Ping!
Ping!
The ringtone from Rose’s phone soon pulled her out of the whirlpool of thoughts she had been drowning in.
Blinking a few times, she quickly reached for the device and glanced at the caller ID.
It was Bryce….her elder brother.
Without wasting another second, Rose answered the call and raised the phone to her ear.
“Are you okay, sis?” Bryce asked immediately.
His voice was laced with worry, and he didn’t even bother hiding it.
“He didn’t do anything to you, right? I know I’m a terrible brother because I actually left when Prince Dylan asked me to, but trust me, I couldn’t leave you completely unprotected. I had one of my bodyguards keep an eye on you from a distance. He just informed me that Prince Dylan finally left. So… are you really okay?”
A warm smile spread across Rose’s face, even though Bryce couldn’t possibly see it through the phone.
“I’m okay, brother,” she replied softly, trying to reassure him.
“He didn’t do anything to me. We only talked, that’s all. You don’t have to worry so much.”
“He’s really the one you’re matched with?” Bryce asked in disbelief, his tone filled with both confusion and curiosity.
“Like… seriously? He mentioned something like that earlier, but I honestly thought he was joking.”
Rose let out a long, exhausted sigh.
“Yes, brother,” she answered.
“He is.”
She paused briefly before continuing.
“And he’s not even the only one. There are several others too… all thanks to my dear sister.” She couldn’t keep the bitterness from creeping into her voice.
“What?! There are others too?!” Bruce yelled with shock laced in his tone.
“Thankfully, none of the others have shown themselves to me yet. Maybe they haven’t discovered we’re a match, or maybe they already know and are simply waiting to reject the bond.”
“I honestly hope they break it off as soon as possible.”
Bryce clicked his tongue.
“So Prince Dylan is the only one acting like a bone stuck in your throat,” he muttered before speaking more firmly.
“You can’t possibly marry him, Rose. Never. The royal family is far too complicated, and believe me when I say marrying into that family is practically a one-way ticket to heaven.”
He sighed heavily before continuing.
“I’m certain his family will never approve of this either. And honestly, I doubt Prince Dylan is truly pleased with this situation himself. He’s probably just being stubborn and trying to pressure you into giving in. Trust me… sooner or later he’ll get tired and give up. Just keep refusing him.”
“I know, elder brother,” Rose replied with another weary sigh.
“I’m thinking the same thing. He’s probably only acting this way because of his heat cycle. Once it’s over, he’ll finally come back to his senses.”
“Good,” Bryce replied, sounding slightly relieved.
“Anyway, you refused to come back to the family house, and you also refused to stay in the house I personally prepared for you. I can’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do.” His voice softened considerably.
“The least I can do is make sure you’re comfortable wherever you decide to stay. So if you’re ever running low on cash, let me know immediately. You know you can always depend on me.”
He chuckled lightly.
“Although I’m still wondering how you even managed to pay your university tuition fees.”
“I know, brother,” Rose answered with another quiet sigh.
“And yes, I managed to pay my tuition with the savings I’ve built up over the past few years. Thankfully, I was never the kind of daughter who spent money recklessly. I’ve always preferred saving rather than wasting it.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Bryce said sincerely. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
“But my offer still stands. If you’re ever short on money, call me. No matter what I’m doing, I’ll always come through for you. You don’t have to shoulder everything by yourself.”
I can’t tell him about my skill…
Rose swallowed hard as the thought crossed her mind.
There’s absolutely no way I’m telling him.
Not now… not ever.
“I’ve heard you, brother,” she finally said, forcing a small smile.
“I have to go now. We’ll talk later.”
Before Bryce could respond or protest, Rose ended the call.
She lowered the phone, intending to slip it back into her pocket.
Just as she was about to do so…
Ping!!
A text message notification flashed across Rose’s phone, instantly drawing her attention.
Without wasting a second, she unlocked her phone and opened the notification, only to realize it was from the Puppet Forum.
Her heart immediately skipped a beat.
Rose hurriedly tapped on the message before scrolling down to her profile, where her username, Raven Strings, was displayed.
Her breathing unconsciously hitched as her eyes landed on the listing of the dragon puppet she had uploaded earlier.
Right beneath the listing was a single word.
Sold!