Chapter Two
Rosalie went straight home and up the stairs. She was upset beyond reason. After nine years suddenly seeing Jaden and knowing that he followed her around, was enough to spark the memories that they spent with each other. She locked her door and sobbed into her pillow.
His words rang loud in her ear.
I still love you. I haven't moved on Rosie. Be mine. Forget this marriage.
If only she could really forget it all and run away with him. She loved him as much as he loved her but she was now engaged to someone she couldn't ever love.
Her sobs reduced and she wiped her eyes. She had to face what destiny had in store for her. She couldn't be weak. She had to stay calm and face reality. The future of her family depended upon her.
She heard the distinct knock on her door. Wiping her face, she opened her door. Her mom stood with hands on her waist.
"What do you think you're doing at home when you should have been in the restaurant with Mr. McAllister?" She yelled at her.
"I waited for 45 minutes, he sent an SMS to notify that he wouldn't be able to come. So I came back home," she said, looking at her mom's angry face.
"Lies, excuses, that's all you're capable of. You can't do one thing that can help us out. You're really worthless," she said and she stomped away, banging her door shut.
Her mom behaved this way with her ever since Mr McAllister had shown interest in her and offered her parents lots of money in return for her. She didn't know why.
She had always listened to her parents. When they had gone into hiding, her parents asked her to break contact with all her friends. She did just that. Afterwards when they went to Houston, her parents fixed her marriage with Mr McAllister and she wasn't allowed to talk to any boy. She couldn't contact Jaden as her parents took away her old phone and gave her a new one instead. She accepted everything yet her mom's behaviour deteriorated day by day.
Sighing, she went to bed on a hungry stomach. Her mom knew that she hadn't had dinner, yet she didn't offer her any. She had gone and waited for Mr. McAllister. If he didn't arrive, how was she at fault? She was a twenty-five year old grown woman, who knew her duties towards her family, yet her parents behaved as if she were a rebellious sixteen year old. She gave all her salary at home since her mom demanded that her dad's salary wasn't enough to run the house, yet she was treated like shit.
Staring at the ceiling with silent tears falling from her eyes, she dozed off.
The next day, she went to work early in the morning. She ordered some breakfast and shared it with her colleague and best friend Allison Green. They had studied together, passed out of university together, applied for a job together, had been selected together and now they were working together. If anything was constant and good in her life, it was Allison.
"Why do you tolerate her shit? You're an adult. Come and live with me at my apartment. We can share the rent," said Allison, angry at her best friend for tolerating her mom's bad behaviour silently. Nothing escapes her eye. The moment she saw Rosalie's face in the morning, she knew something was wrong. When she heard everything, she fumed with anger.
"I give her all I earn, so how will I pay rent?" Said Rosalie.
"Why do you pay her all you earn? For God's sake Rosalie, can't you see that she's using you? She splurges on your income, buying makeup, jewelry and clothes all for herself. See her closest. You will know. I saw her myself at the mall, many times," said Allison and Rosalie just sat digesting the news. She thought they really needed her money for necessary expenses.
"Your brothers are big enough to do part time jobs too," said Allison, which was true in a way. It was at least better than drinking and partying.
"Yeah, your right," said Rosalie. She needed to stand up for herself. She had paid for her own education since she was eighteen. Her dad always claimed that they didn't have any money. So she worked part time at a publication house, earning her tuition fees. Why couldn't her brothers do the same?
She didn't tell her that she met Jaden else she would convince her to elope with him. Allison hated Mr. McAllister with a vengeance and always urged her to cancel the wedding and live a free life.
"So? What have you decided? Are you coming with me tonight to start living with me?" Asked Allison.
"No Ally, not tonight. Mr. McAllister's coming to dinner. I need to stay at home," she said with a grimace.
"How do you tolerate that robot? He doesn't have any feelings. How can a person be on business mode 24/7? Will he fu*k you like it's a business deal? Ugh, I can't imagine. Can you?" Said Allison, melodramatically.
Rosalie cringed at the idea. She never could imagine having physical intimacy with Mr. McAllister. In fact kissing Mr. McAllister made her feel nauseous.
"See? See you're panicking at the thought of kissing that toad. Don't deny it. I know you, Rose," she said. Rosalie smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.
They finished their breakfast and went to work.
In the evening, she returned home to see her parents all grumpy and fighting.
"Here, she comes at last. Couldn't you come earlier? Mr. McAllister's going to arrive in twenty minutes, " said her mother, glaring at her wearing a lot of makeup and a revealing red dress.
"I'll go and freshen up," she said, trudging up the stairs to her room.
She took a shower and chose a simple white dress and very subtle nude makeup. She left her soft chocolate brown curls to air dry as they were wet from the shower.
She went down stairs to the sound of talking. Her father and Mr McAllister sat talking while her mom served him drinks. Her mom laughed a fake laugh,"Ah, here she is. Come sweetie, Allen's waiting to see you," she gushed and Rosalie simply gave a small smile and walked up to them.
Mr McAllister got up from his seat. "You're looking beautiful, dear," he told her and then looking at her mom, said,"Jennifer, she's too thin. Make her put on more weight."
"Of course. I'll see to it that she puts on weight before the wedding, " said her mom, showing off her pearly white teeth. Had she gone to a salon today? How did her teeth become so pearly white?
Rosalie hated the way they discussed her as if she wasn't in the room or as if she were an object.
Her mom left the room to serve dinner. Her father went too to help her leaving her alone with Mr. McAllister. "Come sit," he said, making space beside him on the sofa.
She sat down opposite him. "You have to leave your job Rosalie. You have three months before the wedding," he said to her horror.
"I can't leave my job. It means a lot to me," she said, with anguish.
"You have to. I have a reputation. I won't tolerate my wife being an employee with a small-time farmer. If you want to do something, open a boutique or join the billionaire's club to organise charity events. But no farming," he said, strictly.
"I won't leave my job," she said as her mom came in with two plates of hors d'oeuvres to serve with the drinks.
"Yes, you will do as Allen wants," she said, glaring at her. Rosalie didn't say a word. She was pissed off being dictated to all the time. She worked hard for this career. It meant a lot to her. How could she just leave everything? She had no interest in fashion designing or in event management. Why should she pursue those?
Mr McAllister had dinner and chatted with her parents and left. Her mom turned to her with pure malice in her eyes,"You will do as he asks you to do, " she said, pointing her freshly manicured finger at her.
It was at that point that Rosalie decided that she wouldn't stay at her parents house anymore. She would financially support them keeping enough for herself and that was all.
She ran up to her room to pack her stuff. She called Allison to come at 11 o'clock in the night and pick her up. She was twenty-five, yet she wasn't allowed a car as her parents clearly told her that they couldn't afford three cars. Her dad used one and her mom and brothers shared another. She travelled in public transport always.
She packed her essentials is three trolley suitcases and waited for her family to retire to their rooms for the night to sleep.
Around 11:30, she received a message from Allison that she was waiting outside. Peering outside her room, she quietly took a suitcase one at a time near the main entrance. When all three were taken downstairs, she quietly opened the main door and stepped out. Allison helped her load the luggage onto her car.
Rosalie left a note saying that she would live on her own as she was an adult. She would marry Mr McAllister as promised. She would send some money to her parents every month.
They left silently and drove over to Allison's apartment without knowing that a black Honda civic followed them to their destination.
