All at once, the expressions of the rich ladies around them changed.Yet, Rose remained calm and simply smirked coldly. She stepped forward and adjusted Kelly's dress, which looked a little large on Kelly.Then, she commented evenly, "K&K's dresses are tailored to the customer's exact measurements. We have different body measurements, Kelly."If you had said that you liked this dress, I would've returned it and asked them to alter it for you. It wouldn't have looked so awkward on you, then."It was only then that the rich ladies noticed that Kelly's dress did not actually fit her.They instantly forgot about Kelly's pitiful display. Their eyes were filled with disdain."So it's not her dress after all? Don't tell me she stole her sister's dress. It does look like it would fit Ms. Rose better.""I never thought Ms. Kelly would be so vain. I heard she's the tagalong child that Ms. Rose's stepmother brought into the family. These kinds of children are more cunning than illegitima
Rose glanced around her. She spotted a tall male figure through the curtains of the tea room.The figure seemed familiar to her somehow.Rose was about to take a closer look when Nixon suddenly walked up to her. He blocked her line of sight. "Hurry up, Rose. I'll take you to Uncle Jonathan right now."Nixon wanted to hold Rose's hand, but Rose shirked away disdainfully.His eyes flashed with displeasure, but when he thought of Jonathan, he had no choice but to suppress his emotions."Rose, today is a great opportunity for me and my family. The Finches are the top among the three greatest families of Regalia, and Uncle Jonathan is the newly appointed person in charge of the family."Once he officiates our marriage, and with Celeste Jewels behind us, I am guaranteed to become the heir of the Lane family!"Nixon was the Lanes' only grandchild. But at the moment, his father, Hayden Lane, handled most of the family businesses.Hayden had an illegitimate son whom he had been workin
Rose struggled instinctively, but the man's large hand gripped hers suddenly. Their fingers laced together suggestively.He buried his face against her shoulder. His ragged breaths brushed over her collarbones and made her feel numb there. Rose could not help but shiver.She tried to kick a vulnerable part of the man's body, but she had only just lifted her leg when a hand gripped her knee.In the darkness, Jonathan's gaze was terrifyingly piercing."How heartless!" he snarled coldly and mockingly.She had paid to spend the night with him the night before last, but she was trying to make him impotent now. He silently cursed Rose.Jonathan recognized her the moment she walked into the room. He spilled the wine on purpose so that the smell of alcohol would mask his scent.He even disguised his voice by making it lower. That way, she would not recognize him.Jonathan thought about the lipstick stain on Nixon's collar. He felt an inexplicable rage building up inside his heart."Wh
Over in the room on the second floor, Jonathan had already let go of Rose's shoulder.Under the cover of darkness, his sharp gaze was fixed on her.Based on the information Zac gave him last night, Celeste died in a traffic accident ten years ago. It was classified as an accident.Jonathan wondered if there had been another reason behind Celeste's death.Did Rose come to see him to find out more about her mother's death? Was it not for Nixon's sake?The long silence made Rose anxious."As long as you tell me the truth behind that accident, I'll do anything you ask of me."Jonathan's gaze darkened as he questioned, "So, you'd even agree if I ask you to be my woman?"Rose froze. She suddenly recalled her new husband's handsome face.Jonathan saw her reaction. His expression, which had improved a little earlier, soured again.His voice was flecked with traces of jealousy as he said, "What's the matter? You can't bear to part with your fiancé?"Rose was taken aback.Nixon? He w
"Oh, yes, of course. I'll get it done right away." Nixon immediately nodded in agreement.Jonathan was an enigmatic man who kept a low profile. Nixon thought the former probably did not want too many people to see his face.In reality, Jonathan simply did not want a certain stray cat to see his face.He glanced at the bag on the bed. It belonged to Rose.Jonathan smiled in amusement. Then, he left the room with the bag in hand.Back downstairs, Rose had just entered the hall when she suddenly came to a stop. She had left her bag in the room!Her marriage license was in her bag!She could not care less about the bag, but the marriage license played an important part in her plan for tonight!Rose figured the man would have left the room by now. Gritting her teeth, she had no choice but to risk it.Avoiding the crowd, she rushed up to the second floor. When she entered the room, she saw that no one was there. It was as she had expected.But her bag was gone as well! He must have
The man's voice confirmed Rose's suspicion.It was him! He was right here!Shocked, Rose felt as if she had been electrocuted. Almost on instinct, she wanted to push him away.But Jonathan seemed to have seen through her thoughts. Placing his large palm on the back of her waist, he pulled her closer. "Don't move. Do you want everyone to know that you tried to seduce me in the room just now?""I—"She was not trying to seduce him! Rose wanted to retort, but a threatening glare from him silenced her.She grimaced beneath her mask, but she obediently continued dancing. He took the lead, and they danced quite well together.But Jonathan did not seem satisfied just yet. Her body was too tense."Relax!" Jonathan discreetly patted her waist.Rose was startled.His actions felt like he was teasing her flirtatiously. He was harassing her!Rose glared at him to communicate her resistance.Jonathan raised an eyebrow and smirked. They were legally married. Patting her waist was no big
