The Rose is No Longer Gentle, Nor is Her Love

Bradley didn't come home that night. After I refused to cook for Veronica, he blocked my number.

I didn't bother dealing with him and took a trip back to my hometown to collect a few things from my childhood.

I had no idea what Bradley had told my mother. The moment I stepped off the bus, I saw her waiting at the door, eagerly looking around. Once she was sure Bradley hadn't come with me, her face darkened.

What she didn't know was that Bradley would never set foot here again. He had always looked down on me and my family from the very beginning.

My mom asked, "Haven't you two made up yet?"

"We're not going to," I said. As soon as the words left my mouth, my mother slapped me across the face. Half of my face immediately swelled up.

Still unsatisfied, she continued hitting me, just like when I was a child, in front of everyone passing by. She grabbed the wooden stick by the door and began beating me with it, hard and furious. One strike after another.

My mom started to accusing me, "Bradley told me everything. Finding a man as good as him is a blessing you've earned over several lifetimes and you still can't make the most of it? Jealous, living wildly, you're such a lowly person!"

"Let me tell you, no matter what it takes, begging, getting pregnant, you better find a way to marry Bradley, or don't bother coming back here!" she screamed.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew and heavy rain began to pour. Only then did my mother stop. She blocked me from entering the house and threw my belongings out, one by one. She yelled, "Get out right now! Even if you die, you better die at Kane's house!"

One of my childhood trophies hit my forehead and blood mixed with rainwater trickled down my cheek.

I bent down, rummaging through the scattered items, trying to salvage memories from the past.

A Bentley slowly pulled up beside me. Bradley got out of the car, holding an umbrella with one hand while forcibly grabbing me with the other.

He dragged me into the car and said, "Yasmine, have you learned your lesson? No one in this world will ever love you except me. Be a good girl and come home. Apologize properly to Veronica and you'll still be the future Mrs. Kane."

He threw his coat over me and the distinct scent of Veronica's perfume hit me instantly.

I turned my head to look at the rain-blurred scenery outside the window, feeling utterly numb inside.

Once, I had considered Bradley my salvation, sharing my innermost thoughts and pains with him. But he had used those very pains to manipulate me. He had never been my refuge and he wasn't worth my love.

Only by leaving him and that so-called 'home' could I truly live a better life. While I was lost in thought, Bradley's phone rang.

"Bradley, why aren't you here yet? Everyone's waiting for you."

"They're all teasing me, saying how the company retreat can't just have the boss's wife attending while the boss himself is nowhere to be found. I'm running out of ways to respond …" a voice of a woman was heard.

Bradley shot me an awkward glance. He hesitated, wanting to leave me behind but realizing it wouldn't look right.

He said, "Yasmine, why don't you come along to the company retreat?" In the past, I was never allowed to set foot in Bradley's company.

Even when I brought him meals, I had to wait outside for his assistant to come out so as not to disturb his work. This was an unprecedented 'gift' from him.

I took out a tissue to wipe the blood from my forehead and slowly responded, "Okay."