Chapter 37
Rosie
By the ti I was walking back to the café after the Sophia encounter earlier and I couldn’t stop smiling because I was so incredibly happy about how Jude had put her in her place.
Suck it up!
He’d completely deflated her ego and he was so hot when he did that, all cold and threatening and protective. The way his voice had gone low and dangerous, the way he’d held —God, I’d never seen anything more attractive in my life.
That mont, my lower body was buzzing with excitent and I couldn’t help but kiss him hard right after he walked out of the arena. He’d kissed back with the sa fervor, his hands tight on my waist and pulled closer.
And I wanted to scream to the whole world—that’s my man. I was still feeling giddy from it, my lips tingling from the mory of his mouth on mine.
Jude was mine. Actually mine.
Sincerely, I’d had this tiny terrified thought at the back of my mind that maybe, just maybe, he’d give Sophia a chance because she was gorgeous and confident and everything I wasn’t. She’d always been the pretty twin, the wanted twin, the one people chose.
And I knew Sophia always got what she wanted. She always took everything I had. But he’d rejected her completely and even threatened her and told her she disgusted him.
I couldn’t believe he actually rejected her. Like, Sophia Martinez—the Martinez beautiful daughter, not the black sheep. The golden child. The perfect one.
Her face had been red with embarrassnt when she realized Jude would pick over a gorgeous goddess like her, and it felt like justice for everything she’d done to though not one half of them but it was still satisfying. Like finally, soone was choosing and not her.
As I reached the café, I was still smiling, practically grinning while I waved at Maya through the window. Nothing could dampen this feeling, the happiness bubbling in my chest.
But as I opened the door and entered the Cafe, the gaze staring at were different. Normally, the custors either waved at , so even smile or nodes in greeting. Well, so total ignored but today look looked familiar and I swallowed the nerves stuck in my throat. I could already feel nausea forming in my stomach.
No. Sophia wouldn’t. She was just bluffing. But has my sister ever bluffed? Has she ever made an empty threat?
As I reached the counter, Maya quickly walked over and grabbed my arm, pulling toward the back room. Her movents were urgent, and frantic at best. Before I could even ask what was happening, I saw her face—etched with worry and sothing that looked horribly like pity.
And I could feel the dread in the pit of my stomach...
“What’s going on?” I asked in a hushed panicked voice, my heart already thumping against my rib, anticipating bad news.
Because gut feeling never proves you wrong.
Maya wet her lips nervously, which was so unlike her. Since I’d known her, Maya was always confident, always collected. “Don’t panic, but sothing happened. Sothing bad.”
“What do you an sothing bad?” I stuttered, clenching my hands into fists at my sides. My nails dug into my palms.
“Soone posted an anonymous link,” Maya said quietly, each word coming out heavy. “On the school forum. With your na tagged. It’s been up for a few minutes now.”
I staggered. My stance faltered as my racing heart went into overdrive.
I staggered, my stance flattered as my racing heart overdrive yet everything around stopped and due to my heart beating furiously, I couldn’t breathe... My ears were ringing and my head was trying to process what maya just said.
I thought I was safe, I thought I’d left everything behind, I thought I’d try again here but they followed here again.
Sophia!
I could feel anger, betrayal and hatred surging through . She was supposed to be my twin... ShShe was supposed to... YeYet she took joy in destroying my life over and over again.
When I finally thought I was happy with Jude, reality checked on that I couldn’t never be free from the past clutch. It would always find and always drag back down.
Now everyone knows. Now I wanted to hide and run away again.
But the thought of running made a painful tug in my heart because that ant I wouldn’t be with Jude anymore. I’d have to leave him. Leave the only person who’d ever made feel safe and wanted.
“No,” I whispered in denial, shaking my head frantically and tears blurred my vision. “No, no, no, that can’t be—I can’t—” I heaved loudly, clutching my chest as my lungs refused to work properly.
“Rosie, breathe,” Maya said while grabbing my shoulders, but I couldn’t look at her. My head was already a ss, whispering cruel words I couldn’t silence. Everyone knows. Everyone saw. You’re disgusting. You’re nothing.
“Rosie, please...” Maya called again, then swore under her breath before rummaging through my tote bag and pulling out my phone.
She held with one hand as she clumsily pressed the screen with her left hand. I could barely see through my tears as she pressed call.
He answered on the first ring. “Sweetheart, miss already?” Jude chuckled, his voice was warm, teasing, and happy.
“Jude...” My voice broke.
I heard sothing being knocked over on his end. “Sweetheart, are you okay? What’s wrong? Are you hurt? What happened?” His voice went sharp with panic.
“The video,” I choked out through sobs as Maya held my phone while rubbing my back. “She released it on the school forum and everyone’s going to see it...” I hiccupped, my chest heaving. “And I can’t do this again, I can’t—”
I heard his sharp intake of breath. “Fuck, sweetheart.” His voice was rough with an edge. Then softer and gentler, “Breathe for , sweetheart.”
“I can’t...” And I literally couldn’t. My lungs felt too small, my chest too tight. I didn’t even know how I managed to talk to him between the panic and tears. Maybe his voice had so calming effect on . Maybe just hearing him made it slightly more bearable.
“Sweetheart,” he said softly, and I could hear rustling like he was moving. “Where’s Maya?”
“She’s with ,” I managed.
“Okay.” He replied. “Stay with Maya. I’ll handle everything. I promise you, sweetheart—I’ll fix this.”
I sniffed, rubbing the snot from my nose with the back of my hand. “Okay.” I nodded even though he couldn’t see . That reassurance did so much to calm the storm inside .
The lin e went dead and I just stood there crying while Maya held and whispered that it would be okay, that Jude would do sothing.
And I believed her.
Because I believed in Jude would do sothing. He’d promised .
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