SINFULLY YOURS

Chapter 56: Chapters 56. No Access

Chapters 56. No Access

”What?” Mia asked. Her eyelids narrowed as she stared at Rosa.

Rosa blinked when she saw the expression on Mia’s face. She quickly avoided her gaze and looked down, pinching her nose together.

”Look, I understand. Okay? I mean, I don’t know. I just feel like it’s going to be too much of a burden,” she said.

Mia scoffed. ”Are you seriously underestimating me right now? What the hell is a little 600K?”

Rosa looked up at her and chuckled softly. ”Look, I know, okay. You have it easier, you can afford it. But it’s just going to be a waste of money and resources, okay? So please, just don’t worry. Don’t bother about it. Just... I don’t know, maybe use it for yourself. Just leave me out of this, please.”

She paused, then added, ”And moreover, I don’t think it’s actually possible for you to do that.”

Mia glared at Rosa with deep displeasure, her arms crossed. Her expression clearly demanded an explanation.

Rosa hurried to explain, ”Remember, according to Mrs. Lee, I am still registered under the Lee Foster Foundation. So she’s literally the only one who can fund my school fees right now. And I heard that to regain ownership of myself, it’s literally going to cost a lot.”

Mia blinked rapidly. She breathed out hard, her chest heaving as she stared at the ceiling to control her rising temper. Rosa looked at her with light, sorrowful eyes.

Look at her, getting all pent-up and worried only for my sake, Rosa thought, chuckling inwardly.

”Relax, okay?” Rosa said calmly. ”It’s going to be fine. Let me just figure out another way.”

Mia’s head snapped back to her with a force that made Rosa flinch. Rosa quickly avoided her eyes. For the next few minutes, Mia didn’t say a word.

Rosa slowly looked up. Mia was still glaring at her, so Rosa looked off to the side again.

”I’m going to claim you,” Mia said all of a sudden.

The words dropped like a bomb. Rosa flinched on the sofa, her eyelids fluttering uncontrollably before she looked back at Mia in complete confusion.

”What?” she asked, her voice soft and raspy.

”You heard me,” Mia said. ”I’m going to claim you.”

Rosa’s jaw dropped. ”Mia,” she called out, her voice rising. ”Come on, you are taking this way too far. Do you know how much it costs to retrieve and claim a child from a large Foster Foundation?” She stopped and lowered her head. ”Look, I understand you want to help, but this is just way too much. It’s already enough that you want to help me pay my fees, and now you want to do this?”

Mia’s patience snapped. ”Where the fuck did you get that idea, Rosa?”

Rosa clamped her mouth shut instantly.

”You are my friend, and even if you don’t want to accept it, you matter to me. So yes, I’m willing to go as far as I can, as long as I can afford it,” Mia asserted. ”Do you see me complaining? Did I tell you that 600K or whatever amount is going to stop me from helping you? I can afford it—yes, with a snap of my fingers. So I’m going to fucking help you. I seriously cannot just stand by and watch that woman try to control your life like she has all this leverage.”

Mia stopped talking, her breathing heavy.

Rosa closed her eyes and exhaled softly, seeing the fury radiating from her friend. ”You are not yourself right now, Mia,” she said calmly. ”You are only speaking out of rage, and I understand. You care about me, and I really appreciate it, but I don’t want you making rash decisions born out of anger. You have to think about this when your mind is clear, and it’s obviously not clear right now.”

Mia’s head snapped up. ”My mind has never been clearer!” she shouted, her eyes wide. ”I am doing it.”

”No,” Rosa countered.

Mia flinched, staring at her in shock. ”You think I’m just doing this because I’m angry?”

”Mia, please...” Rosa sighed, rubbing her forehead.

”So what, you think I don’t actually care?” Mia asked defensively.

Rosa kept her eyes closed. ”Stop twisting my words. I am not saying you don’t care. I know you care.”

”Then allow me to help you!” Mia snapped.

Rosa ground her teeth together. ”Please, don’t,” she pleaded. ”That’s just way too much. I wouldn’t even feel comfortable if you did that. It’s just too much.”

”I am your friend, Rosa,” Mia said.

”I know,” Rosa said, nodding slowly.

”Is this the first time I’ve helped you with money?” Mia asked.

Rosa let out a heavy breath and shook her head. ”No.”

”Then why are you stopping me this time?” Mia pressed.

