Chapter 1
The summer I graduated high school, Dad brought home his mistress, her kid, and a red rose on Mom’s 39th birthday.
Mom took the rose without a word, smiled through dinner, then slit her wrists that night.
Red roses became my worst nightmare.
So on my wedding day, I told my husband Blake Ashford: “If you ever want a divorce, just give me red roses.”
He promised me no flowers would ever enter our house.
Five years later, I walked out of my lab after completing breakthrough research to find the entire hallway covered in red roses.
My husband standing there and next to him?
he fucking daughter of my dad’s mistress!
Lila set this up as a surprise,” Blake said casually. “She’s your sister-she wants to make things right.”
stared at him for two seconds, then walked away.
ister? I never FUCKING had a sister!
nd starting right now, I would NOT had husband either!
is company’s been riding on my research this whole time-wonder how long it’ll survive without me?
ongrats, Blake-you’re about to be divorced and BROKE AS HELL!
he year I finished high school, on Mom’s birthday, Dad brought home a mother-daughter pair and a red rose.
[om took the red rose the little girl handed her and quietly spent her 39th birthday. That night, she slit her wrists.
> on my wedding day, I told my husband Blake Ashford, “If you want a divorce, just give me red roses.”
e held me close and said, “Don’t worry, babe. There won’t be any flowers in our house. Ever.”
ve years later, during a company bidding process, he kicked out the partners and blacklisted them completely-just because someone on their team
‘ore a red rose on her chest.
hat day, I realized marriage could actually be beautiful.
ntil six months later, I finished my new drug research and walked out of the lab.
he entire hallway was covered in roses.
nd there was Blake, standing in the middle of it.
Light next to him? The same woman he’d kicked out of his company, smiling like the cat who got the cream.
My face turned ice-cold, but the man just shrugged like it was no big deal.
Lila put all this together for you. She’s your sister. She came here to patch things up between you two.”
stared at Blake for two seconds flat, then turned and walked out.
I don’t have a sister.
19:53
Roses for W
And as of right now, I don’t need a husband either.
I sat alone at Mom’s grave for three hours. Today was her birthday and the tenth anniversary of her death.
Red roses used to mean love for my parents.
But ten years ago today, Dad just stood there while his mistress’s daughter Lila Morrison handed Mom that rose, breaking her completely.
Red roses became my worst nightmare.
And ten years later, my husband brought the woman who destroyed my mother right back to me, with all those damn flowers. Talk about a knife to
the heart.
Fireworks lit up the sky in the distance-Blake’s party celebrating my drug research. Six months of hell, 180 days of no sleep, all my work. Now it felt like Lila’s victory dance.
I said goodbye to Mom and stood up when Blake called.
He was drunk: “Party’s almost over and you’re MIA? What kind of research director are you?”
stayed quiet.
Any other night, I would’ve been all playful and sweet with him. But tonight I had nothing to say.
Blake’s voice got louder: “Ember, I’m talking to you! Where the hell did you disappear to?”
The cemetery.”
lake went silent. Like he suddenly remembered today was my mom’s anniversary. Like he suddenly remembered that for my research, I’d skipped my own birthday, canceled our anniversary dinner. The one thing I asked for was for him to come with me to visit Mom.
wo seconds of dead silence before Blake finally spoke: “I… I was so excited about today, I forgot.”
Wait for me.”
hung up, then turned and left straight away.
ut when I reached the parking lot, Blake’s texts came through:
Ember, it’s too late tonight. Next time, okay?]
Lila’s wasted. I need to get her home first.]
Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you.]
wasn’t surprised at all.
Vith Lila’s games, of course she’d find a way to keep Blake busy tonight. I could see right through her act. Blake, who’d survived years in cutthroat usiness, could definitely see it too.
3ut Blake didn’t care. He was enjoying every second of it. He didn’t give a damn about my feelings.
That’s fine though. From now on, I don’t have to care about his either.
