Chapter 2 No One Gets to Belittle Her
Rose graduated from the Journalism Department of Rayvale Communication University, and she had been admitted to graduate school.
When she shared the joyful news with Judson, he responded with a cold look. “You got admitted just like that? Well, I guess that makes it easier for you to seduce men.”
“Tell me.” All of a sudden, he moved closer to her, his eyes brimming with sarcasm. “What did you offer Darrin this time to secure yourself a spot? After all, the two things you excel at are charming men and acquiring favors.”
Upon hearing this, she relinquished her hard-earned spot and even her job, being willing to remain in the Imperial Garden, awaiting his return every day.
Her greatest fear was being labeled as someone who received special treatment.
As it was precisely the reason why she was adopted by the Roach family.
Her parents died because of the Roach family.
Guilty, the Roach family remembered the kindness and not only adopted her but also made her Judson’s fiancée.
When she was young, she was naïve and fantasized.
However, as she matured, she was compelled to confront reality due to its harsh nature.
Judson never wanted to marry her.
Lillian was correct. She expressed, “Ms. Edwards, you compel the Roach family to regard you as their daughter due to your parents’ benevolence. You even manipulate them into proposing their son to you. You believe you love Judson, but the only person you genuinely love is yourself. Are you aware of how much you have cornered Judson?”
Did Rose love no one but herself?
She had no idea. She only knew that she lost herself and became utterly humble because of that man.
If this kind of love caused pain for both her and him, it would be better for the sake of both of them to let go of it as soon as possible.
***
By the time Rose came back to her senses, she had sent out several application letters already.
Breaking up with Judson meant she had to live on her own from now on. Tameka Roach, Judson’s mother, gave her pocket money regularly every month, and Judson’s grandparents would also give her allowances every now and then.
Yet considering the current situation she was in, she couldn’t accept any money from them anymore.
She wouldn’t touch the money on the card unless she had to. Even if she did, she’d pay back as soon as she could.
She would never let anyone use money as an excuse to belittle her.
Judson would say that she tried to seduce men when she was out working, and he would mock her for living off his family if she stayed home.
She sneered.
From now on, she would rely on herself. She would be responsible for feeding herself, buying herself clothes, saving her sister, and having relationships.
No one got to tell her what to do.
Collecting herself, she went to the hospital.
Jenifer was in critical condition last night. She was still weak after being rescued, but she smiled brightly when she saw Rose.
“Rose.”
Jenifer was Rose’s aunt’s daughter.
Rose’s aunt died of an illness, and Rose’s uncle quickly remarried and had a son, making Jenifer redundant.
Rose went to the Roach’s place for a party last year. When she returned, Jenifer was squatting in front of Imperial Garden’s gate with a dirty bag, and her face was red with cold.
Jenifer held a crumpled piece of paper with Imperial Garden’s address in her hand and didn’t dare to look at Rose. “Are you my sister? Mom told me to come find my sister if I needed anything…”
The paper was left to Jenifer by Rose’s aunt. It was her last hope.
Rose soon knew why Jenifer was abandoned.
Jenifer suffered from congenital liver failure and leukemia. She tried her best to come to Imperial Garden alone and was sent to the emergency room that night.
Since then, her complications continued, and she barely came out of the hospital.
Her medical expenses were shockingly high.
As always, Judson sneered coldly, “The Edwards family has always known how to maximize profits.”
***
Rose took a deep breath and sat next to Jenifer.
“Rose!” Jenifer was dumbfounded. “Are you ill? What’s wrong with you?”
Rose was stunned.
She tried to intercept the surgeon at the airport last night. Because there was some traffic near the airport, and she couldn’t wait, she got out of the taxi in advance and ran to the terminal on foot.
She wasn’t paying attention enough and was accidentally hit by a private car.
Fortunately, the driver threw the steering wheel in time, so the car only slightly grazed her body.
Yet she still fell out and suffered multiple bruising and soft tissue damage.
After a whole night, she was sore and could neither stand nor sit.
Judson saw neither of these when he put her on the bed and humiliated her.
On the contrary, Jenifer knew at once when seeing her sitting awkwardly.
Rose said nothing. Seeing that, Jenifer was obviously frightened. She cried in a low voice, “Rose, I don’t want you to get hurt… It doesn’t hurt… When I get better, I’ll go make money and pay you back… I won’t piss Judson off…”
Even Jenifer, who lived in the hospital all day and barely met Judson, knew he wasn’t nice to Rose.
Yet Rose was like a joke. She clung to the idea that if she hung on a little more, she could keep him by her side.
“It’s fine. I didn’t sleep well last night, “Rose smiled gently. Then she scratched Jenifer’s nose tenderly and said, “Since when did you start to talk nothing but money? Stay healthy, and that will save me money. Got it?”
The phone in Rose’s pocket rang.
She quickly took it out. Her efforts in searching for a job appeared to have yielded results.
Yet seeing the company name on the letterhead, she froze for a moment.
It was Flourish Media.
Desperate for a job, she sent her application letter to almost all media companies, and the first one to send her an interview invitation was Flourish Media.
The interview was scheduled for 1:00 this afternoon.
After coaxing Jenifer, Rose rushed to the interview without stopping.
Flourish Media was one of the top news media groups in the country, and all journalism students were proud to be admitted to Flourish Media after graduation.
Rose’s academic performance in that year was quite excellent, and her graduation work won the one and only special prize of that year.
Therefore, right after she graduated, she got an offer from Flourish Media.
However, to become the “perfect woman” in Judson’s eyes, she buried her future with her own hands.
Then he taught her a lesson in his ruthlessness. Without money or a career, women had no dignity or status.
Love was the most unreliable promissory note.
Moreover, there was no love between them.
“Ms. Edwards, from your resume, you are best at social news, but we are currently recruiting journalists in the direction of entertainment. I do not know whether you…”
“Entertainment journalism is good. I can manage it.”
“Then when can you start?”
“Now.”
Rose needed money, a decent job, and the strength to never look back.
Yet she had just finished the entry process when she saw the gentleman outside the Personnel Department.
