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Chapter 2

Penulis: Perfect Timing
"What? No way! I won't agree to this!"

When Rosa told Dad and Mom that she was dropping out to marry Theo, their opposition was immediate and fierce.

"Rosa, everyone can see the Dawson family's situation. Marrying Theo will only bring you hardship! And don't get me started on his shady behavior. He's a rogue. You can't marry him!"

Dad and Mom lectured Rosa, their voices filled with worry. But Rosa, blinded by the idea of becoming the richest man's wife, wasn't listening at all.

When Dad and Mom criticized Theo, Rosa's forehead immediately creased with impatience.

"Dad, Mom, time can change a person. Theo may be a nobody now, but he could achieve great things in the future. And I'm going to be the wife of the richest man! You'll have a comfortable life too."

Rosa spoke with absolute confidence, but the concern etched on Dad's and Mom's faces didn't fade one bit.

Dad puffed on his pipe. His lips were cracked from worry, but he still couldn't bring himself to scold Rosa.

"And what about Dexter?"

Everyone knew that she had been pursuing Dexter all these years.

When Rosa heard his name, a flash of hatred crossed her eyes, and her lips curled into a cruel smile. "Have Hazel marry him instead. Ask for more wedding gifts. That'll make my life in the Dawson family much easier."

No sooner had she spoken than Mom's sharp slap landed on my face, sending a fiery sting across my cheek.

"Did you push Rosa onto Theo? I knew you were up to no good! How dare you steal your sister's man? Why did I give birth to such a shameless child?"

I held my face in silence. Even though I had long gotten used to their favoritism toward Rosa, it still hurt.

As our names suggested, Rosa was the family's treasured rose, while I was merely a humble hazel shrub.

Rosa was their firstborn, so she was spoiled and loved.

Mom had hoped her second child would be a boy to complete the family. But I ended up taking my unborn brother's place. On top of that, Mom nearly died giving birth to me. Her womb was damaged, making it impossible for her to have more children.

So they hated me, the cursed one who had ended the Spencer family line.

Rosa knew Dexter would amount to nothing. Forcing me to marry him was her way of keeping me beneath her for life.

She tugged at Mom's sleeve, her face set with determination. "Enough, Mom. I'm marrying Theo. Trust me, he'll be driving a car in three years."

Mom's ears perked at the mention of a car, though she was still skeptical. Theo was notorious in the village, but Rosa spoke with such absolute certainty. That left Mom genuinely puzzled.

Seeing me cover my face without moving, Rosa threw several books at me all at once. "Since I'm dropping out, these books are yours now."

I was dizzy from this sudden surprise. Even though my head was bleeding, I didn't wipe it away. Instead, I carefully gathered the books and held them close.

In my previous life, I had earned a spot at the county's top high school. But Dad and Mom locked me in the woodshed the day before registration, letting Rosa take my spot.

I was stuck at home doing farm chores, but they took every hard-earned penny I made to give Rosa pocket money. Later, when I went into business with Theo in Brindleton, people mocked me for my middle school education.

My lack of formal schooling had always been a deep wound. And now, Rosa was handing me the chance. I wasn't about to let it go.

"Rosa?" Dad and Mom both voiced their doubts in unison.

Rosa chuckled. "Relax, Dad, Mom. Even if Hazel scores well, she's still going to be serving me for life. Besides, even Dexter can't pass. How could an illiterate who's been out of school for years ever get in? She's destined to be beneath me forever."
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  • Marrying a Monster by Choice   Chapter 8

    The air reeked faintly of blood, and sticky warmth slid down my face in slow streams. The steady loss of blood made my head spin.Stumbling through the darkness, I fumbled around until my fingers brushed against something like a chain. Desperate, I began slamming my body against the door."Mom! Please, let me out! I'll give you the money. I'll give you any amount Rosa wants!"Only silence answered me. I kept pounding until the last of my strength drained away, and I collapsed on the floor.Then, a sliver of light cut through the darkness.Moving toward it, I saw that it was Rosa. Her once-proud face was now covered with deep, crisscrossing scars. Coupled with the cold gleam in her eyes, her whole presence exuded unsettling eeriness. From the dim cellar, she looked even more terrifying."Hazel, were you reborn too?"I froze. "What?""Why did Dexter get into Grandcrest College this time? Why did Theo blow through all his money? Even you got into college! Why are you still living

