Chapter 24 Rose, There Is No Going Back
Darrin didn’t answer her and looked at Judson grimly.
Rose didn’t turn her head and heard a muflled cough from behind.
Isidro screamed, “Ms. Edwards!”
Rose still didn’t turn her head.
She didn’t want to look at Judson or think about the future they would never share.
His glory and shame would have nothing to do with her, and he was nobody to her now.
She only took a deep breath.
“Judson, we have broken up. Since you choose Ms. Stewart, I will choose my freedom.”
Silence ensued.
After a long time, Rose heard Judson order, “Go.”
With that, he shook away the people holding him and strode out first.
“Mr. Roach! Mr. Roach…” Isidro followed him out.
With pain in his eyes, Isidro watched as Judson put down the hand covering his mouth and clenched his fists with blood between his fingers, wiping the red stain off his mouth corner carelessly.
Isidro grew up with Judson.
Isidro saw many things happen.
He experienced today’s ending with Judson and knew how things got
to this.
Judson was always short–tempered, but he was generous to his men.
He was the perfect heir in the eyes of the elders in the family. He was an unquestioned leader. But he could only compromise to save his last dignity in front of Rose.
“Mr. Roach…” Isidro was about to cry.
“Shut up,” Judson said coldly.
“Mr. Roach, please go to the hospital,” Isidro kept persuading him.
Judson didn’t say anything and wiped the blood oozing from his mouth corner with his clean hand.
***
The room quickly fell into silence again.
Rose went to the bathroom to wash her hands. When she looked up, she saw her face covered with blood.
The blood stains were like tear stains, flowing from her face to her temples and ears. One streak even went past her eye–corner.
She stiffly raised her hand and touched the drying blood stains on her face.
When did she get them…?
She was not hurt.
Darrin asked his men to leave and walked over.
“Don’t be afraid.” He took out a wipe and held her shoulders, turning her around to face himself. Then he wiped her face and said, ‘It’s okay
now…”
Rose noticed the wounds on his hand that were barely dressed. The skin there was broken, and blood just stopped flowing out of the gap.
“I am so sorry, Darrin.” She couldn’t use words to describe her remorse. “I almost got you…”
“I am fine now. Didn’t you save me?” he said gently.
Judson heard all of her words.
The closet fell, and Darrin kicked a hole out of its bottom. He was determined to get out even if it would break his hand.
“When I was locked up, I sent messages to my men and asked them to come. But you bought me time, so thank you.”
Judson had been waiting at the gate of Flourish Media.
Rose didn’t know Darrin got word of Judson’s location and made preparations.
When Darrin got out of the closet, his men rushed in with Judson’s.
Rose nodded and looked at the bloody wipe in his hand, murmuring, “You are always prepared.”
“You shouldn’t live here anymore,” Darrin proposed. “Judson knows you are here, and he might come again.”
Rose shook her head and said, “He’s gone. He won’t come back.”
When Judson was provoked, he would do things to hurt her. But most of the time, he was sane.
Rose said so many hurtful words to him, so his dignity wouldn’t allow him to come to her or coerce her.
Darrin fell silent.
He couldn’t tell some things to her.
For example, Rose must think Judson had blood on his clothes because he fought with Darrin.
But in fact, Judson was pulled back from the window by Isidro and his
men.
Judson was already covered in blood then.
Darrin didn’t even get to touch Judson.
What was more, Judson left suddenly not because of Rose’s last
sentence.
Because Judson was coughing blood and couldn’t hold on until she was taken away.
The blood on Rose’s face wasn’t from Darrin’s hand. It was from Judson’s mouth when he was holding her against the window.
Darrin wouldn’t tell Rose those things.
Darrin was also selfish and had dark thoughts.
If Rose couldn’t harden her heart to leave Judson, Darrin would be the bad guy and do it for her.
“Rose, there is no turning back. Have you made up your mind?”
Even so, Darrin still asked her.
Rose closed her eyes and nodded.
There was no turning back for a long time.
For 13 years, she had been on a dark road with no hope.
***
***
In a ward in the hospital, Lillian cried so hard that she was shaking.
“Tameka, how could Rose do this? She tempted Darrin to hurt Judson every time. We grew up together. Why is she so cruel…?”
Tameka held her arms and looked grimly at Judson who was lying on the bed with closed eyes.
Lillian kept complaining, “I feel weird. Why could Flourish Media get the recording of the conversation between Rose and me? It turns out it is all an act.
“Tameka, Rose grew up in the Roach family. I am not sowing discord, but why could she do such things to Judson? Why did she fake my relationship with him again? We all know how the Roach family has been treating her all these years.”
“Alright,” Tameka impatiently interrupted her. “Lillian, I watched you grow up. When did you become so nagging?”
Tameka was in a bad mood, so she didn’t want to play along with Lillian like usual.
Lillian covered her mouth, feeling wronged. Then she argued, “Tameka, I am just worried about Judson…”
“Judson has his parents and shareholders to worry about him. If you have nothing else to do, you can show more care to your grandpa who has poor health,” Tameka said in a harsh tone.
Lillian finally understood why Judson was so mean.
Lillian wiped her tears and said more humbly and pitifully, “Tameka, my head isn’t clear. I am just so worried…”
“Whatever. Keep it to yourself.” Tameka found a chair to sit down and put her hand on the armrest, rubbing her temples. Then she glanced at
Lillian.
1
“Lillian, be sensible. You should leave me alone. My son’s stomach is bleeding. I am already agitated.”
