Ch. 6..10: Rebirth_ Dancing In My Destiny Chapter 6-10
Chapter 6: Molly Wilson
Evan felt worried when he saw the face of the woman in front of him look so pale. Her eyes flashed with deep worry.
"Excuse me, Aunty, are you Rose Wilson’s mother?" Evan asked the middle-aged woman politely.
"Yes...Yes... I’m Rose’s mother. You call me Aunt Molly. Are you the one who calls me? Where’s my daughter?"
"Yes, Auntie, I’m. Come in..." Evan opened the door wider to allow Aunt Molly a way to enter the room. He follows her to the bed and stops right beside her.
Molly’s eyes staring at her daughter lay motionless on the bed. Her heart was pounding to worry something terrible had happened to her only daughter.
"What happened to Rose?" She asked the tall man beside her. Her mind still feels scared since she received a call from this man telling her that her daughter was in the emergency room. She left what she was doing at the time and quickly took a taxi to the hospital. She was in such a hurry that she forgot to change her proper clothes and only used slippers.
Evan told Molly what had happened to Rose when she passed out in the middle of their dinner. He also informed her about the complete medical test results that there were no problems with her body, but she was just tired and stressed.
"Aunty, sorry if I made you panic, so you have to come here in a rush...." Evan regretted telling Rose’s mother. At that time, he was too frightened to wait for the results of Rose’s medical check-up. He was worried that something might have happened to her and her mother had the right to know. He knew that Rose only lived with her mother while her father died long ago when she was a baby.
After he checked Rose’s mother’s cellphone number from the database at the campus, he immediately called her right away. Now he regretted it, seeing how panicked Rose’s mother was; she was just using her casual home wear with an apron still tugging around her waist. He was also worried that Rose would be mad at him for upsetting her mother.
"No! Don’t say that, young man...." Molly stops her words. "I’m sorry, what is your name?" Molly awkwardly smiled because she was so panicked at the beginning that she forgot to ask the name of the man who had helped her daughter.
Seeing his appearance in formal clothes, she can guess this man is not her daughter’s classmate. Maybe this man is her daughter’s professor? But, she immediately doubts it because this man’s face looks so young.
Immediately Evan felt his body tighten hearing Aunt Molly’s question. He quickly stood straight facing her before saying, "Aunty Molly... let me introduce myself properly. My name is Evan Collins. I’m Rose’s boyfriend....I mean, friend. The friend who is going out with your daughter." Evan nervously and slightly lowered his head towards Aunty Molly to respect his girlfriend’s mother.
Molly almost fell when she heard this handsome and tall man before her, is her daughter’s boyfriend. All of a sudden, she felt confused.
Since when did her daughter have a boyfriend?
Wasn’t she close to Dustin...why suddenly did another man appear and claim to be her lover?
Molly was puzzled.
Seeing Aunty Molly looking disbelieving at his words, Evan feels worried. He thought Rose’s mother didn’t like him. But after realizing that now he looked different, his clothes were too formal. Of course, this made Rose’s mother definitely not believe him.
"Aunty, besides, I am Rose’s boyfriend. I’m also her class president...."
"Ah... ahh!! So you’re that Evan? The smartest student in the class? No... in B University?" Molly’s eyes lit up when she heard Evan’s words. Now she remembers that her daughter always complained about him; Evan always beat her grades. Make her never be able to become number one in rank. She ends up in second place the entire year.
"Yes, that’s me...." Evan smiles in joy because Aunt Molly doesn’t suspect him anymore.
"I thought you weren’t a student because your clothes don’t look like that..." Molly was a little embarrassed for being suspicious of Evan.
Evan could only smile when he heard Aunt Molly’s words. He hurriedly explained to her, "Aunty, I became one of the keynote speakers on a talk show on campus, so I wore this formal suit...." Evan rubbed his nape with joy. The awkward moment between him and Aunty Molly gradually faded.
Aunt asks Evan to sit. So, they walked toward the sofa, which is on the other side of the room, and began to talk about many things more casually.
