Chapter 18

Rose’s POV

By evening, I was exhausted from maintaining the perfect balance of grieving sister and focused businesswoman. My driver took me to my parents’ house for our weekly family dinner, a tradition I’d insisted on continuing “to help us heal together.”

In reality, these dinners served to monitor my parents, manage the family narrative, and remind everyone of my central role in holding things together post-tragedy. Tonight, however, I dreaded facing Mom’s suspicious eyes.

The house looked the same as always, manicured lawn, gleaming windows, tasteful luxury evident in every detail. The home I’d been brought to fourteen years ago, plucked from the foster system into privilege. The home where I’d systematically established my dominance over every aspect of family life.

Helen, the housekeeper, opened the door before I could ring the bell. “They’re in the sitting room, Miss Rose. Your mother’s had... a difficult day.”

She paused, wringing her han