Chapter Four
When Rosalie came to her senses, she asked, almost in a whisper, "Then who's my mom?"
"Your mom is very beautiful, inside as well as outside. Her name is Rosalind Baker. I met her three years after my marriage to Jennifer. It was love at first sight. I was a married man and she was my personal assistant at my office near Austin. I tried my level best to ignore my feelings for her but after an office party, I was too drunk to control myself anymore. That night you were conceived," her dad told her as she sat beside him, holding his hand.
"Jennifer came to know about it after you were born. She followed me to Rosalind's house. She snatched you from your mom and brought you home. She threatened to kill you if Rosalind ever attempted to take you from her, " he said as a tear fell from his eyes.
"That was the last time I could see Rosalind. My life was hell. I had to do what Jennifer wanted. She only wanted money and more money, " he said, helplessly.
"Why did you marry her, dad?" She asked. No one could love such a woman. Then why did her dad marry Jennifer?
"My parents forced me to marry her. I wanted to divorce her many times and then take you and go to my Rosalind. But she threatened me," he said, gloomily.
"Why didn't you dad?" She asked.
"Because she has evidence against me," said her dad, with tears of frustration in his eyes.
"What sort of evidence?" She asked, her eyes going wide.
"Jennifer set her goons to rape and murder Rosalind. I saved her and in the process killed one of them. Jennifer has the video of the murder," he said, looking at her with melancholy eyes as Rosalie gasped. Her dad went through so much? She had no idea.
"Oh daddy, " she said, hugging him. "You did it to save someone's life. It doesn't count as murder," she said as her father shook his head.
"I know it doesn't. I don't care what happened to me. But the moment I go to prison, she'd kill you and Rosalind. I was scared," he said and she saw everything clearly now.
"I don't want you to marry Mr. McAllister but he's Jennifer's friend and I have no say in it as always, " he said.
"But what choice do I have dad?" She asked, helplessly.
"Maybe nothing at present. But I will think of something, " her dad said. "But till then just play along. Do what Jennifer asks you to do."
"Yeah, don't worry. I will," she promised. "Has she created a scene when she realised I left?"
"Yeah, what else did you expect?" Her dad said.
"Hmm. I want to see my real mom. Dad, where does my mom live?" She wanted to know.
"Travis Springs. She never married. She still lives there with her brother and his family," he said.
"I want to go and see her, dad," she said and her dad shook his head.
"Not now. If Jennifer comes to know, she'll try something to harm you both. Right now she's after Mr McAllister's billions. She wants the money and she can stoop to any level for it," he warned.
The doorbell rang and their food arrived. They discussed her work while eating. "I don't want to leave my job dad. It means the world to me," she said with a sad face.
"There's three months left till the wedding. You don't need to leave anything. Let me think of a way out," her father consoled her. They finished eating and her father got up to leave.
He kissed her forehead,"If you need anything, just call me. Ok?" He said as Rosalie nodded her head.
When he left, she stored all the leftovers in the refrigerator and went to her bedroom. She cleaned as much as she could. Then she took a refreshing shower and changed into her pyjama shorts and a soft tank top with a spaghetti strap. She climbed into her soft comfortable bed and lay down thinking about her real mom.
She thought about everything that her dad told her. She always thought that both her parents were only hungry for money. She saw her dad from a new perspective. She realised how much he loved her real mom that he killed to save her life. He did everything in his power to save her and her mom. He became a puppet at Jennifer's hands. She was glad that she could come out of that house. She dozed off a little late in the night, disturbed by the new information that she heard.
She stirred at the feel of a soft caress on her cheek, down her jawline, over her lips. It seemed as if someone brushed their thumb on her lips. It felt so good. Her body throbbed with want at that small touch. Was she having an erotic dream?
She opened her eyes to see Jaden, bent over her. Oh Jaden! She closed her eyes to keep him in her dreams.
The feather soft touch again touched her neck, her jawline and back to her lips, as if someone grazed his lips along her skin. She opened her eyes, staring into a pair of hazel ones, inches from hers. Jaden? Here in her apartment? She must be dreaming again. She closed her eyes, sighing when someone claimed her lips softly. She was lost in that kiss. It wasn't a deep kiss, a soft gentle kiss that sucked and licked at her lips, deliriously, savouring her taste. Was she experiencing her first kiss in her dreams?
"Oh Jaden," she whispered as the soft, warm lips left hers to give a gentle peck on her neck and then on her shoulders. Her arms went around his neck to keep him in her dreams. Her whole body trembled with need.
"I'll love you till I die," a husky voice said in her ear. That seemed real. She opened her voice to find a man hovering over her on her bed, his lips near her ear, while her arms were around his neck, holding him close to her.
She screamed in panic. How could a man come into her apartment? Oh God, it wasn't a dream.
The man turned to look into her eyes. She was lost into a pair of hungry hazel eyes, gazing at her.
