A Wilted Rose

I pulled out my duffel bag and quickly packed up my few belongings.

Suddenly, Carlo kicked the door open in anger. Seeing the bag by my feet, he sneered and kicked it over.

I frowned and glared at him. "What's your problem?"

"I should be asking you that, Rosa! Are you pulling that same trick again? You didn't die last time you jumped into the river, so where are you planning to go this time? Are you going to send another suicide note again?"

Carlo was breathing hard, his expression twisted with contempt.

"Don't bother, Rosa. Even if you're not sick of threatening me with suicide, I am!"

I bent down and stuffed my old clothes back into the bag, then shot back at him, "Who said I'm going to kill myself?"

If people as cold-blooded and brutal as him and Gemma could thrive in life, why should I lie down and die when I had a rare second chance in life?

Carlo snorted, silent, the disdain in his eyes almost spilling over.

Gemma followed him in and spoke up at just the right moment.

"Rosa, you should have spoken to Carlo if you wanted to eat at the table. You two grew up together, so he won't really stop you from eating at the table forever. But suicide? You'll get some pity the first time you try it, but more than that, and no one will believe you anymore."

Her words were just as venomous as ever. Carlo's eyes on me filled with even more disgust.

Then, I remembered something.

On my coming-of-age day, Carlo had announced in front of everyone that he would only ever marry a Principessa like Gemma. I was so heartbroken that I drank too much and accidentally fell into the villa's man-made river.

This was enough to alert Don Vinnie.

He berated Carlo harshly and ordered Carlo to distance himself from Gemma, reminding him of the debt he owed my father.

Carlo started to hate me then, humiliating me every chance he had. Gemma's friends also targeted and harassed me. Carlo never lifted a finger to stop them despite seeing the harassment himself.

I looked Carlo in the eye and explained, "You're thinking too much. I never planned to die. I'm packing up because I'm moving back to my place."

Carlo scoffed, not buying the excuse I came up with at all.

Gemma tugged on his sleeve and said, "Why don't you let her stay? It's so sad for her to be out there alone on her own."

Carlo frowned, looking like he might actually give in.

I spoke up again. "It's fine. I'm going home."

Carlo's handsome face turned cold in an instant, and he sneered, "Hear that? She wants to go home!"

"Don't be so stubborn now," Gemma said with a sigh as she walked over, reaching for my hand.

Her sharp diamond ring jabbed hard into my palm from an angle that was hidden from view, and that was enough to make me yank my hand away in pain.

Gemma stumbled back a few steps and struck the wall. She held her arm, eyes instantly red with tears as she stared at me in disbelief.

"Rosa, you..."

"How dare you hurt her!" Carlo roared.

He immediately grabbed me by the throat and slammed me against the wall. The back of my head hit the wall so hard that my vision almost went black from the pain. All I could hear was him roaring in rage.

"Touch her again, and I'll throw you into the basement! You're just a filthy street rat from the slums! Even the air smells disgusting when a lowlife like you is around!"

I leaned against the wall to stop myself from falling despite the dizziness I was feeling.

"I'll be out of here soon. Don't worry."

"And you better scram now!" Carlo growled.