I'll Teach You, Marianne.

Aaron was silent for a long time when he heard Rose's question about his feelings for Anne.

"My feelings for Anne have never been reciprocated. Since the first time I met her, Anne did not respond well to me. She really only considered me a friend and I did not accept that, until I finally realized that the harder I tried to approach her, the further our friendship becomes," Aaron answered quietly with a smile.

Rose was silent. She still felt uneasy. She was still not satisfied with Aaron's answer. "Then how do you feel for her now? Do you still have hope for her?"

Aaron turned to Rose and smiled. Instead of answering the question of the beautiful woman in front of him, Alan grabbed his cell phone which was on the table and played his finger briefly on the screen and immediately gave it to Rose. "Read it."

Without arguing, Rose then grabbed Aaron's cell phone and read the article that was appearing on the screen.

"This is a horrendous incident two years ago, when I was still a junior journalist," said Rose honestly without taking her eyes off the article that featured the news of the fall of Jackson Patrick Muller into the English Channel.

"Even until this moment, Anne is still loyal to that man, Rose."

"Jackson Patrick Muller?"

"Yes, Anne loves that man. More precisely, they love each other even though their fate is so tragic that they are separated by death," answered Aaron with a smile.

Rose's eyes widened. She was very surprised to hear Aaron's words, because Daniel didn't tell her this much about Marianne.

"I know you must be surprised, but it's a fact, Rose. Anne was Jackson Patrick Muller's girlfriend. Their relationship is hidden very neat and was not exposed to the media because both chose to keep it a secret,"

"But you know about them," said Rose quickly.

Aaron chuckled. "Of course I know. Jack and I had competed to win Anne's heart, even though I knew at that time that I would definitely lost, because at that time, Jack was already in Anne's heart."

"Y-you..."

"Yeah, I lost from the start."

Rose lowered her head. She felt guilty for Aaron at the moment for bringing up Aaron's tragic past, and Rose was sure that Aaron would be uncomfortable right now when his unrequited love story was brought up again.

Aaron smiled at Rose's change in attitude. "But I'm fine at the moment, because I have you."

Rose's cheeks lit up at Aaron's words. "Don't seduce me, it won't work."

"Haha, I'm not seducing you, Rose. I'm serious, I believe this is God's way to give me complete happiness," said Aaron seriously as he grabbed Rose's hand.

"Are you really serious about me, Aaron?"

"Of course, do you doubt me?" Aaron asked back in a rising voice, his grip on Rose's hand tightened even more.

Rose shook her head slowly.

"Then why did you ask me that?" Aaron said softly, reaffirming his question.

"I just want to confirm it, Aaron. So far, I've never had a boyfriend. So I'm afraid that I end up having to swallow disappointment," answered Rose honestly.

Aaron pursed his lips. He slowly moved his hand and stroked Rose's hair. "If you still doubt me, we can go back to Portugal tomorrow. I must let your father know of our relationship."

"Are you serious? Do you have the guts?"

Aaron laughed at Rose's question. "Of course I have! Am I a thief or a criminal to be afraid to meet your father?"

"Only you can talk to me like this, Aaron," Rose said softly with tears in her eyes.

"No, don't cry. I don't like seeing you cry. Believe me, I'm serious about our relationship, so you don't have to be afraid. I'm no longer in a relationship with the women I used to be close to. Now there's only the name Lily-Rose Joseph in my heart."

Rose's tears flowed profusely at Aaron's words. All her fears vanished at the same time as a warm feeling came into her at this moment. Aaron, who didn't like seeing women cry, then wiped the tears on Rose's face with his finger and grabbed Rose's wais to hug her tightly.

"Maybe our relationship is too fast for you, Rose, but trust me, I'm really serious about you. Never doubt me again, Rose," Aaron whispered softly while not letting go of his arms from Rose's body.

Rose didn't reply Aaron's words, only the tears that flowed freely that showed how happy she was right now. Tears of happiness that she never imagined would roll down her cheeks because of a man. Aaron chose to bury his face in Rose's shoulder, enjoying the scent of Rose's body which made him more intoxicated with his feelings for Rose, the little girl to whom he had given his mother's necklace years ago. The only memory of his mother was now kept neatly by the woman he would make Mrs. Connery.

***

"Stupid, why doesn't that bastard Samuel delete your pictures, Roger?! You know that old fart is still investigating the accident two years ago," Ivan Douglas shrieked angrily at his only son, Roger.

Roger chuckled. "Relax, Dad, that David Clarke definitely won't be able to catch me. After all, this case has been closed by stating that the accident was a normal traffic accident, then why are you so afraid? His grandson, that bastard Alan Knight is still alive, isn't he? So don't overreact, Dad."

Ivan Douglas scratched his head uncomfortably. "You know Luis Cobb, don't you? That ex-specialist cop is David Clarke's assistant. He's not an easy guy, Roger, he's a smart guy. I'm pretty sure that for the past two years they must have been conducting investigations secretly without our spies knowing, son."

"Let it go. After all, all the evidence against me has been removed. What else do they have to look for? The grandson is still alive and still as arrogant as before. What else is there to argue about?" said Roger curtly.

Ivan Douglas sighed again. Talking to his only son really drained his energy.

"You're not stupid, are you? Are you not aware of the change in their attitude towards our family? If indeed they don't suspect us, why would they keep their distance like this, specially with Alan's change in attitude towards you? I'm sure that they must have suspected us and if they manage to find evidence that we were the mastermind behind the car accident, then our years of plotting to seize the Clarke family's fortune will be in vain, Roger. Don't you get this all the way?"

Roger rolled his eyes. "I won't allow that to happen, Daddy. I've been trying for years to get what they have. After all, they've lived too long in luxury and it's time for someone else to feel how they feel right now, especially with the beautiful women who have always followed behind the damn Alan Knight Clarke, including his new wife, who is very beautiful and mysterious. I'm really curious about her. Every woman who is close to Alan must be mine. I'm sure I will also succeed in getting that woman/ Moreover, my good looks are not much different from Alan's. Don't worry, Daddy, our dream of becoming heirs to the family is just one step away. My plan to get rid of Alan Knight Clarke will surely come true as soon as possible. After that, the old fart will die slowly when he sees his only heir dead, and that's when we came to seize his wealth as you planned, Daddy."

Ivan Douglas laughed heartily at his son's words. Being reminded of being the heir to the Clarke family made him excited again.

"I believe in you, son, you can do it, including having those beautiful women belonging to Alan Knight Clarke."

"Of course, Daddy, I used to fail to get rid of him. But this time it's impossible for me to fail," said Roger slowly. He was initially very happy when he managed to kill Alan, but apparently Alan appeared in front of him again, the same as before, still arrogant and annoying.

Being too ambitious to get the Clarke family fortune, Roger forgot that he had seen a man who looks like Alan fell off a cruise ship two years ago in the English Channel. He didn't really look for information on what Jackson Patrick Muller's face looked like. After knowing that Roger had a wrong target, he immediately returned to Luxembourg, even though at that time he was on a mission to follow Luis, the assistant to David Clarke.

To be continued