Chapter 60
Even though Julian was her brother, Anya couldn't help but urge Rosalie to divorce him multiple times. Damn it. What a worthless piece of garbage, Anya thought, her anger flaring again. Every time Anya thought of Julian, she cursed under her breath, her frustration boiling over.
Rosalie accepted the drink Anya handed her with a smile, masking the bitterness swirling inside. Without hesitation, she took a gulp. The sharp burn of the strong liquor spread across her mouth, its spiciness stinging her senses and making her cough uncontrollably. The fiery rush hit her like a thunderclap, jolting her brain, the heat blazing down her throat to her stomach.
“Whoa, Rosalie, this is high-proof whiskey. You can’t just slam it like that,” Anya exclaimed, her eyes wide with concern at Rosalie’s reddened cheeks. Anya quickly patted her back, asking, “Are you okay?”
It took Rosalie a few moments to recover. She shook her head and smiled weakly. “I’m fine, just thirsty. I arrived and drank too fast,” she said. Her eyes lowered, hiding the emotions flickering beneath, especially the bitterness that appeared when Anya mentioned Julian’s name. Rosalie grabbed the vodka bottle and poured another shot, letting the cool liquid settle before answering Anya’s question. “I’ve known for a long time that Julian doesn’t love me. He might even hate me, but…”
She paused, a self-deprecating smile curling her lips. “I guess, just giving up so easily didn’t sit right with me.” That was the truth. Her stubborn pride had kept her in that hollow marriage for an entire year, one that had never been what it seemed. If Rosalie hadn’t overheard, in her previous life, Julian’s outright wish for her death, she probably would’ve stuck it out forever, even if Julian had shoved divorce papers in her face.
Anya watched Rosalie’s bitter smile, her frown deepening with sympathy, but also a fresh surge of fury for Julian. What a jerk, Anya thought, the words echoing in her mind. Rosalie brought the glass of vodka to her lips, but this time she didn’t drink it as hastily as before.
Looking at Anya, Rosalie felt as though a floodgate had opened. All the emotions she’d been holding back came pouring out, her voice trembling with frustration and resignation. “Julian gave me the final blow,” Rosalie said, her voice heavy with resignation, “and it’s finally killed any hope I had left. If I drag this on any longer, it’s only going to end badly.”
In her past life, Rosalie had stubbornly refused to divorce him, clinging to a sinking ship for another year, until she managed to completely destroy any affection remaining between them. Rosalie thought bitterly, This is probably why, in my past life, when the paramedic called him as I was dying, he was so impatient, hoping I’d just…
Anya had no idea that Rosalie had died once and been sent back a year in time. When she heard Rosalie mention the “final blow,” she assumed Rosalie was referring to the conversation Julian had had with Martin a few days ago about the divorce.
Anya reached out, patting Rosalie’s back. “You should’ve divorced him a long time ago. You’re too good for someone like Julian. Why waste any more time on a jerk like him? A man like that doesn’t deserve to be with you.”
Kaleb, who had been quietly sitting nearby, found himself dumbstruck. His expression became a mixture of amusement and confusion as he listened to his wife hurl insult after insult at Julian. His feelings were complex, to say the least. Kaleb thought, Of course, she’s Julian’s sister. Anya’s not holding anything back, is she? Not even a little soft on him! Anya then casually added, “If Kaleb ever dared to treat me like that, I’d break his legs, kill him with poison, and then take his money to hire a new handsome company every day?”
Both Rosalie and Kaleb were rendered speechless. Kaleb, sitting quietly and obediently, couldn’t help but think, ‘How did I end up getting dragged into this?’