Page 76 of Downfall

“What?” My father snarls with his beady eyes still pinned on me. “You think you can keep it? Keep his bastard child? Not a fucking chance.” He grabs me yanking me up from the floor. “We’ll get it aborted and then we’ll never speak of this again.”

“No.” I say louder but he doesn’t pay any attention.

He turns to my mother. “Get it sorted. Get a clinic out of the city. The pair of you will go away and when you return we’ll announce the engagement.”

He’s still pushing that? He thinks I’ll just murder my child one minute and then marry Paris Blumenfeld the next?

“I won’t do it.” I snap forcing myself to move, forcing myself to fight.

His face contorts. “Is that so? You think you have a say?” His hand swings again and this time the blow is so much harder knocking me to the floor with such an impact I see stars. It’s as if he’s hoping I’ll miscarry right here, in his office.

My mother steps in shaking her head. “Ignatio.” She says quietly.

“What?”

“Let me handle this.”

He tilts his head. I’ve never seen him raise his hand to her but in this moment I wonder if he might. If he’s lost so much control he might just hurt her too. “I want it done.”

“It will be.” She reassures, putting her hands on his forearms to reassure him. “Trust me. I will sort it.”

He nods throwing me a look before storming out the door and as soon as he’s gone the tears start. I’m sobbing hysterically.

“Rose.” My mother says. She doesn’t sound comforting in this moment. She sounds just as cold as he did.

“I can’t do it. I won’t do it.” I state.

“You will.” She says walking towards me. “You don’t have any choice.”

“Please.” I beg and she shakes her head, tucking my hair behind my ear.

“What life do you think you would have huh? If you kept this child? Paris won’t marry you. Your father would disown you, I’d have to disown you too. You’d be an outcast. A nobody.”

“I don’t care.” I reply wrapping my hands around myself. I’ve never even thought about kids, about being a parent but now that I’m here I can’t just walk away and pretend it didn’t happen.

“Rose, be reasonable.”

“I love him.” I say.

“But he doesn’t love you does he? He left. Without even saying goodbye.”

More tears spill. More of my heart breaks at how she’s stating the facts I know to be true.

“…he used you Rose. He used you and now he’s left. Don’t let him ruin the rest of your life.”

I shake my head. I want to argue, to protest, but she’s right even as my heart tells me otherwise, she’s right. Roman Montague used me and then ditched me like I was nothing.

She pulls me in, hugs me as I sob more. “I’ll sort it Rose. I’ll sort everything.” She says as if it’s merely a new dress I need.

* * *

It’s a rose.

My hair stands on the back of my neck as I stare down at it. The cluster of apricot petals alone mark it for what it is and even from this distance I can smell it’s light, summery aroma.

It’s not just any rose. It’s a Juliet rose.

I grit my teeth, already knowing where this came from.

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