Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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I once thought that life would continue on in this peaceful way.
But in the end, I was overthinking it, because I saw Elliott again.
At that time, I had just picked Noreen up from kindergarten and was sitting at the entrance of the flower shop, teaching her to distinguish between different kinds of flowers.
We were interrupted by a voice full of hardship and age: “Rosa, I finally found you…”
Elliott still dressed like a gangster in a suit, his aura undiminished, but he had grown much thinner and now limped on one leg, making his imposing presence seem more like a forced front.
Seeing that I said nothing, he turned to Noreen, crouched down, stretched out his arms, and smiled, say- ing, “Noreen, did you miss Daddy? Come, let Daddy give you a hug.”
But Noreen hid behind me, her eyes full of resistance and wariness as she looked at him.
I sent Noreen into the shop, closed the door, and turned to face him. “What are you doing here?”
Elliott was taken aback, looking a bit embarrassed. “Rosa, I… I came to take you both home.”
I let out a mocking laugh. “Home? Do you mean that filthy, disgusting place where sister-in-law
your and your younger sister both served the same husband? Don’t make me laugh. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Please leave.”
“No, Rosa, it’s not like that. I’ve investigated all the dirty things she did. I have nothing to do with her anymore. I’ve also dealt with all our enemies. No one will ever make you suffer again. Come home with me, please? I will make it up to you and our daughter.”
For so many years, all I ever heard from him was, ‘Just bear with it for now.’ This was the first time he said he wouldn’t let me suffer anymore.
Unfortunately, I no longer cared.
“After all the suffering I’ve endured, you come to say this now, Elliott. Don’t you find it ridiculous?”
“Do you think that just by saying this, all the humiliation I suffered for over a year, my broken leg, and my daughter being locked in a dog cage, can all be wiped away? What does your so-called compensa- tion mean to me? Why should I accept it?”
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Elliott was left speechless by my retort, anxiously trying to explain: “Rosa, it was Vanessa who deliber- ately faked the news. That’s why I thought you were dead. Otherwise, I would never have let you suffer so much…”
“Elliott, for someone who calls himself a mafia boss, when something goes wrong, all you know how to do is blame a woman.”
“Vanessa is certainly despicable, but as my husband, when you received news of my death, you didn’t even investigate, didn’t look for a body, just believed it outright, and then couldn’t wait to marry your sister-in-law, even allowing her to threaten my daughter. Isn’t that even more disgusting?”
“Go back. The Rosalind you once knew is dead. Noreen doesn’t want you as her father anymore. To us, you are just a nightmare we are desperate to escape. We’ve finally found happiness and peace. Please don’t disturb us again, if you have even a shred of conscience left.”
After saying this, I no longer looked at him. I turned and went back into the flower shop, pulled down the shutter, and shut him out completely.
The next day, when I took Noreen to kindergarten, Elliott was no longer outside.
There was a bouquet of balloon flowers at the door-the same flowers he once used to propose to me, whose meaning is undying love.
In the center of the bouquet was the emerald ring symbolizing the mistress of the Gildon family, the en- graving on it once again bearing my name.
There was also a small card, which read: “Rosa, I’m sorry.”
Unfortunately, some things, once changed, can never go back, no matter how much regret or apology there is.
I threw all of these things into the trash.
Just like I was throwing away everything from the past.
A few days later, I received news of Elliott’s death.
Vanessa fainted in the dog cage. After all, Elliott had promised Ralph that he wouldn’t actually take Vanessa’s life.
He had someone open the dog cage and crouched down to check on her, but Vanessa suddenly lunged and bit his neck.
Vanessa had somehow gotten hold of a razor blade, which she had kept hidden in her mouth, and she slashed Elliott’s throat.
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Before dying, Elliott also used the blade to end Vanessa’s life.
In just a few days, the Gildon family’s businesses were quickly divided up by the enemies he had once troubled.
Aaron took Bobby back to his hometown, and was never heard from again.
I did not tell Noreen about Elliott’s death.
From the moment we left the Gildon family, everything about him ceased to have anything to do with
The past is dark and irretrievable, but fortunately, what awaits us ahead is a bright and splendid future.
The end.