”All those other times, I tried to stop you too, but you were just so stubborn,” Rosa admitted softly. ”I just don’t want to be an inconvenience. I’m not used to this. And what you are offering right now is just... ” She stopped, breathing out quietly.

Silence hung heavy in the room for a few moments.

”What they are doing is preposterous,” Mia spoke suddenly, her tone sharp.

Rosa looked up at her.

”What they are doing is completely out of bounds, and I cannot take it. I can tell that you can’t take it either—if you accept this, you’re letting them walk all over you,” Mia declared, her voice echoing through the living room. ”It’s absurd. We can’t allow this. We have to fight back. They can’t keep controlling you after all the mess their stupid, untrained son put you through!”

Rosa nodded slowly. ”I understand,” she said softly, trying to calm the atmosphere. ”That’s why I’m going to figure a way out of this myself.”

Mia stared at her in sheer disbelief, her head tilting to the side, mouth slightly open. She closed her eyes, trying to control her mounting frustration.

”Are you okay?” Mia asked, looking back at Rosa. ”No, seriously, are you listening to yourself? You saw the message on your phone. The deadline is in two freaking days!”

Rosa looked down. ”I know, okay? It’s just that what you’re offering is too much, and I can’t afford to be a burden.”

Mia threw her hands up and slapped a palm against her forehead in exasperation. ”Are you fucking kidding me right now? When did I ever complain about you being a burden?” she exclaimed. ”You’re not a burden, Rosa! I’m the one offering to help. You didn’t even ask!”

”And I’m telling you that it’s just way too much,” Rosa replied quietly.

Mia bit down hard on her bottom lip, glaring at her.

”I’m sorry, okay? I just can’t let you do that,” Rosa added softly.

Mia closed her eyes, her shoulders rising and falling with a sharp, deep breath. ”Just tell me, what the fuck is wrong with you?” she asked.

”Don’t worry, okay? I will figure something out. Just breathe, calm down, and relax,” Rosa tried to reassure her.

Mia scoffed bitterly. ”You want me to calm down? You want me to—” She cut herself off. ”You know what? Fuck it. Do whatever the fuck you want!”

Her voice was sharp and chaotic. She turned around and stumbled toward the staircase, her heavy footsteps echoing loudly with every step.

Rosa’s eyes widened. ”Mia!” she called out.

Mia didn’t respond.

”Mia!” Rosa called again, slowly rising from the sofa.

Mia ignored her, rushing up the stairs until she reached the top landing and vanished down the long corridor.

Rosa stared at the empty staircase, closed her eyes, and exhaled in complete exasperation. She collapsed back into the sofa, leaning her head against the cushions as she stared at the ceiling.

Oh my god, this is way too much to handle, she thought, pressing a palm to her forehead as anxiety buzzed through her nerves.

What was she going to do now? Mrs. Lee’s voice echoed relentlessly in her mind. She shook her head quickly. There’s really nobody else I can turn to. Would it be so bad to just give in? Should I just listen to what she has to say?

She closed her eyes and scoffed, reconsidering Mia’s offer. It would be amazing, but isn’t it just too much for her? I’d be asking for way too much. I would owe her forever.

Rosa squeezed her eyes shut to clear her head. Oh no, this is driving me mad, she thought, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.

Beside her, her phone vibrated.

She froze, slowly turning her head toward it. It lay face down on the couch cushions. Exhaling quietly, she picked it up, flipped it over, and unlocked the screen. It was a notification from her departmental group chat.

She frowned, raising an eyebrow. Leaning back, she opened the app. It was an urgent announcement for an emergency practical assignment in her Music Technology and Production course.

Rosa sat up straight, her heart pounding against her ribs.

”What the fuck...” she muttered, frantically scrolling through the flood of messages from her classmates, many of whom were spamming crying emojis over the sudden announcement.

What the fuck? someone had written. Why without prior notice? This is preposterous!😭

Can’t someone get more info ahead of time? My schedule is already packed. I hate how these lecturers operate!

Then Rosa spotted the final note from the class representative: Submission deadline: Tomorrow.

”Are you fucking kidding me?” Her eyes widened as panic set in. ”What the fuck?”

She tapped the attached link to read the details. It was an extensive practical assignment that required recording in a live studio.

Oh you’ve got to be..., she thought, terror gripping her chest. What do I do now? I don’t even have access to a studio!