Chapter 1

Rose’s vision blurred as tears streamed down her face. She clutched her phone tightly, the screen still glowing with the hurtful comments as she was reading them.

(“She is so disgusting.”)

(“Despicable”.)

(“I thought she was an innocent type. I can't believe she will do this type of thing.”)

(“Upstairs, don't you know? The most evil people turn out to be the innocent type.”)

As she was walking hurriedly down the hallway at her former workplace, the mummers from her former colleagues also added to her despair.

“I doubted that she would have the guts to come back here." Someone said.

“She is such a disgrace. Her innocent face nearly fooled me.”

“Is she here to woo another married man?" Another voice chimed in.

Rose's chest constricted as if an invisible hand squeezed the air from her lungs. She couldn't bear it anymore and increased her footsteps.

“Rose, is it true?” her co-worker asked, gossip showing in her face.

Rose shook her head, unable to speak correctly.

“Leave me alone." She whispered, fleeing the building.

Outside, the chilly evening air hit her like a slap. The snowflake coming down from the sky. It was a typical winter evening in New York.

Rose rubbed her arms around her body; she was cold. She flagged down a taxi and entered inside.

“Where are you going to, miss?”. The driver asked.

Rose gave him the address, her voice cracking.

“Are you okay, miss?”. The driver asked, glancing in the rearview mirror. The young woman in the car was crying bitterly.

Rose nodded, unable to speak. The driver's kindness and pity only made her tears flow harder.

As the taxi was driving away, Rose's

thoughts unraveled. Just two weeks ago, her life was perfect. 

She was a renowned romance author, with a steady job and a loving boyfriend, Ethan, though their relationship was in secret.

But then, Mrs. Ethan Evans's social media post changed everything. Mrs. Ethan Evans claimed that she and Ethan had been married for two years.

She posted the marriage certificate for evidence too.

She posted Rose's chats with Ethan on social media, calling out Rose for seducing her husband and destroying their lovely relationship.

The public was outraged. Rose has been trying to call Ethan since the post got out, but he didn't pick up.

She then channeled all her courage to visit her company since Ethan was the CEO of the company.

“Ethan, what's going on?”. Rose had asked after getting into his office.

Ethan was still silent, looking at her like she was foolish.

“Please explain what's going on. This is all a lie, right? You aren't married, right? Please talk to me!!!”.

“Are you that naive? It was cute before, but now it's just annoying.”

Rose's tears streamed more down her cheeks, and she asked Ethan, her voice cracking.

“What do you mean?”.

“Can't you see I used you? I mean, why should I be with you when you gave me nothing in this relationship? I mean, you don't even let me have sex with you.”

“Why do you lie to me? I loved you so much. Why?”.

“As I said, I just wanted to use you, but I didn't get what I wanted. It was unfortunate that my wife saw the chats. I wanted to sleep with you before I dumped you.”

“So you were after my body this whole time?”.

“What about my mother's books? I gave those songs to you because I thought you were in love with me and you made Sophia write it. Tell me, is anyone threatening you? Are you in danger?

Ethan then stomped his hand on his desk and shouted, “Enough!!! Love you? How many times will it get into your skull that I am not in love with you?”

Rose bit her lips and trembled, tears streaming down her cheeks as she struggled to speak, “but why? Why did you lie to me?”

Ethan chuckled and looked at her as if she were asking the obvious.

Rose trembled, and she wanted to talk but nothing came out. She was short of words. More tears streamed down her face. She held her chest and stared at Ethan.

“I love you so much. Just why did you do this?”.

Ethan didn't answer her and scoffed. “You have already overstayed. Get out, or I will call security, and I bet it wouldn't look good for you.”

She stood up, looked at Ethan, who gave her a taunting grin and walked away from the office.

To worsen it, Ethan's subsequent apologies and plea for forgiveness to his wife, showing a dedicated and remorseful husband, only fueled the public outrage. Ethan was a secretive person; nobody knew his house, his favorite food, and his personal number. The public only knows his family and birthday.

