Rosemary shot back with a grin, [Maybe I should give you the runaround as well, eh?]
[Oh no, no, no. You know how patient I am, kiddo. Even for my own birthday bash, I take things slow and steady.]
Rosemary chuckled, [Haven’t left the house yet?]
[Any minute now.]
[Drive safe.]
Those words from Rosemary made Charles’ day. He couldn’t help but snap a screenshot and share it with his buddies in their group chat.
[Just look at the angel, so thoughtful. She’s all grown up now, and cares for me!]
He added a smug emoji for good measure.
Grandpa Eugene, [I texted her and didn’t even get a single exclamation mark in reply! Is that screenshot from ages ago, or what?]
Beck chimed in, [Must be my lousy internet here. Still waiting on that sweet message from her.]
Nelson quipped, [Just drove through a tunnel, bad reception, you know?]
Jarvis, [You two are fooling yourselves. Messages going out but none coming in? Who you trying to kid? Wake up, the girl didn’t text you.]
Beck, [@Tanner, sounds like she’s texting you though.]
To prove Rosemary’s message was fresh, Charles posted a new screenshot with the timestamp.
That stirred things up among the elders.
Grandpa Eugene, [She’s playing favorites!]
Beck, [She’s so biased!]
Nelson, [Why does Charles get a message and not me? @Rose]
Jarvis, [@Rose, did Charles coerce you? Is he right there, holding your phone, pretending to be you?]
Poor Eugene felt the most dejected.
He stared at the chat, hoping for a reply from Rosemary. When he finally got one, he almost jumped for joy.
[Grandpa, I’m here.]
He quickly took a screenshot and bragged to the group, [Just got this from her. She’s here now, see? You can tell who’s the most important to her!]
Rosemary saw the group getting rowdy again and was about to tell them to calm down when someone bumped her arm, reaching for some grub.
Lindsay grabbed herself a cupcake and said to a friend, "Some folks have no shame, like that actress all over the tabloids, always the one chasing after other people’s husband. Heard all three of her affairs were with guys who are married."
Madeline was there too, tagging along with her grandpa to get a taste of high society. She nodded in agreement with Lindsay, "Some are proud to be a homewrecker, flaunting it in the wife’s face, so arrogant."
"People think they’re so charming, totally oblivious to how revolting their actions are. That wife was a real lady from a noble family, a perfect match for marriage, not like some broke interloper," Lindsay
sneered, and as she walked away with her cupcake, she bumped Rosemary on purpose.
"Stop."
Rosemary wasn’t going to let that slide.
"Easy to judge others, huh? And what about you, doing it on purpose?" Rosemary’s cold gaze bore into Lindsay, her narrowed eyes glinting with icy resolve, "I don’t believe we’ve met."
Although Lindsay was a lady from a renowned family, Rosemary’s commanding presence had her cornered.

Rosemary stepped on her foot, cutting off Lindsay’s complaint, "It’s just a step, not like you’re missing a piece of flesh."
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