"Smile, Rose." The whisper of the man beside her made Rose feel nauseous for a moment.
Rose glanced disdainfully from behind the bridal veil at the towering man in a white suit. Robert's handsome face, which has a solid jaw and eyes as blue as the ocean, did not interest her.
"Robert Miller!"
The girl's face was very tense with her hands adorned with white lace sheaths, squeezing each other tightly. She really wanted to run off the aisle, leave the lecherous doctor and embarrass him in front of dozens of cameras that were glaring at him. Surely it would be nice to be able to bring down the good name of Robert Miller.
However, Rose's feet remained glued to her feet, standing next to the famous doctor, who would soon become her legal husband. The thing that never crossed her mind at all, was bound for life with a man who had abandoned her sister.
"Don't you dare do that, Rose!" The threatening whisper was heard again.
Rose became weak, it was still clear what the consequences would be if she ran away from this marriage. Lost Kenzie, the child born to her younger sister and father who will be deported. The woman's body shivered, unable to imagine if this happened.
If only she hadn't gotten her revenge by separating Robert and Rosa, the real bride-to-be. So, it's impossible for Rose to have to bear the consequences by becoming a surrogate bride. The rice had turned to porridge, the woman couldn't imagine what it would be like to live by bearing the surname of the man she hated.
"Now I declare that you are husband and wife lawfully. Robert Miller you may kiss your wife Rose Gonzalez Miller."
Rose's body trembled at the priest's words. The jaws on Rose's face hardened as Robert removed her hood and smiled gently like an angel.
Rose felt the pain on her lips from Robert's bite. Not an intimate kiss that she got but a sore on her injured lips. The girl glared at Robert with misty eyes, as if to pounce on the man.
"Smile Rose, you're a Miller now."
Rose blinked and unconsciously the crystal beads that had been reminiscing about earlier, trickled down her smooth cheeks. The girl could not contain the emotions and hatred that had broken out in her.
"Wow, look! The Bride is moved." Words full of emotion and admiration from the invitees, made Rose sob even more with annoyance.
'I'm not moved! But I hate all of this. Don't you know this is my cry of anger!' shouted Rose inside.
"Rose..." Robert touched Rose's oval face gently, he gently wiped the teardrops that ran down the beautiful face.
The cold stare of the woman with brown eyes seemed to be about to stab him, but Robert returned it with eyes full of love. It's not difficult for Robert to just act romantically, because in fact it is a natural talent that the celebrity doctor has.
Robert lowered his face and without warning kissed Rose's lips tenderly. The man deliberately put on an impressive spectacle that would amaze every guest. He could feel Rose's hand gripping his shoulder hard, but Robert didn't budge to keep his kisses on Rose's sweet lips any longer.
"I didn't expect your lips to be so delicious," Robert whispered as he broke the bite between them.
"You wolf in sheep's clothing!" Rose hissed hatefully.
Rose wanted to leave when the blessing ceremony was over. Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision. She wanted to run away from the crowd and dozens of reporters' camera beams, but Robert's hands tightened around her arm.
"Ah, honey, you look so happy." Robert pulled Rose into his arms.
He took a handkerchief from his service pocket and gently wiped the tears from Rose's face. His gentle demeanor made Rose tremble, while to others it seemed so romantic.
The intimacy shown by Robert and the way he looked at Rose, became the main topic of conversation that night. Everyone is sure that Robert loves Rose more than Rosa.
"Kiss your bride again, Doctor Robert!" A shout from one of Robert's co-workers made the man smile widely.
"No, stop it," whispered Rose, trembling.
She didn't want his lips to stick to her's again. Rose was afraid that the warmth that was transmitted would dispel the hatred she had cultivated for so long. Rose kept muttering in her heart, if Robert was an antagonist, an enemy she had to punish for life.
"Why, Rose, are you afraid I'll make you fall in love?" Robert's soft whisper in her ear made Rose's hair stand on end.
The man returned without permission to put his lips gently on Rose's. He rubbed gently, while holding Rose's back. Robert ignored the pain from Rose's grip on his shoulder.
"Wow, you two really love each other." Those words made Rose's ears turn red.
"The bride is really lucky to be loved by a doctor like Robert," said another invitee.
