Julian's mood couldn't help but brighten when he saw her smile. "You are very welcome, Rose. Whatever you need, let me know. I will always try to help you out." Julian replied " I understand. That is all I came to see you for, so I will take my leave so that you can get back to work.” Rose nodded and stood up from her seat and walked towards the door. Just as she was about to open the door, Julian suddenly called her. “Rose, just remember that you are part of this family so never hesitate to tell us your problem." He told her, making the corner of Rose's lip to raise up. “I will keep that in mind, Uncle." She told him before walking out of the study room. ………. The next day, Rose followed the Anderson family to the Anderson family house. Only Nicholas didn't come along with them because he claimed he had something to do. When they arrived at the family house, as expected, Anne quickly snatched Rose away from Karen who was already getting used to Rose. Seeing that Rose was pretty
"Think properly? Then you must have been playing games like this for a very long time.” Nicholas remarked. “Nope, I only downloaded this game the second day I came back to California.” Rose replied and closed the game after she completed the level and earned her reward. Nicholas raised his brow at her. She only started playing a game as hard as that one just a few weeks ago. ‘How talented she is. She is even better than most of the professional QA tester employees I have at the company.’ He thought. “About what you asked me to do for you, I'm still working on it." He said, making Rose turn to look at him. She knew what he was talking about and it was the secret investigation she asked him to do about Beatrice for her. Of course, she didn't expect to get any result so soon because it might take a little while for him to figure out anything related to Beatrice. She was the only one that knew that Beatrice was the person behind her mother's accident apart from her mother being p
The next day, Rose had the mindset that it would be a good day at school today. However, fate had other plans for her and her entire peaceful mood was completely ruined that morning. When Rose arrived in the classroom, there were already a lot of students in the room which she felt was very unusual. Upon seeing Rose strut into the classroom, everyone showed a surprised expression. Rose noticed their stares but didn’t care about them. She walked straight to her seat and planned to ask Kehlani what was wrong with everyone. However, she raised her brow when she saw that there were a lot of things that were on her desk. And the things that originally belonged to her had disappeared. Rose brow knitted together as she looked around and finally saw that her belongings were scattered in the trash basket that was placed at the back of the classroom. All of a sudden, the mood of the classroom turned frozen. Rose's eyes fell on Kehlani. “Kel, what happened here?" She asked. “I
"You little rude brat! This is Senior Nia and shows some respect when you talk to your seniors." One of the lackeys behind Nia yelled at Rose who was unfazed by the yell. “Rude? There is a difference between being rude and asking a question. Besides, I'm not the one walking up to someone and asking their name in that delinquent manner." Rose retorted back to the girls who spoke before turning her attention to Nia. “I heard that someone called Senior Nia was the one who did this to my desk. So I want to ask you directly if it's true and why did you trash my personal space?" Rose question. Unlike the other students, she didn't find any of the girls in front of her scary or intimidating at all. “Yes, I'm the one who did this to your desk. The reason is because you dared to insult and bully my younger sister publicly a few days ago. I was not quickly informed about it but my sister has been in a bad mood ever since then. You should be glad I only did this much, so get lost and don't
Rose didn’t answer Nia’s question. She held the knife in her left hand and pointed at her right hand. “Let’s gamble a hand.” What the hell? Gamble a hand? Was she mad? Rose paused for a moment before she continued, “Show me evidence and this hand is for yours to cut; If not, your hand is for me to cut off.” Her voice was slightly childish and would be considered even slightly sweet. However, the words that came out of her mouth were quite scary. She held the scalpel in her left hand and it stayed suspended ten centimeters above her right wrist. It seemed as though she was ready to cut down at any time. Although her words were soft and weak, the way she did things had a force that Nia didn’t have. “You’re crazy and sick!” Nia said. She felt as though Rose had completely gone mad. Everyone else also widened their eyes in surprise. Rose's actions were frightening. Even Kehlani was also at a loss of what to do in this kind of situation. “If you have evidence, there will
“Rose, let's go and report to the teacher's office. I say we handle it ourselves but those damn teachers would eventually intervene.” Sandra said to Rose as she dropped her bag on Kehlani's desk. “Don't worry-" Rose was unable to finish speaking when the assistant Head of Teaching arrived in the classroom. The assistant head of Teaching was a middle-aged man in his early fifties. He had little hair and his hairline almost reached the top of his head. He had a thin body and narrow eyes. In the minds of all the students of the school, he was given the nicknames, ‘Ghosts avoid him’ and ‘Avoid him at all costs’. As soon as the entire class room saw the assistant Head of Teaching, they immediately went back to their seats for the fear that they would be called out for doing something wrong. Sandra, who was used to causing trouble and isn't scared of getting into trouble, stood in her spot and leaned against Kehlani's desk. Nia and her followers followed after the assistant He
