The Substitute Bride Is Reborn and Loves Her Husband No more - Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Mommy is mine!

Rolan stood outside the bathroom, waiting for Rose to finish her shower and clean herself up. He had wanted to go in with her, but she refused, insisting she could handle it on her own.

She should have been weak after what they had done—she shouldn’t have been able to walk properly. And yet, she said she was fine.

She was different now. Today, she had surrendered to him completely, letting herself go in his arms. The passion they had shared still burned in his mind, making him wonder if it had truly been her. Rose had moaned under him, her body yielding so easily, as if she had never fought against him before. The memory of it was intoxicating.

A soft click sounded as the bathroom door opened. Rose stepped out, her face flushed from the heat of the shower, dressed in the fresh clothes he had ordered for her. She barely spared him a glance before moving her lips to speak.

“Why are you standing there? Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” she asked coldly.

Rolan smirked and stepped closer. “I was waiting for you.”

Her frown deepened, irritation flashing in her eyes, and she walked past him without another word. He followed, chasing after her as she moved through the hall.

When they returned to the bedroom, Tobi was still resting, but they were no longer alone. Zara, Rose’s raven-haired best friend, sat beside the boy, feeding him. The moment Rolan stepped inside, Zara’s sharp gaze landed on him, cold and unreadable. She had never liked him—that much he knew. But instead of addressing him, her eyes shifted to Rose.

“Where have you been?” Zara asked, her tone casual, but her hand never stopped moving as she fed Tobi.

Rose stiffened slightly, her gaze avoiding Zara’s. It was subtle, but noticeable.

“Rose was with me,” Rolan interjected, watching for Zara’s reaction.

He had long suspected that this woman was the reason he and Rose could never be together. Rose always seemed to listen to her, always followed her advice. Whatever defiant attitude Rose had developed—he was sure she had learned it from Zara.

“I’m talking to my friend, not you, Mr. Rolan,” Zara cut him off before he could say more. She turned back to Rose, waiting for an answer.

“I don’t know,” Rose muttered with a shrug. “I just wanted to take a shower, and Rolan annoyingly followed me.”

She cast him a fake glare, but he could see through it. He smirked internally. What a sweet little lie she had just told her best friend.

Zara narrowed her eyes at Rose, as if weighing the truth of her words. Then, without pressing further, she turned her attention back to Tobi, wiping his mouth after he finished his milk.

“Well, I heard what happened to Tobi, so I came to check on him—and on you. But when I didn’t see you, I wasn’t happy,” Zara said.

“Sorry,” Rose mumbled, walking over to sit beside Tobi.

Rolan watched the interaction between the two women. Zara was pretending to be upset, he could sense it. This must have been their usual way of speaking to each other.

“So, what’s wrong with Tobi?” Zara’s voice softened with concern.

Rose held Tobi’s small hands gently. “I’ll tell you later,” she said, briefly glancing at Rolan.

Rolan raised a brow. They were hiding something from him. And whatever it was—it had to do with him. Rose always kept things from him, anything that concerned him directly.

And he was getting tired of it.

“So, okay, I understand,” Zara said, just as the child on the bed started coughing.

“Mummy,” the boy called out, his voice trembling as if he were about to cry.

Rose immediately leaned toward him, rubbing his small hands. “Honey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Tobi scrunched his little face and sniffed. “Mummy, you smell like Uncle.”

Rolan stiffened at the child’s words, cursing the little brat in his heart. This kid was like a mini devil, always ruining his moments with Rose. Though, at times, he was also the only reason Rolan got to be close to her.

“Uncle, Mummy is mine!” Tobi suddenly declared, furrowing his brows in defiance.

Rolan’s expression cracked. He didn’t know how to respond. If another man had said those words—claiming Rose as theirs—he would have broken their bones into unrecognizable shapes. But this was a child. A tiny, infuriating one at that.

Zara giggled, covering her mouth as she stared at him with amusement, as if he deserved this humiliation. Her smug expression only pissed him off more.

Unable to control himself, Rolan stepped closer to the bed, leaning down with a smirk. “Rose is mine. What are you going to do about it?” He pinched the child’s chubby cheeks lightly.

Tobi’s lower lip trembled, his eyes welling up with tears. “Don’t take my Mummy away from me!” he wailed, his tiny fists clenching the sheets.

Before Rolan could react, Rose grabbed his arm and yanked him away, her eyes sharp with disapproval. “Rolan, respect yourself! That’s not how you talk to a child, and he’s sick. Very sick. Control yourself.”

Rolan looked at her stern expression, barely stopping himself from laughing. The way she reprimanded him so seriously was almost adorable.

“Well, I’m not lying. You’re mine, Rose,” he stated firmly.

Rose’s glare darkened.

Tobi sniffled, turning back to her. “Mummy, I’m all yours, right?”

Rose’s expression softened as she stroked the boy’s cheek. “Of course, dear. Mummy is all yours.”

Tobi nodded, then turned to Rolan and stuck out his tiny tongue.

Rolan felt his eye twitch. Damn brat. This little troublemaker managed to piss him off from head to toe. If he weren’t a kid, Rolan might have grabbed him and spanked his small ass. But he knew better. Rose adored this child. She would do anything for him, and pushing things too far would only make her push him away.

Zara, oblivious to the tension between him and the kid, turned to Rose. “Have you eaten? I brought food for you.”

Rose immediately nodded. “Yes, please bring it out.”

Zara took out several well-prepared meals, and the rich scent filled the room. Rolan’s stomach growled. Was he supposed to just stand there, watching them eat while he had nothing?

Rose had already started eating when he leaned closer. “Won’t you invite me, Bunny?”

She paused, giving him a look he couldn’t quite read. But he didn’t care. He wasn’t backing down.

“If you don’t feed me, I’ll make you regret it,” he added, his voice low and threatening.

Her frown deepened. She understood his hidden meaning.

“Fine, bastard. Eat,” she muttered, reluctantly gesturing for him to sit beside her.

Smirking, he took a seat next to her. “How about you feed me?” His voice was smooth, his gaze locking onto hers with silent intimidation.

Rose hesitated before picking up a spoon. Just as she was about to feed him, Zara abruptly stood up.

“I’ve had enough of this nonsense!” she huffed, grabbing her bag. “You two act like hungry dogs!”

She stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Rolan barely reacted before Tobi piped up again. “Mummy!”

Rose glanced down at her son just as she was about to feed Rolan.

“Don’t feed him, Mummy. Feed me instead,” Tobi demanded, looking up at her with big, innocent eyes.

“Okay, dear,” Rose sighed, her voice softer now.

She hesitated before lowering the spoon away from Rolan and feeding herself instead.

Rolan clenched his fist, glaring at the little brat. When he glanced at the kid again, Tobi smirked at him smugly.

“Damn it,” Rolan cursed in his mind.