Cronus Romano
Waking up to the sound of my sister shouting my name wasn't exactly how I envisioned my day off. I groaned, hoping she'd get the hint and leave, but Alexandra was relentless.
"Cronus! Wake up!" Her voice pierced through the quiet morning, making my head pound.
I grumbled, dragging myself out of bed, my body protesting with every movement. "This better be good, Alex," I muttered, rubbing my eyes and blinking against the harsh light streaming through the curtains. "It's my day off."
Alexandra wrinkled her nose as she stood in the doorway, arms crossed and tapping her foot impatiently. "Ew, put on a shirt. No one wants to see that."
Rolling my eyes, I grabbed a shirt from the bedside table and pulled it on, feeling the soft cotton against my skin. "Happy now?" I asked, still groggy and not quite ready to face whatever crisis she had in mind.
She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of concern and exasperation. "You know you're too old to get into fights," she said, pointing out my cut lip and bruised knuckles. I hadn't had a good fight since I left Italy, so that explains why my skills are rusting.
I didn't answer her, so she shrugged and tossed her phone onto the bed. "Read this."
The headlines on the screen were absurd. Allegations of Rose embezzling funds from a charity, fabricated testimonies, and doctored documents. I couldn't help but laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it all.
"Really, Alex? This is what you woke me up for?" I asked, shaking my head in disbelief as I skimmed through the outlandish claims.
"There's more," Alexandra insisted, scrolling through her phone with a determined expression.
"They're calling her a gold digger, saying she's involved with multiple men." She showed me photos of Rose with different men: Seth, Gerald, and Kyle. They even got a photo during the grand opening when Themis kissed Rose's hand, accompanied by fake leaked messages.
I laughed again, a bitter edge to my amusement. "What's the point of showing me this? This is just ridiculous."
"I know, but people are reacting horribly. They're calling her names. I hate seeing this," Alexandra said, her voice filled with genuine concern and frustration.
I lay back down, pulling the covers over my head in a futile attempt to block out the world. "Relax, Alex. I'm tired from yesterday. Rose can handle this. I'm more interested in finding out what she's gonna do about this."
Alexandra sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "So you're not going to do anything?"
"Nope, unless it would harm Rose then I'm concerned. You know what I'm more worried about, the person spreading these lies. Rose is gonna bite off their heads," I replied, closing my eyes again, seeking the comfort of sleep.
With a final sigh, Alexandra left the room, her footsteps echoing down the hallway. I reached for my phone and called Rose, hoping to hear her soothing voice. "Good morning, Love," I greeted in my deep morning voice.
Rose's laughter through the phone was like music to my ears, instantly lifting my spirits. "Good morning, Cronus. Stop doing that voice."
I chuckled, feeling the tension ease from my shoulders. "What voice? This is just how I sound when I'm thinking about you."
Rose giggled, her laughter like a warm embrace. "Oh really? So you always sound like a smooth-talking heartthrob?"
I laughed, the sound rumbling deep in my chest. "If you say so, Love. Now, how are you doing?"