"Aunty, it’s almost midnight. You should sleep here. Tomorrow morning I will take you both home...." Evan was worried that Aunt Molly would be exhausted waiting for Rose to wake up. There was no sign that Rose would soon wake up from her sleep until now.
Molly, who had started yawning several times, glanced at the bed to see that her daughter was still fast asleep without moving. She is a little worried because her daughter has not woken up, even after several hours.
"When will she wake up?"
"I’m not sure either. Earlier the doctor said that Rose was given sleeping drugs to rest longer..."
Molly was silent for a moment. She knew how tired her daughter was. Lately, she’s been too busy compiling her final thesis. Maybe because too much stress and lack of rest made her exhausted like this. She agreed that her daughter needs to be given sleeping drugs to rest longer.
But, deep inside her, she didn’t want to stay here either, because this VIP room was too luxurious. She was afraid the price for this room would be costly. She felt uncomfortable because all the medical fees and this room had been paid for.
She insisted on paying back Evan’s money several times, but he refused. After a few tries and Evan kept pushing, she finally gave in. But as payment, she invited Evan to lunch at her house tomorrow.
Without Molly and Evan knowing. Rose slowly woke up from her deep sleep when she faintly heard a very familiar female voice in her ear.
She slowly opened her eyelids, but her eyes feels hurt. She quickly closed her eyes again to adjust the bright light. After some time she opened her eyes again and saw the unfamiliar white ceiling above her. She frowned.
Chapter 7: Sorry
Rose was confused to realize she was in a hospital.
"What Happened? Wasn’t I having dinner with Evan?" She silently talks to herself.
While confused, she suddenly heard a conversation between Evan and a woman’s voice that closely resembled her mother’s voice. She slowly looked in their direction. She was shocked, and suddenly her heartbeat wildly looked at her mother. How could she come here?
"If Rose doesn’t wake up in an hour, I’ll stay here. But if she wakes up before that, we better go home." Molly smiles at Evan, "It’s more comfortable staying at home...."
Evan nods, agreeing with Aunt Molly.
"I’ll drive Aunt and Rose back home..." Evan couldn’t force Aunt Molly to stay at the hospital.
"Evan, no need to drive us. You must be tired if you have to take us home. Rose and I can take a taxi...." Molly quickly turned down Evan’s offer. She and Rose had already bothered Evan too much. It didn’t feel right. He had to drive them to go home. Especially now that it was already midnight, he must be tired. Plus, their house is quite a distance from Evan’s house.
"Aunty... I’m Rose’s boyfriend, it’s my responsibility to take care of Rose and you. Don’t worry, I’m a strong man, I don’t feel tired...." He smiled, trying to convince Molly to believe what he was saying.
Rose was speechless when she heard Evan and her mother look familiar. They casually talked as if they had already known each other for a long time. And what surprised her is that her mother already knows Evan’s identity as her boyfriend. She blushed while holding her smile, remembering her new status as Evan’s girlfriend. It doesn’t feel real.
"Rose!" Evan suddenly stood up from his chair and walked quickly to the bed. "Are you awake..." Instantly his heart became calmer when he saw his lover had regained consciousness. He can see that her cheeks that had looked so pale were gradually turning pink as well as the color of her lips. She looks so beautiful in this state, but her eyes look slightly red, worrying him.
Rose woke up from her sleep and felt her body feel so stiff.
"Why am I here, Evan?"
"You passed out while we were having dinner. However, the doctor said you were just tired and stressed...." He said while standing right beside Rose.
While Molly stands a few steps from her daughter. With mixed feelings, she looked at her little daughter. Before her daughter was in a deep sleep, she could control herself not to scold her. But seeing her awake and looking healthy, the anger in her heart was instantly triggered.
Molly wanted to scold Rose because she always ignored her. Every day she reminds her daughter to take care of her health and not stay up late, but this naughty girl doesn’t hear her.
