Rose

"I heard from Sena about your fight with your sister yesterday."

"It was just a small banter" I facepalmed myself internally for defending Sophia.

Old habits do die hard.

"Rose, I know Sophia has a bit of a terrible personality but please know how to understand her." My face was all scrunched up as I turned to look away at him.

Know how to understand her? Understand Sophia? The one who killed my child. The one who made my life all messed up.

"You should know hard it is for Sophia to be suddenly brought here. She had gone through far worse experiences and the least we could do is understand and treat her well."

Dad always told me to be empathetic and lenient because Sophia had traumatic experiences but he never elaborated it. The moment I question about Sophia, he usually changes the topic or tells me it's nothing.

"But I'll be grounding Sophia for a month. Is that fine with you?"

My inner self wanted to disagree and complain but I simply nodded and didn't bother to question his decision. Dad called me to help with the business papers since a lot of it was piling in his office.

I sighed as I drowned myself with work wanting to erase the memories of our conversation a while ago.

"Dad, I want to start a Fashion business," I uttered bluntly as we were in the middle of sorting out documents.

His face was etched with disbelief as he looked at me, stunned with what I said.

"Setting up a whole new business is risky and difficult..Rose your skills in business are commendable but this is far different.

"And you're too young for this. I don't think you'll be able to manage a business that well."

I smiled at him weakly, fully knowing he would be against my decision but I'm more than determined now. I can't fall back that easily and wave a white flag on him when I know what my future brings.

"Dad, I just need funding and I'll do all the work. I'll do everything-" He was about to say something but I interrupted him.

"-One reason why I'm helping with the business is to have experience and capabilities, which you witnessed firsthand. You know how well-invested I am in both business managing and fashion, and I believe that my age doesn't define my success and limit me from doing what I can"

He shook his head, "But how about school and the time you should invest in your fashion business. Rose, this is just absurd... I can't...I'm sorry"

I reached out for a folder that was sitting beside the business documents and brought it to him.

"This is my business roadmap and plans... Just read it first" I handed him the folder and stood there waiting for his final decision. With my experience as a CEO of the Rockfellers and Bella Rosa, making a business plan is just child play. I was sure I made it perfectly laid out and clear but I couldn't ward off my nervousness.

The sound of flipping pages was fueling my anxious thoughts as I never dared to look away from Dad, scared I might miss a single expression. He was reading it for a whopping one hour and my legs were numb from standing up.

He was on the last page and I almost sighed with relief. I put on a business smile as he lifted his gaze at me and it took him moments of contemplation and three deep breaths to force himself to nod.

"Your roadmap is clear and concise that I'm doubting it's made by a child like you but given your skills in business, it's no wonder. " He smiled proudly as he gave the folder back to me.

"I'll support you with your business but be careful with your actions and decisions Rose. Business is not a game. It is not a joke. You should treat it seriously."

I was grinning from ear to ear, ecstatic by what he said. I felt like I was on cloud nine and was ready to jump here and there but I composed myself.

"Thank you Dad"

I resumed helping him with his papers and it was already afternoon when I finished sorting and reading all the documents Dad gave me but I waited for him to finish. I picked out a book from his shelf and started reading about two pages of it to relieve me of my boredom. The afternoon sun peeked through the curtains of the room and drowsiness was overwhelming me.

Reading a book was not helpful at all.

Dad noticed my exhausted self,

"Rose, go to your room first and rest" I rubbed my tired eyes and nodded at him. I went out of the office to my room with tired eyes begging to shut themselves.

I didn't notice I was holding the book until I threw myself down my bed. A somewhat glossy paper flew to the ground and my exhausted body couldn't stop my curiosity. I brought it up and although the paper was full of white blotches I could still discern a young girl and a boy smiling with hands clasped together. It was an old picture; grainy and tattered.

I flipped the picture and there was something written on it.

Madelaine Hartfield and Gerard V- together forever.

I looked at the italicized word with wide eyes.

The young girl was my biological mother, Madelaine but I never knew about this Gerard. They looked like a couple in this picture but..

"But I thought Dad was the first and last lover of Mom? Who is this Gerard?"

In my past life Dad, never usually talks about her but I remember him telling me they were childhood sweethearts and since then they were always together and madly in love even when they grew up.

But in this picture, Mom and this boy appeared to be teens and a couple which is contrary to what Dad told me.

Who is this man?

I squinted my eyes to read his surname but I could only make out a V, the rest were all covered with a dark spot.

Gerard V- I stared at his appearance in the picture and he looked familiar. I furrowed my eyebrows and words were on the tip of my tongue. The tattered picture was not helping at all and I was bothered to know who was this Gerard.

He absolutely looked familiar.

I placed the picture back inside the book and made a mental note to ask Dad about this. The bed was pulling me in and I wanted to sleep, but the picture and the sight of two teens smiling were bugging me.

Gerard looked like someone I know...but I can't decipher who.