"There's no love in this marriage. He married me just because he wanted to punish me. Why doesn't Robert stop doing this as well?" Rose thought, screaming with sorrow, denying all the presumptions that the invitees had made.
"You enjoyed it, honey," Robert's voice cracked as their lips parted, much to Rose's disgust.
"Stop! Don't ever do that again." Rose whispered furiously.
Robert chuckled as he rubbed Rose's mouth. He then turned around to present his beautiful face so that journalists' cameras could capture it more clearly.
"Smile, Rose, otherwise I'll be doing more than just a kiss." Robert whispered as he caressed Rose's face. "I'm sorry my bride, she's just too shy in a crowd like this."
Robert's words made all the reporters and invitees laugh out loud. There was a clamor of people teasing Rose who they thought was still being coy.
A second later Rose showed her beautiful face. The smile on the woman's face could even make Robert gasp. He looked at Rose with a look full of admiration. The love that Robert displayed became a beautiful moment that was immortalized.
Moments later Rose managed to escape from the event. She looked around the room trying to find the whereabouts of Romeo and also her younger brother Ryan. Rose wanted to take them and Kenzie to escape immediately.
"Where's Daddy and Ryan." Still holding Kenzie in her arms, Rose continued to walk restlessly.
"Where are you going?" Robert, who was previously busy with some of his friends congratulating him, suddenly stood in front of Rose.
"I have complied with your threat, now let me get out of here." Really, Rose felt uncomfortable at a party that wasn't really meant for her.
"Kenzie, as with our agreement, Kenzie will stay with Aunt Jasmine tonight, okay?" Robert took Kenzie from Rose's arms.
"Don't ... don't take him away," Rose pleaded.
Robert ignored the woman's words. He took Rose's hand with his left hand. After giving Kenzie to Jasmine, Robert pulled Rose away from the crowd to the top floor, where the bridal chamber had been prepared.
"What do you want?" Rose refrained from entering the room.
"He couldn't have done that to me, could he?" thought Rose. The girl was horrified if she had to spend the wedding night with Robert.
"Do you want it?" Robert looked at Rose with a gentle gaze that was so piercing.
"You're disgusting!"
"Rose… Rose…." Robert laughed.
He forced the woman into the room. Robert then left Rose alone and locked the bridal chamber, leaving Rose alone in the room filled with rose petals.
"Robert, open the door!" Rose banged on the door and realized the man wouldn't do what she wanted.
The woman sat weakly on the bed. She had checked all the rooms and realized there was no other way out, other than the door that had been locked by Robert.
The girl wept bitterly, lamenting her fate of having to marry a man who had abandoned her sister and nephew. Rose can't accept the fact that before she died,
Ruby still hoped that the man would return to her.
"If only I hadn't provoked Robert and left town with Kenzie and Daddy, then none of this would have happened," lamented Rose reminiscing about what had happened months before the wedding.
Six months earlier, at the funeral home.Rose's teeth chattered at the man standing a few meters in front of her. A handsome man with short dark hair combed neatly with a touch of hair oil. The man was currently standing proudly toweringly staring intently at him."How dare he show the bridge of his nose in this place." Rose thought with hatred.Rose's short fingernails had sunk into her hands, digging deeper and deeper into the skin. The woman was trying so hard to hold back the emotions that were about to overflow when the unwanted man came to her sister's funeral.Rose wanted to scream to get rid of the man who had hurt Ruby until the end of her life. She really wanted to scream so that everyone would know what a handsome man who is so adored and even respected by many people looks like.Rose's jaw tightened as the man approached her. Spontaneously she pulled a five year old little boy to stand behind her. She wouldn't let that bastard touch the boy with the tip of his finger."Rose
A cold aura radiated from Robert's body who was standing in front of the mound of earth. The man's eyes stared straight ahead where a beautiful photo of Ruby was adorned with a flower necklace. A beautiful smile he would never be able to see again.Regret or not, it's too late, because the various questions that are still rooted in him will not be able to get answers. The mystery has been buried with the departure of Ruby.The mound of red earth was still wet and covered with roses that were sprinkled like a rug. One by one the flower blades were carried away by the breeze that blew, sending a flower petal gently slapping Robert's face, which was still stunned."I'm sorry, Ruby. Even though it's late, I will take Kenzie and take care of him." Robert shook off the rose that was stuck in his coat.He walked over to Rose and her family where Kenzie was. Romeo, Ruby's father was still stunned with a stick supporting his thin body. Beside Romeo stood Ryan, Ruby's youngest brother who was al
Ting tong!"Welcome!"The sound of the bell signaling customers to come in, made Rose look up. The girl who had just recorded the results of today's sales, was stunned to see an unexpected figure suddenly standing in front of her.If only she had known it was the man who would appear, Rose would not have said hello and more importantly she would have closed the convenience store earlier."What are you doing here?" Rose asked coldly.She closed the book containing the financial records and put them in a drawer. Rose glared at the man who came in wearing a black suit and hiding his famous handsome face behind a hat."I want to see my son." The man turned his face to glare at Rose."Your son? Heh! How do I know who your son is." Rose glared at the handsome man who was trying to hide his face behind a black hat."Don't play games, Rose. Let me see Kenzie." it was clear when the man suppressed his emotion."I'm not kidding, doctor Robert Miller. Since when did you leave your child with me?
