Chapter 175
Through these glimpses, I gained a sense of her father, Jarred, whom I’d met once. He never truly loved Lillian, despite her profound affection for him. After their marriage, he resided elsewhere, in a small house.
While Chester lived, Jarred’s behavior remained somewhat restrained; but after Chester's death, he became utterly reckless. I never understood his refusal to divorce Lillian. To outsiders, the woman known as Mrs. Grant was his mistress, and the child he acknowledged was hers.
Rosie, his legitimate daughter, lived without her father's presence, constantly sidelined. The marriage had initially been arranged for Danielle, but she refused to marry a disabled man, forcing Rosie into the union with the Reyes family instead.
For years, Rosie was ostracized, particularly in the last two years when Jarred brought his mistress and her family into the Hoffman home. They instantly became the household's rulers, while Rosie, the true heiress, endured torment and bullying. Her position, her boyfriend, everything was usurped by the mistress's daughter, plunging Rosie into deep depression.
She didn't hate Derek; she despised the world, a despair that led her to end her life. It was a defiant act against her father's cruel decree that she must marry into the Reyes family, even in death.
My arrival changed everything. It was a turning point for both of us. She longed for death; I yearned for life. Rosie's soft sigh echoed in my mind: "It hurts so much…" Then I saw her again, a girl in a black dress, ethereal yet lifeless. I reached out and hugged her—this girl who shared my pain.
"Don't be scared," I said.
She saw my past, too, and our eyes met in mutual understanding. "Amanda, can you live for me?" she asked. "Get revenge for me, take care of my mother, and tell him I don't love him anymore."
"Yes!" I needed her body as much as she needed my resolve. In return, I promised to avenge her and fulfill her unfulfilled dreams. I would carry her regrets into the brightest light, helping Rosie transform.
She touched my face gently. "Amanda, you're stronger than me; you'll make it." Though strangers, death had uniquely bonded us. We hugged tightly. "Amelia, I'll treat your mother like my own." "Then I'm at peace. Amanda, will we meet again?" she asked.
I offered a small smile. "I don't know. Whether there's an afterlife or not, I hope you live a healthy and bright life, Amelia. Live for yourself, for once."
"Okay!" she agreed.
At that moment, the surrounding mirrors shattered, and unseen forces pulled us apart. "Amanda, goodbye," the beautiful girl said, smiling brightly.
"Amelia…"
"From now on, there's no Amanda, only Rosie," were her final words before she vanished.
Suddenly, I felt like I was falling into an endless void. After what felt like an eternity, I snapped my eyes open.
A blinding white light filled my vision, and I instinctively shielded my eyes.
Lillian's voice cut through the haze, her sobs audible, "Amelia, you're finally awake…"