Rose feels a pair of eyes looking intently at her. She turns her gaze in her mother’s direction. In a flash, she jumps out of bed and walks fast, then burying her head into her mother’s embrace. The sadness in the depths of her heart suddenly emerged, making her cry uncontrollably.
"M-Mother, I miss you so much...." Her voice was low amid her tears.
Rose really misses her mother so much. She hadn’t seen her mother for a long time in her past life because her mother died a few months after she married Dustin. She died because cancer took her life. They found out that her mother was already suffering from terminal cancer too late.
Molly and Evan were shocked to see Rose cry like she was grieving.
"What happened? Why are you crying like this, my daughter? Are you in pain?" Molly tries to release Rose’s embrace, but she can’t, her daughter tightly hugging her. She just gently strokes her daughter’s hair while trying to calm her.
Evan also felt surprised looking at Rose. Is she upset that he called her mother to the hospital? Instantly he was afraid of making a mistake and upsetting Rose.
"Rose..." He could only mumble softly, calling her name, then stood a little away from the mother and daughter. He didn’t know what to do, just gave the two of them some space.
After a few moments of pouring out her sadness, Rose felt better. Slowly she pulled her arm away from her mother. She saw her mother’s face, still beautiful and ageless.
"I’m really sorry, mother..." She took her hand and squeezed it gently. She can’t express how happy she is now. Because her mother is still alive. She still has time to bring her mother to the hospital and cure her illness. She didn’t want to lose her mother in this life. She will do anything to prevent cancer from killing her mother.
Molly softly laughed when she heard her daughter apologizing to her. She pulled her into her embrace and patted her back gently.
"It’s okay, my daughter..." Her voice was so soft it made Rose even more touched. "The important thing is that you’re okay now. You need to pay attention to your health from now on. Don’t let yourself get tired and just pass out in the middle of nowhere. So pitiful when I look at my future son-in-law. He has to go through a lot of trouble to take you to the hospital!"
Molly’s words made Rose and Evan gasp at the same time.
"M-Mother... you, you already think of him as your future son-in-law?" Rose whispers to her mother, afraid Evan will hear her.
Evan broadly smiled when he heard his future mother-in-law consider him as a future son-in-law. He felt like he wanted to run and hug the two women in front of him. He was so happy. But still restrains himself, afraid they will be shocked by his overreaction.
Molly releases her embrace and tilts her head slightly to look at her daughter’s shy face,
"Of course! He is your boyfriend, right?" Molly purposely answered her daughter in a loud voice for Evan to hear. Rose’s eyes were wide open because her mother betrayed her. Molly could only hold her laughter, looking at her daughter’s eyes staring at her as she scolded her with her sharp gaze.
Rose was utterly speechless.
She feels embarrassed that her mother teases her when Evan is still around. Gosh!
Chapter 7: Sorry
Rose was confused to realize she was in a hospital.
"What Happened? Wasn’t I having dinner with Evan?" She silently talks to herself.
While confused, she suddenly heard a conversation between Evan and a woman’s voice that closely resembled her mother’s voice. She slowly looked in their direction. She was shocked, and suddenly her heartbeat wildly looked at her mother. How could she come here?
"If Rose doesn’t wake up in an hour, I’ll stay here. But if she wakes up before that, we better go home." Molly smiles at Evan, "It’s more comfortable staying at home...."
Evan nods, agreeing with Aunt Molly.
"I’ll drive Aunt and Rose back home..." Evan couldn’t force Aunt Molly to stay at the hospital.
"Evan, no need to drive us. You must be tired if you have to take us home. Rose and I can take a taxi...." Molly quickly turned down Evan’s offer. She and Rose had already bothered Evan too much. It didn’t feel right. He had to drive them to go home. Especially now that it was already midnight, he must be tired. Plus, their house is quite a distance from Evan’s house.
"Aunty... I’m Rose’s boyfriend, it’s my responsibility to take care of Rose and you. Don’t worry, I’m a strong man, I don’t feel tired...." He smiled, trying to convince Molly to believe what he was saying.