  • Marrying a Monster by Choice   Chapter 7

    I nodded slowly, a mocking smile tugging at my lips.Rosa stormed off in fury, but she wasn't worth another thought. It was better to spend that time finishing a few more practice questions.The day of the college entrance exam was drawing closer, yet she still popped by every few days to stir up trouble.But eventually, her visits grew fewer and far between. I didn't need to guess why. Theo must have beaten her so badly that she couldn't get out of bed.After a lifetime under his roof, I knew exactly what kind of man he was—stubborn, violent, and never one to tolerate even the slightest sign of defiance.Even I had suffered plenty at his hands, let alone Rosa, who couldn't even lift a finger to defend herself.Without her constant interruptions, I could finally focus all my energy on preparing for the exam.When the day of the exam finally arrived, I was surprised by how calm I felt. A few short months might not have been enough to work miracles, but I knew with certainty that

  • Marrying a Monster by Choice   Chapter 6

    "Hazel, are you trying to kill me? Didn't you see me standing at the door? As expected, you're blind and cheap. I can't believe Dexter actually paid two thousand dollars just to marry you."Rosa's every word dripped with venom.Then, I finally saw her face.It had been months since I last saw her. Even though she was covered from head to toe in long sleeves and pants, it was impossible to miss how her bones stuck out under her skin.That sharp, unhealthy thinness had stripped her of the beauty she once flaunted, leaving her looking harsh instead."What, it's only been a few months, and you've forgotten your manners? Aren't you going to help me up?"I completely ignored Rosa and poured myself a glass of water.It wasn't surprising that she had managed to find me. In my previous life, she had thrown a tantrum about how shabby Dexter's place was and stormed back home the very day after their wedding.When I didn't help her, she didn't even get angry. She just slapped the dust off

  • Marrying a Monster by Choice   Chapter 5

    By the time Rosa and Mom were fuming over me, I had already followed Dexter to the house his parents left him.The place was covered with dust from years of neglect, but I didn't feel the least bit resentful. I quietly fetched some water and started cleaning.When Dexter saw me start working the moment we got there, he quickly set down his luggage and joined in.Watching how focused he was, I couldn't help but thank him. "Thank you for lending me the money. I promise I'll pay it back as soon as I can."Dexter gave me a shy smile."It's nothing. If it hadn't been for you that night…" He paused, his smile fading. "If you hadn't helped me, I probably would've been forced to marry Rosa."Everyone in the village knew how much he had avoided Rosa over the years. But she never cared about his feelings. If she wanted something, she would get it no matter what it took.That day, he had originally planned to talk things through with Rosa and put an end to it. But he never expected her to

  • Marrying a Monster by Choice   Chapter 4

    Sharp, high-pitched screams continued intermittently throughout the night, but since the Dawsons lived in the farthest corner of the village, hardly anyone noticed.Even if someone did hear, Theo's notorious thug-like reputation meant that they would still pretend not to notice.The screams didn't stop until the day Rosa returned to Dad and Mom's house. According to village custom, newlyweds would visit the bride's family three days after the wedding.That day, Rosa went home alone, empty-handed. The moment she saw Mom, the tears she had been holding back for days spilled uncontrollably. "Mom!"The second Mom saw her crying, the smile on her face vanished, replaced by a frown. "Did Theo bully you? Tell me! I told you he isn't a good man, and yet you insisted on marrying him! That bastard even hit his own mother! How could he ever treat his new wife properly?"Theo, being a land and property owner, should have had many women introduced to him.But everyone knew he had beaten h

  • Marrying a Monster by Choice   Chapter 3

    After I spent half a month at home as a completely invisible nobody, Dexter showed up to propose, just as he had promised.He gave me lavish wedding gifts, along with two thousand dollars. That was double the amount he had given Rosa in my previous life.The generous sum sent Rosa into a fury.Mom comforted her, telling her to take everything, including the money, to the Dawsons' house. That finally calmed her down.She counted the two thousand dollars over and over again, then strutted in front of me with a proud look."See? I'll always be Mom's favorite. You'll be stuck with Dexter and live in poverty forever! And when Theo gets rich, don't even think about coming to me for a bite to eat."Ignoring her provocations, I silently waited for the wedding.Dexter knew that Dad and Mom favored Rosa and wouldn't prepare a thing for me for the wedding. So, he secretly found a tailor to make me a wedding dress. Knowing that I wanted to go to college, he even handed over all his school n

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