Chapter 4

Rose inwardly blushed when she saw the handsome side profile of Aiden. They were going back to the hospital after seeing lawyer Kim off

The air was cool, and the snowflakes were falling gently on the ground. The sounds of Christmas carols filled the air. The city seems alive with lights and holiday decorations. It was a typical Christmas in New York.

“Rose,” Aiden called Rose, who was busy admiring the Christmas tree that was in front of the hospital. 

“Yes, Aiden,” Rose answered, turning back to Aiden.

“Your phone has been vibrating since we came out from the coffee shop; didn't you know? 

“Ooh,” Rose replied, bringing up her phone to her eye level; she hesitated for a moment before answering, her eyes looking at the Christmas tree still in front of the hospital. “Hello.” 

The voice on the other side of the phone was shrill and angry; Rose's stepmother, Catherine, was shouting at her to come back home. “Rose, where are you? You ungrateful child. Why have you decided to always disgrace us? You have been gone for some hours, and the mayor's family is furious now.”

“Are they still around? The mayor's family?” Rose asked, clutching her phone tightly.

“Yes, so come home right now,” Catherine replied, still sounding angry on the phone.

“I will be home.”

“You better be…” Rose hung up the phone before Catherine could finish her statement. She turned to Aiden, looked at him, and said, “I will be going now to tell my parents.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, it shouldn't take long. I will call you soon. Also tell your grandma that I will see her soon, or she might throw a tantrum.”

She turned back and was about to leave, but Aiden held her hand and stopped her. “Rose, come and stay with me.”

Rose stammered and looked like she was lost for words to say, “Wh...at are you saying?”

Aiden dipped his hands into the pockets of his trousers and looked at her; Rose squirmed as she felt that Aiden's eyes were boring into her soul.

“We are married already, and I don't trust your family. If something happens to you, how will you make profits for me?”

Rose felt flustered and embarrassed that she felt a flutter in her heart when she heard Aiden asking her to move into his house.

What's wrong with my heart? We are only married for a purpose. Rose thought.

“When you are done settling the mishap, move into the MJ hotel, and I will send a driver to pick you up from there.” 

Rose nodded and went to the side of the road. “Taxi.”

One stopped beside her; she got into the taxi and gave her address.

When she got home, she met her mother pacing up and down in the living room angrily, the mayor's family slowly drinking juice from the glass her stepmother may have served to them, her stepsister busy with her phone, and her father nowhere to be seen there.

She inhaled deeply and entered the room. When Catherine saw her, she walked over to her angrily. If the mayor's family hadn't been there, she would have given this ungrateful girl a slap, so she just gritted her teeth and asked Rose, “Sweetheart, where have you been? Don't you remember you are supposed to get married today?”

Rose ignored her and looked at the mayor and his family; she saw Marcus giving her a lecherous gaze already and scoffed at him inwardly.

“Sorry for wasting your time, Mayor. I know you are here to get me married to Marcus, but I am afraid it's not possible.”

Catherine shouted at Rose immediately, clenching her fist, and Sophia dropped her phone, looking at Rose.

“Rose!!!!! What do you mean by that? I am sorry, Mayor, she is only joking.” Catherine said while turning to smile at the mayor.

“I am not joking; I can't get married to Marcus,” Rose said while still standing on her previous statement.

As Rose delivers the news that she can't marry Marcus, his expression transforms from calm to furious. The veins on his temples bulged, and his jaws clenched in rage.

“What's going on here, Mrs. Catherine? Did you propose the marriage to us as a joke? Did you think we had the whole time in our hands?”

“Of course not, Mayor, I told you she's not serious. I will talk to her now.” Catherine said, looking apologetically at the mayor. She turned to Rose and said, “Follow me.”

“I would rather not; I would not like to give false hope to the mayor and his family. I can't marry Marcus because of an important reason.” She said, ignoring Catherine once again. “Does she think I will follow her? I am tired of this family already” Rose thought.

“Why can't you marry him?” The mayor finally said while glaring at Rose angrily. Even Marcus and Sophia were intrigued to know the reason.

“I can't marry Marcus because….” She inhaled deeply before continuing, “I am married.”

“What on earth are you saying!!!!!? Catherine shouted immediately when she heard the statement that came out from Rose. She is married; who is she trying to fool? Catherine thought.

“The mayor can check with the civil affairs bureau if you have any doubts. I am sure it's possible for you.”

The mayor glared at Rose, picked up his phone, and called a number. What the others were hearing was, “Yes, check Miss Rose. Hmmm... Are you done?”

After inquiring from the person on the other side of the phone, the mayor dropped his phone and glared angrily at Catherine.

“Mrs. Catherine, I must really thank your family for the hospitality. Do you really bring us here to get my son married to a married woman?”

Catherine's eyes widened when she heard the mayor agreeing to what Sophia claimed. “What... What are you saying, Mayor?”

The mayor ignored her and carried his family to leave the house without giving Catherine any chance to explain herself.

“Mayor, Mayor David!!!!!” Catherine shouted after them at the back to pacify them.

Rose ignored the chaos and went upstairs to bring down the suitcase carrying her belongings she had packed earlier in the morning before meeting Ethan. She had packed it, thinking the rumors were not true and she could escape with Ethan if worse came to worst. Oh, what a foolish girl she was, she thought.

Catherine came back and was met with the sight of Rose and her suitcase coming down the stairs. Sophia was also staring at Rose.

“Where are you going? How can you think of leaving here when you just finished causing chaos? Who did you get married to?

“Yes, Rose. Where are you going? And who is your husband? Can't you answer Mother?”

Rose ignored the mother and daughter and was about to leave the house.

Catherine was now seeing red; she was so angry that she started screaming at Rose.

“You ungrateful child, a prostitute just like your mother. After everything we have done for you, you still decide to disgrace us. Despite not being my child, I have taken care of you, and you embarrassed me in front of the mayor!!!!!!”

Rose looked at Catherine when she mentioned her mother; she just looked at her after she finished shooting and said, “Goodbye.”

“Rose!!!!!!!”

While chaos was going on on Rose’s side, a voice was heard from a building.

“What the fuck do you mean you are married?”