After closing the door behind her, the smile on Rose’s face disappeared instantly and a dark expression was replaced on her face. In this life, she will never give them the satisfaction that they had before. She will avoid them like a plague and live this life to the fullest. She will enjoy her youth and will get everything that belongs to her.She chuckled at the thought of the future. Since her rebirth, she has always wondered what her future would hold if she avoided all of those people.Just at that same moment, someone knocked on Rose’s room door making her let out a sigh before opening the door. “Young miss, I apologize for disturbing you but the Headmaid asked me to inform you that dinner would soon be ready and you should be prepared to come down to the dining hall.” A maidservant bowed her head and informed Rose.“I understand. But tell her that I would like to have dinner brought up in my room. I don’t think I have the strength to come downstairs to eat.”“Yes ma. I will de
“Sister!" Sophia's sweet gentle voice rang out in the room as she rushed to the bed and sat on the space bedside Rose.“Sister, why haven't you stepped out of your room since all these days? I heard from mother that you've arrived but you've refused to let anyone apart from Aunt Paige and a few maids. I can't believe that you didn't want to see your little Sophia too.” Sophia ranted all of her complaints the moment she sat down. Ever since the day that Beatrice had told her that Rose was around she tried to come into Rose room but was unable to. Today she had been able to enter the room because she knew that Rose only opened the door at this time for the maids to come and clean the room. She had woken up earlier than normal so that she could get here before the maids.Rose, on the other hand, placed her cell phone beside her as she looked at Sophia. The last person she wanted to see was but she knew it was inevitable not to bump into Sophia. She gritted her teeth as she recalled the
The moment Sophia heard footsteps coming the stairs she turned around and a gasp escaped her mouth when she saw Rose. Earlier when she entered Rose's room, she was taken aback by her beautiful face but had composed herself but seeing her now fully dressed, Sophia was unable to control herself, her eyes burning with jealousy as she stared at Rose up and down.Rose was wearing a black spaghetti string-strap knee-length gown, a small cropped jacket, she matched her dress with a black leather platform ankle boots. She had her long hair tied up in a half up and half down ponytail, leaving a few strands falling in front of her face. Everything Rose was wearing was practically black and this black dress was the only good cloth that caught her attention among the varieties of dresses she had.“Wow, sister, you look stunning in this black dress.” Sophia suddenly commented, quickly flashing a smile on her face.“Let's go." Rose said when she got to where Sophia was standing and made her way to
All this time, their parents had been keeping Roseline away from the public. Naturally, Sophia was not pleased seeing and hearing people saying good things about Rose at all. She wanted to disgrace her, but could not think of anything to say. All she could do was hold her anger and compose herself the best she could.Rose paid no attention to Sophia and kept searching for the best piece of jewelry. Shortly, she picked a set of diamond ones. It was of superb quality and impeccable design."What do you think? Do you like them?"The section manager immediately commented with an approving smile, "You do have excellent taste. There are only two sets of the same jewelry in the world. One is in possession of the wealthy Louis family, and this is the other one."On hearing this, anger vanished from Sophia's face. Her eyes shone with desire. The moment she collected the diamonds from Rose and it got into her hands she didn't want to let go. Rose had a pleased expression on her face. ‘You thou
"Thank you. You see, she's my only sister. As long as she's happy, I'm happy. Mother, please, let Sophia have it. And in case you're worried about spending money on me, don't worry , you don't need to get anything for me. Just for Sophia." Rose added a little touch to spice what she was cooking.Beatrice's face instantly froze. What did she mean by 'worried about spending money on me?’It brought some murmuring discussion in the crowd. Mrs. Will, who is the blunt person among the group of women that came with Beatrice. She was known to always say whatever came to her head, interrupted straight away without waiting for Beatrice to say anything."That's unfair, dear. You two are both Mrs. Gray's daughters. Mrs. Gray, you love them both equally, don't you?" She asked, turning to look at Beatrice with a questioning gaze.Beatrice forced an awkward smile and replied the best she could as she gently stroked the tip of Rose’s hair. “Oh, definitely. I've always loved Rose, even more than Soph
‘Damn you! You little fucker. Whom did you learn that from? Are you starting to take after your dead mother?!’ Beatrice cursed inwardly in her mind feeling enraged.Contempt was written all over the faces of the ladies that followed Beatrice. No wonder people say it's rare that step-mothers love their step-children for real.The reason why Beatrice was able to earn some respect in the society was because she had built her own reputation as a loving step-mother. She had also been telling everyone how much she loved her step-daughter.Now she had shot herself in the foot.Seeing that her mother was starting to get backlash from the people present, Sophia tried to help and pinched Roseline at her arm secretly. "Sister, what do you mean? Don't be silly. You know, mom loves you very much. Why would she be angry with you?" She said smiling her best at Roseline.Bestrice let out a sigh, noticing that her daughter was trying to help her out so she quickly seized the opportunity. "Poor child,