" That's because your sister was acting like she was found on the street and brought up in a rich family. Same goes for you as well. I'm sure your parents would be disappointed in you both.” Sandra didn't back down easily and attacked Nia. “Assistant Head, did you see this? How can a senior like me have to receive such an insult?" Nia quickly complained to the assistant head of teaching. " That is enough! I will not condone the argument in my presence.” He snapped at both of them before turning to look at Rose. The assistant Head of Teaching attempted to persuade Rose to cooperate. “Student Roseline, if you hand your knife over, I’ll give you a lighter punishment. However, if you are stubborn, don’t blame me if I call your parents.” Rose stared blankly at him before she took out the box of scalpels that she had just stored away in the drawer. “Yes, yes, that is the box! Teacher, that black bag stores her scalpels!” Nia prompted, immediately she saw the box. “Student Roseli
Although it looked simple to make a scalpel, the difficulty was definitely not low. It was necessary to mix the pigments into a metallic color and make sure that it did not appear transparent in a very thin state.Rose picked up another ‘scalpel’ and smashed it onto the desk. The blade shattered in sugar pieces.Everyone in the class was in shock.The one who was most in shock was Nia who went to look for the assistantHead of Teaching.They spent half a day on this and it was candy?It was candy?! Edible sugar!?At that moment, Nia thought that she was a joke.The expression on the assistant Head of Teaching’s face was ugly. ‘Did I come all the way here just because of this?’ He wanted to glare and scold Nia for giving him a false alarm but he was more annoyed than just Nia's false alarm He frowned as he looked at Rose. ‘Why would you bring this type of candy to school? She was intentionally trying to pick a quarrel or cause trouble!’After a long time, the assistant Head of Teaching
"Shut up!” Victor snapped sharply, his voice quivering with rage. The injustice he felt burned like a firestorm inside him. “They beat me up! They should be begging for my forgiveness! I’m going to sue them all and throw them in jail!” His eyes blazed as he glared at the crowd, his words venomous. “How dare you mess with me? You’re all dead!” The crowd erupted into sneers and laughter. “If anything happens to us, the world will know it’s the Grays who did it,” someone retorted. “You’ll face justice soon enough.” Another voice chimed in, “Miss Rose Gray, it’s pointless to be kind to people like them. They don’t know the meaning of gratitude!” “They’re heartless,” a third agreed. “The more you tolerate them, the worse they’ll treat you.” “Some people are just born wicked,” an older man said, shaking his head. “Victor Gray is the perfect example.” Rose, standing at the center of the storm, glanced at Victor with a faint trace of pity. She sighed softly and said, “But he’s still my
The Gray couple stood devastated, their carefully constructed façade crumbling under the weight of the truth. William seemed to freeze, his face twitching with barely restrained fury. For a moment, he looked like a man teetering on the brink of madness. How can I possibly agree? Everyone is watching and listening. But those shares are mine. MINE. Rose kept her gaze fixed on the floor, her shoulders hunched like a frightened lamb. Her small frame trembled slightly, evoking pity from the onlookers. Poor girl. The crowd whispered amongst themselves. Born into wealth but treated like an outcast in her own family. Even her own father uses her without hesitation. Beatrice’s fists were clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms. Her mind was racing. No. We can’t give those shares back. They’re ours. Sophia’s and Victor’s future depend on them. She can’t take them from us! Sophia stood frozen, her face burning with suppressed anger. Yet, she dared not speak, remembering the backla
"How could a father steal from his own daughter? Or is she not even considered his daughter?” “Is the Gray Corporation really that desperate now?” Outraged whispers spread among the crowd. Some female reporters expressed their disgust. “Do you only see your son as your child? What about your daughter? This is outrageous!” Someone chimed in, “He surely cares for his daughter, it all just depends on which daughter you're referring to. And it's obvious that you mean Sophia. Look at her outfit! That dress alone is worth more than $100,000, and her jewelry must cost a fortune of a million. However , look at the poor Miss Roseline Gray…” All eyes turned to Rose, and the difference was undeniable. “My God, it seems like the ex-wife’s daughter hasn't been treated well.” “It’s clear who gets the love and resources in this family…” Beatrice Gray’s face tightened as she realized the shift in the room’s mood, but it was too late. Sophia, unable to contain her anger, stood up and snapped a
It was a speech prepared and arranged for Rose to deliver, and it would have sounded far more convincing if she had done so. However, Rose had stayed quiet the entire time, leaving William Gray with no choice but to do it himself."Fake? Photoshop? That’s the best explanation you can offer? Ridiculous! Do you think we’re so blind that we can’t tell the difference between fake and real? Does he truly think we’re stupid?"Some reporters exchanged skeptical glances, their pens pausing mid-sentence. The crowd seemed to share the same sentiment, murmuring in agreement, except for a small group of reporters.Before the other reporters had the chance to challenge him, a few voices rang out from the front row.“Mr. Gray is absolutely correct," one reporter said with exaggerated conviction. "The video lacks credibility. It's easy to manipulate footage these days, especially with advanced editing software."Another voice quickly added, "I agree. It’s well-edited, but if you look closely, you
---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