Rose was speechless when she heard Evan and her mother look familiar. They casually talked as if they had already known each other for a long time. And what surprised her is that her mother already knows Evan’s identity as her boyfriend. She blushed while holding her smile, remembering her new status as Evan’s girlfriend. It doesn’t feel real.
"Rose!" Evan suddenly stood up from his chair and walked quickly to the bed. "Are you awake..." Instantly his heart became calmer when he saw his lover had regained consciousness. He can see that her cheeks that had looked so pale were gradually turning pink as well as the color of her lips. She looks so beautiful in this state, but her eyes look slightly red, worrying him.
Rose woke up from her sleep and felt her body feel so stiff.
"Why am I here, Evan?"
"You passed out while we were having dinner. However, the doctor said you were just tired and stressed...." He said while standing right beside Rose.
While Molly stands a few steps from her daughter. With mixed feelings, she looked at her little daughter. Before her daughter was in a deep sleep, she could control herself not to scold her. But seeing her awake and looking healthy, the anger in her heart was instantly triggered.
Molly wanted to scold Rose because she always ignored her. Every day she reminds her daughter to take care of her health and not stay up late, but this naughty girl doesn’t hear her.
Rose feels a pair of eyes looking intently at her. She turns her gaze in her mother’s direction. In a flash, she jumps out of bed and walks fast, then burying her head into her mother’s embrace. The sadness in the depths of her heart suddenly emerged, making her cry uncontrollably.
"M-Mother, I miss you so much...." Her voice was low amid her tears.
Rose really misses her mother so much. She hadn’t seen her mother for a long time in her past life because her mother died a few months after she married Dustin. She died because cancer took her life. They found out that her mother was already suffering from terminal cancer too late.
Molly and Evan were shocked to see Rose cry like she was grieving.
"What happened? Why are you crying like this, my daughter? Are you in pain?" Molly tries to release Rose’s embrace, but she can’t, her daughter tightly hugging her. She just gently strokes her daughter’s hair while trying to calm her.
Evan also felt surprised looking at Rose. Is she upset that he called her mother to the hospital? Instantly he was afraid of making a mistake and upsetting Rose.
"Rose..." He could only mumble softly, calling her name, then stood a little away from the mother and daughter. He didn’t know what to do, just gave the two of them some space.
After a few moments of pouring out her sadness, Rose felt better. Slowly she pulled her arm away from her mother. She saw her mother’s face, still beautiful and ageless.
"I’m really sorry, mother..." She took her hand and squeezed it gently. She can’t express how happy she is now. Because her mother is still alive. She still has time to bring her mother to the hospital and cure her illness. She didn’t want to lose her mother in this life. She will do anything to prevent cancer from killing her mother.
Molly softly laughed when she heard her daughter apologizing to her. She pulled her into her embrace and patted her back gently.
"It’s okay, my daughter..." Her voice was so soft it made Rose even more touched. "The important thing is that you’re okay now. You need to pay attention to your health from now on. Don’t let yourself get tired and just pass out in the middle of nowhere. So pitiful when I look at my future son-in-law. He has to go through a lot of trouble to take you to the hospital!"
Molly’s words made Rose and Evan gasp at the same time.
"M-Mother... you, you already think of him as your future son-in-law?" Rose whispers to her mother, afraid Evan will hear her.
Evan broadly smiled when he heard his future mother-in-law consider him as a future son-in-law. He felt like he wanted to run and hug the two women in front of him. He was so happy. But still restrains himself, afraid they will be shocked by his overreaction.
Molly releases her embrace and tilts her head slightly to look at her daughter’s shy face,
"Of course! He is your boyfriend, right?" Molly purposely answered her daughter in a loud voice for Evan to hear. Rose’s eyes were wide open because her mother betrayed her. Molly could only hold her laughter, looking at her daughter’s eyes staring at her as she scolded her with her sharp gaze.
Rose was utterly speechless.
She feels embarrassed that her mother teases her when Evan is still around. Gosh!
Chapter 8: Thank You
"Aren’t you guys dating?" Molly knit her brow, playfully teasing her daughter while pulling her to the sofa. She also calls Evan to sit with them.
