Rose's daughter;

When did I feel loneliness? Or when did it seep so deeply into me?

I think... The day I buried my grandmother, loneliness completely took hold of me.

What's the hardest thing for an orphaned girl?

Learning to accept death because you've lost so much? Or being so deeply attached to the only person you have?

I suppose both were true for me. My grandmother was everything to me...

She and I had left this cursed town years ago.

Because this town had taken my mother and father from me. Even the cause of their deaths had been hidden like a dark mystery. They had only said "a fire."

Unfortunately, I would learn much later that it was a witch hunt...

Now... I'm fulfilling my grandmother's last wish, returning to this cursed place to spend New Year's in a secluded mountain house.

I can hear you asking why this was her last wish, and I'm surprised too. But my grandmother had always been an interesting woman. So I can say this: she definitely has her own logical reason for it.

Besides, I want to surrender myself to the flow of life for a while. I need to come to terms with my grandmother's absence, so perhaps this short vacation will do me good...

Three days later, I was driving along the icy road toward the town of Blackthorn...

As my red pickup climbed the hill, the wind filled my ears with an ominous howl. My only goal was to reach the mountain house as quickly as possible. Soon after, I noticed a shadow among the white snow covering everything on the forest road. As I got closer, I realized it was a vehicle.

"Looks like it's broken down..." I thought when I saw it. The hood was open, and there was a man examining the car. As I approached, I began to be surprised. Despite this bone-chilling cold, the man was wearing only a t-shirt, as if he wasn't cold at all.

For a moment... I thought about passing by without caring. The hostile attitude of the townspeople had apparently rubbed off on me too. But damn it! I couldn't be as savage as the people in this town. Because my grandmother had raised me with kindness. Shortly after, I pulled over to the right.

I reached for my coat on the passenger seat and put it on. The moment I got out of the car, I started shivering from the cold. It literally felt as if my nose had frozen and fallen off. Okay, I'm someone who gets cold even on summer days... But this cursed land is really putting on a show with its freezing climate!

I walked a bit closer to him and called out: "Hello, looks like you're stranded?"

The man lifted his eyes from the engine and looked at me. His gaze made me feel a cold deeper than this freezing air.

Then I examined his appearance a bit more. Aside from this creepy scene, he was quite handsome. In fact, breathtaking... Jet-black hair, dark silver eyes, chiseled features, tall stature, muscular build, and those piercing eyes.

I think I was impressed. But just a little! Don't exaggerate, ladies...

He lifted his head from the hood and looked at me. He smiled with a cunning, flirtatious expression in his eyes.

"Yes, you could say I'm stranded," he said and closed the hood.

At that moment, I was shocked by what I saw. There was a huge log stuck in the front windshield of the car. Seriously stuck... The really interesting thing was, didn't this man see this scene? Did he seriously think the problem could be the engine right now?

"Wow! It's like a giant came and stuck this tree into your windshield like a big toothpick," I said. The surprise on my face was obvious.

Suddenly he burst out laughing. "Ahh... I think giants went extinct a long time ago," he said. Then his eyes focused on me with a meaningful look. "This town's past is remembered for its wolves and witches," he murmured.

"Hmm... Thanks for the interesting local history lesson. But I don't think I can find you a witch or a wolf right now..." I said, smiling.

Then, pointing to my car, I said, "But... I have a vehicle. I can drop you off at the town if you want."

He looked at me with the deep dimples that appeared when he smiled. At that moment, something strange happened. For a moment, I could have sworn I saw a silver sparkle spinning in his eyes.

"If I'm not bothering you, I'd be grateful," he said.

I nodded approvingly, walked toward the vehicle, and when I reached the door, I called out to him: "You won't bother me as long as you don't complain about me listening to Elwes."

With a deep smile on his face, he got his leather jacket from his car and came over to me. The moment he got in the car, his facial expression had changed. I guess the heater I had turned all the way up hit him like desert heat.

With a suggestive look, he said, "I think you're a bit cold."

What was that look? Did this man just judge me? Ahh... Not everyone has to be grumpy and cold like you. Some people might like warm climates. Whatever...

I couldn't project these thoughts to a stranger,

"I'm always cold," I smiled. And I hit the gas.

His eyes had been on me since the journey began. Under normal circumstances, being watched by such a handsome man could be flattering, but the people in this town are so weird that I wasn't sure this was a good thing.

Finally, I said, "Hey, can you stop that now?" briefly turning my gaze to him and then focusing back on the road.

He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, you're just so different. I couldn't take my eyes off you," he said.

"Everyone in this town makes me feel so different. I'm starting to think 'I'm a stranger' is written on my forehead," I said, scrunching up my face.

He let out a deep laugh. He seemed to enjoy messing with me.

"Are you always this sarcastic?" he asked, laughing.

At that moment, I wanted to be honest with him for no reason, and the words poured out of my mouth. "Let's call it my method of camouflaging pain. I lost my grandmother recently," I said, looking at his face.

Normally, you would offer condolences to someone who tells you this, and your face would look surprised. But on this man's face, there was neither surprise nor any other expression. As if he already knew. But no one had attended my grandmother's funeral except the gravedigger who buried her. This was extremely disturbing.

A few seconds later, he asked, "I'm sorry. Did you love her very much?"

"Yes, she was my only family. I loved her more than anything," I said. I couldn't make sense of the anger awakening in my eyes when I thought of my grandmother. What was I angry about? That she left me by dying?

"I understand. Then why are you still here?" he asked.

Normally, I would answer all this politely, but right now I didn't like being questioned. Especially like the townspeople who didn't want me here, his "why didn't you leave" question was extremely annoying.

I turned to him and raised my eyebrows with a sarcastic expression, "For Christmas... I just came to celebrate Christmas," I said.

He wasn't surprised; on the contrary, he had a look as if he understood I was mocking him. Then we didn't talk for the rest of the way.

Finally, we had arrived at the town center. I stopped the car. He got out and approached the window. There was a warm smile on his face.

"My name is Joe," he said.

I extended my hand. "Eva... Eva Rose," I said.

"Pleased to meet you," he said. His facial expression had changed. I could see the cunning smirk on his face. "Well then, Merry Christmas, Rose girl," he said.

At that moment, my eyebrows furrowed. The day I came to town for funeral arrangements, everyone had looked at me like they wanted to kill me when they used that expression. What the hell was this "Rose girl" thing? Every person I encountered called me Rose's daughter with a look of disgust. For the townspeople, being named Rose seemed more like an insult than anything...

Just then, an old man who ran the town's market, sitting on a wooden chair on the sidewalk, suddenly came running and shouted, pointing his finger: "Don't talk to her Joe! Have you lost your mind? She brings bad luck!"

After hearing this, I had reached the end of the courtesy my grandmother had taught me. I stuck my head out the car window and pointed my finger at the man.

"I'm not cursed! I don't carry a contagious disease. Besides, I don't even know you. Stop talking about me, you senile old man!" I said and started the vehicle.

But my anger hadn't subsided. As I was passing right by him, I added with a mocking expression, "I've talked to you too, I hope I really do bring you bad luck."

I furiously hit the gas and drove away. In the rearview mirror, I could see the man's face red with anger. And Joe was doubled over with laughter, slapping his knees.

I guess the time had come for this stubborn town to witness the stubbornness of Rose women!..