Chapter 185: Money for Silence

Rose's POV: Rose's phone buzzed insistently on the kitchen counter. A sharp contrast to the quiet hum of her afternoon. Glancing at the screen, She saw Lizzie's name flashing, and her stomach knotted with a mix of anticipation and dread. She answered, her voice cautious. "Hello?" "Rose, what on earth is going on? You and Eric are all over Twitter again." Lizzie's voice crackled with static and disbelief. Rose sighed, Leaning against the cool marble of the counter. "Eric showed up here, out of nowhere, "I'm making a scene right at my doorstep." "In Texas? How did he even know where you lived?" Lizzie's bewilderment was palpable over the phone. Rose chewed her lip. The memory of yesterday's chance encounter is playing in her mind. "I ran into Nathan some days back. He must have told Eric. He'd been a whirlwind of accusations and demands. His voice was rising and falling with the gusts of his temper. Eric ranted about betrayal and closure. Now, with Lizzie on the