'' Sign it Rosetta. Don't make this harder than it already is'' Dango yelled at Rosetta, his facial expressions was that of irritation and anger.
Harder? Rosetta was equally as pissed at him. '' You think this life is all about you, you think this is hard for you? how about me, you are the one the one throwing me out like thrash
"There's no point in dragging this out, Dango pulled a chair an sat close to her, pushed a pen into her hand and pointed at the papers ''Rosetta. Just sign the papers and be done with it."
"Be done with it? Is that what this is to you? A transaction? You're throwing me away like I'm nothing, Dango." Tears rolled down her cheeks still refusing to sign the papers
"Throwing you away?" , he laughs bitterly "Don't act like this marriage was anything more than an arrangement. We both know you didn't belong here."
"I didn't belong? I didn't belong?" Her voice cracks as she steps closer. "I was your wife, Dango. I tried. I gave everything I had to make this work while you… you couldn't even look at me like a person. Now you say I didn't belong here? Where then do I belong?"
"Oh, please." Veronica, Dango's mum waves a dismissive hand, her tone sharp and condescending. "Let's not turn this into some grand tragedy, Rosetta. You were never a wife, you were a placeholder. A mistake we were forced to tolerate for far too long."
" A mistake?" Her chest tightens to a point she almost couldn't breath, her voice trembling but louder now. "I was forced into this marriage. Forced to give up everything I wanted, everything I dreamed of, just to fit into your idea of a perfect life!"
"Dreams? Don't make me laugh. What dreams, Rosetta? Dreams of a trash picker? Spending my money while you pretended to care? Trying to act like you were worth more than you ever were?"
"Worth?" Rosetta shakes her head, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "I wasn't the one who gambled away thousands while my grandfather and I scraped by on scraps! I wasn't the one who came home reeking of alcohol, blaming everyone else for my failures!"
"Careful, Rosetta." Dango's voice drops, cold and threatening. "Don't start a fight you're not prepared to lose."
"I already lost, Dango. The day I said 'I do,' I lost everything that mattered."
"How dare you speak to my son in that manner you little orphaned bitch?" Victoria leans forward, her sharp nails tapping the desk. " Do you know what we gave you? A roof over your head? The clothes on your back? My son's patience?"
Hahaha "Patience?" Rosetta scoffs, glaring at Veronica angrily. "What patience? Dango couldn't even spend five minutes in the same room with me unless there was a camera around."
"Maybe because looking at you was a constant reminder of my mistake." Dango retorted back at Rosetta
Rosetta's voice breaks as she takes a step back, but her eyes remain locked on his. "You're not just cruel, Dango. You're empty. You'll never be happy, no matter how much money you have."
"Enough of this nonsense. Sign the papers and leave, Rosetta. You've wasted enough of our time." Veronica couldn't stand the delay anymore
"Wasted your time?" Rosetta shakes her head, tears threatening to spill but refusing to let them fall. "I wasted three months of my life in this sham of a marriage, trying to find something, anything, worth holding onto. And now you're telling me I'm the waste?"
" Rosetta, If you'd done what you were supposed to, we wouldn't be here." You made your choice
"You mean give up my future? My education? Become your obedient little wife? For what? To have a child I wasn't ready for? To live the rest of my life as nothing more than your shadow? Become a baby producer and nursery? Is that your definition of doing what I am supposed to do?''
"You wouldn't have been a shadow if you'd just understood your place, Rosetta. Women like you don't get to have choices. You're not a Halloway, not an Adisa. You're nothing but a girl who got lucky. A charity case." Victoria chimed in.
"Lucky? I see, so this is about luck?" Her voice rises, her anger spilling over as she slams her hands on the desk. "You call being married to your son lucky? I'd rather go back to picking trash than spend another second in this house!"
"Good. Then you'll feel right at home when you leave with this." Dango slides a stack of bills across the table, his smirk cutting deeper than any words could. "Two hundred dollars, Rosetta. More than enough for someone like you."
She stares at the money, her hands trembling. "Two hundred dollars… That's all my life is worth to you?" Rosetta trembled with regret, humiliation and anger
"It's more than you're worth." Dango continued.
"You should be grateful, most men would've kicked you out with nothing. Dango's been more than generous."
Rosetta picks up the pen, her grip tight as she writes her name and signature on the papers.
When she was done, she looks up, her voice eerily calm. "You're right. I don't belong here. Thanks for reminding me. Why was I hesitating in the first place?."
"Spare me the theatrics, Rosetta.", Dango enjoyed torturing her with words
Rosetta stood, her hands were shaking, but her chin high. "You'll regret this. Both of you."