It's been forty days since Ruby left this mortal world. During that time, Robert never bothered Rose and her family. The man did not show the bridge of his nose even though his shadow never appeared. Rose felt reassured because it meant that Robert Miller had completely forgotten about Kenzie. The beautiful girl smiled sarcastically every time she remembered how Robert's attitude seemed to want Kenzie. However, in the end it was all just a mask to seek sympathy. Rose was increasingly convinced that the man would never show the bridge of his nose. A man with a success where he became a role model in every television show and talk show, it is impossible to let his career be ruined just because of the child in the past. The child he never wanted before. "You're worried about, asking ....." The host on a television s
"Rose! What happened? How did our shophouse catch fire?" Romeo was shocked to see the remains of the fire that was still burning in the building. Romeo's body staggered, he almost fell when Dulce's hand quickly grabbed him. Dulce, who was no less surprised, immediately brought the old man to sit on the edge of the sidewalk. The immigrant woman sat beside Romeo with a body that was no less shaking. "How could it be?" Rose hissed in disbelief. Everything she owns, the house where his family takes refuge and her livelihood is there. Rose stared frozen frozen at the blackened building with Kenzie still in her arms. It was nine o'clock in the evening when the fire broke out. They had just arrived from dinner at a
Rose hugged Kenzie tightly. Her body trembled remembering that she was about to lose the little boy. Rose's argument with Robert wakes Kenzie. The boy was crying loudly. "Ssh … sshh, Honey. All is well." Rose patted Kenzie's back gently and slightly shook her body to calm the boy down. "Rose… why are you mad at that guy? He was just trying to help us." Romeo looked at Rose in disbelief. "Don't trust anyone, Dad. You can only trust me. Remember that, Dad." said Rose firmly. She was very worried that the same thing would happen again. She cast her eyes around the street especially in the direction where Robert had disappeared. Rose was afraid that the man would still be standing somewhere and then reappear.
Rose fell into the arms of the firefighters when the man grabbed her as she was about to lift the remaining wooden door from the cupboard in her room. Flames shot out from behind the thick wooden door. It turned out that there was a big hole under the wood, where there was still some burning residue from the first floor. The fire almost hit Rose's body, had the officer not immediately pulled her body away. Rose could feel the heat of the fire even though they were already a safe distance away. Rose's face was about pale for sure, sensing the danger that was about to befall her. 'I have to live and be strong for my family.' "We have to get down soon, Miss. I'm afraid there's another fireball still trapped." The officer pulled Rose's hand to immediately get down. "But, sir. My documents, my son's birth certificate ..." Rose was bewildered to see the remnants of the fire dev
Rose sneaked into the room. She saw her father sleeping soundly only wrapped in a thin damp cloth, while Dulce hugged Kenzie in the narrow bed. Rose wiped the remnants of the tears still reminiscing on her face, and she decided to calm down in the bathroom. There was no warm water in the tiny bathroom and the smell from the slightly clogged toilet stung Rose's nostrils. The corners of the bathroom floor looked yellowed and the drains were rusty and full of hair loss. There was water seepage on the roof and walls of the narrow room. "I have to get them all out of this inn," Rose muttered. Rose tied her shoulder-length black hair up and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Sadness is very, very clearly visible there, a sense of despair and tiredness mixed into one. That beautiful face looked very miserable.