From Terrorist Cell to Diamond Prison

Chapter 21

"I've caused you so much trouble abroad, Mr. Williams, and I don't know how to repay you," Rosalie murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Luke, leaning back in the driver's seat, caught only a fragment of her words.

"Wait, you're saying you don't care anymore?" he interrupted, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.

Her chest tightened, frustration swelling within her. She could scream, cry, or lash out, anything to release the emotions that were building up inside. She could avoid him, shut him out, pretend he didn't exist. But to say she didn't care about him? That was impossible. Not caring would mean losing a part of herself she wasn't ready to let go of.

Luke turned away from her, staring out the car window. The silence between them stretched on, heavy and tense, until he spoke again, shifting the conversation.

"Do you remember this place?" he asked, his voice quiet.

Rosalie glanced around, brow furrowing as recognition began to surface. This spot, the view, was somewhere she hadn't been in years, a place from her childhood. But how did Luke know about it?

They stepped out of the car, the salty breeze brushing their faces as they approached the shoreline. Luke's eyes softened as he looked out at the beach.

"This is where I first saw you," he said, his voice low.

"What?" Rosalie blinked, startled. "What do you mean?"

Luke gave her a faint smile. "Did you think someone would cross an ocean just to kidnap you? It was all a setup, thanks to your grandfather."

Her heart skipped a beat. "A setup?"

"Yeah," he confirmed, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "When I first saw you, I remember thinking, 'How am I supposed to take care of this delicate little doll?'" His gaze shifted to hers, and there was something unspoken in his expression as he added, "So… how'd I do?"

Rosalie's lips curved into a polite, distant smile. "Mr. Williams, you've been very kind to me. You raised me well."

Luke's heart sank. He searched her face for any sign of warmth, any trace of the affection she used to show him. But her expression was calm, composed, unreadable. For the first time, he felt the sting of the indifference he had so often shown her.

"Or… did I fail you?" he pressed, his voice trembling slightly. He swallowed hard before continuing, the words tumbling out in a rush. "If I could… if I tried again… would you give me another chance?"

The distant sound of a ship's horn echoed across the water, filling the space between them.

Rosalie met his gaze, her expression steady but devoid of the joy she might have felt had he said these things long ago.

"Mr. Williams," she said softly, her tone measured, "you raised me to let go of foolish ideas. I understand that now. I don't hold on to those feelings anymore."

Her words were like ice, freezing him where he stood.

"I've let go," she repeated, her voice firm. "You'll always be a family to me, like a respected guardian."

Luke's chest tightened as the weight of her words pressed down on him. He had always been so careless with her heart, so thoughtless, and now he was paying the price. But despite the coldness in her tone, he wasn't ready to give up. He'd come too far to back down now.

"What if I don't give up?" he asked suddenly, his voice resolute. Reaching out, he grasped her hand tightly like it was his last lifeline. "What if I insist?"

Rosalie didn't pull away immediately, but her calm, unwavering gaze pierced through him.

"You've been back for a while, haven't you?" she said, her voice quiet but sharp. "Watching me. Following me. Keeping tabs on everything I do."

Luke froze, guilt flickering in his eyes. He opened his mouth to respond, but she didn't give him the chance. Gently, she slid her hand out of his grasp, her words cutting deeper than any outburst ever could.

"You're Luke Williams. Nothing escapes you. You always know everything. But here's the thing," she said, her voice steady. "You don't care about me as much as you think you do."

Her words hit him like a slap, leaving him breathless for a moment.

"You're still engaged to my aunt," she continued, each word deliberate. "Everyone knows about your upcoming marriage. So tell me, how is what you're doing now any different from a man cheating on his fiancée?"