"I don't understand why you never called me," said Rune gently to open the conversation. He tried to make his voice sound neutral, not judging, blaming, nor demanding.

Rose looked away to hide her gleaming eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said again.

"There is nothing to apologize for," Rune commented. "Please stop saying sorry. I am just curious."

"Well..." Rose looked down on her tea and then she slowly spoke, explaining what happened. "Leon and I had a long talk. He finally realized that everything he thought he wanted, apparently didn't make him feel happy. And he regretted his decision to leave me for power and wealth. He begged me to forgive him and take him back."

Rune imagined that must be what happened too. Leon was acting shameless and begged Rose to forgive him.

Rune was wondering if Rose accepted Leon's request to get back together, so she didn't bother calling Rune.

Seeing how they were not together, Rune ?ssumed the rekindled relationship didn't work out.? So, now Leon and Rose went their separate ways. Was that what happened?

"I thought about it for days," Rose admitted truthfully. "It was the turning point of my life and I didn't want to make the wrong decision. So, I asked him to give me time."

She continued her explanation with a hoarse voice. "After three days, I realized that I cannot be with someone who made me an option. So, finally, I told him I forgive him, but I cannot be with him. It was not easy for me to say no to Leo since I loved him so much, and I waited for him for two years after the breakup."

Rune's heart fluttered when he heard Rose say she rejected Leon's offer to reconcile.

"Oh..." He reached out his hand and touched Rose's right hand on the table. "Why didn't you say anything to me?"

Rose looked at his hand on hers and her tears started dripping down her cheeks. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and tried to look fine. Rune felt his heart ached when he saw her trying to act tough.

The man immediately took out a handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to Rose.

"Please, use this," he said gently.

Rose took his handkerchief and nodded gratefully. She wiped her tears with her left hand, letting her other hand be touched by him. It felt quite intimate, but they both pretended that it wasn't.

"Thank you," Rose said. She put the handkerchief on the table and continued her explanation. "After the talk with Leon, I got into a deep depression. I couldn't leave my room for weeks. It was really hard. I thought about calling you and explained what happened, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. My days became darker and darker... and..."

Rune finally understood what happened and he felt like crying too. Why didn't he call her first? Or at least... tried to find out what was going on with Rose? He didn't know she was battling depression. It must be so hard being in her situation.

Of course, calling a man to explain her condition was the last thing Rose could do. She was struggling just to stay sane.

Oh... Rune felt so guilty. He could have called Duke or Duchess Fournier to check up on Rose. It was very easy for him to get their contact. However, he didn't do it and just ?ssumed the worst.

"I am very sorry, Rose..." the man whispered in a croaked voice. He really didn't know what to say. He was wrong about Rose.

"It's okay. I am much better now," Rose smiled faintly. "My art helped me with my depression and I slowly recovered. However, by the time I was myself again...? it was already too late to talk to you. It felt awkward to suddenly call you and said, 'Hey, sorry for the radio silence. Can we start over?'"

Rune understood what Rose meant. After some time, and they drifted apart because of the lack of communication, they would feel awkward.

"I am sorry for not checking up on you," the man said, feeling guilty. "I honestly thought you decided to get back together with Leon and didn't have the heart to tell me the truth. So, I waited... and waited... and finally, after weeks of no news, I thought you are already happy with him. And then, I read the news everywhere about Leon and you and Anne... And..."

He paused and looked at Rose deeply. Rune used both hands to grab Rose's right hand and squeeze it gently. "Rose, I can't stop thinking about you. I thought you have got back together with Leon, so? I spent all my time trying to keep myself busy and forget about you. It is so hard..."

Rose looked at the man with gleaming eyes. She nodded weakly. "I am feeling the same. However... I realized that I am not good enough for you. That's why I decided not to chase after you. I am too embarrassed to call you anyway."

"Huh? Why? How could you think you are not good enough? Why did you feel embarrassed to call?"

Rose wiped her eyes with Rune's handkerchief again. She shook her head dejectedly. "I realized that I am a pathetic woman who couldn't move on from the man who had treated her badly. My self-worth was close to zero and then you came... such a kind and amazing man. I feel like, you are too good for me."

"...."

"Yes, it's true. I thought about it for a long time," Rose admitted.? "You did so much for me, and you could actually get any woman you want. After ghosting you for months by not calling you, it felt awkward to suddenly call. Added to the fact that I thought you are too good for me..."

She smiled bitterly and added, "I realized I should have just stayed away and mended my heart, starting over my life and trying to achieve my dream as an artist."

Rune felt his heart suddenly become so light. So, that was the real reason why Rose didn't call him. Not because she got back together with Leon, not because she was still in love with that man.

.

.

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From the author:

Thank you so much for your support to this book, and for being so patient. I decided to write this bonus chapter to fulfill your summoning pens. It is a new feature from .

With this pen, you can summon the author to publish a bonus chapter using 200 points. I already saw your summons for The Alchemists for days, so I tried to find time to write the bonus chapter. I hope you liked it.

PS: If you would like to support me with your golden tickets, could you please vote for "The Cursed Prince"? It's currently #5. My other books won't get a chance to even enter the Top 20. :(

Thank you so much ^^