Rosie's Games

57  The Beast 4

When Rosalind stepped down from the carriage, the first thing that she saw was a servant that had been serving her father for years.

Butler Jurisan.

Jurisan Arman came from the long line of  Arman men who had been serving the Lux Family for centuries. He was a man who grew up with Martin Lux and had been trained to serve her father. He was also the very man that was going to betray the Lux Family a few years from now. Seeing him, Rosalind offered a gentle smile.

The least she could do for the one that would help destroy this family was to treat him with respect.

"Your father awaits you in his study."

"Thank you."

The man nodded and then lead her towards the second floor of the main mansion. Since she arrived, this was the first time that Rosalind was able to step foot in this side of the mansion. This place was a place that only Martin and Federico could frequently come and go. Even the current Matriarch of the family, Victoria could not just come in here without announcing her presence first.

She walked on the red carpeted floor until she arrived in front of a large mahogany door. In the past, this place had become Dorothy's favorite place after she inherited it for earning her Blessing.

Butler Jurisan knocked three times before he opened the door and gestured for her to walk inside. Even the butler could not just walk inside without the approval of his master.

Rosalind complied. She walked inside and immediately spotted her father standing by the window. He was staring at the gardens of different flowers below.

"I heard that you lost consciousness," he said.

"Yes, your Blessedness," she said as she stood not that far away from Martin Lux.

He snorted in response. Still, he did not spare her a single glance. He keep his back to her as he continued staring at the gardens.

"You are going to marry the Duke," he stated without masking the disgust in his tone. "The moment you leave that gate… you are no longer a Lux."

"Yes, Your Blessedness," she answered without batting an eyelid.

"Do you understand what I am saying, Rosalind?" He turned and looked at her.

Rosalind's eyes twitched. Since she had first arrived back from the mountains, this was the first time he called her by her name. This was the first time he even met her gaze like this.

"Yes, Your Blessedness." She had so much more to say but settled with just saying yes. There was no point in telling him everything that she wanted him to hear.

"Yes, your Blessedness."

"Do you realize that this could be… the end of your relationship with the Lux Family?"

She nodded in response.

"As long as you know." Martin Lux turned his attention toward the flowers. "A flower, no matter how beautiful, will eventually wilt and die. Nothing is permanent in this world, not even ties that are connected by blood." He made a deliberate pause.

"This will be the only time that I am going to speak to you. After you leave the estate, I will no longer be your father and you will not be my daughter. Do not use my name when interacting in the North or anyone else's name in the Lux Family. Do you hear me?"

Rosalind bit her lower lip as she stopped it from trembling. "Yes, Sir," she answered. It was entertaining how the man that she had treated as her father, both in the past and present, could have a conversation like this with her. A conversation reminding her that she could not use the Lux Family name again.

What kind of father would do such a thing?

"As long as you know," Martin uttered before he waved his hand. Seeing this, Rosalind did not waste any more of her time. She gave the man a low bow before leaving the room.  Taking a deep breath, she stood just outside of her father's study.

Then she composed herself and held her head high as she walked away. She continued walking until she arrived at the back entrance of the manson that would lead her to the maze-like gardens where the house that she lived in sat.

She started walking until she felt someone's presence following her. She narrowed her eyes. "Who goes there?" she asked.

"It is I."

Rosalind frowned when she saw a familiar man walk out from one of the maze entrances.

"Jeames?" she asked.

"Do you have the time for a conversation?"

Rosalind's frown grew deeper. A weak smell of alcohol wafted toward her. Was he drunk?

The man was still wearing a knight's uniform, the long sword on his hip attracted her attention. As Jeames's wife in the past lifetime, she knew that the man was a fan of swords.

He used most of his money to collect swords and put them in his study. One of those swords was the same long sword that he had on now. Rosalind knew that this long sword was the first expensive sword that he owned. Jeames value the sword and treated it as something that contained the gift of the Goddess.

But this wasn't the reason why the sword attracted her attention. In fact, the reason why she immediately paid attention to the piece of metal was that she knew that Jeames would only buy this once he sold all the black relics that he found in his last expedition.

Meaning, the black market must have already bought them!

"What is it that you want?" she asked as she tried to hide her excitement.

"Did you do it?"

"What?"

"Dorothy is going to marry a man who spent his life in debauchery. What is it that you did!?"

"I—"

"Did. You. Do. It!?" his eyes widened, his hand grabbed the hilt of the long sword. Seeing this, Rosalind immediately took a step back, her senses heightened.

"Answer me, Rosalind! Did you scheme against your sister!?"

Rosalind swallowed as her gaze turned complicated. In her past life she never even saw that Jeames actually liked her older sister. She married him like a fool!

"Are you going to hurt me, Sir Jeames?" Rosalind asked innocently.

Again Merry Christmas to everyone! 2022 is about to end! I am so excited for 2023!

B_Mitchylle