Chapter 8

"Do you have an idea who attacked my family?" Rose asked after a few minutes of silence.

 Surprisingly, she digested the news quite well and didn't doubt Aunt Gloria one bit. Infact, she even found it strange.

 "None" Aunt Gloria sighed depressingly and cupped Rose cheeks.

 "I am so happy that you are alive. For years i blamed myself for abandoning you. When i went to get you back, the orphanage informed me of your adoption"

 "You were just trying to protect me" Rose didn't blame her either.

 And so, the trio began to converse speaking about old memories and cracking jokes. Rose enjoyed herself so much that she didn't even realize evening was already nigh.

 "Gosh! i have to go, my little boy is worried about me for sure" Rose jumped up after glancing at the time on her phone.

 "You have a child?" Aunt Gloria gasped in surprise.

 "Who's the father?" Stacie's eyes shone with curiosity.

 "Uhm.. maybe we can talk about this later?" Rose bit her lips akwardly as she made for the door.

* * *

  Lex glanced worriedly at the wall clock from the sofa he sat on. He felt a bad premonition in his heart. Hours ago, his boys informed him that his mum left with a strange woman.

 They tried trailing her but she suddenly vanished. And now it was already evening but no sign of her. He felt like his head was about to explode from all the intense worrying.

 "Brat" he heard that annoying voice.

 Looking over, he saw one of the few ladies he hated the most standing with hands akimbo.

 "Where's that bitchy mother of yours?" Annie ran her mouth.

 Lex felt a wave of disgust. Bitch? just who was the bitch between you both?

 Although he was tempted to yell this at her face, reason prevailed. If anything, Annie was his aunt and Elder. He wouldn't be disrespectful like her.

 "My mum is not a bitch?" he pouted.

 "Running away with grocery money while abandoning her kid. Tell me, which lady apart from a bitch does that?" Annie sneered.

Just as Lex wanted to refute, the door swung open, revealing Rose who rushed in, arms full with groceries.

 "Mum!" Lex rushed to her side, alleviating her from most of the groceries she held.

 "Are you okay? did anything happen to you?" he asked, monitoring her sternly with his eyes.

 "Silly boy. What can happen to me?" Rose laughed.

 "Oh" Lex quickly got a grip of himself.

 "For a minute, i was contemplating whether to report a bulgary case" Annie scoffed, sizing Rose up with a proud look.

 "But i am here right?" Rose smiled faintly.

 "Hmph. Go prepare dinner already! i'm starving" Annie ordered like a haughty boss lady.

 Rose just smiled, while carrying the groceries towards the kitchen. Lex hurried after her.

 "Mum, how can you keep on allowing that bitch to order you around all the time?" Lex seethed.

 "Lex! mind the language. Annie is your aunt" Rose chided.

 "She doesn't treat you as a sister, plus she always calls you that" Lex pouted.

"Don't be a naughty boy okay? sometimes, a proud king must bow when the need arises. Never forget that" Rose used her free hand to ruffle Lex hair.

* * *

 The next day came. After preparing breakfast, Rose watched as Lex hurried to school.

 She smiled when she saw him walking off briskly, with his head upright. Even with their current condition, he didn't allow that to affect his temperament.

 Somehow, he reminded her again of the man she stubbornly wanted to toss away at the back of her mind.

 Just as she was struggling from her mental conflict, the horn of a car brought her back to reality.

 A black sedan pulled over besides him and a head popped out through the window. It was Cindie.

 "Cindy?" Rose was taken aback.

 What was she doing here?

 "Surprise?" Cindy laughed.

 "What are you doing?" Rose found herself saying these words before she could stop her self.

 "Taking my bestie for an outing of course" Cindy rolled her eyes.

 "Quit moping and get in already!"

* * *

 "Really, you didn't have to go through all those stress" Rose sighed as she dipped a fry into a sauce before tossing it into her mouth.

 Throughout, Cindy dragged her around various boutiques, spending lavishly to change her wardrobe.

 Currently, they were having a lunch at an expensive restaurant.

 "We're sisters. This dosen't count as anything, compared to the favour you showed me years ago" Cindy shook her head.

 Rose went silent.

 "Did i really suffer from amensia?" she mouthed almost inaudibly.

 "Sadly yes. But i'm sure you'd get your memories back" Cindy took an optimistic approach to cheer Rose up.

 "I noticed that you and your son are squatting with someone. Anyway i can help?" she decided to switch to another topic.

 "Don't bother. You've done enough already" Rose smiled as she rejected.

 She wasn't a fool, neither an ingrate. Just those clothes alone worth thousands of dollars.

 Thousands! she couldn't even remember when last she held such a sum.

"We're sisters. How many times do i have to get that right through that thick skull of yours?" Cindy pointed her fries at Rose.

 She looked funny in that pose.

 "I lost my job, so we had to move in with my parents" Rose spilled the beans.

 "That reminds me. Recently, i came across a make up gig. The pay is ten thousand per week. Are you interested?" 

 "Make up? but i don't know how to?" Rose sighed helplessly.

 "What are you scared of? when you have a very capable sensie. Ak i just have to do is give you a few pointers and you're good to go" Cindy patted her chest.

 "Actually make up craft isn't that hard, especially because this one is a little bit special" Cindy smiled mysteriously.

 "Special?"

 "Yep. Because it's a movie shoot needing a make up artist. Think about it, you'd be able to socialize with top celebrities and make way deep connections" Cindy winked.

 "I.. i don't know. Would they even accept me?" Rose felt inferior complex.

 After so much bullying from Mrs. Albert, her self confidence declined.

"There's only one way to find out" Cindy grinned.

* * *

 When Rose got home, she found Mrs. Albert standing at the entrance door with arms crossed.

 "Slut, where the hell are you coming from?" she asked.

 "I.." Rose words trailed off because a hand suddenly snatched the shopping bags she was carrying.

 It was Annie.

 "Hey! give me that!" Rose tried snatching them back but Annie quickly ran behind Mrs. Albert who glared at Rose with a 'take one step if you dare' type of look.

 "Tsk. Tsk. Rose you are really something?" Annie laughed contemptuously.

 "First, you got into an expensive sedan and drove off. Now you return with shopping bags, what a shameless slut" Annie snickered and turned towards her mother.

 "Mum, this shopping bag has the Flue Da Lenti brand on it?" Annie's eyes were sparking with desire when she spoke.

 Flue Da Lenti was a popular but expensive fashion house for ladies. Almost every slay queen and social media model yearned to wear their brand.

 But for a bonafide house wife as Mrs. Albert, she was completely oblivious.

 "What so special about Fleu Da Lentil?" she asked.

 "Mum! Fleu Da Lentil to is one of the major leading fashion house globally. Infact, it is predicted that in two years time, it is going to overthrow Loui Vuitton as the number one fashion house!"

 Cindy threw Rose a contemplating glare.

 "To think that this bitch would lay her hands on something from the Fleu Da Lentil brand. Tsk tsk"

 "Give it back!" Rose frowned.

 "Sorry bitch, but it's mine already. You have been free loading of us. Just take this as a repayment for the inconveniences you and your bastard son have brought" Annie grinned evily.

 Rose clenched her teeth furiously. She felt like going through over to pull Annie's fake hair off her bald scalp.

 "What? wanna beat me?" a sarcastic grin flourished on Annie's lips as she swaggered into the house.