Chapter 3 A Gift Meant For Her

Time had moved on, yet Kevin still carried that same distant grace, though something in him now felt more grounded and settled.

Back then, five years earlier, Roselyn had gone to the countryside to see her uncle, Arthur Cunningham. During that visit, Arthur had brought home a man who had tumbled down a hillside.

That man, as fate would have it, was Kevin Wheeler.

It was only later that Roselyn came to understand the meaning behind his name in Oresey.

No family matched the Wheelers in wealth or power.

Being the only heir, Kevin held control over a large part of the northern region's economy. Power and privilege had always been part of his life.

Light itself seemed drawn to him, as if it chose to rest on him.

After the call ended, Roselyn put on a polite smile. "It's been a while. How have you been?" she said.

Kevin gave a short reply. "I'm fine."

Her lips pressed into a thin line. Knowing someone like him meant Stefan had truly climbed high.

Once they got into the car, Roselyn took her place in the back seat. Her posture stayed straight, and her hands rested on her knees.

She sat stiffly, like a student in front of a strict teacher, careful not to make any mistake.

Kevin didn't need to speak. The air around him already felt heavy.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Roselyn thanked him and quickly pushed the door open.

A faint look crossed Kevin's face. Was she really that uneasy around him?

Inside the elevator, only the two of them stood there, and the same tension crept back in.

Kevin broke the silence. "How's Arthur?"

For a brief moment, Roselyn didn't respond. Tears slowly filled her eyes. "He's gone. It's been six months."

Even as Roselyn spoke, her voice wavered, and the grief she tried to hold back still showed.

Everything had happened without warning. Losing him had not been something she could accept easily, and the pain had stayed with her for a long time.

Without Arthur back then, she and her mother would have had nowhere to turn.

Hearing that, Kevin went quiet. He had been away overseas for years and had only come back recently, so he hadn't known any of this.

Regret passed through Kevin's eyes. He lifted his hand and rested it lightly on Roselyn's head. "I'm sorry."

The touch caught Roselyn off guard, and she stiffened before lowering her head at once.

A soft sound signaled the elevator had reached the third floor.

As she stepped out, something pulled Roselyn's attention toward a private dining room with the door left slightly open, and she stopped.

Noticing her reaction, Kevin followed her line of sight. Inside, several people sat around a table, laughing and celebrating. At the center, a large cake had been placed.

Near the table, a man stood close to a woman with their backs facing the door, and he carefully put a necklace around her neck.

The sight struck Roselyn hard, and her eyes turned red right away.

Looking at her, Kevin spoke in a low voice. "You know them?"

"Yeah..." Roselyn said, forcing her tone to stay steady. "That's my husband. And the woman with him is his mistress. She's also my half-sister."

That necklace Adrian had just placed on Emma had been something he secured months ago. He once told Roselyn it would be her birthday present.

Now, it rested on Emma instead.

The situation felt almost unreal.

Talking about something like that felt humiliating, yet Adrian had never tried to keep things hidden. People around them had known all along, while Roselyn remained the last to find out. Behind her back, she had turned into something people laughed about.

Since the divorce would be finalized in a month, keeping quiet no longer mattered.

Pushing down the bitterness, Roselyn looked away and headed for another private room.

For a short while, Kevin stayed where he was, watching her leave before he finally spoke.

"Roselyn."

At the sound of her name, Roselyn stopped and turned around.

Kevin walked closer, his voice calm and firm. "Your uncle once saved my life, and I haven't forgotten that. Ask for anything, and I'll make it happen."

Those words caught Roselyn off guard, and her eyes brightened.

Doubt crept in for a moment. Was he serious?

She hadn't expected Kevin to go this far.

"Then... thank you," Roselyn said, her voice filled with sincerity.

...

Walking into the private room, Roselyn greeted them. "Uncle Frank, Aunt Janice, Stefan."

Without hesitation, Janice Hudson reached for her and guided her to sit beside her. Concern showed on her face as she looked Roselyn over. "What happened to you? You've gotten so thin. Have you been working so much that you're skipping meals?"

Her hand rose to her cheek, and Roselyn hesitated, unsure what to say.

Once work took over, everything else faded into the background.

Meals often slipped her mind until the pain forced her to notice, and medication had become something she depended on.

If not for the checkup last week, she wouldn't have realized the truth. What she thought was a small problem had already turned into stomach cancer.

From what the doctor said, it wasn't just her eating habits that caused it. The strain she had been carrying for so long had also played a part.

Everything she kept inside had slowly taken its toll.

The past repeated itself in the worst way. Emma's mother had once taken Roselyn's father, and now Emma had done the same by taking her husband.

How ironic.

Both of them had torn apart other families, and somehow, Roselyn had let her own life fall apart because of them. The whole thing felt almost ridiculous.

At this point, her body demanded more than just medicine. She needed a steady routine and a calm state of mind.

The moment Roselyn stopped letting them matter, a sense of relief slowly settled in.

When no answer came, Janice leaned closer, concern showing on her face. "Roselyn, did you hear me?"

Coming back to herself, Roselyn gave a small smile. "I've been eating on time. It's just the weather. Wearing lighter clothes makes me look thinner."

Just then, Frank slid the menu over to her. "Go ahead and pick anything you like. Don't think about saving money for Stefan. He just got promoted today, so this meal is for him."

Taking the menu, Roselyn looked at him. "Congrats, Stefan."

With a nod and a grin, Stefan replied, "Come on, don't hold back. Order whatever you want."

After a quick look through the options, Roselyn chose a few simple and affordable dishes.