Chapter 227: Letting go [3]
"I was going to save you from placing blame on yourself for what Cole became, as that wouldn’t be fair to you. But I see that you will continue to enable him even when he is wrong. Since you think Cole is in the right, and that he was lonely when I was ill, then leave me alone," Rosalie pleaded as her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"No longer does he have to take care of me. No longer does he have to feel so small next to me because my father is a duke. I am letting go of him, so please tell him not to waste his time in captivity thinking of me. Let him think only of the walls surrounding him," Rosalie requested, mocking Cole’s position as her fingers twisted nervously at the folds of her gown.
"You," Nancy said, her hand trembling as she pointed accusingly. "My son will be proven innocent. Until he is freed, do not think I shall let the two of you walk away with what he helped to build. He is deserving of the marital home."
Benedict chuckled, shaking his head at the absurdity of Nancy’s claim. It was laughable to think Cole deserved any part of a home he hadn’t contributed to. "I found us a private room to sit in," he said, no longer wanting Rosalie to converse with Nancy, whose words felt no different than speaking to a wall.
"I won’t let my son go empty-handed. No matter what occurs between you two now, you mustn’t forget that he stood by your side when you were ill," Nancy spoke out loud, her voice rising and drawing the attention of the men in the court. "Don’t you feel that you owe him just a little so that he can take care of us?"
Rosalie continued to walk away from Nancy, her father at her side. Unfortunately, she needed to pass by Victoria.
"Rosalie, I didn’t come here with her. The court sent for me to speak about Faye," Victoria said quickly in desperation, trying to explain before Rosalie misunderstood.
Rosalie didn’t offer Victoria a response. She had already had her talk with Victoria, and now she had her last one with Nancy.
"I’m sorry," Victoria whispered, her apology fragile.
Unfortunately for Victoria, it was one offered too late. Rosalie couldn’t forgive her, nor did she want to. Victoria had made her bed, and now she needed to lie in it. There was no going back from this.
"I’m sorry," Benedict apologised as he led Rosalie away, his hand on her arm to offer support. "They weren’t meant to be here."
"It is fine, father. I was curious how his mother was reacting to the news, and I wasn’t disappointed. If I were foolish enough to have any second thoughts, they have gone away now. I want to say that they are all fools, but I was the fool who picked him," Rosalie said, her voice heavy with self-blame.
"Good men and husbands surround me, yet that is what I chose. I should have listened when you were against me marrying below my status," Rosalie admitted, her chest tightening as regret weighed on her.
"Marrying below your status wasn’t your sole issue. Weren’t you saying that Damien’s marriage is going well? These kinds of marriages can work. Because of egos, it works better when it is a woman marrying a man far above her station," Benedict explained.
"It isn’t that I thought he couldn’t provide for you, but I worried he wouldn’t have been able to stand behind you at times."
"But I never wanted him to stand behind me. I wanted him at my side. I never asked for a husband who could provide for me or have his status rival his peers. I just wanted to be loved. I wanted to be a wife and one day become a mother. I reassured him so many times," Rosalie said, her voice softening, still puzzled as to why Cole had sought more.
"He wasn’t a strong man. That is the cause. Or it is that you built him up so much with reassurance that he thought too highly of himself. His trial shall soon begin, and he will spend a long time imprisoned. Don’t think of him any longer," Benedict advised her.
"Do not think this divorce will stop you from having suitors. I have already received a proposal for your hand, though the divorce is not yet signed. The warden wishes for you to be engaged to his nephew," Benedict shared.
"Zayne? I am close to Zayne, but I don’t love him. I hope you have told the warden no. I don’t want to rush into another marriage, all for connections. I want to wait a little, and when I am ready, Zayne isn’t the man for me," Rosalie said with certainty.
"I have already told him no and asked that he not send any more requests. He is not the only one who has sent me letters. This divorce won’t tarnish you."
"Because these men want connections to you. I will not be entertaining any of them," Rosalie said, wanting to avoid being a pawn.
"I don’t want you to entertain them. The last problem I need now is a son-in-law pestering me for help. Once you have settled down and moved on, I am taking your mother out of town. I have my own marriage to focus on," Benedict planned, eager to be away from drama.
"I am sorry to say, but I planned to get out of town and go to the countryside home. When I was younger, you said that I didn’t need to leave the estate and find a husband. That I could be with you and my mother. Perhaps I could-"
"No," Benedict answered before Rosalie finished. "I want to be alone with your mother. When all of you got married, the estate became quiet. I no longer needed to worry about any of you. I intend to get back to that time, but I shall entertain you for a while."
"How kind of you. I apologise for taking you away from your wife. It is the time that both of you should get to enjoy your home and be visited by grandchildren once in a while. I am going to figure out my future soon," Rosalie promised, more than ready to move on.
"I feel relieved knowing that Cole is imprisoned now because I don’t need to worry about him coming towards me. Either to fix our marriage or to harm me. Victoria won’t be much of a threat because she’ll be nervous about the news getting out," Rosalie said, her shoulders easing slightly.
"Those two won’t trouble you again. I will have a word with their parents to get them to leave you alone. There is no reason for parents on that side to approach you to scold or to apologise. You should take my offer to have more guards," Benedict offered once more.
"Very well," Rosalie agreed.