"Let me give you one last piece of advice, Rosetta." Veronica stands, her voice dripping with venom. "Women like you? They grovel. That's their place. Don't ever forget it."
Rosetta's eyes glistened with unshed tears, but her voice is firm. "I won't forget. But I'll never grovel again, mostly not for Dango."
Dango noticed there was a sudden change of attitude, it wasn't the usual Rosetta who would plead with him whenever she was humiliated and forced to sign the divorce document. It was a way to keep her under check but this time she actually signed it and it was already too late to stop her. Dango watched.
She walks to the door, pausing only for a moment before stepping out into the harsh sunlight, pulling her tattered bag leaving the world she once knew behind.
"He should've been here by now." She adjusted the strap of her bag, the weight digging into her shoulder as she stood just outside the gates of the Adisa Mansion. Waiting for her grandfather, but the echoes of the argument inside still fresh in her mind
Rosetta heard the sound of the gate creaking open behind her, her shoulders stiffened suddenly. She didn't have to look back to know who it was.
"You're still here? Waiting for someone to beg you to stay?" It was Dango's voice
"I'm waiting for my ride." She didn't turn, keeping her eyes fixed on the long driveway ahead.
"And here I thought you'd crawl away faster. Guess even dogs take their time sometimes." Dango spoke as he leaned against the fence
She closed her eyes for a brief moment, not willing to respond, but she tightened the grip on her bag.
"Oh, come on. Don't be so dramatic." He chuckled, his footsteps crunching on the gravel as he came closer. "You really think I'm going to miss this chance to humiliate you? It's entertaining."
Rosetta turned slowly
"Entertaining? Do you think this is funny? Leaving your house with two hundred dollars?
"You make it sound like I didn't give you anything." Dango replied with sarcasm dripping from his tone
"You didn't 'give' me anything. I worked. I fought for everything I had, including my dignity, which you tried to take every chance you got!"
"Dignity? Rosetta, That's rich." He crossed his arms, "You think you had any left to lose? Rosetta, you're leaving this house exactly how you came in: empty-handed."
Her chest burned, but she refused to cry. This wasn't the life she had planned to have
"And you'll always stay the same: a hollow man with nothing but a name and a bank account."
A sharp laugh escaped him.
"Say whatever helps you sleep at night. But when you're out there, begging for scraps, remember this: you're here because you didn't know how to be a wife. You didn't even try."
"I didn't try?!" She just kept shaking her head in disappointment. Her breath caught in her throat.
"You're disgusting Dango. A man who spends his time bringing others down to give himself joy. You are a sad man."
"And you're a waste of time. Dango replied" He was hurt she had finally decided to leave him, he wanted to break her with his words
The faint hum of an electric motor broke the tension. Rosetta turned her head sharply, relief flooding her as she spotted the familiar, creaking figure of her grandfather's bike.
The bike sputtered to a stop in front of her, and Thomas George climbed off, looking frailer than usual. His concerned eyes darted from Rosetta to Dango.
"Rosie… What did they do to you?" Rosetta's grandfather asked
Rosetta's lips parted, but no words came. She hugged him tightly, holding onto him like a lifeline.
"Talk to me, child. What happened?" he asked again, worried his granddaughter has been seriously mistreated
Dango's voice broke the tender moment, sharp and smug as always.
"She finally got the message. Divorce papers signed, two hundred bucks in her pocket. She made a good deal right?"
Thomas turned sharply, his protective instincts overriding his age.
"You arrogant little…" He stepped forward, trembling but determined. "You think this is how a man acts? Mocking a woman you've used and thrown away? You're not a man, you're a coward. I curse the day I fulfilled your grandfather's wish."
Dango's smirk faltered briefly, but it returned with venom.
"Bold words from a man riding a glorified scrap of an electric bike."
"This bike may be old, but it's carried more weight than you ever will. You have failed your father and your grandfather"
"Grandpa, let's just go." Rosetta's voice broke slightly as she tugged on his arm.
Thomas nodded reluctantly, but not before giving Dango one last glare.
"You'll regret this one day, boy. Mark my words."
"I doubt it grandpa." He waved lazily, as he turned toward the house. "Good luck, Rosetta. You'll need it."
Rosetta climbed onto the back of the bike, gripping her grandfather tightly.
"Are you all right, Rosie?" Her grandfather asked softly
"I'm fine." Her voice was barely a whisper as she wiped her tears quickly, avoiding his gaze.
"Don't lie to me. I can see you're hurting Rosie."
"It doesn't matter grandpa, I'll survive. I always do."
As the bike whirred to life, she gave one last glance at the mansion, her chest tight with anger and pain.
"Goodbye, Dango." Rosetta whispered the words to herself, closing her eyes as the bike carried her away.