The cab pulled up to a towering gate surrounded by stone walls. Rose stepped out and took a deep breath, staring at the imposing entrance. Beyond it was a long driveway leading to what appeared to be a secluded estate.

She hesitated before approaching the guard. A middle-aged man with a stocky build stepped out, his tight black uniform clinging to his stomach. His name tag read Andy.

The moment he saw her, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I thought you weren't coming back! So you really plan on milking this family dry, huh?" he said bitterly.

Rose didn't even have to ask if this was the Cavanaugh residence-she had already been greeted with sarcasm the moment she arrived.

She didn't argue. Rose simply remained silent as the guard reluctantly unlatched the smaller side gate and let her through.

As Rose stepped inside, her thoughts turned to Romilda. What had Romilda done to make these people hate her so much?

Romilda had always been challenging, but hadn't always been so heartless. Rose remembered when they were younger, Romilda was the one who always stood up to their father.

Rose's steps were slow as she followed the long path to the manor. It was about a quarter of a mile to the front door, lined with towering trees and elegant black lampposts. The whole place had a classic, almost dreamlike beauty.

"How did Romilda end up with this family?" Rose muttered to herself.

As the mansion came into view, she took a deep breath.

It was a massive two-story mansion, old but immaculately maintained.

Then her eyes fell on the driveway, where rows of luxury cars were parked on the neatly paved lot.

"So this is how billionaires live?" she whispered in awe.

When she reached the grand entrance, she pressed the doorbell and waited. Minutes passed before the door finally swung open. A maid stood there, her eyes wide with shock.

"What are you doing here?" the woman hissed.

Another warm welcome.

"Well, I..."

Before Rose could finish, a deep male voice rumbled from inside. "Who is it?"

The door opened wider, and a man in his early thirties stepped into view.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, his sculpted body highlighted by a fitted black t-shirt.

His chiseled features were undeniably handsome-a sharp jawline, well-defined cheekbones, thin lips tinged with natural color, and a perfectly straight nose. His deep blue eyes were piercing, framed by wavy dark brown hair and a faint stubble along his jaw.

Rose's breath caught.

"Sorry, I... I-"

The man cut Rose off before she could form a sentence. "Go around to the back entrance. We're not officially married yet."

Then, without another word, he slammed the door in her face. Rose stood there, stunned, her body shaking.

"That... was Matteo Cavanaugh?" she whispered in disbelief.

Rose had barely spent an hour at the Cavanaugh estate and already wanted to run away. The maids who worked there stared at her with pure hatred as if Romilda had committed some unforgivable crime.

And Matteo's attitude was equally cruel.

Rose doesn't understand why Romilda is so determined to marry Matteo when they don't even know each other, especially when Romilda is despised in this house. Rose didn't have to guess; she could feel it from how everyone treated her.

Even when Romilda was escorted to one of the bedrooms, the maids whispered behind her back, loud enough for her to hear, "Lucifer has returned!

How terrible had Romilda been in this house?

The room itself was recently vacated. No personal items were on the vanity or closet, and Romilda had left nothing behind. How was Rose supposed to change clothes if there were none?

Uneasy, she sat on the edge of the bed and read Romilda's notes.

Four people with the last name Cavanaugh were present; one was Matteo. The others were women, but Romilda had not indicated whether they were his mother, sister, or some other relative. The names of the maids weren't mentioned either.

How was Rose supposed to figure out without any useful clues?

Suddenly, the door opened, and Rose jumped. Two women burst into the room, and they had similar brown hair to Matteo. One looked younger than Rose, while the other looked older.

"What? Did you expect us to knock?" the younger one sneered.

"No... that's not it." Rose shook. "I was just surprised, and..."

Before Rose could finish, the older woman lunged and raised a hand to slap her. Instinctively, Rose grabbed the woman's wrist in midair. Rose's grip was too tight, out of sheer reflex, making them both freeze.

"You bitch! Let me go!" the woman screamed.

Rose immediately let go of the grip, guilt washing over her. Even though she hadn't practiced martial arts for a long time, the basic techniques were still ingrained in her.

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely.

The woman scoffed and turned to her younger sister. "Did you hear that, Nicole? She's apologizing! What kind of act is this? Another trick to trick us?"

"You know better, Letty! Romilda is nothing but a shameless viper!" Nicole spat.

