"They were busy with something, so I came here on my own."
"Oh?" Griffin, the twin brother's father, adjusted his glasses, visibly surprised. "This surprises me. Those two would actually let you come here alone."
Rosetta pursed her lips, speaking in a gentle tone, "Mrs. Sinclair, Mr. Sinclair, I came here this time to say goodbye to both of you. I'm heading back to Northbridge."
"You're going back to Northbridge?"
"Yes and this time, I won't be coming back here. Thank you both for taking care of me all these years. Please take good care of yourselves. If I get the chance, I'll make sure to come here to visit you."
It took a moment for Griffin and Linda to fully process her words, but when they did, their disbelief was apparent. "You want to leave? But how could those two boys agree to this?"
"I've already told them before and they didn't object. Uncle, Aunt, there's no need to discuss it with them anymore."
Linda could not help but sigh deeply. "If that's the case, just keep in touch with us when you return to Northbridge. And be careful, all right? Don't get into any trouble."
"I will."
After enjoying a warm dinner at the Sinclair Family's villa, Rosetta returned home.
Her phone rang just as she arrived and seeing her sister's name on the screen, she answered with a warm tone.
"Hey, sis."
"Rosie, when will your last performance in Springdale be held? Have you decided when exactly you're coming back here?"
"The performance is next week, but I haven't settled on a return date yet," Rosetta replied.
"Then decide soon. I'll ask your brother-in-law's friend to pick you up."
"Friend? Do you mean the blind date you talked about before?"
Before Riley could answer, she heard Elliot's voice behind her.
"What blind date?"
Realizing they were back, Rosetta quickly said, "Riley, I'll talk to you later." With a quick goodbye, she ended the call.
Edric approached her swiftly, his voice tense as he repeated his question: "Who were you talking to? What did you mean by blind date? And whose blind date exactly?"
Rosetta caught the tension and unease in both their eyes. She paused for a brief moment, then replied calmly, "It’s nothing, just a friend of my sister's."
There was no need to tell them about the blind date waiting for her when she returned to Northbridge. By then, whatever existed between them now would be over, so it was not that important.
Elliot continued to study her, his gaze sharp and probing. Rosetta resisted the urge to look away, fearing he might detect the slightest hint of her plans.
"What kind of friend? Is your sister's friend really that important?" he asked.
"Yes, a very important person."
Though Elliot still looked somewhat unconvinced, he did not press further, eventually convincing himself he was just overthinking things.
The next day, the awards ceremony was held and Rosetta attended as a special guest.
After changing into her dress, she gracefully walked down the stairs where Elliot and Edric had already been waiting for a long time. When the brothers finally saw her, warm smiles were immediately etched on their faces.
"Rosie, you look gorgeous today," Edric praised without hesitation.
Elliot's smile was equally gentle. "Let's go, Rosie. It's almost time."
As she looked at them, for a fleeting moment, Rosetta felt transported back to the time before Sierra had come into their lives.
Unfortunately, the joyful illusion shattered soon enough.
On the way to the ceremony, Edric's phone rang. Sitting beside him, Rosetta clearly heard a soft, familiar voice on the other end, addressing him as "Edric."
It was Sierra. She could not catch all the words, but whatever Sierra was saying seemed to unsettle him. Edric's expression turned visibly anxious and uneasy.
