Rose's sharp eyes took it all in, but she wasn’t particularly surprised. She had encountered her fair share of grandeur in her life, and her thoughts were too busy with more pressing matters. “Young master, you've arrived.” A middle aged woman walked over to them and greeted them. She was the female butler in charge of maintaining the manor. Of course, Rose heard the woman's voice but she was pretty occupied in her head. “Young master, you didn't tell me you were going to visit the mansion.” The woman said with a huge smile on her face. “It was a late decision.” Alex curtly replied with a straight face. The woman smiled at Alex, already used to him. However, her gaze left Alex and landed on Rose who was standing next to Alex. She glanced back to Alex with a curious gaze, gesturing to Rose with her eye. Alex frowned when he noticed her gesture and he turned to his side following her eyes and saw Rose staring at something in daze. “Would you stop staring like a fool?” H
“I'm Lara Jim. The head maid and female butler of this house. Please feel free to call me Lara.” Lara introduced herself to Rose with a smile. She didn't know why but she felt a feeling of liking towards Rose the moment she saw her. Maybe it's because of the fact that she is the only human of the opposite sex Alex has brought into this house. She cared less about her relationship to Alex but she liked Rose and the way she carried herself.“Mrs. Lara. I will call you that if you don't mind instead." Rose replied. There is no way she would call a woman old enough to be her mother by name. This is her house so she can't disrespect the people living here. Moreso, Lara has a similar vibe to her new favorite Aunty Karen.Lara smiled widened. The bar of her likeness for Rose just rose up because of her words. ‘What a respectful child. Her mother should be proud of her.’ “Alright then, I'll leave you alone to rest for a while. Would you like me to get dinner?" Lara asked.Rose shook her. Sh
Lara sighed and shook her head at her Young master. Though he rarely visited this place, she has known Alex for a long time before she started working here as the head maid here. “If you don't mind me asking, Young master. What happened to the young miss you brought? She looked so badly injured on face and hand.” Lara asked worriedly. Though she didn't say it out, she knew those injuries were the cause of being beaten up. She couldn't help but wonder who would do something like that to a young girl.“I haven't found out yet. Just do your own job and worry about nothing else.” Alex replied coldly. He almost forgot about the wounds on her face not until Lara mentioned it again."Oh my! I nearly forgot.” Lara suddenly exclaimed, making Alex crease his brow at her." What is it this time?” He could feel his patience running out with the way Lara was trying to disturb him. This is the reason why he didn't like coming here." It's late, I almost forgot to take my medication which is bad. H
Rose wasn’t sure how to respond. It wasn’t what she had expected him to say. But there was a certain weight to his words, as if he, too, was contemplating something much deeper.“Yes,” she agreed. "It is." She hesitated, then added, "But it feels like you don’t get to enjoy this kind of peace very often."He turned slightly, before replying. "Not often, no.”Rose didn't know if it was her eyes but she saw the corner of his lips curled up into a faint smile and when she blinked, it was gone so she concluded that it was her eyes. “Are you comfortable with this room?" He asked and Rose nodded her head as she looked up at him. Deep down she hated the fact that she had to strain her neck before she could look at anyone. ‘All the men and people I know are so tall. What do they eat?’ She complained bitterly. Even Victor was taller than despite her being the oldest. It's frustrating at times to think about it because Sandra and Kehlani are a head taller than her as well.‘I have to focus on
Alex raised his head with a scowl on his face but Rose ignored him and started applying the ointment to wherever she felt pain. Thanks to him kneeling in front of her, she can't stand up to check what she was doing in the mirror.‘Just how uncomfortable.’ she grumbled to herself and gritted her teeth to endure the pain.“Hey!" Rose suddenly yelled when the ointment was yanked out of her hand roughly by Alex. “What is your problem, Mister?" She asked with a frown on her face as she glared at him.“You're doing it all wrong." Alex as usual coolly replied." It's none of your concern, give it back.” Rose angrily retorted back but suddenly she received a cold glare from Alex. Honestly speaking, the glare was scary but who was Rose? She gulped her dear and stared right back at him.“It's my concern because I brought you to my house so you are my responsibility. I will do it for you.” Alex remarked in a stern and firm tone leaving no room for arguments.However, Rose was not the type to ba
“It’s time for you to leave, Mr. King. Thank you very much for taking me to the hospital and bringing me here, but as you can see, I'm a young and growing child so I need to rest now. And I'm sure you also have things to do as well.” Rose said in the most polite way she could think of and gestured to him to leave the room.Alex's gaze darkened as he looked at her. “Are you kicking me out?" He questioned. No one dares to kick him out of anywhere, much less in his house. But, this little girl has the audacity to do so without blinking or thinking of the consequences of her action."I am in the most polite and respectful way.” Rose didn't bother to lie and gave him a forced smile. The sooner she gets rid of him, the sooner she could rest.She sighed again when she saw that he was just standing there and not moving. Without saying anything, she walked back to him. " Excuse me.” Rose said as she grabbed his large hand and started pulling towards the door. "Goodnight.” Rose waved at him be
