulled her back.

"Why are you doing this? Is it-" Rosalie started, but Cameron cut her off before she could finish.

"As usual, it's all about the money and nothing else," Cameron replied, prompting Rosalie to pull her hand away from him with a scoff.

"You were in such a hurry when you signed this. Why didn't you read it again to understand how you would pay me back?"

"I want to make sure I get my money back fully," Cameron said, but Rosalie snatched the contract from him.

She hissed in frustration before speaking.

"Anyway, thanks for the ride," Rosalie said quickly as she rushed inside the house. She just didn't know how to act normally around him.

"Maybe it's because I hated him before; that must be why," she mumbled to herself as she disappeared from view.

Cameron wore a smile until she was out of sight, then he let out a deep breath.

"She's adorable. I can't help but smile like a madman, which feels strange because that's not usually me," Cameron mumbled as he glanced at the house one last time before getting into his car and driving off.

___

Carter was leaving the school compound and heading to his hostel.

He had always been alone since he entered the school, arriving by himself and returning just the same.

His roommates often made him feel left out and whenever he tried to talk to them, they would bully him instead.

But lately, he had started to appreciate the fact that no one bullied him or shot him hateful glances anymore. They just simply didn't speak to him, and that was... enough.

It all began the day Gabriella saved him from her sister, and they started talking from that moment on.

She was the first person he connected with at school, and the feeling was mutual for Gabriella. The only difference was that she was rich, while he was poor.

It was raining and he sheltered himself under an umbrella when suddenly someone bumped into him, causing the umbrella to slip from his grasp. The wind caught it and blew it away before he could manage to retrieve it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you. Are you okay?" the person asked.

"No, I'm fine; it's nothing," Carter replied, raising his head. As he did, he was taken aback to see who had just collided with him.

His expression shifted to one of shock as the person turned out to be: Apache. With a strange smile on his face, Apache exuded an aura that made it clear he was nothing ordinary, and that unnerved Carter.

"Be careful, kid. There are more dangerous people out here that you can't escape from," Apache warned, deliberately twisting his words. Carter's eyes widened in response.

Apache flashed him another sinister smile before walking away, leaving Carter standing there, dumbfounded.

"What the hell? Is he even human?" Carter mumbled, still in shock. Suddenly, his gaze fell on a small note on the ground, and it was already wet by the rain. He picked it up anyway.

Carter's eyes widened further as he read what was written inside.

"I'm coming back for you."

The words sent a shiver of fear through his body.

"What the heck!" he mumbled, dropping the note back on the ground. He was about to walk away, still feeling anxious, when he heard Gabriella's voice in the distance.

"Carter, wait!"

He paused, and as soon as she reached him, she held her umbrella over his head as well.

"Why aren't you covering yourself? Oh my goodness! You're soaked! Let's-" Carter interrupted her as he suddenly hugged her tightly, his hands trembling on her waist.

"What happened, Carter? Are you okay? Did something happen?" Gabriella asked, her concern growing as she felt his trembling hands.

Isabella watched from her car, her expression filled with fury.

"So this is what that disgusting bitch is up to. I'll make sure they regret it. She's just a slut after all, and he's nothing but a poor rat," Isabella said angrily, her irritation evident as she glared at them.

"Let's go," she mumbled to her driver, and the car sped off immediately.

___

After freshening up, Rosalie had fallen asleep. When she woke up, she felt bored, prompting her to read the contract she had signed.

Athena wasn't home, and Rosalie couldn't help but think that Athena would be so worried sick, still believing that she hadn't been found yet.

Feeling anxious that Apache might return, Rosalie had locked all the doors, which gave her a sense of safety for the moment.

She unfolded the contract paper and settled onto her bed.

She began reading, but the first sentence that caught her attention was...

"You'll move in with me to my house." As soon as Rosalie read those words, her eyes widened in surprise.

"What?" she gasped.