Chapter: 1832
"I'm fine." Jeanne's concern was more for Rosa than herself.
"What? Not even a ‘Dad' from you now?" Brent asked Rosa, his gaze piercing.
Maintaining her composure, Rosa responded with indifference, "Why are you here?"
"Let's find a quiet spot to chat." Brent noticed more and more people coming to witness the fun as he cast a quick check around the studio. He scowled with contempt.
"Okay." Rosa wished to keep the issue between her and Brent private.
It didn't need to be exposed to the public, even if it wasn't a secret.
Leading Brent to the meeting room, she walked past Jeanne.
Jeanne seized her wrist, expressing concern. “Do you need me to tag along?"
Rosa patted Jeanne's hand reassuringly. "I've got this. Don't worry."
"But..."
"Trust me. I can handle it," Rosa assured her.
Seeing her insistence, Jeanne opted for silence, merely nodding.
"Count on me if you need help. I'm just a call away."
Rosa acknowledged with a nod and briskly opened the meeting room door.
The moment the door closed, the cacophony from the outside world and the tangled eye contact were abruptly severed. Then Rosa turned around.
Smack!
Brent's hand delivered a resounding slap across her face.
Rosa didn't evade; she merely turned her head. Strands of her hair, once tightly bound in a ponytail, now cascaded over her temple. She bit her lip, tucked the stray locks behind her ear, and met Brent's gaze.
"Is one slap doing it for you?" she asked him, her tone cold.
Brent's chest rose and fell with intensity. "Rosa, Libby is your sister! Instead of standing by her, you're dragging her to court?
Have you no conscience?"
Rosa replied, “Libby and I are not related by blood. We aren't as thick as you and your wife assume. I won't forgive a murderer!"
Brent, fueled by rage, raised his hand, ready for another strike.
Yet, upon seeing her reddened cheek, he hesitated. His fists clenched.
“Go bail her out and drop the charges! Hurry up! Pretend none of this happened! When your sister's out, apologize to her! Do you hear what I'm saying?"
"Ha-ha..." Rosa might have guessed Brent's intentions when she saw him in the studio, but she didn't anticipate that he wouldn't even try to disguise them. He wasn't even polite to her, and yet he came to seek help.
“What's so funny? Did you hear what I said? Rush to the police, tell them it's a misunderstanding, and drop the damn case!"
“I won't go!" Rosa declared, walking to the meeting table, grabbing a chair, and seating herself.
Brent's face paled. He raised his voice. “What did you say? I must have misheard you!"
Rosa lifted her gaze to meet Brent's eyes. Her voice, neither loud nor hushed, rang clear. "I said, I won't go!"
"Rosa!" Brent's hand rose, poised to give her another slap. "Damn!"
Rosa stood, closed her eyes, and braced for impact.
Brent was shocked to see that she closed her eyes and was ready to take the slap.
But the slap never landed. Rosa opened her eyes to find Brent staring at her. "I could've dodged, Mr. Moran, but I chose not to.
Call it repayment for raising me. You're my father; we share blood.
You can slap me again. But only one more. If you dare do that again, I'm done with the Moran family."
Brent was caught off guard by those words.
"Rosa! What did you just say? Everything you have is from me, from the Moran family! I can slap my daughter whenever! A slap for the care you got growing up? You can never repay me! For the very final time, let me repeat this. Go to the police station and get the damn lawsuit withdrawn!"