“Why did you fight with your sister and even send her out of the house? Do you have any idea what you've done-" “That's enough, William. Our son came back home after a very long time to celebrate my birthday, you should welcome him with warmth and not that annoying look you have. It's not like he has done anything wrong. If Rose hadn't annoyed him, he wouldn't have fought with her." Before William could finish his sentence, Beatrice suddenly cut him off. She didn't like the fact that he was scolding her son because of Rose." Yeah. Mom is right, dad. That crazy bitch you call daughter insulted him and said I don't look like the Grays. You don't expect to let her off just like that.” Victor added to support his mother and Sophia also nodded as well." So because of that you beat her up and sent her out of the mansion late at night?” William asked."Yes. That is an insult to me and this family. I am the only heir and I will assume the position of the head of this family after you die,
******** Normally, people are supposed to fall asleep immediately when they lay on a soft, feathery bed like this one, however, Rose was different. It's been three hours now and her eyes refused to close no matter how she tried to. This was the same thing that happened to her the first time she visited the Anderson family mansion. “Now, I understand my problem. I can't sleep in a place I'm not used to." Rose mumbled. In her past life, she always stayed locked up in the Gray mansion and never socialized. She never had sleepovers with friends in the past so it's normal for to feel uncomfortable in a place she isn't used to. It was the same thing that happened at the Anderson family mansion but she actually thought it was because she was nervous then. After turning around a few more times, Rose stood up from the bed and glanced at the clock and saw that it was eleven o'clock, almost midnight. She ventured downstairs, the need for water drawing her out of her room. The house, as grand
However, amidst their yelling, Karen wasn’t done. “Let's not pretend you’re here because you care about my Rose. I don't care much about high society but I have enough information to know that you and Beatrice are never friends and you just proved me right. You saw a chance to use my Rose to humiliate Beatrice in public. But the truth is—Beatrice doesn’t even see you as a rival. You’re not a threat to her. You’re just a footnote.” That did it. Even though Karen didn't like Beatrice, she had to use her as a weapon to damage Margret. And it was true in some ways, Beatrice never saw Margaret as a rival and that was why she left her off. Beatrice is more cunning and has better things to do than Margret. On the other hand, Margaret’s face turned red, her voice rising. “You arrogant little—! Who the hell do you think you are to speak to me like that?!” “I’m someone you should’ve never insulted,” Karen replied coolly. “Especially not in front of witnesses.” “You're such a bitch! You even
Karen returned with graceful steps, wiping her hands with a silk handkerchief as she approached the table—only to stop mid-step at the sight before her. Three women, overdressed and oozing fake charm, surrounded Rose, who looked irritated and uncomfortable. Karen’s expression hardened immediately. “Is there a problem here?” Karen asked smoothly as she walked up to the table, though her voice was laced with sharpness. Margaret immediately changed her facial expression as she turned without even bothering to look properly. “Oh, relax. We’re just having a friendly chat. Nothing that concerns—” She paused, eyes scanning Karen lazily. Then scoffed. “Oh. You’re the lady that was with her earlier?” Margaret blinked, her voice condescending. “How… quaint. Let me guess—you’re her assistant or... manager?” Rose blinked, trying not to laugh. It was obvious now that these women were actually dumb. Even if Karen is not well known amongst the high socialist thanks to the fact that she lives t
From across the room, Margaret Pezz had been watching like a hawk. Dressed in an ivory designer set and dripping in gold jewelry, Margaret whispered something to her friends, eyes gleaming. With Karen out of the way, it was time to make her move. She strutted over, her heels clicking arrogantly against the marble. Two overdressed women followed her like loyal shadows. “Roseline, darling!” Margaret said with feigned delight, placing a hand on the back of Rose’s chair as if they were long-lost friends. “I couldn’t believe it was you! You look absolutely radiant in person.” Rose looked up slowly from the food menu she was still checking out, expression unreadable. “Do I know you?” Margaret laughed, her voice grating. “Oh, we haven’t officially met. I’m Margaret Pezz—a very close friend of Beatrice, your stepmother.” The moment she said Beatrice’s name, Rose’s expression soured. Margaret noticed and quickly backtracked, playing both sides. “But honestly dear, I never liked the way
The morning sunlight streamed through the large windows of the Anderson estate, bathing the grand dining hall in a warm glow. Rose sat at the breakfast table, quietly sipping her tea as Anne and Karen conversed about an upcoming events. "You should get some fresh air today," Anne suggested, eyeing Rose over her cup of coffee. Karen nodded in agreement. "Actually, I was thinking of taking her out. Just a small outing—maybe some shopping, a café stop. What do you think, Rose?" Rose blinked, caught off guard. "Shopping?" "Yes," Karen said with a small smile. "You could use a few new things, and a change of scenery might be nice." Rose hesitated. She wasn’t exactly the type to enjoy aimless shopping trips at the moment, but the way Anne and Karen were looking at her told her this was more than just a casual suggestion. It was their way of trying to spend time with her. And truthfully, a part of her was beginning to appreciate the warmth they offered. "Alright," she finally agreed.
