âThen just pretend Iâm not caring about you,â Rosalie said. She liad to use all her strength to lift Jonathan from the tiled floor in the bathroom. She then half-dragged him to the bedside and let him lie down.
Obviously, he was very uncomfortable at that moment. When he was on the bed, his body curled into the fetal position. His handsome face was slightly twisted due to pain, and his teeth chattered uncontrollably. His hands were pressing on his stomach all the time.
Rosalie suddenly remembered that she once, saw him having a gastric spasm. âIs he having a stomachache again today?
Itâs not impossible if I think about it. After all, he seemed to drink a lot today, especially when he and Calvin began drinking⦠It looked like he drank on an empty stomach. I didnât see them eat anything at that time. She recalled the scene.
âDo you have a stomachache?â she asked.
He pursed his thin lips without answering. However, he kept staring at her with his bright, captivating eyes.
âDo you want me to call Carlos and ask him to send you to the hospital?â she continued asking.
âNo.â He said with difficulty, âYou⦠Donât you love me anymore? Arenât you abandoning and despising me? Shanât you be happy⦠when Iâm in such pain now?â
âHappy?â Rosalie asked herself inwardly while looking at the man before her. At that moment, he looked pale and delicate. His handsome face showed an exquisite fragility.
But she didnât feel any sort of glee when she saw him like that.
âJonathan, Iâm not you. Even if I donât love someone and donât want to be involved with him, or even if I hate someone, seeing him in pain doesnât please me!â she stated. âIf you donât want me to call Carlos, Iâll go to a nearby pharmacy to buy some medicine for you! Stay here and wait for me.â
Upon announcing that, she took her keys and phone and hurried out of the rental home.
Once more, he was alone in the small rental home.
Jonathan closed his eyes again.
He wondered why he couldnât feel any happiness when she said that. She went to buy him medicine simply because she had some sympathy for him in her heart.
âMy stomach is getting more and more painful!
Now it feels far worse than any previous pain. Itâs worse when the pain is coupled with the discomfort of drinking too much. My entire body feels empty.
Who in the world would want me sincerely?â In pain, Jonathan let his mind wander.
âMy mother doesnât want me because Iâm just a tool to bring her glory and wealth, and she could use me to raise her status. But once the puppet became useless, she readily abandoned me.
My father doesnât want me, too. Even if he had some love for me in his heart, this paternal love for his son was too negligible compared to his love for my mother. Therefore, when Mother abandoned him completely, Father was disheartened and left this world, forgetting that he still had a child.
Grandpaâs the one who truly doesnât want me. For him, Iâm just an illegitimate ârascalâ carrying half of the Youngblood familyâs bloodline in my body. Grandpa has never admitted my motherâs identity and legitimacy.
In Grandpaâs eyes, Iâm just a tool to continue the bloodline of the Youngblood family. But since Iâm somewhat useful as a tool, I can inherit the property and business of the Youngblood family.
And now⦠Rosie⦠Rosie also wants to abandon me!
Even if I trap her by my side as my sister, she doesnât want me anymore!â His thoughts came to a sobering conclusion. âShe doesnât love me anymore, so she doesnât want me, too?â He murmured in a low voice. The pain in his body was getting stronger and stronger. It seemed like his stomach was not the only organ hurting. His heart and bones were aching, too. Every breath he took was painful.
âRosie⦠Rosieâ¦â he called inwardly.
He wondered why he could only think about her name, voice, face, and smile now, even when she was about to abandon him.
He also wondered why he fell into such despair when he realized she didnât love him and was about to leave him.
He was so desperate. He felt that he was drowning and losing his last hope of salvation.
âIt hurts⦠It hurts so much that I can hardly breathelâ Jonathan screamed inwardly.
The sound of the door opening reached him. Next, he heard footsteps and the sounds of someone picking up and placing âIs she back? She went to buy medicine for me at midnight, just like the last time at the rental home,â
Jonathan pondered.
Back at that time, when he opened his eyes and looked at her, he felt his heart throb for the first time.
Perhaps he had fallen in love with her since that moment.
âCome, take the medicine. Youâll feel better after taking it.â Rosalieâs voice sounded in his ear, and a hand helped him up.
Her scent filled his nostrils, and Jonathan slowly opened his eyes. Her delicate and tranquil face came into his sight.
At that moment, he suddenly felt something was filling the emptiness in his soul, a little by a little.
Every nerve and every drop of blood in his body screamed for her. He wanted her to stay with him like that.
Rosalie handed the medicine to Jonathan and instructed, âThereâre two kinds of medicine. Youâve to take one pill of this and two pills of that. Take the medicine first.â
However, he didnât take the pills from her hand. His eyes were staring at her greedily.
His stare gave her an indescribably heavy feeling. âWhatâs wrong? Donât you want to take the medication?â After all, she recalled that he once said he didnât enjoy taking medicine.
âEven if you remain as my sister and Iâll be the little brother you want for the rest of your life, will you still abandon me?â he suddenly asked.
Rosalie froze for a moment. She lowered her gaze and looked at the medicine in her hand. With a soft acknowledgment, she whispered, âBrother and sister? Itâs only a make-believe game for you.
Moreoverâ¦â She smiled softly, but her smile seemed to be vague. âYouâll never be the little brother I want.â
As she said that, she raised her eyes to meet his gaze. âJonathan, Iâve loved you and hated you. Now, I neither want to love you nor want you. A man like you is not someone I can desire at all! And when youâre completely tired of playing this make-believe family game, everything between us will be over for real.â
His face became paler. Even his lips displayed a ghostly gray color.
âOver? Between us⦠Over for real? If everything between us is over for real, then Iâ¦â He became stiff when the thought flashed across his mind.
âAs for this medicine, itâs your choice if you want to have it or not,â Rosalie said as she put the medicine and the glass of water on the nightstand. Next, she turned and pulled a chair for herself, equipping it with a pillow and blanket. She then found a comfortable position and leaned against the chair for a nap.
Dazed, Jonathan stared at the napping woman in the chair, After a while, he finally reached for the medicine on the nightstand and washed the pills down his throat with the glass of water.