" My little one…please… Julian is man of his word, Rosalie. You don't have to worry, "
Julian said, his gaze deepening as he looked into her eyes.
"Especially when it comes to you…. I'm the kind of man who would accept your path even if the world called it wrong. You can trust me with your life. "
Rosalie felt a wave of relief wash over her.
"I do trust you, Julian. I just needed to hear it from you one more time. And please…. help me get those supplies as quickly as possible. I only have three months before university starts, and I need that time to test some coding-specially some complex Python formulas I've been developing. "
Her voice was firm, her mind already racing through lines of code and defensive algorithms. With the knowledge she possessed from her past life, she knew she could dismantle their enemies-but she needed the tools to do it. These three months were her only window to build a fortress before the real storm hit.
Julian nodded, though he didn't fully understand the technicalities.
"I'll have everything ready by the end of the week, Rosie. If this is what you need to feel safe, then I'll make sure you have the best. "
True to his word, Julian managed to move all the specialized equipment into the secluded estate in less than a week. To ensure no one-especially Isabella-suspected a thing, Rosalie insisted on paying for everything using the earnings from her independent WFH projects. She wouldn't let Julian spend a dime, erasing every financial trail with expert precision.
The moment the devices were secured in the hidden house, Rosalie went to work. Drawing from the deep well of memories from her past lie, her fingers flew across the keyboard, crafting complex lines of code and building sophisticated programs that didn't yet exist in this timeline.
Julian watched her, completely out of his depth with the technical jargon, yet he remained her silent guardian. He ensured she had everything she needed, from her favorite tea to the quiet she required to focus.
In her past life, Julian had been the kind of man who would carry her to her destination so her feet never had to touch the ground. Though time and circumstances had shifted, his love remained as vast and unwavering as ever-not a single ounce had diminished.
The Goddess of innovation: A Julian's Wonder….
Within just two weeks, Rosalie successfully programmed the complex coding and control systems.
Julian stood there, completely awestruck by her achievement. He couldn't look away from the glowing screens and the fluid movements of the machine.
"Rosalie, I've to ask,"
His voice filled with genuine wonder.
"Where on earth did you learn ll of this? For someone with your age, this level of expertise is..... well, it beyone advanced. I'm not looking down on you or anything, I promise. I'm just truly, deeply impressed by you."
He paused, looking at the humanoid robot hands she had been working on.
"And this robot hands ....what is its purpose? I know you're about to head to IT university, but you haven't even started your first year yet, and you're doing this? To me, you look like a little goddess of technology. "
Julian pull her into a warm, tight hug, burying his face on her shoulders, overwhelmed by how much he admired the woman in his arms.
"This is just the prototype, Julian, "
Rosalie explained, her voice clam and focused. Her eyes fixed on the mechanical limb.
"The final version will take much longer to perfect. For now, please... keep this between us."
Julian nodded, his gaze lingering on the machine hand that seemed to move just like him.
"Don't worry, little one. Your secret is safe with me. I won't breathe a word to anyone."
"I... I've just been studying these things intensely over the past few days,"
Rosalie added, offering a plausible cover for her extraordinary skills.
"There might still be some errors, of course."
She kept the truth of her past life and her journey through time buried deep within her heart, choosing to shield him from the impossible reality for now.
The face of the murder....
Before Rosalie headed off to university, Ethan began visiting her frequently, using the excuse of being a helpful senior.
He always come with a man with a distinct, dark tattoo on his arm always accompanied him.
As Rosalie stared at that tattoo, a chill ran down her spine.
The memory hit her like a physical blow—this was one of the men who had lured Julian to his death on that rain-soaked night, using a lie about Ethan being injured.
The grainy CCTV footage from her past life was seared into her mind.
She remembered arriving at the scene just in time to see Julian's final moments because she had developed a specialized tracking system that linked their locations.
Even then, as a rising "Queen of Technology," she had ensured they could find each other instantly via their phones.
It was that very brilliance—her unparalleled inventive mind—that made the criminal underworld, including Ethan, crave her.
They wanted her either dead or captured, desperate to own the most beautiful and talented woman in the world.
Ethan's obsession wasn't just about love; it was about power and possessing a genius who could change the world.
Ambition and blood....
On that fateful, rainy night, Ethan had approached Rosalie with a facade of professional admiration.
As the CEO of the nation's most advanced tech firm, Rosalie's influence was global; thousands sought her counsel.
Ethan, hiding his dark motives, offered her a partnership in his own firm, begging her to oversee his operations with her brilliance.
But his true intent was far more sinister.
He didn't just want her mind; he wanted to monopolize her entire empire and possess the woman herself—body and soul. His unbridled greed led him to devise a plan so repulsive it shattered Rosalie's world.
It wasn't enough to try and steal her future; he chose to extinguish Julian's life, tearing away the only person who truly loved her.
That night, his obsession transformed into a murderous conspiracy that ended in cold-blooded tragedy.
In the underworld, Ethan's power was nearly absolute, second only to Barker, the ruthless leader of Eagle Wings.
Barker, seeing only profit and expansion, encouraged Ethan's dark ambitions, allowing him to act with terrifying impunity. Together, they turned the organization into a machine of greed and violence.
However, they were not the only shadows ruling the city. A rival faction existed—the Devil Iris organization.
Far more powerful and structurally sound than Eagle Wings, Devil Iris was often whispered to be the true authority over all other syndicates.
Unlike the chaotic greed of Barker and Ethan, the leader of Devil Iris was known for a strict sense of justice and integrity.
In a world of predators, Devil Iris stood as the ultimate titan, watching the horizon with an unwavering eye.
In her past life, Rosalie had survived many hardships thanks to the indirect protection of the 'Devil Iris' organization. This connection wasn't just due to her technical brilliance, but also because of Erika, her quiet classmate who sat beside her during their university days.
Though they hadn't been the closest of friends, the countless hours spent studying together had forged a bond of mutual respect. After graduation, Erika took over her father's massive deep-sea fishing empire—a primary front for the Devil Iris organization.
The Devil Iris syndicate held immense power, spanning across various industries, including high-stakes shipping and exclusive private clubs. However, unlike the ruthless Eagle Wings, Devil Iris adhered to a strict moral code: they avoided any business that gambled with human lives.
Their influence reached the highest levels of government and law enforcement, making them the true shadow rulers. For Rosalie, knowing the heart of Devil Iris's leader meant she held a golden key to a fortress that Ethan could never hope to breach.