"No, it wasn't him. And I have no idea who that is," Naomi said, her voice shaking slightly. She felt the weight of her emotions, struggling to keep herself composed she did not want remember last night. Rose paused, sensing the tension in the air, before speaking again, her voice laced with concern. "Who did this to you?"
"I was just overwhelmed," Naomi replied, her gaze dropping to the ground as if seeking comfort in the earth beneath her feet.
Rose knew better than to press Naomi when she was in this state. She understood the unspoken rule that if Naomi didn't want to share, she would wait patiently until her friend was ready. After a moment of silence, Rose spoke again, her tone softening. "About yesterday. I'm so sorry, Naomi. I'm so, so sorry. It was all my fault. If I hadn't been careless, none of this would have happened."
Naomi could hear the frustration in Rose's voice, a reflection of the turmoil they both felt. Rose was the type of person who didn't usually care about cursing, but in front of Naomi, she tried to keep her language in check. She had only cursed in front of Naomi a few times, typically when she was incredibly frustrated.
"I would have arrived earlier if it weren't for that Fu....," Rose hesitated, taking a deep breath to calm herself. The word she held back lingered in the air, a reminder of the chaos that had ensued.
"It's fine, actually. It was my fault," Naomi said, shaking her head. "I shouldn't have created an escape plan. We could have just said it out loud. I don't know why I did that; I made a promise that we would escape and—"
"Let's just forget about it. What's done is done now," Rose interjected, her eyes brightening with determination. "Let's move on to the next plan. Do you think we should try again this time around? Let's not make the mistakes we made before."
Naomi hesitated, contemplating the enormity of their situation. "I'm not really sure. I feel like there's something strange about this place. I can't quite pinpoint it, but something feels off. It's like I'm seeing people appear and disappear."
"That's exactly what happened to me last night," Rose said, her tone serious. "I don't think this is a coincidence. There's something really strange about this house—something eerie, something dark. I can't explain it. I think we need to get out of here before things turn bad."
Just then, Rhea opened the door and bowed respectfully. "I'm sorry, Miss Rose, but I think you need to leave. You can pay a visit later."
"No! Let her stay for a bit. Could you please give us two hours?" Naomi insisted, her eyes pleading as she clutched the fabric of her dress, desperate for more time with her friend.
Rhea hesitated, uncertain of what to do, but eventually nodded. She left just as the door closed behind her, leaving Naomi and Rose in the sanctuary of their conversation.
Then Rose spoke up, her voice firm. "Naomi, don't let them control you. You can't let them do that again. Never. Not on my watch. Please don't let them do that. I'll find a way to make things happen, I promise."
Naomi nodded, grateful for Rose's unwavering support. Her friend was a rock in the sea of her emotions, and in that moment, she felt a flicker of hope.
Meanwhile, inside a dimly lit room, Rylan stood as Zylan sat in a chair, his posture relaxed yet composed. Zylan had his legs crossed, staring blankly at the wall, lost in thought, while Rylan spoke, breaking the silence. "Her friend is here."
Without looking at Rylan, Zylan responded, his voice as unreadable as ever, "This should be the last time she comes here." His tone was icy, a clear indication of his intentions.
Rylan nodded, understanding the unspoken message. He needed to find a way to prevent Rose from returning. Initially, he had permitted them to meet because he had promised Rose that she could come this morning, but he was beginning to rethink that decision.
"And about the thief... handle her," Zylan ordered, his gaze still distant. He was referring to the maid who had stolen from them, a potential threat to their carefully constructed facade.
Rylan nodded again, considering the implications. "What if she and her friend plans to escape again?"
A dark chuckle escaped Zylan's lips, a glimmer of amusement in his otherwise stoic demeanor. "Then we'll keep playing her little game. I find it quite interesting," he said, his eyes flicking to the small notebook on the table before returning to stare blankly into the thin air.
Naomi and Rose sat outside the mansion, tucked into a corner chair where the fresh breeze played with their hair. The sweet scent of roses and lilies surrounded them, creating a serene atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the tension brewing in Naomi's heart.
Then Rose spoke, breaking the comfortable silence. "I think we should postpone the escape."
Naomi stared at her, surprise written all over her face. She hadn't expected Rose to say that. But she knew her friend always had a plan behind her words, so she waited for further explanation.
"Do you think they would allow me to enter after I tried escaping with you?" Rose continued, her brow furrowing with concern. "They might suspect we still want to escape. Why don't we do this on your wedding night?"
Naomi's eyes widened at the suggestion, a mixture of disbelief and intrigue crossing her face. "What do you mean?"
Rose's expression turned serious. "Just think about it. If we wait until then, it would catch them off guard. They wouldn't expect us to make a move at such an important moment."
Naomi considered this for a moment. It was risky, but it might just be their best chance. "All you have to do right now is keep a low profile, play nice, and go with the flow," Rose advised, her voice low and urgent. "Let him think you're giving up. Then, boom—escape."
Naomi nodded, contemplating the strategy. "And with Zylan Reed being a multi-billionaire, it makes sense that he works hard. He might even leave today to handle some important issues. Plus, since this is an arranged marriage, there's a low chance of consummation."
As the thought crossed her mind, Naomi felt her cheeks flush, but Rose's logic made sense.
However, another thought struck Naomi's mind. She turned to her friend, her voice dropping to a whisper. "How about the vows?" The uncertainty in her voice was palpable as she felt apprehensive about making promises she might not keep.
"That's not a problem," Rose replied confidently, her eyes shining with determination. "There's such a thing as divorce. You could simply file for it."
Naomi's eyes widened at the thought of divorcing Zylan on their wedding night.