Chapter 1 Rose's daughter;
The day I buried my grandmother, loneliness completely consumed me. What is the hardest thing for an orphan girl? Is it learning to accept loss after losing your mother and father? Or is it becoming so attached to the only person you have left?
I think both were true for me. My grandmother was everything to me...
She and I had left this cursed town years ago. Because this town had taken my mother and father from me. Even the cause of their deaths was hidden like a dark mystery. They had only said "a fire."
That it was a witch hunt was something I would unfortunately learn much later...
Now... I'm fulfilling my grandmother's last wish, returning to this cursed place to spend New Year's in a secluded mountain house.
I can hear you asking why this was her last wish, I'm surprised by it too. But my grandmother had always been an interesting woman. She definitely had a reason that made sense to her.
Besides, I want to let myself go with the flow of life for a while. I need to accept my grandmother's absence, so perhaps this short vacation will be good for me...
Three days later, I was driving along the icy road toward the town of Blackthorn...
As my red pickup climbed the hill, the wind filled my ears with an ominous howl. My only goal was to reach the mountain house as quickly as possible. Soon, I noticed a dark shape among the white snow covering the forest road. As I got closer, it became clear that it was a vehicle.
"Looks broken down..." I thought when I saw it. The hood was open, and there was a man inspecting the car. As I approached, I began to be surprised - despite this bone-chilling cold, he was wearing only a t-shirt, as if he wasn't cold at all.
The hostile attitude of the townspeople had rubbed off on me too. I thought about just passing by without caring. But damn it! I couldn't be as savage as the people in this town. My grandmother had raised me with kindness. I pulled over to the right shortly after.
I reached for my coat on the passenger seat and put it on. The moment I got out of the car, I started shivering from the cold. It felt as if my nose had frozen and fallen off. Okay, I'm someone who gets cold even on summer days... But this cursed land is really putting on a show with its freezing climate!
I walked toward him a bit and called out: "Hello, looks like you're stranded?"
The man lifted his eyes from the engine and looked at me. His gaze made me feel an even deeper cold inside. Not counting this eerie scene, he was quite handsome. In fact, he was breathtaking... Deep silver eyes, chiseled features, tall, muscular build, and those piercing eyes.
I think I was impressed. But only a little! Don't exaggerate, ladies...
He looked at me. He smiled with a cunning, flirtatious expression in his eyes. "Yes, you could say I'm stranded," he said and closed the hood.
Then I was shocked by what I saw. There was a huge log embedded in the car's windshield. Seriously embedded... Was this man not seeing this scene? Did he seriously think the problem was the engine right now?
"Wow! It's as if a giant came and stuck this tree in your windshield like a toothpick," I said. The astonishment on my face was obvious.
He suddenly burst out laughing. "Ohh... I think giants went extinct a long time ago," he said. Then his eyes focused on me with a meaningful look. "This town's past is remembered for its wolves and witches," he murmured.
"Hmm... Thanks for the interesting local history lesson. But I don't think I can find you a witch or a wolf right now..." I said, then smiled.
Then, pointing to my car, I said, "But... I have a vehicle. I can drop you off in town if you want."
He looked at me with deep dimples appearing when he smiled. For a moment, I could swear I saw a silver gleam swirling in his eyes.
"If it's not too much trouble, I'd be grateful," he said.
I nodded, walked toward the vehicle, and when I reached the door, I called out to him: "You won't be trouble as long as you don't complain about me listening to Elwes."
With a deep smile on his face, he grabbed his leather jacket from his car and came over. The moment he got in the car, his expression changed. I think my heater was hitting him like desert heat.
With an insinuating look, he said, "I think you're a bit cold."
What was that look? Did this man just judge me? Ahh, not everyone has to be grumpy and cold like you. Some people might like warm climates. Whatever...
I couldn't reflect these thoughts to a stranger.
"I'm always cold," I smiled. And I hit the gas.
His gaze had been on me since the journey started. Under normal circumstances, being watched by such a handsome man might be flattering, but the people in this town are so strange that I wasn't sure this was a good thing.
"Hey, can you stop that now?" I said, turning my gaze to him briefly and then refocusing on the road.
He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, you're just so different. I couldn't take my eyes off you," he said.
"Everyone in this town makes me feel so different. I'm starting to think 'I'm a stranger' is written on my forehead," I said, scrunching my face.
He let out a deep laugh. He seemed to enjoy teasing me.
"Are you always this sarcastic?" he asked, laughing.
At that moment, I wanted to be honest with him for no reason, and the words spilled out of my mouth. "Let's call it my method of camouflaging pain. I buried my grandmother three days ago," I said, looking at his face.
Normally, you offer condolences to someone who tells you this, and your facial expression is shocked. But on this man's face, there was neither surprise nor any other expression. It was as if he already knew. But no one except the gravedigger who buried her had attended my grandmother's funeral. This was extremely unsettling.
A few seconds later, he asked, "I'm sorry. Did you love her very much?"
"Yes, she was my only family. I loved her more than anything," I said. I couldn't make sense of the anger in my eyes. What was I angry about? That she died and left me?
"I understand. Then why are you still here?" he asked.
Normally, I would answer all this politely, but I didn't like being questioned. Especially an expression like "why didn't you leave" was extremely annoying.
I turned to him and raised my eyebrows with a sarcastic expression, "For Christmas... I just came to celebrate Christmas," I said.
He wasn't surprised; on the contrary, he had a look as if he understood I was mocking him. Then we didn't talk for the rest of the way.
Finally, we had arrived at the town center. I stopped the car. He got out and approached the window. There was a warm smile on his face.
"My name is Joe," he said.
I extended my hand. "Eva... Eva Rose," I said.
"Nice to meet you," he said. His facial expression had changed. I could see the cunning grin on his face. "Well then, Merry Christmas, daughter of Rose," he said.
At that moment, my eyebrows furrowed. The day I came to town for funeral arrangements, everyone had used that expression while looking at me like they wanted to kill me. What was this "daughter of Rose" business, for God's sake? Everyone I encountered called me daughter of Rose with a look of disgust. For the townspeople, having the surname Rose seemed like an insult...
Just then, an old man who ran the town's market, sitting on a wooden chair on the sidewalk, suddenly came running and pointed his finger, shouting: "Don't talk to her, Joe! Have you lost your mind? She brings bad luck!"
After hearing this, I had reached the end of the courtesy my grandmother had taught me. I stuck my head out of the car window and pointed my finger at the man.
"I'm not cursed! I don't carry a contagious disease. I don't even know you. Stop talking about me, you senile old man!" I said and started the vehicle.
But my anger hadn't subsided; as I passed right by him, I added with a mocking expression, "I've talked to you too, I hope I really do bring you bad luck."
I hit the gas in anger and drove away. In the rearview mirror, I could see the man's face red with rage. And Joe was bent over laughing, slapping his knees.
I think it was time for this stubborn town to witness the stubbornness of the Rose women!