𝐔𝐍𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐘 (𝟏𝟖+) √

01

ROSE

As I stepped out of the car, the soft wind of the countryside hit my face. The smell of the dry, bristled air hit my nose, and it wasn't pleasing. I had forgotten what it felt like to be here. It made me remember all the bad decisions that led me to be here – this was most definitely the worst punishment I could've received.

My mind flashed with images of tabloids, reports and gossiping sites that were trash-talking me for the past weeks. Most of them were basic, such as, the heir of Solace Enterprises gets blackout drunk during a charity event, which was sadly true.

What the press didn't know was that I graduated on that day, I was finally done with university, and school in general.

Was it smart? No, but what I needed the most on that very hot day was what I got — alcohol.

My extremely religious parents, Ashton and Maya Solace, were not so thrilled. Although my father was quiet, I could tell that he was pissed and disappointed. Not that I cared, though.

I never had a great relationship with my parents. Since the day I started talking, they already made up their mind about how I'd live my life — finish a university of their choice, inherit the family business, and of course, get married to a man they approve of and have his children.

If we ignored the fact that I wasn't religious at all and wasn't interested in marriage, the point of their realization that I wouldn't submit to their wishes was most likely when I deliberately went to a different university than they wanted me to.

Though, I did offer — either a university of my choice or no school at all.

Didn't take them long to make a decision.

It severed the bond I had with my brother completely. We never saw eye to eye but we were fine. It was awkward at times, but we didn't hate each other.

Ryland hated me now.

He blamed me for not "stepping up" and acting like the daughter they wanted, so now it was onto him to be the golden child.

It was selfish but I never said I was a selfless person so I didn't care all that much.

What I cared about was this hell-hole I was sent to.

My maternal grandmother didn't believe in divorce. It was probably why my parents decided cheating behind the scenes was a better option than terminating their marriage.

Louise, the grandmother, was also a Jesus Christ worshiper. That was fine on its own, but she often pushed the religion onto me and Ryland.

Churches were visited every Sunday. She had her little preaching room that was used multiple times a day and I knew it was about to become my new life.

"Rose, how wonderful that you've come." She said as she looked me up and down, judgment filled in her eyes.

Her tone also indicated that she was anything but happy to see me. To her, it was another obligation and she would try her best to turn me into a good little girl within the next two months I was to spend with her.

Endure it, Rosie. For the money.

I grinned widely and pulled her into a hug, "I've missed you, grandma."

The moment I entered her house, a smell had hit my nose. It wasn't a bad smell, it was just something I hadn't felt in a while. When we were young, Ryland and I adored coming here, but as we got older, the more she was pushing us towards her religious beliefs and she was slowly taking away our right to choose. We didn't like it, and neither did dad, and ever since, he had banned her from seeing us.