"You know how much I loved you and how much I wanted to be with you. When I first met you, you shared your problems with me. I didn’t know who you were, but it was because I loved you that I brought you home. I spent time with you when you had no friends!" She stated, her voice heavy with heartbreak, tears streaming down her face.
"I know, Rose, I know," Sam said softly.
"You know? You went ahead and slept with my sister after convincing me that you wouldn’t have anything to do with me again because I am your sister. Is she not? I am your sister, and Rosemary is not?" She asked, her voice trembling.
Her question carried a weight that was difficult to answer. Sam knew what he did was wrong, but he didn’t know how to start apologizing. He had made a terrible mistake, but he was tempted. Rosemary was wearing something very revealing, and he lost himself in the moment. This wasn’t the first time she had done that, but he kept it to himself to avoid breaking the beautiful bond between the sisters.
He understood that if he told Roseline how her sister had been tempting him, she would forever hate Rosemary, and the love within this family would shatter. It was his duty to keep the family together; his late parents would be proud of that.
"Roseline, honestly, I can’t justify my actions, but I’m telling you it was a mistake. I love you, but I was trying to uphold my duty as a brother," he explained.
"And your duty as a brother is to sleep with my sister? Is that how you plan to keep your duty, Sam?" She asked, shaking her head.
Roseline wouldn’t understand that he loved her just as deeply as she loved him. She didn’t know that he had been in love with someone else before he met her. He had loved Ariana before meeting Rose, but he chose to abandon that love for her.
It’s true that Rose had done many good things for him, but Ariana had sacrificed her freedom for him. His primary duty should have been to get Ariana out of the room her father locked her in which happened all because of him, but he put that behind him because of Roseline.
"Rose, I'm not trying to justify my actions; I'm just sorry..." He continued speaking, but Rose interrupted him.
"No, you are not! I know you’re not sorry for what you did. You’ve always wanted to fall in love with her and leave me behind. I’ve known that even before you told me we were siblings and had nothing in common. That’s exactly what both of you said to me before you went ahead with your relationship! Your better half should be in bed by now; I just wonder why you're wasting time trying to convince me to understand something that was never the way the both of you pretended bit to be. Go join her and never come near me again!" She yelled, filled with anger as she tried to storm away.
It was so hard to forgive. The fact that they knew she was home and still went ahead with what they were doing was the worst part! It meant they didn’t even care if she saw them or not. She felt heartbroken every time she remembered it, and it was impossible for her to forgive them.
Just as she was about to leave, Sam grabbed her hand and knelt before her.
"Honestly, Rose, I'm very sorry for what I did. Please, I'm sorry. If sleeping with Rosemary was the problem, then let’s just continue being lovers without considering the fact that we're siblings. Is that what you want?" He pleaded, but she angrily pulled his hand away.
"That’s exactly what I begged you for, but you rejected me and went for my sister anyway! I just want you to stay away from me! That’s it!" She yelled and began to walk away. Sam realized he had no choice but to tell the truth.
He knew that revealing the truth would cause more harm than good, but it was better for her to know the truth than to remain angry at everyone without understanding what had happened.
"Rosemary seduced me!" He shouted as she walked away. At the sound of those words, Rose halted and turned toward him.
She knew it! She had always suspected that her twin sister wanted her man, which was why she kept advising her to break up with him. It was all a ploy to take him for herself, even though she pretended not to want him.
"Yes, that is the truth. She has always wanted me in bed and has tried to seduce me on several occasions, but I have been controlling myself because of you. I know it would hurt you so much if I did that. But today's... today's own"
"Was very intense; she wore things that were too seductive," he said, looking at her while Roseline watched him.
"She has always tried to seduce you, and you finally let her?" she asked.
"You have no idea how much effort I put into…."
"It's okay, Sam. I have always trusted you, and I know you would never betray me! Everything I was doing here was just an act because I know the truth. I just wanted to confirm my thoughts, and now I can clearly see that I was right. I'm sorry I hurt your feelings," she said, taking his hand and gently cupping his face.
"Do you really believe I would be angry at you for any reason? Do you think I could ever be mad at you? I love you, Sam. I know my sister does too, but I want us to get away from her if this is how things are."
"We can't love each other while living here with her. It will never work out between us, and I don't want to quarrel with my sister. So please, let's go back to the forest where you used to stay. We can find happiness together there, away from her," she stated, while Sam took a deep breath, looking at her.
What she was asking for might not be possible. He had spent most of his life in the wilderness, hoping to find his own path. Now, she wanted him to abandon his father's property, which he was meant to take care of. Without him, there would be no one to look after all those things.
"Roseline, your idea isn't bad, but you're talking about leaving your sister alone. Are you not aware that she will be lonely without you, without the both us, especially without you?" Sam said.
"That's her problem. I just don't care how she feels, as long as I can take my honey and love away from her."
"But I thought you said you didn't want to quarrel with your sister?" Sam replied, noticing the intense hate in her words. The way she spoke about her sister was filled with animosity.
"Yes, I said that. But I don't see how taking my man away from her is hate. I just don't want to share you with her," she responded.
"Rose, she loves you."
"Oh, she doesn't! The moment she thought about having an affair with you was the moment she confirmed it. She doesn't love me in any way! Let's leave here and go have a peaceful life back in the forest, the both of us, together! you have always wanted to stay safe from Adam and I have always wanted to be with you every minute, the forest is a perfect match" she said, looking into his eyes, trying to gauge his emotions. Sam kept his distance, not wanting to directly tell her no, knowing she would still be upset with him.
"Rose, isn't it sad that you're the one who brought me out of the forest, and now you want to take me back there?"
"Oh, I was wrong..." she began, but Sam interrupted her.
"Rose, I'm sorry. I am not going to abandon my home! We are still siblings after all! Mother and father would not be proud of us if we did what you're asking!" He said as he took in a deep breath, stood up and left her presence.