From this exchange, Rose pieced things together. The older one must be Letizia Cavanaugh, the oldest sibling. That meant Nicoletta Cavanaugh was the youngest. Matteo was the middle child.

"What is it, Romilda? What are you pretending to be now? You've already cheated our family, and now we have to deal with the consequences of your actions! Haven't you done enough damage already?" Letty accused.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what's going on!" Rose began to panic. "Forgive me, and I will make things right."

Letty and Nicole exchanged confused glances, taken aback by the sudden change in Romilda's demeanor. Nicole scoffed and crossed her arms.

"You want to make things right, huh? Then leave our house and never come back!" Nicole snapped. "We don't want a sister-in-law like you! You don't belong in our world, Romilda. Stay in yours!"

Letty's patience had clearly run out; she grabbed Rose's arm and yanked Rose toward the door. Nicole joined in, dragging Rose down the hall as a commotion started.

Rose had no choice but to endure this because of her deal with Romilda. If she failed to keep her end of the bargain, her mother's life could be in danger.

Even though the surgery had been successful, Rose's mother still needed intensive care. And the cost of that treatment was just as expensive as the surgery itself.

But Letty and Nicole had crossed the line.

When Nicole yanked her hair from behind, Rose acted on instinct. She spun, grabbed Nicole's arm, and pinned it. Nicole screamed in pain.

"Arggghh!!" Nicole squealed.

"STOP IT!"

A deep, commanding voice echoed down the hallway.

Rose immediately let go of Nicole, only to be roughly grabbed by the arm. She finds herself face-to-face with Matteo.

"Are you crazy?" Matteo's cold voice sent shivers down Rose's spine.

"I was defending myself!" Rose shot back. "I don't know what's going on here, but if I'm going to keep getting attacked, I have to defend myself!"

"Attacked?" Matteo scoffed. "Romilda, you stabbed us in the back! You already hurt this family, and now you want to play the victim?"

"What exactly have I done to all of you?"

"I'll give you an option. I'll pay you whatever you want so you can live your life in peace." Matteo pointed at the window. "Just leave us alone. Stop leeching off our family."

Rose shook her head. "I can't. I have a promise to keep."

Matteo exhaled sharply, closing his eyes a split second before turning on his heel. Without another word, he led his sisters away and down the stairs.

Rose hurried back to the bedroom and slammed the door. She pressed her back against it and slowly slid to the floor.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Oh, Romilda... Why did I have to get into this mess? What have you done?"

She buried her face in her hands and sobbed softly.

The following day, Rose's bedroom door was banged on from outside. She hadn't slept all night or eaten lunch or dinner.

She felt weak as she dragged herself to open the door and found another maid waiting impatiently.

"You're expected in the family room," the maid said curtly.

Rose hadn't showered or even changed. But who could she ask for help? Rose followed the maid with no choice, deeply embarrassed by her messy appearance.

The Cavanaugh siblings and two unfamiliar men were already seated in the family room. Rose recalled another name from Romilda's notes, but that person was nowhere to be seen.

Seeing Rose's condition, Nicole and Letty exchanged disgusted looks.

"Look at her. She didn't even bother to change," Letty half-whispered, but loud enough for Rose to hear.

Nicole scoffed. "Yeah, her body odor still doesn't stink as much as a liar's."

Rose ignored them, pretended not to hear, and took the seat offered. One of the two formally dressed men, who appeared to be the family lawyer, stepped forward and handed her a document.

"Read Mr. Caesar's will again, and when you've understood it, we'll proceed," he said calmly.

Rose gave a weak nod.

The will contained many details, but she immediately skipped to the section concerning Romilda and Matteo. Rose silently read the official document bearing Caesar Cavanaugh's signature.

"To Romilda, the sweetest and most sincere girl I've ever known.

I humbly ask you to marry my son, Matteo. You have remained pure, as has Matteo. I am sure the two of you will make a wonderful couple.

Therefore, I hope you will take the time to get to know each other during the first year of your marriage. After that, I will give Matteo full ownership of the company, and you, Romilda, will receive your share of the stock."

Rose was shocked.

"Mr. Caesar has added a condition," the lawyer continued. "You must be a virgin, Miss Romilda. If proven that you are not, your shares will be considered null and void. In addition, you will be required to divorce and leave the Cavanaugh estate."

Rose shivered in her seat.

