chapter1099

Rosie's face twisted with anger. "Alfie, have you even bothered to check your own reputation at school? You're the streaker, remember? You couldn't even beat Lydia, and you think you can marry me? Keep dreaming."

She already couldn't stand Alfie, but after he lost to Lydia in the academic competition and then had to streak across campus, she just found him pathetic.

Thinking about it made Alfie want to disappear. He never imagined Lydia would be so tough to beat.

He tried again, his voice desperate. "I'm sorry, Rosie. I know I let you down. I couldn't win, and that's on me. But I really do care about you. If you'll just give me a chance, I'll do anything you ask."

Rosie's eyes narrowed, a sly smile flickering on her lips. "Anything?"

Alfie nodded, determined. "Anything. I mean it."

He'd been into Rosie for ages and wanted nothing more than to spend his life with her.

She leaned in, lowering her voice. "Okay then. Go after Lydia. Make her fall for you."

Alfie blinked, totally thrown. "What?"

Behind the rockery, Lydia and Nathaniel listened, barely holding back their reactions.

Rosie rolled her eyes. "Get her to fall for you, make her obsessed, mess with her feelings as much as you want. Ruin her. And when she's totally destroyed, dump her. I want her to suffer."

Alfie stared at her, stunned, like he was seeing a stranger.

Nathaniel let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. Was Rosie really this stupid?

Lydia just sighed and finally spoke up, her voice cool and bored. "Wow. So your whole scheme is basically written across your forehead."

Rosie and Alfie both jumped, looking around in a panic.

"Who's there?"

Lydia stepped out from behind the faux rock garden, giving them both a look of pure disdain. "What, you only get nervous now?"

The moment she saw Lydia and Nathaniel, Rosie almost choked. "Lydia! Were you two spying on us?"

Nathaniel snorted. "Let's get one thing straight. This is my house. We were here first. If you want to sneak around, why not just get a hotel? What are you doing in my family's backyard?"

He shot Alfie a look. "Seriously, man, can't you even afford a cheap hotel?"

Rosie bristled, her temper snapping. "Nathaniel, shut up! What are you talking about?"

Nathaniel just folded his arms, smirking. Oh, you know exactly what I'm saying. You're both adults. If you're so desperate, go renta room Don't come to our backyard, It's gross

"Shut up, Nathaniel!" Rosie shrieked.

He was clearly trying to ruin her reputation.

Alfie felt humiliated, but he couldn't just let Nathaniel trash Rosie like that. "Nate, Rosie's still your cousin. How can you say that? Nothing happened between us.

Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "Please, She's not my cousin. First she teams

up with othersto mess with my family, now she brings her boyfriend to our backyard for whatever. It's just disgusting."

Just then, Mabel's voice floated in from around the corner. "Nate, Lydia, there are guests arriving out front, you two should-" She stopped dead when she saw Rosie and Alfie Wait, what are you two doing here?"

Rosie and Alfie blurted out at the same time, "We didn't do anything!"