Chapter 1
Chapter 1
288 Vouchers
My husband buried me in the soil so he could grow roses from my body.
“How dare you touch Michelle’s roses?! They say human flesh is the best fertilizer. So stop being a person-be a rose instead.”
Later, they stripped me bare and dragged me to a plant exhibit. Under their mocking stares and pointing fingers, what- ever remained of my humanity was gone.
Beneath those vivid, blooming roses, my body slowly decayed.
In the end, the infection killed me. And the man who hated me so deeply-he went mad overnight and swallowed my ashes.
***
“Mr. Gomez, Mrs. Gomez is extremely allergic to roses. Perhaps… a different punishment would be better.”
The doctor frowned at the test results and looked uneasy.
“Also, rose stamens are fragile and thin. Grafting them onto a wrist probably won’t work.”
I dropped to my knees, begging. “Javier, can’t we wait until after the piano competition? I swear I’ll take good care of the roses.”
My mother’s final wish before she passed away was for me to win the piano competition. I’d practiced for three years for it.
For a moment, something like sympathy showed on Javier Gomez’s face. But when he looked over at the roses in the pot, his expression went cold again.
“You brought this on yourself. Michelle deserves justice.”
The rose he was obsessed with symbolized the love between him and Michelle Gomez, his not-by-blood sister.
I subconsciously retorted, “Your grandpa arranged our marriage. I didn’t say a word to Michelle the whole wedding day!”
His eyes burned red as he slammed the table.
“Enough! You’re the reason Michelle died. And now you’re blaming Grandpa? You knocked over her rose-so use your blood to feed it!”
He turned to the doctor. “Do it. Grow the flower with her blood.”
The doctor looked terrified. “Mr. Gomez, she could die from this!”
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Chapter 1
288 Vouchers
I wanted to plead, but Javier didn’t flinch.
“A rash is no big deal. She’ll be fine with some meds.”
The doctor looked like he wanted to argue, but one glare from Javier shut him up.
I got up and tried to run, but Javier kicked me in the knees.
Pain shot through me like fire, and cold sweat poured down my back.
“What are you waiting for? Get started! If you wait too long, the roses will die!”
At Javier’s urging, I was strapped to a table like some lab rat, roses lined up beside me.
My face swelled rapidly, turning a deep, burning red. Breathing got harder with every second. I looked at Javier through hazy eyes and begged, “Please… at least wait until after the competition.
“I’ll make amends to Michelle. This is my mother’s last wish…”
But the scalpel had already cut into my skin.
“You only lost some flesh and blood,” Javier said coldly. “But these roses are soaked in your filthy blood. The com- petition? That’s nothing next to Michelle’s roses.”
