Xyliana was done talking about Rosalie, She was still steamed from yesterday, and this morning just made it worse. She frowned at Sophia, “Let’s drop it. Dad’s waiting.”
Sophia saw Xyliana’s annoyance and felt a secret satisfaction, figuring Rosalie was really bugging Xyliana.
Rosalie was about to head down when she ran into Roxanne, who’d come to call her for breakfast. “Mom? What are you doing here?” Rosalie asked,
surprised..
“Checking if you’re up,” Roxanne said softly. “Did you sleep okay?” She was worried Rosalie hadn’t slept well because of Xyliana and showed her
concem..
“It’s fine, just taking some time to get used to a new place,” Rosalie said, being honest.
Even though Rosalie sounded normal, Roxanne thought Rosalie’s sleep was off because of Xyliana. Feeling guilty, Roxanne thought she shouldn’t have talked about those things in front of Rosalie last night, messing up her first night back.
Roxanne looked at Rosalie worriedly. “Why don’t you go back to bed? I’ll keep your food warm. Come down when you’re ready. Rest is important.”
Rosalie could tell Roxanne cared and smiled, “I’m good, Mom. No worries.”
“Rosalie, even though you’re new here and not used to things, remember this is your home. Do what you want. Sleep in if you like. I want you to be happy,” Roxanne said, noticing Rosalie was still a bit standoffish and wanting her to feel at home.
“Got it. I’ll adjust fast. Don’t stress about me. Is Dad still downstairs? Let’s not keep him waiting,” Rosalie said, knowing how much Roxanne cared and wanting everyone to be comfortable.
“Alright, let’s go,” Roxanne agreed, leading her downstairs. “Did you check out the gifts from last night?” she asked as they left.
Rosalie was thinking about how to bring up the gifts with Roxanne. Seeing her ask first, she said, “Yeah, I saw them. They’re great, it’s just…”
“Just what? Don’t like something?” Roxanne asked, sensing Rosalie’s hesitation.
“It’s not that I don’t like them; I can’t use so much. I kept a few, but I want to return the rest,” Rosalie said, feeling more at ease with just Roxanne.
Roxanne looked puzzled when Rosalie mentioned returning gifts. “Why think you won’t need them? You came back empty–handed, so living with the Morenos must have been rough, right? They didn’t even give you some decent clothes!” Roxanne got more upset as she talked.
“Now that you’re back, I won’t let you suffer. You need these things. Look at Xyliana, she has tons more than you. What you got yesterday isn’t enough. I’ll help you get more, at least as much as Xyliana has in her closet,” Roxanne said, looking at Rosalie with love.
Roxanne deemed that Rosalie must have had a tough time, unable to even use the little she was given. Roxanne wanted to help her change that and get used to her new life. As a daughter of the Yoder family, Rosalie deserved only the best and most complete things.
Rosalie knew she’d messed up. Instead of convincing Roxanne, she’d made her want to go all out. She wished she could take back mentioning it.
As they chatted, they made their way downstairs.
Zachary spotted Roxanne and Rosalie and greeted them with a smile. “Rosalie, is this time good for you to eat?” He wasn’t sure about Rosalie’s old routine and worried she might not be used to their schedule.
“It is fine by me. I am a bit late, sorry,” Rosalie replied, feeling a bit awkward as she looked at Zachary.
“No problem, you’re right on time. We just got here too,” Zachary said, noticing Rosalie’s embarrassment and smiling to make her feel better.
“Zachary’s been here a while. He’s just trying to make Rosalie feel better,” Sophia whispered to Xyliana, calling out Zachary’s white lie.
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15)
Chapter 14
Hearing Sophia, Xyliana kept her cool, but inside, she felt a pang of jealousy. Growing up in Skyline Castle, she’d never gotten this kind of special treatment from Zachary. The Yoders were well–off and stuck to meal times, and Xyliana had never been late.
Xyliana thought bitterly, ‘Rosalie’s only been back a day, and Dad, who hardly shows feelings, is already spoiling her, ignoring all the rules. It’s a whole new ball game.
‘Everyone is fawning over Rosalie, and I can’t look petty. After all, this isn’t a home where I can do what I want anymore. Thinking of this, Xyliana stood up and offered her seat to Rosalie with a smile. “Rosalie, you can take my spot. It’s closer to the food.”
Sophia was shocked by Xyliana’s move. “Xyliana, you always sit here. Why switch now?”
“This seat was always meant for Rosalie. I’ve had it for years. Now that she’s back, it’s only fair to give it to her,” Xyliana said quietly, her heart heavy with bitterness.
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