In Verdale City,
Delilah, William's mother, gripped her phone so tightly that her fingers turned white. She could hardly believe what had just happened.
Rosalie—the same woman she had spent years belittling—had hung up on her. Worse, she had insulted her.
Her blood boiled as she redialed Rosalie's number, determined to give her a piece of her mind.
Beep. Beep.
Her frown deepened when the call didn't go through. She tried again, only to hear an automated voice tell her the number was unreachable.
Delilah's lips parted slightly in disbelief before fury consumed her.
"That ungrateful woman—she blocked me," she spat, barely able to contain her anger. "That bitch dared to block me!"
William and Stephanie, who were seated on the couch opposite her, exchanged glances.
William leaned back against the plush sofa, staring at his mother with a blank expression. He had been mostly silent since Rosalie left, but the way his mother reacted to the blocked call made something uncomfortable stir inside him.
Stephanie, however, played her part perfectly.
She let out a small gasp, placing a delicate hand over her chest as if Rosalie's actions had personally offended her. "Auntie, I can't believe Rosalie would do such a thing." Her voice was laced with concern, sweet and gentle. "She must be really angry. I even texted her earlier, but she didn't reply. I'm so worried about her."
Delilah's hardened gaze softened slightly as she looked at Stephanie.
"You are too kind," she said with a sigh. "That woman doesn't deserve your concern. She slapped you, Stephanie. And now she's acting like she's the victim?"
Stephanie lowered her gaze, feigning sadness. The red imprint of Rosalie's slap still lingered faintly on her cheek, and she made no effort to hide it. She wanted William to keep seeing it, to remember how Rosalie had hurt her.
"I just don't understand why she changed so suddenly," Stephanie murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Delilah scoffed. "She didn't change—this is who she's always been. She fooled us all. I warned William not to marry her, but he wouldn't listen." She turned to her son, her eyes flashing with irritation. "If you had listened to me, none of this would have happened. But no, you had to go and marry that ungrateful wretch."
William exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. He was getting tired of hearing the same thing over and over again.
"Forget about Rosa," she continued her tone firm. "She'll regret leaving. But by then, it'll be too late because Stephanie will have already taken her place."
Stephanie's lips curled into a soft smile, and a light blush dusted her cheeks.
Delilah had always favored her over Rosalie. It was no secret that she wanted William to be with Stephanie instead, and now, that wish was coming true.
Today was supposed to be a small celebration—Stephanie and William had come over to finalize their upcoming engagement. Unfortunately, William's father was away on a business trip, so they were only discussing it with Delilah for now.
Stephanie's heart raced with excitement. Soon, she would officially be Mrs. Sinclair.
However, there was one problem.
William himself.
He had barely spoken throughout the conversation. His responses were either short or nonexistent.
Stephanie frowned inwardly, watching as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His brows were furrowed, and his lips were pressed into a thin line.
'What is he thinking about?'
She didn't have to guess.
He was thinking about Rosalie.
William exhaled through his nose, feeling the weight of his mother's words.
It had been nearly a day since Rosalie had walked out of their home.
No, his home.
She hadn't taken any luggage with her. No clothes. No personal belongings.
It was like she had vanished.
He had expected her to come crawling back by now—maybe standing outside the gates, crying and begging for his forgiveness.
But nothing.
Not a single word from her.
And now, she had blocked his mother's number.
He glanced at his phone, debating whether to call her. But he already knew what would happen. If she had blocked his mother, she would have blocked him too.
His grip on the armrest tightened slightly.
'Why should I even care?' he asked himself. 'Stephanie is right here. I'm going to marry her. She's going to give me children. Rosalie is my past.'
Still, no matter how hard he tried to push the thoughts away, Rosalie's face kept appearing in his mind.
"So what do you think, William?"
Stephanie's bright voice snapped him out of his daze.
He blinked. "What?"
Stephanie giggled lightly. "I was talking about the wedding. I was saying that it's going to be a huge event. We should invite all the influential families."
William barely thought before nodding. "That's not a bad idea."
Stephanie noticed the distant tone in his voice, but she forced a smile and let it slide.
It didn't matter.
Once they were married, William would be completely hers.
Back In Astoria Vale…
In a dimly lit room was a man seated comfortably on a couch, his legs crossed as he leaned his back onto it, soft jazz music was playing in the background. His eyes were closed, basking in the quiet night until someone suddenly stepped inside and ruined his solitude.
"You should go on a date with her and get to know more about each other," a rough voice suggested.
Matteo's eyes fluttered, his long lashes moving as his dark eyes settled on his father, Rowan Valtieri.
"What gave you the idea I would agree to such nonsense?" He asked, his tone cold and devoid of any emotions, regardless of the fact he was talking to his father.
Rowan's expression was blank, mirroring his son's mask.
"You wanted a marriage alliance with the Vancourt, and I'm willing to give that to you. But don't expect me to do frivolous actions like going on a date." The way he mentioned the word date felt like he was saying something bitter that made his eyebrows furrow in disgust.