Chapter 549
“Yes, they can’t take you away even if they find out about this place.” As he spoke, he took out his phone and handed it to her.
It was not her phone, but his!
However, luckily, Rosalie had a sharp memory. She remembered both Lillian and Amelia’s phone numbers.
Rosalie then proceeded to dial Lillian’s number.
When Lillian picked up the phone and heard Rosalie’s voice on the other end, her excitement nearly caused her to fumble the device. “Rosalie, you… Where are you? Do you realize how terribly worried I’ve been ever since Jonathan took you? Has he done anything to you? That scoundrel has actually abducted you. This is outright kidnapping, Rosalie!”
Embarrassment washed over Rosalie as the call was on speakerphone, and Jonathan heard every word Lillian said.
Jonathan wore a half-smile as he glanced at the phone. Rosalie feared that Lillian’s words might provoke Jonathan, so she hastily interjected, “I… I’m fine, Lillian. I thought I’d call and reassure you not to be concerned about me. As for Amelia’s lawsuit, I had intended to help, but I might not be able to at the moment. If I haven’t returned in a week, could you ask Callum to find Amelia a good lawyer?”
As Rosalie uttered these words, they landed on Amelia like an unexpected gust of wind, immediately jolting Lillian’s senses. The latter could not help but react with a flurry of questions, each one more urgent than the last. “What’s happening, Rosalie? What’s gone wrong? You won’t be able to make it after a week? Is Jonathan holding you against your will?”
Lillian’s barrage of questions left Rosalie in a state of bewildered uncertainty, unsure how to respond.
With a deep breath, Rosalie eventually mustered a reply, “I’ll deal with the matter between me and Jonathan. Don’t worry about me. Also… if it’s possible, do lend Amelia a hand if you can.”
Having spoken her piece, Rosalie ended the call.
Jonathan’s tone remained cool and detached as he spoke, “Even at a time like this, your thoughts are still consumed with helping Amelia?”
With her gaze lowered, Rosalie replied softly, “It’s the least I can do.” Nonetheless, despite her efforts, it was likely that Amelia’s lawsuit was heavily weighted toward an unfavorable outcome.
The shadow of Amelia’s prior criminal record loomed ominously over her chances of winning custody.
However, even in the face of overwhelming odds, Rosalie’s resolve to fight for Amelia’s cause remained unshaken. She dialed Amelia’s number, briefly explaining the delay, hinting that she might be unable to handle the case for some time. She assured Amelia that, if necessary, Lillian and Callum were ready to step in and offer their support with her legal proceedings.
“Rosalie, are you okay? Has something happened?” Amelia asked anxiously.
“It’s nothing major. Take care, Amelia. Please extend my regards to Aiden. I may not be able to video call him for a while, but I’ll make up for it later,” Rosalie assured her.
After ending the call, Rosalie glanced at her phone and then shifted her attention to Jonathan, who remained in her presence. “Jonathan, can’t you allow me to leave temporarily, to assist Amelia with her legal matters? Besides, keeping me here won’t change anything.”
“Is that so?” he murmured, retrieving his phone from her hand. He then asked, “Do you know the name of this room?”
Rosalie was puzzled by his sudden question..
“This room has another name. It is known as the ‘Room Where Blood Spills,” he elucidated.
She could not help but frown at the revelation. The name sent shivers down Rosalie’s spine, its implications eerie and unsettling.
“Do you know why it’s called that?” he asked again.
She shook her head. How could she possibly know?
A faint smile played on Jonathan’s face as he activated a switch on the shelf in front of him. The glass case housing a long sword slowly opened, revealing an ancient sword.
Jonathan reached out and lifted the sword.
“Do
you
Rosalie could not help but start at the sight. The sword had always exuded a palpable menace since she laid her eyes on it.
recall when I mentioned that the Youngblood family once confined a woman in this very room? She eventually fell in love with a member of the Youngblood family. Yet, despite her love, she wielded this very sword to end his life within these very walls.”
Jonathan recounted the tale with casual nonchalance as if it were mere fiction.
Nevertheless, the tale was grounded in reality. The gravity of the revelation hit Rosalie like a tidal wave. This disclosure was akin to an unexpected plot twist.
At first, Rosalie thought that the woman had fallen in love with the man of the Youngblood family and then left here with him.
She never fathomed that the woman had used the same sword to take the life of the man she loved in this room.
Rosalie could not help but wonder about the motives behind this grisly act. Was it fueled by shame, guilt, or perhaps
remorse?
Rosalie mused, ‘Even amidst vows of love, had the woman’s heart strayed to another?
Was that the catalyst for her fateful decision?
And did the stains on the sword bear witness to the gruesome act, still etched upon its blade?’
“Is it called the ‘Room Where Blood Spills because of the blood that stained this sword?” Rosalie inquired hesitantly.
“It’s not just because of that,” he replied, then walked over to the wall hidden behind the thick curtains and abruptly yanked the drapery aside.
Suddenly, the wall hidden behind the curtains was unveiled before Rosalie’s eyes.
Unlike other walls, this one did not undergo renovation, still retaining its original appearance. Much to her horror, the surface was marred with dried, discolored bloodstains, creating a gruesome tableau.
A wave of nausea overcame Rosalie.
The significance of the bloodstains on that wall was undeniable, a preservation of criminal evidence! Rosalie wondered if this room, named Room Where Blood Spills, was named for the wall, its horrifying history etched into the very bricks.
“If you truly wish to leave,” he proposed, closing the distance between them and offering the hilt of the sword to Rosalie, “you can follow in the footsteps of the woman from years past. End my life, and you shall earn your freedom. So, do you wish to take my life?”
His dark eyes were dancing with a hint of madness. It was as if he were a gambler, betting on his place in her heart, with his own life as the wager.
His suggestion left Rosalie stunned. The notion of taking a life had never crossed her mind, not even when she suspected Jonathan might hold her here indefinitely.
He fixed his gaze on Rosalie, whose eyes betrayed her shock, and a broad, captivating smile crept onto his lips. “Can you bring yourself to do it? You don’t want me to die, do you?”
Rosalie’s throat felt parched, and she found it agonizingly difficult to respond, even if she wanted to refute his words.
“In your heart, there’s still a place for me, Sooner or later, you’ll find yourself falling for me once more,” he declared with unwavering confidence. “Rosalie, let’s make a bet. Let’s bet on the possibility of you falling in love with me again. I’m willing to bet my remaining lifetime on it.”
