"What on earth are you saying? You’re supposed to tell us everything that’s happening around you! It’s our right! We have to protect you because if anything happens to you..."
Rosemary shouted, following Sam, who interrupted her with a loud voice.
"If anything happens to me, then what?" he asked, trying to sound annoyed. His anger was difficult for both Roseline and Rosemary to understand; they were only trying to protect him. It wasn’t a violation; it was their duty to care for a brother and keep him safe.
"Sam...? What do you mean, 'then what'? What exactly did that guy say to you? I’ve never seen you sound like this before," Roseline said, stepping a bit closer to him. He took a deep breath.
He was doing his best not to be angry at Rose. He had no reason to be upset with her; in fact, he wanted to be closer to her to help her forget the things he had done with her sister, and being more polite is a good strategy.
"I’m sorry if I sounded harsh, but you both are trying to invade my space."
"Invade your space? How are we invading? We’re only trying to protect you! You need to tell us what’s going on!" Rosemary interrupted, her voice sharp.
He opened his mouth to reply, but Roseline spoke first.
"She’s telling the truth, Sam! We know that guy better than you ever will. We share a lot of history, and we know what he’s capable of. So please, you have to tell us what he said! Don’t think we trust him; we don’t! He’s not a good person, he could betray you in a blink of an eye" Roseline insisted.
"Well, if you really want to know, he was just telling me how we could resolve the case quickly. That’s all I can share for now," Sam said, his irritation growing as he turned to walk into the house. Just as he was about to step away, a car drove into the compound, making him stop and turn. Of course, it was Finn.
He turned again, raising his leg to walk away.
"Sam!" a voice echoed through the air. He recognized that voice; it was so familiar and comforting, bringing a sense of ease to his mind when he heard it.
There was a feeling he had never experienced since he left her—a surge of hope that made his heart pound. Was it a lady he was expecting? He hesitated, not turning around immediately. Instead, he held his breath and slowly turned around, and there she was: Ariana.
Joy flooded his heart as he saw her. It felt as if his heart was dancing with happiness at her presence. He had believed he would never see her again, yet here she stood, the only person who had loved him the way he deserved, even in his darkest moments. She was willing to sacrifice everything for him. So, what was she doing here? She must have been through alot out there.
“Ariana!!” he shouted joyfully, a smile spreading across his face. Ariana beamed back, and they rushed toward each other, embracing tightly. He lifted her off the ground and spun her around as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
Without wasting a moment, their lips met in a passionate kiss, igniting sparks between them. Meanwhile, Rosemary and Mary looked on, annoyance etched on their faces. They understood that Ariana was the one Sam had been talking about—the person who would take a place in his heart that they wished to keep.
“Hey! What exactly are you doing here? How did you manage to find this place? I mean, find me?” Sam asked, his voice filled with curiosity. Ariana smiled, tears almost spilling from her eyes.
“Honestly, it’s a long story, but I’m so glad I found you, thanks to your friend though, Sam! I’m so happy!” she exclaimed, hugging him tightly and kissing him deeply once more.
Meanwhile, Rosemary gently approached Finn, who was watching the emotional scene unfold. “Where did you find that girl?” she asked, her tone sharp.
“From the highway,” Finn shrugged.
“From the highway? I thought I told you my brother needs protection! You’re supposed to keep him away from people!” she replied, anger and frustration evident in her voice. She seemed unable to acknowledge the joy of their reunion.
“Come on, Mary! Can’t you see they’re friends and are genuinely happy to see each other again?” Finn said, running his hand softly along her shoulder and leaning in to whisper in her ear, only to have her angrily push him away.
"I used to think you were wise, but now I'm starting to believe my sister was right—you’re just as foolish as she said! You know Adam will go to any length to get what he wants! And there she is, his daughter, in our house? I know you've never liked my brother and probably want him dead!" She yelled at him and angrily walked away. Sam and Ariana stared at her, wondering what was wrong. Finn only shrugged his shoulders pretending that everything is fine.
"What's wrong with her? Is she okay?" Ariana asked, while Sam smiled at her and kissed her cheek.
"Don't worry, that's just my stubborn sister. She always acts like this when she sees a stranger around me. She thinks I'm not safe with unfamiliar people," he whispered. Roseline watched them, feeling a mix of emotions as they expressed their love.
"But you and I both know that I'm not a stranger to you."
"Yes, you're right. We know we aren't strangers, but they don't. So don't worry; I'll explain everything to them," Sam replied. He then looked at Rose. Since Rose and Finn were the only ones present, he felt it was necessary to introduce them, even though Finn had already brought her here, meaning they might already know each other.
"Here, my sister, Rose..." he started, trying to introduce them, but Roseline angrily walked away before he could finish.
He realized that peace would be hard to come by now, especially with jealousy brewing so quickly after Ariana's arrival. What would happen when she stayed longer?
"Why are they just too upset, what have I done wrong?" Ariana said.
"Hmm, don't worry about that. I'll sort everything out later. Right now, let me introduce my friend, Finn."
"Yes, I already know him. He told me you two are close friends, which is why he helped bring me here. I believe all the thanks should go to him for helping me find you. I love you, Sam," she said as she hugged him tightly.
Sam then turned to Finn, and gently pulled away from Ariana, and reached Finn who was standing silently, and hugged him. "Bro, I owe you big time for what you've done for me. Thank you so much for bringing her back to me."
Sam patted Finn on the shoulder. Finn nodded and got into his car, aware that he had somewhere important to be.
"Alright then, maybe I'll come back later tonight to join you guys. But for now, I need to be on my way. Your sisters..."
"Yeah, I know. They’re not happy about it. They’re just overprotective of me. But this is a simple case; I can handle it. I promise I’ll fix it before you return," Sam interrupted, giving Finn a reassuring smile.
"Oh come on! How sure are you about that? They’re pretty hard to convince. But I wish you good luck," Finn said as he drove away.