Never had Sophia felt so embarrassed and angry. She wouldn't have let out her anger if it wasn’t for the fact that others were around.Roseline, on the other hand, was pleased with the victory. ‘ Didn’t you want to play the role of a good mother? Well, you should know that it costs a lot.’ Mrs. Will invited Rose again to the party, and Rose played the same trick, looking at Beatrice in silence, implying it was all up to Beatrice to decide."Come on, Mrs. Gray. Cut the child some slack and let her go to the party. After all, I heard that Sophia would be attending as well. Don't be too strict with the poor girl." Mrs. Will, who understood what Rose meant with her gaze, turned to look at Beatrice and said with implications. Beatrice's face was twitching with rage. She knew that Mrs. Will was implying that she was being biased towards Rose for letting Sophia attend the party and not letting Rose attend as well. However, there was no way she could explain herself without sounding dising
“Mr. King, you've been quiet all throughout, don't you have something to say?" She asked, still smiling at Alex. But she didn't get any response from him nor did he act like he heard her.‘Is he ignoring me? Did he even see me sitting here at all?!’ Alex ignoring her was like a huge slap to her face. She wasn't used to being treated like the way she was right now. It was always easy for her to get men to fall for her and she thought she could do the same to Alex but he hadn't spared her a glance since.Not wanting her anger and pride to ruin her chance, she swallowed her frustration and continued putting on a smile on her face before speaking again. “I'm curious about one thing Mr. King? Is it true that you have no girlfriend? I mean you're handsome, wealthy and powerful yet you still haven't gotten a girlfriend. What do you think about looking out for one and it just turns out that I'm also sing-" “Miss Gale, I've seen the files are what your sister promised us. However, we will h
---The press conference was held at the luxurious Riverview Grand Hotel, a venue known for hosting high-profile events. The large conference room was packed to capacity with journalists, photographers, and reporters from various media, all eager to catch a glimpse of the trending Gray family.As soon as Rose entered the room with William, Beatrice, Victor, and Sophia, the reporters surged forward like a swarm of hungry predators."Roseline Gray, what’s your opinion on the recent video?""Roseline Gray, how do you feel about being attacked by your half-brother Victor Gray?""This isn’t the first time, is it? Why have you stayed silent about the abuse?""Your father didn’t defend you—have you ever resented him for it?""How do you feel about the way your stepmother treats you?""Doesn’t your stepsister Sophia support you either? Do you feel completely isolated?""Roseline Gray, I heard you came back to the country, so what did you do to be beaten up by your step brother?”Question afte
………The next day, Rose dressed carefully for the press conference. She applied a touch of makeup to cover her bruises, though some marks were still visible. She chose a white summer dress, its delicate design giving her an air of fragility.When she descended the stairs, Beatrice was waiting, her irritation evident as Rose had made them for a long time on purpose.“Why are you wearing that? Pick a brighter color! You look better in something cheerful. And put more makeup on!” Beatrice protested as she scanned what Rose was wearing.‘What is she trying to do? Is she trying to look weak on purpose?’ Beatrice fumed internally. ‘This conference is meant to prove the video was false, not the opposite! If anything bad happens to my son, you’ll pay for it!’ she seethed.Rose’s eyes filled with tears as she replied meekly, “Dr. Noah said makeup could cause scarring if applied before my cuts heal. But I thought it would look too obvious without anything, so I used a little to cover most of the
They began the game in silence, the soft clink of chess pieces the only sound. Frank’s moves were calculated, deliberate, but he quickly realized Rose wasn’t an easy opponent. Her strategy was sharp, her responses precise, and it wasn’t long before she had him on the defensive.Frank leaned back in his chair, studying the board with newfound respect. “You’re quite skilled. Your mother must have been an excellent teacher.”“She was,” Rose replied, her tone tinged with fondness. “She always said chess was like life. Every move matters, and you have to think several steps ahead.”Frank nodded, his expression thoughtful. “A wise woman. And what have you learned from this game?”Rose paused, a small smile playing on her lips. “That you’re cautious but adaptable. You test your opponent before committing to a strategy.”Frank raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. “Well observed. You’ve got a sharp mind, Rose. A rare gift.”“Thank you,” Rose said, warmth creeping into her voice.As the game p
