CHAPTER THIRTEEN
family business
act three, year three
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THE SILENCE WAS SOMETHING THAT ROSE WINTERGREEN ALWAYS FEARED. Growing up, her parents house was full of light and life. When she became an adult, that seemed to change.
She was the only girl of five brothers. As the only girl, she was obviously spoiled the most. Rose always felt lucky for that.
Unfortunately, her parents never prepared her for real life. She lived trapped in a fairytale. Everything had a perfect end for her.
Then Elijah Wintergreen came around. He saw that she was trapped in a dream world where every princess was saved by a prince. This man saved her, but he was far from a prince.
No one warned her. Her parents seemed to be so happy that her daughter was settling down with a powerful and rich man. Her brothers, because of their overprotectiveness, eventually came around.
The first two years of marriage were incredible. She felt like those princesses from her fairytales.
But every fairytale eventually comes to an end.
Looking now around her silent office, Rose is lonely. The walls surrounding her were so beautiful, but she felt so sad. She never felt like that while living with her parents.
Rose looked down at her left hand where a ring used to be placed. She took it off a long time ago. To be more specific, she got rid of it.
The only good thing from that marriage that she was actually able to keep, was upstairs. Her beautiful daughter. The only reason why she's still here.
The woman is not spoiled anymore. She grew up. Rose tries so hard to be the perfect example for her Y/n. She fights every demon thinking of her daughter.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.
"Yes?"
The door was opened and their maid, Olivia, got inside the room.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but Ms. Moreau is here."
Rose rolled her eyes before looking down at her work papers.
"Tell Ms. Moreau that I don't have time for her."
"She told me that she wouldn't get out of this house without speaking with you, ma'am."
The Wintergreen raised her eyebrows but didn't took her eyes from the paper she was reading.
"Like I said Olivia, tell her I'm not available. If she doesn't get out, then it's her problem. Thank you so much"
Olivia nodded before getting out of the office. Rose start writing things on a paper when the sound of heels was heard coming close to the room she was in.
Yet again, the woman rolled her blue eyes.
This time the door was opened without anyone knocking on it.
"It's rude not to knock, I would have expected more from someone like you, Ms. Moreau."
Olivia quickly rushed into the office again totally breathless.
"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Wintergreen. I try to escort Ms. Moreau out, but....."
She was interrupted by the woman whose face was so emotionless that she could kill you just with one look.
"Then, when do you have time for me, Mrs. Wintergreen?" She asked ironically
Rose looked at the big clock by the window's side before looking back at her paper.
"Never."
Olivia saw as Ms. Moreau took some papers from her bag and threw them down on Rose's desk. They laid on top of the ones she was reading.
"Could you explain what is that, Rose?"
The Wintergreen picked the papers and read the title.
"Divorce papers, Meredith." She said and smirked "Did you had to come all the way here only for me to read the title? Can't you read anymore or are you getting too old that you can't even see the letters?"
Meredith's face still was emotionless. She looked back at Olivia who still was awkwardly at the door waiting for instructions.
"Thank you so much for your time, sweetie, but I will have to ask for you to leave.....this is family business."
Only after receiving a nod from Rose is that Olivia left.
Meredith went to the table close to the window and served herself something to drink.
"Can you tell me why did you sent the divorce papers to my house?" Meredith asked
"I think you know why."
The elder looked back at the other woman abruptly.
"Are you out of your mind, Rose? This is suicide! You are not only putting yourself at risk, but Y/n as well, what were you thinking?!"
Rose got up from her seat.
"Enough! I will not accept for you to come inside my house yelling like you own everything." She rubbed her eyes "Regarding the papers, I would be extremely grateful if you gave them to your son."
"No."
"What?"
"I will not give Elijah anything."
Rose looked at Meredith in disbelief.
"Why?"
"Because I can't let you get yourself killed for some foolish reasons. That's final."
The blue-eyed woman took a step forward towards the one that still was close to the window.
"Foolish reasons?! I want to be free, Meredith! Being a Wintergreen is a curse, it's enough that my daughter has to go through all of this, but for me.....it's over. So, yes, I want a divorce, I want to be out of this family."
Meredith only took a sip from the alcohol on the cup while examining the woman in front of her.
"You, better than anyone, should understand what I'm talking about."
It's true, Meredith was once a Wintergreen too. She did also got a divorce and now is back to being a Moreau.
"It's different. I am actually strong enough to not have their protection over me, you are not."
"You underestimate me." Rose spat
"No, I only say the truth. You know that."
Y/n's mother sat back down and put her face on her hands.
"The women of this family seem to attract divorce." Meredith said while shaking her head "I have to warn you Rose, I don't think Elijah will sign those papers. He still loves you."
"Elijah doesn't love anybody except from himself." Rose said in a bitter tone "He doesn't love anybody.....except from her."
"That's not true. He loves you. He loves his daughter. He...."
Rose was quick to interrupt
"A daughter that doesn't know who her father is. She doesn't remember him!"
Meredith couldn't disagree with that. It was true that her son made a big mistake in not visiting his daughter.
"How do you think she will react?"
"Normally. Like I said, she doesn't remember him." Rose said and sighed "We're fine on our own, Meredith. He already did enough in taking them from me."
The elder nodded in understanding. She picked the divorce papers and put them back on her bag.
Meredith walked towards the door and opened.
"You surprised me, Rose. You used to be this innocent, shy young girl and now look at you," For the first time Y/n's grandmother smiled since she got there "I'm proud of you."
The door was closed and Rose was met yet again with the thing that she hates the most. Silence.
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Kinda feeling bad for Rose. Thoughts?
Love you all,
Bye!