Next Morning.
It was a fresh new day; birds soared across the sky, filling the air with their melodious songs, accompanied by the rustling sounds of other animals peeking through the woods.
Roseline was already awake, standing outside her house, gazing into the distance. Last night had been a sleepless ordeal, one she would not wish on her worst enemy, not even on her sister. Her half-sister, who pretended to love her, had hurt her so deeply that it was hard to fathom.
While standing alone outside, a single thought consumed Roseline's mind: Rosemary. She couldn't stop thinking about what she would do to that girl.
Roseline knew that Sam was in trouble and that they needed to help him. That was precisely why she hadn’t confronted her yet. If circumstances were different, she already knew how she would deal with Rosemary. But for now, she had to set that aside. They had a battle to face, and they needed to keep Sam safe; after all, they couldn't fight for him when he was dead.
Meanwhile, Rosemary was inside with John.
Earlier, when John woke up, he stood by the window, watching Roseline outside. He understood that she was likely still thinking about him and what had happened between him and her sister. He realized that it wasn't easy for her to forgive him. What he did was wrong, and he admitted it, but acknowledging the truth wouldn’t erase the mess he had created. All he could hope for was that Rose would come around soon.
Just then, there was a knock at his door. “Come in,” he called out, knowing it could only be Rosemary. And truly it was her as she opened the door and gently stepped inside.
“I know it must be hard to see Rose in that condition. I feel the same way about her. She’s my sister, and I love her. I’ve tried several times to explain that to her. That’s why I was hoping that your conversation with her yesterday would at least calm her down,” Rosemary said as she stepped into the room, noticing that John was still watching Roseline.
John took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. “Well, as you can see, that didn’t change anything. I believe the best way for her to come around now is for you to maintain your distance from me!”
Sam expressed his frustration, feeling very upset with Rosemary. He was tired of her always getting too close. If she hadn't been entering his room so often, what happened might have never occurred. But her constant presence made it inevitable.
"I understand," Rosemary replied after watching him silently for a moment. Although she disliked his statement, she realized that Sam was trying to keep her away to please her sister. However, he was forgetting that they were family now, and they should be close, not pushing each other away.
"You don't understand. You need to stop coming to my room uninvited for me to know you really get it!" Sam stated boldly, and Rosemary managed a small smile.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to invade your privacy. I only came to ask how your friend John is doing with the case. Has he called you with any updates?" she inquired.
Sam remained silent, not upset with her but pondering what kind of person she was. He knew that if he had spoken to Roseline the way he just spoke to her, she would have stormed out in anger. Yet, Rosemary accepted his words and stayed, wanting to know how he was feeling. That's the real true love, not what eyes sees instead.
That was exactly why he was gradually falling in love with her. He hoped to love her as a sister, unlike what had happened before. He realized that allowing his emotions to take control had led to complications.
"Okay, John told me he is on the case and will finish soon. He called me last night. I'm sorry I didn't inform you earlier. You know we still have..."
"No, you don’t have to worry. As long as the case is progressing, there’s no problem. I won't bother you unless things turn against you. It’s my duty as a sister to look after you and uphold our father's legacy. I should leave now..." she stated, turning to go when Sam suddenly grabbed her hand.
And immediately, a spark of electricity surged between them. It felt as if a spirit inside them was calling out to each other, yearning for connection and love making once again.
As he took her hand, they gazed deeply into each other's eyes. Rosemary felt herself getting lost in his blue eyes, while Sam was equally entranced by her brown eyes. But then, he glanced down at the hand he held and slowly let it slip away.
"I'm sorry about that..." he began, but she interrupted, not allowing him to finish.
"No, you don't have to apologize. I'm the one who should be sorry," she replied, both of them smiling as they continued to stare at each other with a hint of seduction.
"I wanted to thank you for always caring. You are such a wonderful person and a great sister. I wish I could have more people like you around me, and I pray that I find a woman like you someday," he said, and Rosemary nodded in response.
"Why are you praying for a woman like her when she's right here with you? Just go for it; I won't be a problem between you two," Roseline chimed in as she entered the room.
She didn't even look them in the face; she didn't want to see their ugly expressions, especially her sister's. She had made her plans, but she would wait for the right moment to strike.
Rosemary opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out as Roseline headed straight for the drawer, grabbing some items she needed before leaving the room. She didn't want to hear any more of their conversation, as it would only annoy her. As she left, Sam and Rosemary exchanged glances, still caught in their own world.
                       • Finn's Home •
Finn was driving the car. They were of course going to Sam's home, to introduce to him a long lost and important friend of his.
"So, how long will it take to get to him? I mean, sorry, how long until we reach their house?" Ariana asked. Finn shrugged his shoulders, clearly focused on the road ahead.
"Let's say... maybe in the next 30 minutes, we'll be there. Their house isn't too far from here, and that’s exactly where I’m taking you," he assured her. She nodded in response.
Although reaching her final happiness was important, Ariana knew she would be much happier once she set her eyes on Sam—her dear, lovely Sam, someone she would willingly give her life for. Her angel and everything she have ever wished for in a man.
Despite the looming threat of a confrontation with her father, she believed that if they joined forces, they could defeat him.
As they drove, they approached a checkpoint where the police were already at work. Ariana began to fear that her father might be involved.
"Hey! You need to stop this car and turn back! We have to take a different route! Look at the police over there! They're searching for me, I’m sure of it!" she whispered urgently. Finn continued driving toward the checkpoint as if he hadn’t heard her.
"Hey, stop!" she shouted again, but he remained focused on the road. She waved her head in despair, realizing she felt betrayed.
"Damn you! I thought I could trust you! Are you really taking me back to the police so they can return me to my father? Did you not hear what I told you about him? Don’t you have any human sympathy?" she cried out as they approached the checkpoint.
 It's obvious he was taking her to the police instead, he was only deceiving her that he was taking her to Sam's home.