Rose’s face feels warm, her cheeks turn blush with her mother’s teasing. When she saw Evan who was already sitting opposite, smiling sweetly at her, she became even more embarrassed.
It’s still strange to feel this sensation.
It’s weird, but she likes it.
She could only smile back at him and immediately turn her gaze to her mother again. She wrapped her arms around her mother’s arms coquettishly while heartily laughing before saying, "Mother, of course, we are dating. Evan is my boyfriend...."
Evan, smiling widely, was even more pleased to hear Rose’s words. Now his status as Rose’s lover was known by others, and that person was none other than Rose’s mother. Tonight, he felt like he won the lottery. He finally got the woman he had always liked to be his lover and was accepted by his future mother-in-law.
Rose tried to divert the conversation by asking Evan what had happened to her. When hear Evan’s explanation, she was shocked to know she was faint during their dinner. She had absolutely no memory of what had happened and why she suddenly fainted.
"Rose, are you feeling better now?" Evan is still worried about Rose’s condition. If he had to choose, he wanted Rose to stay at this hospital so that if something happened to her, a medic could check on her immediately. However, she also understood Molly wanted them back home.
"Hmm... I feel so much better!"
Rose was really grateful that she was with Evan tonight when she passed out. If she passed out in the middle of the street with no people she knew, she could have ended up elsewhere. Just thinking about it makes her feel goosebumps all over her body.
"Well... should we go home now?" Molly got up from the couch, getting ready to go home. She didn’t want her future son-in-law to be exhausted because he had to take them home. "Hurry, daughter, poor Evan, he had to drive all night just to get us home...."
"Aunty... don’t worry. My apartment is not far from your house. Only 5 minutes drive...."
"Really?" Molly is surprised to know Evan’s apartment is within walking distance of their house. It means he also lives near their college. She was relieved that Evan didn’t have to drive so long.
"Yes, aunty." Evan was happy. Finally, Molly agreed he drove them home.
Soon the three of them were sitting in Evan’s car.
For some reason, Evan had been silent for a while. He was a little nervous to talk to Rose because her mother was sitting in the back row. Occasionally, Evan glanced in the rearview mirror. He saw Molly had closed her eyes. It seemed that she had fallen asleep from exhaustion.
"Evan! Thank you for today..." Rose whispers to Evan.
He quickly glanced while smiling at her sweetly then looked back to focus on the road ahead.
Rose felt grateful because Evan was very kind and patient to take care of her when she passed out and bring her to the hospital. He also drove them home. His manner toward her mother also touched her.
She could see how Evan respects her mother so much. Her mother also immediately liked him. This is much different from Dustin, who rarely greeted her mother when they were still friends and after they dated. Whenever Dustin drove her home, he never came to her house to greet her mother, but he dropped her at the parking lot.
As she recalled, Dustin only met her mother a few times after they married. Because at that time, they immediately moved to the capital a few weeks after getting married. And when her mother died in this city, Dustin was out of town on duty, so he couldn’t attend her funeral.
Rose suddenly felt her chest tighten as she remembered those sad times. She turns her gaze outside the window, trying to calm her raging heart and make sure her eyes don’t shed tears. She will never cry in front of others because she is reminded of her tragic old life.
Soon they arrived at the parking lot at a three-story building that looked relatively new and spacious, and it’s located at a crossroads, so the position is pretty good for business. This building belongs to Molly. On the ground floor, there is a convenience store managed by Molly. This shop is Molly’s source of income because she has no other job. She only focuses on raising her child. The second floor is rented to a coffee shop and on the third floor where Molly and Rose live.
Evan parked his car and immediately opened the door for Rose and her mother.
"Daughter, you can talk with Evan, but don’t make him wait too long. He’s exhausted..." Molly then looked at Evan. She smiled at him while patting his shoulder gently. And left them to give them some privacy.