Meanwhile, down in the dance hall, the dance had just ended.Jonathan had not had enough yet.Even though Rose was forced to play along with him, Jonathan found it rather amusing. Reluctant to let go, he kept his hand on her waist."Can you let go of me now, Uncle Jonathan?" Rose said with an insincere smile.Jonathan frowned. His voice was both domineering and jealous. "I'm not your uncle. Don't call me that ever again."Rose wondered why he was being so jealous. Suddenly, Jonathan stuffed a bag into her hands. It was her bag!Elated, Rose wanted to thank him. But then, she remembered the way he bit her when they were in the room on the second floor just now. Her shoulder was still hurting.He bit her, and he even stole her bag!Rose spat out through gritted teeth, "You wretched … thief!"Her voice was tiny. After all, she dared not mess with a prominent figure like him.But Jonathan heard what she said. She was insulting him!"Hah …"Jonathan was about to say more when Ro
But before Rose could read out her husband's full name, Nixon snatched the marriage license from her hands and tore it into pieces.Nixon thought Rose had forged a marriage license just to get revenge on him for cheating with Kelly.Without even looking at Rose, he smiled and confidently addressed the guests watching them."Sorry, everyone. Rose likes to play pranks sometimes. We'll be getting married very soon. Mr. Finch will be officiating the marriage ceremony, and everyone's invited."Nixon was determined to get Celeste Jewels.Rose stared glumly at the torn marriage license. She still had not seen her husband's full name.But soon, she smirked coldly and announced, "I'm already married, but my husband isn't Mr. Lane. If you don't believe me, Mr. Lane, you can check with the county clerk's office. The records there won't be fake."And with that, Rose turned around and left the hall gleefully.Nixon started feeling uneasy.If Rose did get married behind his back, he would n
And there was also Miles… He was currently on vacation abroad, which was a time meant for relaxation. If Rose were to die, hearing the news would likely affect his vacation, right?He would definitely rush back for this.It would be a time of sorrow and a time to take on the responsibilities of Young Group once again.He wouldn't know that Harriette played a part in Rose's death. In truth, Harriette only held resentment toward Rose, and even if she were with the Young family, she wouldn't harm Miles.However, when Rose reached this conclusion, she felt particularly uneasy.But she didn't have enough time to figure out why she felt uncomfortable. She thought about Elijah, Clover, Yvonne, Emily…The people she thought about flashed through her mind one by one.…Outside the warehouse, Harriette, in a state of panic, ran out. Once she was in a more populated area, she resumed her act.The doctors and nurses who left the warehouse earlier were no longer there.Harriette was surpr
When Harriette saw the look on Rose's face, she felt stirred up with even more excitement.She was astonished, shocked, and even confused—all these emotions were present except for fear.This made Harriette feel very dissatisfied. Why wasn't Rose afraid?She wanted to instill fear in Rose and make her scared. She even wanted to watch her tremble all over, begging for mercy and pleading for her life…How could she be okay as though nothing was happening at all?In the current situation, Carl has control over Rose. There was no chance Rose would be able to leave the psychiatric facility's warehouse today.So, Harriette decided to stop pretending.She faced Rose, whose eyes were filled with a complex mix of emotions. With a gentle smile, she said, "I owe it all to you, Rose!"She passed on Carl's message to Rose, doubling the irony."Harriette, you…" If Rose didn't understand by now, she had to really be clueless.After Rose connected everything together, it became increasingly
That strange feeling in the air today hadn't faded since it began. Rose had the strange urge to find out where it came from. What would the result be?She ignored Henrietta's frantic cries. Her gaze slid past her and fell on Carl. She asked once more, "What do you intend to do?""What do I intend to do?" Carl sneered and continued, "The Finches sent me here to a psychiatric facility."He then chuckled. "Do I look insane to you?"Rose was speechless.Yes, very much so.Carl's heart was filled with genuine hatred. Being sent to the psychiatric facility was Ezra's doing. Ezra clearly wanted him to experience what his mother, Nancy, had suffered back then. During his time here, they injected him with drugs. He knew exactly what those drugs were doing to his body. It was the knowledge that filled him with terror. This was exactly what Ezra wanted. He even felt that he was mentally ill now.Hatred flared in his eyes. "No, I'm not sick. I don't have a mental illness! I don't have a m
