Welcome to the Rose Mansion - Chapter 119
—What have you done to my children?!
Jacqueline stormed over to Rogéros and grabbed him by the collar. With a calm smile on his lips, the man gently patted her trembling hand.
—Why, Madam Otis? Why are you so angry?
—You dare ask that when you know?!
Jacqueline’s body collapsed to the floor. Her pale hands raked through her hair in desperation.
—My Penny, my Nero… My children are gone. They call for me with those big, empty eyes, whimpering, “Mama, Mama,” but they’re nothing but empty shells now… They aren’t my children anymore!
—Oh my, you’re trembling.
Rogéros extended his hand. Despite the contradictory gentleness of his gesture, he firmly grasped Jacqueline’s wrist, forcing her to stand.
—All this fuss over losing mere children.
—Mere children…?
—Don’t be so dull, Madam Otis. Didn’t you declare, quite boldly, that you weren’t afraid of me? And yet, look at you now.
The sneer in his voice was unmistakable. It was then that Jacqueline realized the truth.
For the past decade, she had changed nothing. The peace, the happiness she thought she had found at Bertrand—it had all been a false illusion, granted by Rogéros’s silent permission. Everything she believed was progress had been a mere delusion.
She had been struggling inside a giant wheel, one he built for her all along.
—You… You’ve been waiting for this moment.
A cold sweat dripped from Jacqueline’s forehead. Rogéros’s red eyes glowed sharply against the shadows of the hallway.
—You were waiting for the moment when I would be most devastated.
—You aren’t worth that much, Jacqueline Otis. Do you think your despair means anything to me?
Rogéros released her wrist, and Jacqueline collapsed to the ground with a thud.
The voice above her, laced with amusement, was pitiless.
—But Alan, who ran around so cheerfully without realizing his duty, was quite amusing. That’s why I let it slide. But… I can no longer delay Alan’s lessons.
Her heart dropped like a stone. In a panic, Jacqueline grabbed onto Rogéros’s feet.
—No, not Alan! Don’t touch Alan!
—That’s not for you to decide.
Rogéros extended a finger and pressed it against Jacqueline’s forehead, a gesture laden with obvious mockery.
—Now that Alan has grown healthy and strong, the twins are no longer needed. Still, they’ve served their purpose well, helping me train Alan. They were more useful than I expected.
—Please… I’m begging you…
—Rick trembled every time he saw me. He always bent to my will too easily—it became quite boring.
Tapping his chin thoughtfully, Rogéros turned away with a bright, nonchalant air.
—I wonder how long Alan will last?
—Rogéros! Please!
—You’re free to keep doing whatever you want, Madam Otis. Go ahead, continue trying to change Bertrand.
Rogéros walked away, leaving Jacqueline powerless to stop him.
Desperate, she ran to her husband, Rick Otis.
—Rick! Please, you have to do something!
—Oh, Jacqueline…
Rick Otis let out a helpless sigh.
—I told you, didn’t I? We can never escape his grasp.
Jacqueline stared at him in disbelief. Rick Otis avoided her gaze, his expression troubled.
Jacqueline’s lips quivered.
—Our children… Penny and Nero are as good as dead. Alan has fallen into that man’s hands. And yet, how can you say something so irresponsible…?
—I’m suffering too, Jacqueline. But this is the fate of those born into Otis. There’s no other way. I went through the same thing, as did my father before me.
—Rick Otis!
—You’ve done so well these past thirteen years. We had a brief period of peace, and I was incredibly happy. So now, it’s time for you to adjust to life in this mansion. It’s the only way.
Rick Otis gently patted his wife’s shoulder.
—If there’s anything you want, feel free to buy it. A beautiful dress, a diamond necklace, even a golden crown that a queen couldn’t dream of wearing… I can provide you with endless material wealth. Isn’t that why you married me in the first place?
—You think… I married you for a wealthy life?
—Of course, there was love, I’m sure. But in the end, what made you give up your fame as a prima donna was Otis’s wealth, wasn’t it? Otherwise, why would you have willingly walked into this hell? Why would you have endured it, seeing how things are now?
—My God, Rick…
—That’s right. What you truly wanted was money. And I’m ready to give you all the wealth you could ever desire. So there’s no need to feel guilty… Stop pushing me, Jacqueline! I’m already at my limit, to the point where I want to strangle myself!
Jacqueline took a few steps back, distancing herself from him, and in that moment, she realized the truth.
The black eyes of the man she once loved so deeply. The eyes that had once seemed filled with melancholy and sorrow now only held the cowardice of a weak, fearful man.
Later, Jacqueline would come to learn the full truth. Rick Otis had persistently proposed to the commoner prima donna under direct orders from Rogéros.
Rogéros had noticed that Rick Otis had fallen in love with the beautiful prima donna at first sight and had forced the marriage on him.
All for the sake of watching Otis suffer in guilt for dragging the one he loved into this hell.
Just for that one, cruel reason.