Devoted husband to my foot. I should have known; he had never allowed me to go to his house, and he didn't even answer my question about his family. Rose thought.

The taxi stopped in front of Rose's house, and she paid the driver.

“Take care, miss." The driver said gently.

Rose just nodded and walked inside the house like a zombie. The driver looked at the lady who had been crying in his taxi for a long time.

“I wonder who hurt her but her face really does look familiar.”

As Rose entered the house, she found her father, her stepmother Catherine, and her stepsister Sophia waiting in the living room.

“Good, you are here," Catherine said, her voice dripping with disdain. “Get ready".

“What's going on?" Rose asked warily.

“We are going to the Civil Affairs Bureau. You are getting married.”

“What!!!”.

“Come on, you don't think we will have you roam around here after causing problems and giving this family a bad name.”

Rose looked at her father for help, but he turned his face around. Of course, what a fucking wimp.

“I won't do it; I won't marry anyone.”

Catherine's expression turned cold. “You have no choice. Your father has agreed.”

Rose turned to her father, pleading. “Dad, please. You can't make me do this.”

Her father avoided her gaze. “It's for the best; you have disgraced this family. You can do this as a redemption for your disgrace.”

Sophia, her stepsister, snickered. “You are just mad because you think that you are too good for the man. Should I remind you again? You are not that flashy and renowned author anymore. You are just a disgrace and a homewrecker.”

Rose's eyes flashed, and she cleaned her fist. “You don't know anything about me and my life, so just keep shut.”

Catherine intervened. “That's enough; get ready, Sophia.”

“So who's the man I am getting married to?”.

Sophia chuckled and looked at her with a subtle, mocking grin on her face, and Rose felt uneasy about it.

“Who's the man I am getting married to?" Rose asked again, her voice trembling.

Sophia leaned back on the couch and answered her. “Marcus, the mayor's son.”

Rose's eyes widened, and her breath caught in her throat.

“Are you serious right now? You expect me to marry...him?”

“After all, who in this city doesn't know the cruel son of the mayor, Marcus?" He is a woman beater and a hardcore sadist." Rose thought.

She looked at Catherine, who wore a righteous gaze on her face. “This woman knows everything, and she expects me to get married to him. She should just kill me instead.”

“This is the best decision for now. After all, you didn't expect us to get you a reasonable husband when your reputation is in shambles." Catherine said.

Tears streamed down Rose's face. She turned and looked at her father with a pleading face and thought, “Please let it not be that he agreed to this.”

But Catherine's next word shattered her thoughts. “And of course, your father agreed to this.”

“I can't do it. I can't marry Marcus!!!!”. Rose shouted.

Catherine's lips curled into a scornful smile. “And who needs your decision? This is for the family. Are you trying to prevent your sister from getting a potential husband? You destroyed our reputation. Tell me, Who will agree to marry Sophia if they learn that she has a home wrecker as a sister?”

“You finally showed your true color. You are doing this all for Sophia, right? Are you even thinking of me?” Rose said, clenching her fists tightly. “Do I even need to ask?" Everything you do is always for Sophia. After all, I am a slut child.”

Rose took a deep breath and said, “I am not marrying Marcus, and that's final.”

She then turned around, opened the door, and closed it with a loud bang. She then ran; she kept on running, running, and running until she found herself in the park.

Rose's face contorted in anguish as she collapsed on a bench. Her eyes streamed with tears, hot and relentless. Her shoulder shook, convulsing with sobs. She gasped for air, choking on her grief.

“Why?” She wailed, her voice shattered by despair. “I am so tired, mom.”.

The chilly air enveloped Rose, and the cold bench seemed to leech the warmth from her bones, leaving her shivering.

Then Rose heard a faint crunching sound behind her. She turned and heard a voice.

“Granddaughter-in-law”.