Withering Rose

Chapter 11

After a long day with Josh and my dad, it was finally time to sleep. But with Josh staying in my room tonight, I knew it was going to be a huge problem. I grabbed the nightclothes I still kept at my dad's house and took them to the bathroom. I ran the bathwater, adding just enough bubbles to satisfy me.

"Taking a bubble bath without me?"
How obnoxious can this rich asshole be? I took a few deep breaths to calm my nerves and turned around to see Josh—shirtless, of course. Despite everything that happened in the past, he still felt entitled to try and impress me. What a pain.

"Yes," I replied flatly, turning back to finish preparing for my much-needed bath.

"This again? Come on, don't act like that."
His comment made me stop. Slowly, I turned to face him until we were inches apart.

"Don't ever tell me how to act." My head hung low; I couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes.

"You ruined my life, and I will never forgive you for that..."

The smirk he wore disappeared.

Was that regret? Guilt? Or was he just messing with me?

Silence hung heavy between us. This would've been the perfect moment for him to brush everything off and tell me to "get over it" or threaten me with some power move like, "Watch yourself before I get you fired." But no—he just stood there, blank-faced, saying nothing.

Without hesitation, I closed the door and locked it behind me.

A few hours later

When I finally left the bathroom, I felt 100% better. My room was empty, and there was no sign of Josh. Good riddance. I checked my phone briefly before walking into my room... which, oddly enough, was back to normal.

Confused, I headed to the living room and found my dad sitting at the dining table with a puzzled look on his face.

"Where's Josh?" I asked.
I didn't actually care, but Josh leaving so abruptly was unusual

My father looked at me, and for a moment, I almost sensed that something had changed after the incident in my bedroom. "Josh suddenly left in a hurry. He said he wanted to give you some space," my father said as he washes the dishes to close the kitchen for tonight.

"Oh... okay." I tried not to show too much concern, but I guess what I said finally made Josh get the hint to leave me alone. "Don't worry too much, Dad. Work has been a little chaotic since my promotion," I reassured him, wanting to keep things light so wouldn't bombard me with questions.

"Oh, right! He did mention how terrible that meeting went. Poor guy looked completely defeated," my dad said as he went about making sure everything downstairs was spotless. I smirked to myself as the memory of that meeting played in my mind. The fact that someone like Marcus could knock Josh off his high horse with such effortless grace was the most satisfying thing I'd seen in a long time.

"Trust me, Dad, the only thing defeated was his pride. I'm sure he'll be fine once the weekend is over," I said with a yawn, trudging sluggishly toward my room. "I'll head out early in the morning to clean up my own place—knowing Stephanie, she's probably locked in her room hibernating."

I leaned against my bedroom doorframe as my father made his way upstairs. My father reached the top of the stairs and paused to catch his breath after the climb. "Stephanie is such a hard worker," he said. "That girl needs to settle down and find someone who can take her mind off work."

I chuckled softly. "You're right, Dad. Stephanie's definitely a hard worker. She just needs a guy who can keep her... balanced," I said, a hint of sarcasm creeping into my tone that, as usual, my father didn't catch.

He smiled warmly, nodding. "Exactly. Someone who can help her slow down and enjoy life a little."

"Mm-hmm, slow down," I echoed, biting back a laugh. If only he knew that Stephanie's idea of 'slowing down' involved late-night parties, shots, and dancing until sunrise. But why ruin his wholesome image of her?

"Well, maybe one day," I added with a shrug, standing upright and stretching.

"One day," he repeated with a satisfied nod, heading toward his room.

I watched him go, shaking my head with a small smile. It was almost funny how different people's perceptions could be. Closing my bedroom door behind me, I flopped onto the bed, letting out a tired sigh. 

"Balance," I muttered to myself with a smirk, the word lingering in my mind before sleep claimed me.

The Next Day (Early morning)

I whipped up a quick breakfast before getting ready to head back to my apartment. After finishing my glass of orange juice, I washed the dishes, tidied up the kitchen, and made sure to lock the door behind me as I left.

The car ride home was peaceful, the kind of quiet that made the empty road feel almost serene. I had my favorite playlist on, the music filling the space as I drove, lost in thought.

Saturdays were usually my routine cleaning days. I'd start early in the morning, get the apartment in order, and then leave the rest of the day open to do whatever I felt like. Today, though, I couldn't help but wonder if the peace would last—or if something unexpected might disrupt it.

As I pulled into the parking lot of my apartment building, I noticed how quiet everything seemed. Most of my neighbors were probably still sleeping off their Friday nights. I grabbed my bag from the passenger seat and made my way inside, the familiar creak of the front door reminding me I still needed to tell the landlord about it.

Once inside, the faint smell of lavender air freshener hit me—courtesy of Stephanie. Her door was, unsurprisingly, shut tight. If I listened closely, I could probably hear her light snoring. Typical.

I headed straight to my room, tossing my bag onto the chair by the window. The sunlight streamed in, highlighting a few dust motes swirling in the air. It was time to get to work.

Cleaning was oddly therapeutic for me. I started with the living room, fluffing the pillows and vacuuming the carpet. Then, I tackled the kitchen, wiping down counters and scrubbing the sink until it sparkled.

By the time I was done, the apartment looked spotless, and I felt accomplished. With my hair tied up in a bun, matching pajamas, and bunny slippers for extra comfort, I settled into the couch. I had just come back from the kitchen after making a snack when I heard the doorbell ring.

Setting my plate of food on the table, I walked to the door. Peeking through the peephole, I saw... nothing. It was pitch black, no matter how much I tried to adjust my angle.

Curious, I cautiously opened the door—and there he was. Marcus.