Chapter 397
By the time Rosalie got home, it was already half-past one.
She had promised to call Sebastian to let him know she was safe, but she didn’t feel like talking, so she sent him a text message instead.
[Seb, I’m home now. Don’t worry.]
Sebastian replied, [Okay. I’m glad you’re home.]Material © of NôvelDrama.Org.
Rosalie sat on the sofa and started browsing the rentals that were available in for Hullbeck, the city she had chosen to stay. She would leave the day after tomorrow.
Tonight, she would accompany Sydney to meet Theodore, and tomorrow, she would spend the day with her grandmother. The day after that, she would leave.
Rosalie quietly planned out what she would do once she got there. She would buy some books to read during her pregnancy. After she gave birth, she would pursue her graduate studies.
Although she was divorced, Rosalie still thought that she was quite lucky. At least she didn’t have to worry about money. She had shares in SK Enterprise and plenty of cash in her account.
She was a thrifty person. She never wasted food and water, didn’t like luxury goods, and never bought things she didn’t need. She had no idea how many lifetimes it would take to spend all her money.
Rosalie browsed through the rentals on her phone. She finally found a few promising options after a long search. Just as she was about to call to inquire, her phone rang.
Rosalie picked up the call. “Hello, Seb.”
“Rose, I’m outside your building. Can I come up?”
“Outside?” Rosalie quickly went to the window, pulled back the curtains, and opened the window. She saw a car parked nearby, and Sebastian was waving at her.
“Seb, why are you here?”
“You said you had something to tell me in person about my father, so I came to ask about it. Don’t worry, I won’t take up too much of your time. I’ll leave in ten minutes. Can I come up?”
Since Sebastian was already here, Rosalie couldn’t turn him away. Moreover, she was free now.
“Alright, come up. I’ll open the door for you.”
Shortly after Rosalie hung up, Sebastian arrived at her apartment. He looked a bit tired and worried. As soon as he walked in, he asked, “Are you sure you’re okay after meeting my father today?”
Rosalie sighed helplessly, and spun around once in front of Sebastian. “Look, I’m perfectly fine. No missing limbs. Do you want to count my hairs to see if any are missing?”
Hearing Rosalie joke, Sebastian relaxed. She really seemed alright.
“That’s good. You said you had something to tell me about my father. What is it?”
“Your father said you’re getting married. Is that true?”
Sebastian was taken aback. “I’m getting married? He told you that?”
Rosalie nodded. “He told me at lunch today. You didn’t know about this?”
Sebastian shook his head. “No. No one told me.”
Rosalie sighed. “Your father just decided without informing you.”
“Did he tell you who I’m supposed to marry?”
Rosalie said, “He mentioned it’s the daughter of a friend of his. Regardless of who it is, it’s clearly a business alliance disguised as a marriage.” Sebastian suddenly laughed bitterly. “I knew this day would come.”
He took a few steps back, and sat down weakly in a chair. “Has your father ever spoken about this to you?” Rosalie asked.
Sebastian sighed. “When I was ten, my father told me that as the eldest son of the Carter family, everything I did represented the family. I couldn’t do as I pleased. My life, my thoughts-everything about me, even my clothing style, had to be proper and orderly. This also includes my marriage. If bever did
anything to bring shame to the Carters, I’d lose everything.” Content belongs to NovelDrama.Org
Rosalie was at a loss for words.
She couldn’t imagine what kind of pressure Sebastian must have endured growing up. He was such a good person; it must have been so tough for him.
How could parents bear to hurt their children like this? Yet, they didn’t even see it as harming them, but for their child’s own good. It was laughable. Was bringing honor to the family really that important? It was all so superficial. Wasn’t a child’s happiness more important?
Theodore didn’t have parental love growing up, while Sebastian was overcontrolled by his father. These parents had once been children, so how could they forget what they had longed for as children once they grew up? Content belongs to NovelDrama.Org
S
“Seb, do you really have to accept your father’s arrangement?” Rosalie was genuinely worried about him.
“I don’t know.” Sebastian looked up and asked, “Rose, why did my father tell you this?”
Rosalie said, “At first, he thought we were in a relationship. When I told him we weren’t, he asked me to persuade you to get married.”
Sebastian laughed helplessly, and said nothing more. He was rendered speechless.
He stood up. “Rose, I’ll leave now and won’t bother you anymore.”
Then, he turned dejectedly to leave.
“Seb.” Rosalie grabbed his arm. “Don’t lose hope. Tell your father you have someone you like. Today, your father told me that if we were in a relationship, he wouldn’t interfere.” Content belongs to NovelDrama.Org
“What did you say?” Sebastian was shocked. “Did he really say that?”
Rosalie nodded. “Yes. It seemed like he only arranged this marriage because you don’t have a girlfriend. If you do, and you push for it, maybe you can avoid a marriage of convenience.”
Sebastian was silent for a moment. “I’ll think about it. Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. Just don’t argue with your father. I’m worried it might backfire.”
Sebastian nodded. “Alright.”