Rose smiled, caught between the two. “I… I didn’t mean to start a competition!” she said, laughing lightly.Frank chuckled and placed a hand on Anne’s shoulder. “It’s not a competition, dear,” he said softly, his voice carrying a reassuring note. “Let her call us whatever she feels comfortable with.”Anne smiled, the playful edge fading. “Well, as long as she knows I’m the most important one,” she said with a wink.Julian laughed, crossing his arms and leaning back casually. “I’ll tell you what Rose, in order to soften the situation. It would be best if you call mom ‘Grandma’ and father ‘Grandfather,’ Deal?”Rose laughed, feeling the warmth of their banter. “Deal!” she said, her heart lightened by the playful atmosphere. She totally forgot that she felt stiffened up earlier.“Well,” she said, giving Anne a quick hug, “I’ll call you Grandma, if you prefer that. I just... I think it slipped out. It feels right.”Anne’s face softened, her smile returning. “Of course, darling. I suppose
*********The grandeur of the Anderson Ancestral home was as breathtaking as ever, with its ornate architecture and sprawling gardens. Though Rose had visited before, this time felt different. It wasn’t a casual visit—it was her escape, her refuge after the chaos at the Gray mansion.Julian guided her inside, where Frank and Anne Anderson awaited in the living room. Despite the familiarity, Rose still felt a twinge of hesitation as she approached them.“Rose, my darling,” Anne said warmly, pulling her into a gentle hug. Her soft hair brushed against Rose’s cheek as she held her close. “I’ve been worried about you. I’m so glad you’re here now.”“Thank you, Grandma,” Rose replied, her voice steady though her heart fluttered at the kindness."My goodness, how on earth did you end up in this state? How dare William Gray let his incompetent fool do this to my precious child? Does he have a death wish?" Anne fumed, her voice trembling with rage. Though most of the wounds were finally heali
Rose, who heard Beatrice’s voice paused and looked at Beatrice, her expression blank but her posture poised.Beatrice clasped her hands together, her tone pitiful. “Rose, I… I know I’ve made mistakes. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have let things get so out of hand. Please, don’t leave. We’re family. Let me make it up to you. What would the people say if they knew you left home?”‘Tsk, you're still worried about your safety and reputation.’ Rose scoffed.Her gaze fixed on Beatrice. She tilted her head slightly, her tone soft and innocent. “Oh, Mother, I don’t blame you at all. It wasn’t your fault. These things just… happen.”Beatrice’s eyes widened, taken aback by Rose’s response. “I—I’ll do better, I swear. I’ll talk to Victor, and we’ll make this right. You don’t need to go.”Rose offered a small, sweet smile. “You’re too kind, mother, But Uncle Julian is right—I need a change of scenery. It’s not about you. I just need a little time to heal.”Beatrice reached for her hand, h
---The Gray mansion loomed under the overcast sky, its towering structure a stark reminder of the battles fought within its walls. Two days had passed since Rose signed the contract, transferring her shares to William. But her mind was far from defeated. She had called her uncle, Julian Anderson, with one clear directive: take her out of this house.As the sleek black car pulled up to the grand entrance, William stood at the threshold, his expression unreadable but his stance stiff with tension. Julian stepped out, his tailored suit and confident demeanor a sharp contrast to William’s simmering hostility.“Julian,” William greeted, his voice laced with forced politeness. “What brings you here today?”Julian’s gaze swept over William coldly. “I’m here for Rose.”William’s jaw tightened. “Rose is perfectly fine where she is.”Julian smirked, his sharp features hardening. “Fine? Is that what you call being bitten by your son? Victor’s behavior was barbaric. She’s covered in bruises, an
‘My wife is right. She's changed. She's plotting something,’ William thought, his suspicions solidifying."So, she’s put her guard up against me," he muttered in a tone only he can hear, his expression darkening. If that’s the case, I’ll have to get rid of her soon.But the tens of billions he craved wouldn’t be his until Rose turned twenty.Rose felt the sudden wave of hostility radiating from her father and shivered. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do, even to his own daughter, to get what he wants. She was certain of it.That was the real William Carter: calculating and ruthless. With no power, money, or connections of her own, Rose wasn’t a threat to him—yet. But her time for revenge hadn’t come, and until then, she had no choice but to play along.Quickly, she donned a sweet smile and replied in her softest voice, "You’re my dad. There’s no need to borrow anything. Whatever you need, I’m happy to give it to you and help in any way I can."Her thoughts told a different story. This is
"Father?!" William snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Rose's voice next to him. Rose frowned at the way William jolted at her words. It's obvious he was daydreaming, but the fact that he was wasting her time was even more annoying to her.“Do you have something else to.say?" She asked.For a moment, as though remembering his true purpose for coming, he cleared his throat and turned to look at her properly.“There’s something I need to ask you, Rose.” He hesitated, his tone softening. “Do you remember the 10% shares your grandfather gifted you? I need you to lend them to me. It’s critical for stabilizing the company. I promise, once we get through this tough time, I’ll return them to you.”The words landed exactly as Rose had expected. She had been waiting for this moment.When she was born, her grandfather had gifted her 10% of the company’s shares—a sizable stake, even by Gray standards. Those shares had remained untouched, protected by a clause that prevented their use unti