The complex bond of Rose

Chapter One

Rose cleaned the dishes and arranged them neatly in the plate rack. She heard Jason's voice crying from the living room and quickly left the kitchen to check on him and Juliet.

Rose, a pretty young lady in her mid-30s, had long, flowing hair that ran down her shoulders. She had a perfect figure that most men referred to as a figure 8. Rose was an orphan who never got to know her parents and only had one relative, her younger brother, whom she was not always comfortable around.

Now married to one of the most successful men in town, Rose's marriage had lasted seven years and she had twins, a boy, and a cute baby girl named Juliet and Jason. She considered herself lucky to be married to William, the man of her dreams and every lady's crush.

Rose had never imagined having a loving husband and a good marriage, as she never got to witness her parents' marriage. Her parents had died in an accident when she was eight years old and her brother was five.

Peter, her brother, was expected to be one of the closest people to Rose, but he was actually the last person she wanted to see. The striking resemblance between Jason and Peter irritated her, but she always hid her feelings whenever she was around her husband or in public.

Rose pat Jason and gave him one of the toy that was scattered on the floor but Jason continue to cry over the one with Juilet she hissed and sit on the chair relaxing her back on the couch ignoring Jason. She looked up at the picture of herself and William on their wedding day. There was a broad smile on her face, she recall the day of her wedding.

Rose POV

On my wedding day, I struggled to sleep the night before as I was consumed with the thought of becoming William's wife. It all felt surreal. Eventually, I managed to fall asleep around 4 am, only to be wide awake again by 6:27 am. Standing in front of the mirror, I envisioned William walking me down the aisle, and the moment when I would look into his eyes and say "I do." It was a moment I had been dreaming of my whole life.

I was dressed by the costume designer hired by the event planner, who happened to be one of the best in town, arranged by William. Every detail of the ceremony was taken care of by my prince charming, and I couldn't believe the stunning reflection I saw in the mirror. I felt like the most beautiful woman in the world and marveled at my luck to have William as my man and to be his bride.

As we moved to the reception following the church ceremony and blessings, I noticed my brother, Peter, walking out of the venue to make a call. I was filled with anger as I hadn't invited him, and couldn't fathom why he was there. I hastily called on one of the security guards to escort him out, leaving many wondering why I would exclude my only relative from witnessing my special day.

The mere sight of Peter reminds me of a painful past that I am not proud of. Following the passing of our parents, our uncle took us in. Initially, he cared for us well, but things turned sour when he got married. His wife could not stand us and often mistreated us. She would barely give us food, and despite our uncle knowing what was happening, he would confront her, only for it to result in a serious fight, causing him to stop accusing her altogether. This led us to fend for ourselves, taking on odd jobs to survive.

Despite our hardships, I was determined to continue my education. After completing my secondary school exams, I sought a job as a sales girl. It was during this time that I met a man who promised to help me, and he kept his word. He invited my brother and I went to visit him at his home, and we accepted.

That day marked the beginning of my deep-seated hatred for my brother, a sentiment that continues to linger even now. Whenever I see him, feelings of anger and resentment well up within me, casting a shadow over my mood. There have been times when I wished harm upon him and my parents, believing that their absence would spare me the pain and suffering they have caused me. I cannot definitively blame Peter or our uncle for this turmoil, as the latter lacks the courage to stand up for his brother's children, lest it jeopardize his own family stability and leave us to fend for ourselves. Perhaps, with a family of his own, the affection he once held for us has waned.

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Rose was snapped back to reality by the sound of her husband's car horn, signaling his return from work. Since their marriage, William never stayed late at the office; he always made it home by 6 or shortly after. After finishing work at 5 pm, he would head straight home without fail. The crying had ceased, with Jason now playing contentedly with his toys, except when Juliet refused to share.

Standing up, Rose walked towards the door to greet her beloved husband. As William opened the door, he was met with a warm smile and a tight hug from Rose. However, behind her smile, William could sense that something was amiss.

"How was your day at work?" Rose inquired, taking William's briefcase and guiding him to sit down. Jason, who was William's favorite, ran to his father and, after receiving ill treatment from Juliet earlier, began to cry.

"Work was fine and hectic as usual," Williams answered. He inquired about Jason's reaction from Rose and she explained what had happened previously. Williams had noticed the way Rose treated Jason, showing him love and attention. He chose not to bring up the issue and pretended not to know.

"Dinner is ready. Should I set the table while you have a shower?" Rose asked Williams.

"That's fine," he replied.

"You look worried. Is everything okay?" Rose asked.

"I'm just stressed. I'm fine, dear," Williams answered, planting a kiss on Rose's cheek to avoid further probing.

Williams knew there was something not right about his wife not wanting to have anything to do with her only brother, Peter, and the way she sometimes reacted to Jason, who bore a striking resemblance to Peter. He decided not to question her about it, as he himself had things he preferred not to talk about. He hoped that with time, he would uncover the truth without having to question her.