Chapter 8: The Show Must Go On
I looked at him with a glare.
"You're wasting your time."I said and continued to pack my things.
"You don't understand. The Duke is going to kill Christian." He replied and my eyes widened.
"No." I gasped out.
"He is insanely jealous. Do his ending tomorrow night and agree to marry him or the Duke will have Christian killed."
"He can't scare us."
"He's a powerful man. You know he can do it." He said but I ignored him.
"What are you doing?" He asked as I kept packing.
"I don't need you anymore! You always made me believe I would never be as amazing as my mother. But Christian loves me. He loves me. He loves me. And that is worth everything. We're going away from you, away from the Duke, away from the Moulin Rouge! Satine can have him and all the fame. Goodbye, father." I said and headed for the door.
"Satine's dying. You've suspected it for awhile and you need to protect her and Christian if you truly love them." He looked at me and I nodded. "Send Christian away. Only you can save him."
"He'll fight for me." I replied tears staining my face.
"Unless he believes you don't love him."
"What?"
"You're a great actress, Rosalie, you get that from your mother. Make him believe you don't love him."
"No." I cried out
"Use your talent to save him. Hurt him. Hurt him to save him. There is no other way. The show must go on, Rosalie. We're creatures of the underworld my daughter. We can't afford to love." He was right and I had to do this. The Show must go on. I put on my soft grey dress and pinned a birdcage veil to my small hat. I had to do this no matter how hard it would be.
Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on
The show must go on
The show must go on
I did my makeup quickly and grabbing a parasol I walked out onto the stage.
I'll top the bill, I'll earn the kill
I have to find the will to carry
I walked out and saw my father nodding and looking at me with a sad soft smile.
On with the
On with the
On with the show
The Show Must Go On
I landed at the apartments and walked up the stairs towards Christians opening the door.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"I'm staying with the duke. He came to me after and apologized and offered me everything I could ever want." I replied. "He only has one condition, I must never see you again. I'm sorry.
"What are you talking about? What about last night? I don't understand." He asked and I had to turn around as a tear was dripping down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away and packed away my handkerchief.
"You're not paid to understand. The difference between you and I is that you can leave any time you choose. But this is my home. The Moulin Rouge is my home. I've lived here since I was born, my mother died here. This is my home." I said.
"There must be something else. This can't be real. Something's wrong. Tell me what it is. Tell me the truth. Tell me the truth!" He shook me and it was the most violent action I ever saw him make.
"The truth? The truth is I am the Hindi courtesan. And I choose the maharajah. That's how the story really ends." I shouted and I left. But before I left I whispered. "I'm sorry." I handed him back his ring still on my chain. I ran back the rain started to pour and I got into the gates. I heard him calling out for me.
"Rosalie! Rose! Rosalie! Rose!" I closed the parasol and ripped away my hat. I didn't care if this weather killed me. I cried the raindrops mixing in with my tears. I had just lost the man I loved. What have I done? Did I do it to protect him? Or to protect my father? I was quickly being dragged in by Marie wrapped in my robe and dried off. The show would go on no matter how sad I was.