Evan stood still in his place, looking at Rose, who looked awkward. He felt so too. The day went really fast. He felt like he was in his dreamland; Rose accepted him as a boyfriend, and he was well-received by his future mother-in-law. It feels like he doesn’t want anything anymore. He feels blessed.
"Rose!" Evan calls her in her deep soft voice as he steps toward her. He stopped right a step ahead. "Thank you so much for everything you gave me today...I’m so blessed." He took her hands and kissed the back of her hand gently.
Rose is surprised by Evan’s sweet gesture. She can feel her heart beating faster than usual when their eyes meet. His blue ocean eyes mesmerized her for slightly seconds.
"Evan, I should be the one saying that... How grateful I was when I passed out that you were there and helped me...."
"I will do anything for you, Rose! You should remember, I’m your boyfriend...."
Rose felt her cheeks feel warm when she hears Evan’s words. She lowered her gaze, unable to see his eyes.
"Alright, you can go now. It is late." Evan let go of his hand and took a step back, smiling at his girlfriend’s face looking blushed. "I will come tomorrow to your house at lunchtime...."
Rose was surprised to hear that. Will he really come?
Seeing Rose’s reaction, who looked at him with confused-looking eyes, Evan chuckled.
"Why do you look surprised? You don’t like it if I come to your house?" He asks her.
Rose immediately shook her head. She likes it. But she was surprised by Evan’s courage. On their second day of dating, he dared to come over to her house for lunch.
Chapter 9: I Won’t Let You Go
Evan laughed at her before continuing his words, "Well, actually, my future mother-in-law...." Evan proudly declared with his big smile framing his calm, handsome face. Rose almost laughed when she saw him.
He continued his words, "She invited me to have lunch at your house tomorrow."
"What!? My mom did that?"
"Hmm... while you were still asleep, we made a deal...." Evan laughed meaningfully, making Rose curious. However, when she asked him, Evan refused to tell. She could only laugh and be happy at the same time because tomorrow, she would meet Evan again at her house.
Rose wanted to know Evan deeply because she knew nothing about him so far. She never had the chance or interest to pursue this further in her previous life. All this time, she only knew that Evan cared about her and that he was smart, but she didn’t know his personality and his deep love. Maybe if they meet and talk often, her heart will open up to him more quickly.
"Alright! Now go... your mother will be worried if we talk too long here." Evan pulled Rose towards the stairs.
"Evan, you must drive carefully, alright!?" Rose, who was already standing on the stair, turned to look at Evan, still standing looking at her. "And, call me if you have arrived at your house..."
"I will, Rose. And..." Evan paused, unsure of what to say.
"What is Evan?"
"Can I kiss you, Rose?" The words were already on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t say them aloud. Too worried that Rose would think wrong of him. He just smiled at her and shook his head slightly.
"Nothing! I will go now... see ya tomorrow Rose!" He waved his hand. He walked fast towards his car while trying to calm his irregularly beating heart and scolding himself for being too brave to kiss her.
"Evan!"
Evan stopped his step when he heard Rose calling his name. He turned back and looked at her. He was surprised when he saw Rose standing right before him.
"R-Rose ..." Before he finished his words, he saw Rose asking him to draw his head closer.
Even though he was confused by Rose’s sudden request, he followed her request. But as soon as his head was close to her face, his eyes widened as Rose’s soft lips touched his lips. It made him freeze for a moment, so shocked by what had happened. It was so fast. He didn’t even notice that Rose had run fast to climb the stairs and disappeared behind her house door.
After a while, Evan regained his senses while smiling widely because his girlfriend had just kissed him! This is the first time a girl has kissed him. Even if it’s just a peck on the lips. His heartfelt light. Like a spring breeze gently slapping his body.
While Evan was still stunned by a quick kiss that Rose gave him. From a dark corner on the other side of the parking area, Dustin, who had been staring intently at Evan couldn’t contain the anger that suddenly appeared in his heart.
Dustin had been waiting for Rose to come home ever since. He wanted to share his happiness about his success in auditioning. But when he arrived at Rose’s house, her house lights were dark. He tried to call her, but her cell phone was off, she couldn’t be reached.