Later that evening, Rose wandered through the grand hallways of the Anderson estate, her footsteps light against the polished floors. She wasn’t sure what had compelled her to leave the comfort of her room, but something about the quiet atmosphere of the night made her restless. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of her grandfather's study. Hesitating for only a moment, she knocked lightly. "Come in," came the deep, commanding voice from inside. Rose pushed the door open and stepped inside, finding Frank seated at a massive mahogany desk, a glass of whiskey beside him. The dim lighting cast long shadows across the shelves lined with books and relics of the past. "Couldn't sleep?" he asked, not looking up as he finished scribbling on a document. "Something like that," Rose admitted, stepping closer. Frank gestured to the chair across from him. "Sit." She did, expecting the usual quiet company they sometimes shared. But instead of returning to his work, Frank pulled o
The next day, Rose sat in the sunroom with Anne, sipping tea while flipping through an old book she had pulled from the family’s extensive library. The warm golden light streamed through the glass walls, casting soft shadows across the polished floor. Anne, ever the poised and graceful matriarch, studied her granddaughter with sharp yet affectionate eyes. "Are you comfortable, dear?" Rose glanced up from her book. "Yes, Grandmother. More comfortable than I expected to be." A rare, approving smile graced Anne's lips. "Good. You should feel at home here." Before Rose could respond, Karen entered the room, her heels clicking against the marble floor. "Ah, perfect. You're both here," she said, taking a seat across from Rose. Anne arched her brow. "You sound suspiciously excited. What are you up to, my dear?" Karen smirked, “Yes, I'm excited, mother because I have some nice news for Rose.” she said then turned to Rose. "I had a little chat with Headmistress Moore this morning. She ag
Dinner continued with casual conversation, and despite how formal the Anderson household could seem, the atmosphere wasn’t tense. After finishing her meal, Rose excused herself, but before she could leave, Leo grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going?" Rose gave him a pointed look. "To see Grandfather." Leo blinked in surprise but quickly masked it. He let go of her wrist and shrugged. "Suit yourself. Just don’t stay up too late." Rose shook her head and walked off. However, she didn't head straight to meet Frank, she made a quick stop at the kitchen. Frank’s study was dimly lit, the faint scent of aged paper and cedarwood clinging to the air. He sat behind his desk, flipping through a thick folder of documents. A soft knock echoed through the room. “Come in,” Frank’s voice called out, calm but firm. The door opened and Rose stepped inside, carrying a polished tray with a single porcelain teacup. She closed the door behind her with a quiet click. Frank looked up and paused, ey
“What’s going on here?” Rose’s voice was calm but firm as she stepped forward, her sharp gaze sweeping over the tension-filled scene. She had spotted the standoff the moment she entered the stall. Sandra turned to her, arms crossed. “Oh, perfect timing. This girl thinks staring at a snack means she owns it.” The girl scoffed when she heard Sandra’s explanation. “And this girl thinks she can just take whatever she wants.” The vendor, seeing Rose enter the conversation, looked relieved. “Miss, maybe you can help settle this?” Rose exhaled, her gaze flickering between them before settling on the other girl with calm finality. “If you really wanted it, you should have asked the vendor to hold it for you. Since you didn’t, I don’t see why this is even an argument.” The girl frowned, seemingly unprepared for someone to shut down the situation with pure logic instead of fueling the fight. One of her friends stepped up, opening her mouth to say something, but Rose’s voice cut through th
After finishing their meal, the group began heading back to their private room when Sandra suddenly stopped. “You guys go ahead. Kehlani and I need to grab something real quick.” Kaleb raised a brow at her. “What is it?” “A snack I saw earlier,” Sandra replied, waving him off. “It won’t take long.” Austin sighed but didn’t argue. “Fine, just don’t get into trouble.” Leo glanced at Rose, but before he could say anything, she spoke first. “I’ll catch up with you. I want to check something at the next stall too.” Leo narrowed his eyes but didn’t question her, since he knew she wouldn’t tell him what it was. “Are you sure you don't want me to come along? The last thing I need is you getting lost.” He asked which earned him a glare from Rose. “I will be fine without you. And I will also catch up with both Sandra and Kehlani, ” She replied. Seeing that she wouldn’t let him go with her, he finally relented. “Don’t take too long.” With that, the three boys walked off, leaving the girl