Be Your Own Spring novel Chapter 9

Stacy didn't welcome me into her home. She hated me, thinking I had stolen her parents' love.

The first time we met, she threw away the gift I carefully prepared for her.

"I hate green," she said. "You gave me a green dress to make me leave, so you can take my place, right?"

But my foster mom, Stephanie, had wanted that dress for ages. I had to search all over to reserve it.

At dinner, Gerald served me some food as usual, but Stacy suddenly threw her fork down, slapped her steak on the floor, and cried out.

"Dad, you used to cut my steak, but now you only serve this thief! Don’t you love me anymore? Fine, I’ll leave this house!"

More incidents like this followed, and slowly, my foster parents started avoiding being kind to me in front of Stacy. I also stopped joking with them.

But Stacy didn’t stop.

Even when I wasn’t around, she badmouthed me to my foster parents, trying to push me completely out of the family.

In the end, Stacy succeeded. My safe haven was falling apart.

One day, I was about to have a talk with Stacy to save my relationship with my foster parents, but before I could speak, Gerald calmly said,

"Congratulations. You’re getting married."

I didn’t know when things had changed, but Gerald no longer treated me kindly. After seeing my confusion, he left the explanation to his wife.

Stephanie sighed and said, "Rozella, we’re getting old. You can’t stay behind us forever, and you don’t even have friends. So, we decided to marry you off to a handsome man."

I froze, quickly replying, "I have friends. Books are my friends."

Before I could finish, they all burst into laughter, especially Stacy.

"Oh please, you’re such a nerd with those big glasses. You don’t even have a college pass. If it weren’t for my dad, how would you even be involved in a research project?"

I clenched my fists and looked at Gerald, but he didn’t defend me. In fact, he seemed to agree with his daughter.

Stacy mocked me, "It’s the 21st century, who wears such ugly glasses? No wonder you don’t have friends."

"Don’t you get it? This family only needs one daughter. You’ve been taking up my parents long enough. It’s time for you to leave! Marry someone and get out of my house! By the way, the man is named Kezr—"

Kezr… he sounded like a bald, middle-aged man.

I almost cried. "But I don’t want to marry him. Why are you doing this?"

Gerald interrupted, "We adopted you when you needed us. Now it’s time for you to repay us."

"I will, but please—" I stammered, hoping I could change their minds.

It was too late. With Stacy's push, they were set on marrying me off, everything arranged.

In the following week, I tried to change Gerald’s mind, but every time, I was met with rejection.

So, I walked numbly to the wedding stage, meeting the groom for the first time.

He was handsome but just as unwilling as I was, frowning as he looked at me.

"Kezr Heznaya, do you take Rozella Mogane as your lawful wife?"

He gritted his teeth and said, "I do."

"Rozella Mogane, do you take Kezr Heznaya as your lawful husband?"

I swallowed hard and said, "I—I do."

"You may now kiss the bride."

I stared wide-eyed, completely stunned.

He leaned in… and kissed my nose.

His lips were warm, sending a shiver down my spine.

Still dazed, Kezr grabbed my hand tightly, his grip cold, and pulled me outside, letting go of me once we were out the door.

I looked up to see his parents approaching.

"Aren't we gonna share a room?....W-we are married... I-I mean."

His eyes snapped up to me and in two long strides he was standing in front of me.

"Listen here you...We-" he said pointing between our distance "-are not a real couple. It's all on fucking paper. You fucking hear me!" He shouted.

I just nodded my head not trusting my voice right now.

"Now, Here are some fucking rules you have to follow if you want to live under my roof."

I nodded and looked away.

"Rule 1: Never and I mean never enter my room without knocking or in my absence."

Wait, he is serious about these rules? Where did he picked these from, a rulebook?

"Rule 2: You can roam around the house anywhere you fucking like but-"

I didn't like him cursing in front of me so I cut him off and said "Can you- please, not curse?"

He just looked at me and I held eye contact. His jaw ticked and I realized I just made a big mistake.

"Rule 3: Never fucking interrupt my fucking conversation."

Didn't I just tell him t-

"Rule fucking :" Why is he doing this? I felt tears gather in my eyes. "Never tell me what to fucking do and what not to do."

What happens if I break one of his rules?

"Understand?" I nodded.

"Use your fucking words!" He shouted. "I said, understand!?"

I flinched, "Y-Yes" and stuttered.

"Good. Now, as I was saying before I got rudely intrupted. You can roam around the house wherever you fucking like. The pool, backyard, garden, rooms, upstairs, roof, wherever. the. fuck. you. want. But stay inside the house, you are not allowed to go outside without my permission."