Henrietta turned and left after she spoke. But how could Rose feel at ease with letting her search for Carl alone? He was a dangerous person.She had witnessed how dangerous and crazy he was that night. Now that everything he had done was revealed, he had even less qualms. If he hurt Henrietta again… Once she thought of Miles, she immediately followed Henrietta. She tailed her and realized Henrietta was darting aimlessly through the corridors. She peered through the glass door of each room to check inside. Once she was sure the person inside wasn't Carl, she would move on to the next room.Was that how she planned to find him? She had to go through the facility even if she wanted to see Carl. She would at least be able to guarantee her safety that way."Etta…" said Rose. She wanted to stop Henrietta so she could provide her information to the facility to meet Carl. However, just as she called out to Henrietta, she heard Henrietta's hoarse voice. "Carl!"The next instant, Rose
Rose stopped in her tracks and turned around, surprised to see the person behind her. Anastasia?"Don't…" Anastasia looked anxious. But before she could finish, someone from behind bumped into her, causing her to let go of Rose's hand.The person immediately apologized. "Sorry, I… I'm in a rush." The person looked frightened but quickly stepped into the elevator.As the elevator door was about to close, someone inside asked Rose, "Ms. Shaffer, aren't you coming?"For some reason, Rose entered the elevator."Rose…" Anastasia wanted to stop her, but as she reached out, the elevator door closed, leaving her standing alone.She tried to stop her, but she failed, so what else could she do?Rose… Since Miles left Regalia, Harriette had been behaving herself, but today, she was acting weird. She was about to cause trouble!Anastasia was certain of that. But she didn't know what Harriette was planning to do.In the elevator, Rose felt uneasy. The elevator reached the first floor. Wh
Harriette was warning Anastasia. If she interfered, she would "take care" of her.Anastasia's eyes flickered with surprise, and she swiftly looked away. After that, she quietly left the airport with the two of them.On the way back to the company, Harriette deliberately separated Anastasia from her and Rose. Anastasia took a car on her own, while Harriette and Rose shared one.In the car, Rose couldn't stop thinking about the look Anastasia had given her earlier. She felt that Anastasia had something she wanted to say to her.Rose sensed that ever since Harriette returned, Anastasia had changed entirely. She was no longer as aggressive as before. But despite Anastasia's change, they still didn't interact much.What could she possibly want to say to her?"Rose? Rose?" Harriette called her twice before Rose finally reacted. She was immediately met with Harriette's pout. "Rose, what were you daydreaming about? You weren't listening to me, were you?"Rose didn't respond. She tried t
Harriette was referring to Carl.Miles frowned instantly, as though worried that she might get hurt again.However, Harriette immediately reassured him, "Don't worry, Miles. As long as you're by my side, he won't be able to hurt me again."Miles thought for a moment, and his brows began to relax."Okay." Miles agreed for Harriette to meet Carl."Be good. I'll go visit Rose. She was scared last night too, but luckily nothing happened to her. Otherwise, her fate, as well as Jon's and Ezra's would be very different."Miles didn't hide his concern for Rose in front of Harriette."Go ahead, Miles. I'll visit her later today as well." Harriette said kindly.The moment Miles left the office, the smile on her face instantly faded."Such a shame…" She sighed, lamenting at Rose's luck. It would be ideal for her if something had happened between Ezra and Rose in the greenhouse.If so, Rose would have never had the chance to be with Jonathan, and there wouldn't be so much commotion at th
For a moment, there was only silence from the other end of the line. Lizzie didn't respond to Harriette's question."Madam?" Harriette called out cautiously.It was as if she'd flipped a switch because what came after was Lizzie's sharp questioning. "Did you already know that Rose and Jonathan were married?"Even over the phone, Harriette felt uneasy. "Answer me! Did you know?" Lizzie raised her voice.Harriete gulped. "I only realized later that the person Rose married was Mr. Finch. Madam, I wasn't trying to keep it from you. I just…""Just what?" Lizzie didn't believe that Harriette hadn't hidden the truth intentionally.In the past, Lizzie would have definitely punished Harriette for her dishonesty, but at that moment, there were more pressing matters than punishing Harriette.Lizzie forced down her anger. When she left the Finch Manor the night before, she hadn't returned to Cyrus's residence. Instead, she went to a luxury condominium she had secretly purchased.She'd sp
Jonathan understood what Ezra meant. "No matter what help you need, you can always ask Finley."By the time Rose came back downstairs, the serious expressions that Jonathan and Ezra had previously worn were replaced by smiles.Jonathan was preparing to send Rose to the Youngs, but right after they stepped out, they saw a luxury car parked outside the house, with Elijah standing beside it. Standing far apart, the two men locked eyes.Jonathan looked shocked at first, but the shock quickly disappeared. Elijah had most probably investigated Jonathan inside out, so it made sense that he knew the location of Jonathan's new house.Jonathan took the hint and handed Rose over to Elijah.When Rose reached the office, everyone she met gave her an oddly happy look."Ms. Shaffer, congratulations!""Ms. Shaffer, thank you so much!"Rose felt strange about receiving congratulations. What had happened that people were congratulating her? And thanks? Why were they thanking her?Rose was confu