"She will stay here for a while?" Rosetta almost wondered if she had heard wrong.
"It's a large house. If we clean up a guest room for Sierra, it won't affect anything."
It won't affect anything, he said...
Rosetta could not hold back any longer. She looked at Elliot and Edric with an icy gaze. "This villa holds so many memories for the three of us. And now you want her to live here? Have you really thought it through?"
Elliot met her gaze, silent for a few moments before finally saying, "I told you, it's only for a while."
"Yes, Rosie," Edric added. "It's just for a while. Can you stop being so unreasonable?"
What? Unreasonable?
That word made Rosetta's heart sink. It made her realize the truth once again. To them, Sierra was the priority now. Those cherished memories they once shared did not mean anything anymore.
If that was how it was, why should she care if Sierra stayed here? She would be leaving soon and this villa would no longer be part of her life.
Without another word, Rosetta turned around and walked away.
Elliot watched her retreating figure, a trace of regret flickering across their faces. Perhaps they had not thought about her feelings enough.
At this moment, Sierra looked at them hesitantly, saying softly, "Rosetta seems upset, doesn't she? Maybe… maybe I shouldn't stay here after all."
"There's no need for that," Elliot replied. "You can stay here. It's fine."
"Yes," Edric added. "Rosie is just a bit spoiled by us."
Hearing their reassurances, the sadness in Sierra's expression faded, replaced by a grateful smile. "Thank you."
That night, Sierra settled comfortably into the villa. Meanwhile, Rosetta reminded herself over and over not to let it bother her, but she still could not sleep.
The next morning, she packed her things and headed downstairs.
As soon as she reached the stairs, Rosetta saw Sierra seated in the living room, giving countless orders to the butler.
"These decorations here are kind of outdated. Hey, replace them all."
"But these are Miss Rosetta's favorites."
"Oh, really? Well, she does, but I don't like them. Or should I get Elliot or the others to handle it?"
The butler hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. Unable to bear it any longer, Rosetta stepped forward and intervened. "It's fine. Just do as she says."
The butler gave her a reluctant glance, but Rosetta nodded and he complied. Sierra immediately noticed her presence, so she quickly changed her demeanor, standing up with a soft smile, far from the arrogant tone she had just used.
"Morning, Rosetta."
Rosetta skillfully avoided her extended hand without any expression on her face. "There's no need to act familiar. We're not close enough to hold hands when we talk."
The merciless words made Sierra froze briefly, but she recovered quickly. "Rosetta, are you upset with me? I only thought the decor didn't suit the living room's style. I didn't mean anything by it."
Watching her feigned innocence, Rosetta found herself growing weary of the pretense. "It's just us here now. No need to act like this. You're happy enough being allowed to stay here, aren't you?"
"Of course, I'm so happy to live here with you, Rosetta."
"Let's not kid ourselves, okay? You would prefer if I moved out and made room for you in this house."
"Will you, then?" Sierra's tone was almost innocent as she tilted her head and widened her eyes.
Rosetta looked at her for a moment, unable to suppress a wry smile. "Maybe I have underestimated you."
"Rosetta, Elliot and Edric have taken such good care of me. You've had your time with them. Honestly, it might be best if you left. Otherwise, staying here might only make it harder for you to accept things as they are."
