Seeing Solenne’s calm reaction, Chesca let out a quiet chuckle.
“Do you know what Rockwell was really doing the first time he promised to run away with you?”
Solenne’s throat tightened, her voice hoarse. “Didn’t… didn’t he get into a car accident?”
She remembered it so clearly—the day they planned to run away together was the day she was supposed to get engaged to Luther.
But Rockwell didn’t show up.
The next day, she was told he’d been in a car crash. She saw him unconscious in the hospital with her own eyes.
“He wasn’t in a car crash,” Chesca revealed flatly. “He flew to Paris to celebrate my birthday.
“As for the hospital? With his resources, do you really think bribing a doctor to lie to you was hard?”
She scoffed, almost like she was laughing at how pathetic Solenne had been.
The truth hit Solenne so hard, she could barely stand. Her mind went completely blank.
She had knowj Rockwell didn’t love her. But hearing it spoken out loud—so cruel, so direct—felt like a knife plunging straight into her chest.
Outside the restroom, Rockwell’s voice called out, “Chesca? What’s taking so long? Is everything okay?”
And then, without a moment’s hesitation, Chesca slapped herself across the face. Hard.
A red handprint bloomed across her pale cheek as she staggered backward and fell to the floor with a sharp, deliberate scream.
“Ahh! I didn’t do anything to you! Why would you hit me?!”
Her voice trembled with tears and fear—loud enough to reach Rockwell’s ears.
Without thinking, he rushed into the women’s restroom.
There she was—Chesca on the floor, a red mark across her cheek.
And beside her—Solenne.
Without even pausing to ask, Rockwell raised his hand and slapped Solenne hard.
“Are you out of your mind?! She didn’t even do anything to you! If you have a problem, take it out on me! Why would you hit her?!”
For the first time, he spoke to her with such fury, such sharpness in both tone and eyes.
The force of the slap sent Solenne to the floor. Her cheek swelled instantly, her mouth filling with the taste of blood.
She was stunned.
Her ears rang, her vision blurred, and her mind went blank.
“Y-You hit me… because of her?”
Solenne could hardly believe it. Her eyes burned red with tears as she stared at him.
Since they’d met, Rockwell had never even raised his voice at her—let alone laid a hand on her. Around her, he was always gentle. Always patient. Always careful.