He waited a few minutes in the parking lot, and just as he was about to leave, he saw a car enter the parking area. He had thought it was a typical car usually parked in the area. Still, he was surprised to see that Evan, Rose’s class president, got out of the white sedan. What surprised him even more, he saw Rose and her mother getting out of the car.
Dustin was really shocked. What’s more, he really knows who Evan is. This man has openly admitted to liking Rose and is pursuing her. He had never felt Evan as a threat all this time because he knew Rose just wanted him and never seemed to like Evan.
But, what is this?
Why did they suddenly become close?
And how could this man know Rose’s mother?
What’s with that kiss? Are they dating?
How could Rose kiss a man just like that if they weren’t in a relationship?
This is too much for him to know Rose changed a lot in a short time. Many questions popped up in his mind. The image of Rose kissing Evan made his head hurt instantly.
Then he remembered this afternoon. Suddenly Rose canceled her intention to follow him to audition for a singing competition. He feels weird because Rose has been the one who has been very enthusiastic about participating in this singing competition. She was willing to leave her classes or seminars in her faculty to be able to practice with him.
Was it all because of Evan? He forbade her to take part in the singing competition?
Dustin clenched his fists tightly as his raging heart made him unable to reason.
Only this time, he felt jealous seeing Rose with another man. He had been too confident all this time; Rose will never like another man.
Like someone slapping his head, he feels worried and afraid he will lose Rose forever. His relationship with Rose was just a close friend. They are not a couple. He has never confessed his love to her. Instantly he felt sorry and blamed his stupid self.
With anger still engulfing his heart and mind, Dustin could only stare intently at Evan’s car, slowly leaving the parking area. After that, he looked at the third-floor, Rose bedroom. He tries to call her, but still, her cellphone is out of reach.
After a few minutes in silence, looking at Rose’s room window, which was now turning dark, he slowly moved his car, leaving the parking area with a mixed feeling.
He vows in his mind that he will do something to keep Rose beside him. He can’t lose her just because Evan comes between them. He knows Rose only likes him, and he believes Rose does this just to make him jealous.
"Rose, I won’t let you go... I love you so much, and you are mine and mine alone!" Dustin sinisterly whispered as he lit his cigarette.
Chapter 10: Making Better Choice
Next morning.
Rose woke up when she heard her mother’s voice outside the room. Instantly she smiles widely while her eyes are still tightly closed.
With difficulty, she opened her eyes to look at the clock on the nightstand. But before she could look at the clock, her eyes were dazzled by the bright light that came in through the window.
"Rose! Hurry up and wake up...." Once again, her mother’s voice echoed. She quickly got up and sat down, burying her face in her hands. She can feel her face puffy, especially in the area around her eyes.
"Rose!? Did you hear me?" Molly’s voice sounded worried.
"Mother...I heard you. I’m awake...." She’s still sleepy at the moment. Last night she slept very late because she was too afraid to close her eyes. Worried if she wakes up, she will wake up in her past, and this is all just a dream. She had struggled with her mind and heart for a long time. She could only fall asleep before dawn.
When she heard her mother’s voice, she felt overjoyed. Because what she feared didn’t happen. Her mother is still alive, and she still wakes up in her bedroom.
Rose couldn’t count how many times since yesterday she had thanked God for giving her this second chance to improve herself.
She will try using this second chance to be a better Rose Wilson and pursue the dream she didn’t achieve in her past life. Mainly to make sure her mother gets medical treatment.
Remembering all of her tragic past makes Rose determined to work hard to pursue her dream. Lots to do in the next few days; she must bring her mother to the hospital and go to the bank to open her stock trading account. Her first plan to build her business empire will become a swing trader in the stock market.
She will use her cheated past memories to raise money for her business capital. She knows what would exactly happen in the stock and money market. The new, second chance life somehow let her remember the past as a whole.
Rose has even carefully checked if any new choices affect the other events in the world. So far, it didn’t alter the past she knew.
