Chapter 29 His sickness
Rain stayed seated on the floor, leaning against the bed with Rosee cradled against her chest. His breathing was ragged but slightly steadier than before, though the faint pallor of his skin made her heart tighten. The storm outside rattled the windows, a perfect reflection of the chaos that lingered inside the mansion.
A soft knock at the door made Rain tense. “Who is it?” she called, voice cautious but calm.
Noah’s small voice squeaked from the hallway, “Rain… can we come in? We just want to… check on him.”
Lia’s voice followed quickly, panicked, “Yeah, he’s scary when he screams like that!”
Rain exhaled and straightened. “Alright, come in—but quietly. Stay calm, okay?”
The door creaked open, and the twins peeked in. Lia’s eyes were wide and glistening, while Noah’s brows were knitted tightly, hands fidgeting nervously.
Rosee stirred slightly, groaning, and Rain whispered, “See? He’s fine. Just resting. Be quiet, please.”
The twins froze, eyes darting between Rain and the shaking figure on the floor. After a tense pause, Lia whispered, “Rain… he’s… he’s really sick.”
Rain nodded gently. “Yes, sweetie, he’s not well. But I’m taking care of him. That’s why I need you to be quiet.”
Noah shifted his weight nervously, lowering his voice. “We didn’t mean for any of this to happen… the messages, the hacking…”
Rain’s heart sank. She hadn’t realized how much the twins had been involved. “Noah… Lia… what exactly did you do?”
Lia swallowed, eyes flicking to her brother. “I… told him to… do something bad to your phone. I didn’t know it would… get this far.”
Rain’s jaw tightened, mixing worry with exasperation. “Noah?”
Noah’s small shoulders slumped. “I… hacked the phone. I sent messages… pretending to be… um… I wanted to see if he… liked you?”
Rain blinked in shock. She had expected jokes, pranks, maybe a little mischief, but this—Noah, small, ten years old, actually hacking her phone to send messages—was on another level entirely.
“Small Noah… you’re… a hacker?” she whispered, a mix of amazement and amusement breaking through the tension.
Noah shrugged, embarrassed. “I… I just wanted to help…”
Lia huffed and held out a small, carefully wrapped box. “I’m sorry too. This is for you. Foundation powder… to hide mistakes I made. And… to say sorry.”
Rain laughed softly, tears prickling her eyes at the innocence and sincerity of the gift. “Oh, you two…” She scooped them up, hugging them tightly. “This isn’t what matters. What matters is you’re honest with me now.”
The twins giggled nervously, a shared secret lingering between them and Rain, a bond forming from mischief and trust.
Hours passed in a blur. Rain cleaned the twins’ scraped knees from previous escapades, laughing at their protests, teaching them little tricks to avoid future messes. She explained carefully that some actions had consequences, but gently, never punishing them in anger. Their trust in her deepened with every word, every laugh, every shared glance.
Yet Rosee’s condition gnawed at her, lurking in the back of her mind. Every time she glanced at him, pale and sweating, she felt a pang of fear.
By the late afternoon, the twins begged for another outing. Rain, desperate to give herself a moment to breathe and check on Rosee without distractions, agreed. She drove them to a small aquarium near the edge of the city.
The twins were ecstatic, dragging her through exhibits, chattering endlessly about fish, jellyfish, and the giant manta rays. Rain smiled softly, letting them explore while she kept a careful eye on their excitement.
“Rain!” Lia shouted suddenly. “Look at the penguins!”
Rain leaned down beside her, her heart lifting at the pure joy in the girl’s face. Noah pressed close, whispering, “Do you think they’ll let us touch them?”
Rain laughed. “Probably not. But we can watch. That’s just as fun.”
And then… he appeared. Rosee.
He had been trailing them, silent, unseen. When Rain felt the warmth of his presence, she froze, noticing the sharp lines of tension in his face. His gaze shifted from the twins to her, a storm of emotion lurking in the depths.
“Rain…” His voice was low, almost a growl.
She turned to meet his eyes, a flush creeping over her cheeks. “Sir…”
He stepped closer, closing the distance. The twins were engrossed in a touch tank, leaving Rain and Rosee in a bubble of unspoken tension.
For a fleeting moment, time slowed. Rain’s heart pounded violently as Rosee’s hand brushed hers, accidental—or perhaps not. The storm outside mirrored the storm within her.
Then, suddenly, Lia ran over, shrieking excitedly. “Rain! Look! The starfish!”
The moment shattered. Rosee’s intense gaze snapped to the twins, his jaw tightening. Rain exhaled softly, laughing nervously, brushing the moment away, but her cheeks burned. Rosee, however, was visibly unsettled.
He stalked back to the mansion in silence, Rain and the twins following, a tension lingering that hadn’t existed before.
When they arrived, Rain decided to finally check on him. The mansion was eerily quiet, the storm outside a constant reminder of the fragility of the moment. She found him pacing, veins stark against his pale skin, muttering incomprehensible words, and the faint metallic tang of blood in the air.
“Rosee…” she called softly. “Please, you need to rest. You’re getting weaker.”
He whirled on her, eyes blazing with a mix of anger and desperation. “I… can’t… I need blood!”
Rain’s heart thudded. She inched closer. “Then take it from me—please, I can help you.”
He shook his head violently. “No! I can’t… not you. I… I won’t…”
Her stomach twisted. He’s so vulnerable… and he’s pushing me away even when he needs me.
“Then let me stay with you,” she whispered. “You’re not alone, Rosee. I’ll help you survive this.”
He sank to the floor, trembling, and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. The storm outside the mansion mirrored the turmoil inside—the rain pounding against the glass, lightning illuminating the dark corners of the room.
Every instinct in her screamed to protect him, to stay with him, to calm him, and for the first time, Rosee allowed himself to let go, even just slightly, resting his head against her shoulder.
Outside, the storm continued to rage, but inside, a fragile, unspoken bond formed—a silent promise between two souls caught in chaos, danger, and undeniable attraction.
The twins’ laughter and chaos outside faded into the background, leaving only Rain and Rosee, lock in a precarious balance of trust, need, and something neither of them could yet name.
\---