Because she had followed Evan and her other classmates to enter the stock market in the past, she will do the same thing now. A sharp memory makes her remember what happened in the stock market a few years ago.
In her previous life, in times like this, she missed the opportunity to make a lot of money from the stock market. That time, her mind was divided by the singing competition she attended with Dustin, making her forget to open her stock trading account.
She lost the momentum buying IPO* shares of the new digital company. This company was not seen by many investors, but Evan can predict. He tells them to buy this company share because they are selling the company’s future. And what he expected was true. The price soared for days and caused an uproar.
In just a few days, Evan and her friends could make a lot of money on the stock. Only her who didn’t. Because, at that time, she had not opened a stock trading account. After losing that momentum, she immediately opened a trader account and started learning with Evan and the others.
She enjoyed her time learning about stocks until she graduated from B University. She still did the business until she got married but not long after she stopped doing it because she was too busy taking care of her family.
Luckily even though she was no longer active as a swing trader, she kept monitoring the market movement on TV and the Internet. So, what happened in the next ten years is still clearly recorded in her mind.
This time she will not miss the opportunity. She will immediately open her account. And will be actively trading on the stock market and gain some funds to build her business empire.
After showering, Rose changed into her casual home outfit; denim short jeans and a pale blue oversize shirt. She immediately got out of her bedroom and found her favorite foods neatly arranged on the dining table. Instantly hunger attacked her.
"Mom... Mother... Can I eat now?" Rose starts to eat the chocolate pancakes without waiting for her mother’s reply. After she had finished one pancake, she still did not hear her mother answer. Instantly she felt tense, worried that something might happen to her mother.
She stood up from the chair and walked quickly to find her mother in the bedroom. When she entered her mother’s bedroom, she saw her mother was getting ready to go somewhere.
"Mother, are you going somewhere?" Rose asked as she sat on her mother’s bed and saw her wearing makeup.
She never gets tired of seeing her mother’s beauty. Her mother is not young anymore, already 45 years old, but her beauty and body are not much different from people in their mid-thirties. She always asks her mother why not remarry, even though her face and body are still so beautiful compared to younger women. But her mother just laughed whenever she asked like that.
Later, Rose feels sad remembering her past life. When she got married to Dustin, she immediately moved to the capital leaving her mother to live alone in this city, and not long after that, her mother died.
She wasn’t going to let cancer take her mother’s life. She will take her mother for treatment, and she will also invite her mother to move to the capital with her. She would not let her mother live alone in this city.
"I have to go to the market. My Son In law will have lunch with us...."
"Gosh! Mother, can you not call him that?" Rose feels shy every time her mother calls Evan, her son-in-law.
"Why are you embarrassed? Is your relationship not serious?" Molly stopped combing her hair and looked back at her daughter.
Rose was surprised by her mother’s question.
"Of course I’m serious, Mother! It’s just that I’m not used to it when you call him that...especially if you call son-in-law in front of Evan." Rose pouted at her mother.
Molly smiled with relief. For some reason, since the first time she saw Evan, she immediately liked him. She approved of him to be her daughter’s lover. He was tall and handsome. He is also intelligent, and his attitude is good.
"Mother, why did you suddenly invite Evan to lunch?" Since yesterday she has been curious to know her mother’s reason.
Molly glanced at Rose through the mirror in front of her, "Because I like him that’s why I invited him to lunch with us. Evan is better to be your boyfriend than... What is the name of your skinny ex? D-Du..."
"Dustin! He is not my ex, mother! He is only my friend...." Rose corrected her mother. She and Dustin had never been together. So far, she has only had a crush on him, but Dustin never accepts her as his girlfriend.
"That’s good! I was relieved. To be honest with you, I didn’t like that skinny man. He doesn’t have manners...." Molly could only shake her head. "Girl, I will go now. You stay at home, worried my son-in-law will come sooner...." She stood and left the bedroom while laughing after teasing her only daughter.
Rose rolls her eyes as she followed her mother out and walked her to the front door. After that, she continued her breakfast in a hurry.
******
*IPO = Initial Public Offering