If Romilda fulfilled the terms of Matteo's father's will, she would inherit an enormous fortune. Marrying Matteo wasn't Romilda's real concern-it was the shares!

And Romilda had used Rose as a pawn in her scheme!

"She's turned into a statue because she's not a virgin anymore," Letty blurted out.

"How do you prove that, Romilda? Did you put a seal down there?"

Letty and Nicole's laughter snapped Rose out of her thoughts. The two sisters stared at her with mocking expressions.

Matteo immediately glared at his sisters. "Silence!"

The two formally dressed men cleared their throats awkwardly and proceeded to prepare some documents, papers Rose knew nothing about.

"Let's begin," the lawyer announced. "Mr. Matteo, please sign here, and Miss Romilda, you as well. This will make your marriage official. The certificate will be sent to you within a week."

"M-Marriage? Now?" Rose gasped in shock.

Rose thought they were supposed to get married in a church, not in a family room. This was something Rose had never imagined.

"Where else? In a church?" Matteo asked coldly.

"You think? We should make vows before God," Rose replied firmly. "Marriage is sacred."

Matteo's eyes narrowed. Since when did Romilda care about anything holy? She only acted like a saint in front of Matteo's father. But behind? Romilda was nothing but a devil hiding her tail.

"Just sign it. You know very well that this marriage is nothing more than a business arrangement," Matteo said flatly.

His words stung Rose, even though she wasn't really Romilda. Despite Romilda's faults, she was still Rose's twin - her only sibling. But Rose remained silent and did what Matteo wanted.

After she signed the papers, the lawyer quickly gathered up all the documents and gave Rose a small, polite smile before nodding respectfully at Matteo.

"Well, you are now officially married. However, there is one thing I must mention, even though it may be uncomfortable for both of you." He cleared his throat again. "After the consummation of the marriage, Miss - I mean, Mrs. Romilda must undergo a medical examination at the hospital the following day."

Letty and Nicole immediately burst out laughing.

"Can you imagine what the doctor is going to say?" Letty cackled. "'Oh, this tunnel had a lot of traffic!'"

Nicole's mocking laughter echoed through the room, making Rose feel humiliated and hurt. But Rose only clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She swallowed the pain as part of the consequences of taking Romilda's place.

The lawyer then excused Rose, as the rest of the conversation was private for the Cavanaugh family. With feeble steps, Rose left the room and returned to her bedroom.

Romilda's relationship with Caesar was still a mystery to Rose. Logically, no one would just hand over a fortune, let alone force a marriage. Could Caesar really have been so ruthless as to marry off his son to Romilda, a girl from an ordinary background?

Or had Romilda been pretending to be someone of higher status all along? Was that why Matteo's family considered her a fraud? Was it because they had already discovered her lies?

"That could be it," Rose muttered. "Maybe Caesar didn't know the truth about Romilda, and it all came out after his death."

Exhausted from overthinking, Rose rushed to her room upstairs. She took her cell phone from the bag and immediately called Romilda.

But Romilda's number was out of service.

"Damn it!" Rose hissed in frustration.

Just as Rose was about to put her phone back, it vibrated. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the caller ID-it was from a nurse in the hospital. Rose quickly answered.

"Hello? Yes, nurse? How's my mom? Is she okay?" Rose asked anxiously.

A small chuckle on the other side signaled good news. "Calm down, Rose. Your mother is doing better, and she really wants to see you. Let me transfer the call to her, okay?"

Rose swallowed hard. "O-Okay..."

A weak, raspy voice came over the line. "Rose?"

Just hearing it made Rose's heart melt. She immediately teared up, trying her best to hold back the sobs. Guilt weighed heavily on her chest. Rose should be in the hospital, at her mother's side, now that she is fully conscious.

"Mom... I'm sorry," Rose choked out.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"I can't visit you for a few days. I have a work out of town. But as soon as I'm done, I'll come straight home."

"That's okay, honey. I understand. I'm grateful you've been working so hard to support me."

"Don't say that, Mom. It's my responsibility."

"Were you able to reach Romilda? Any news of her?"

Rose bit her lower lip anxiously, then let out a slow breath. "No. But I'll keep trying to contact her."

"Alright. Sorry to bother you, Rose. We'll talk again later, okay?"

"Yes, Mom. Get well soon... I love you."

After ending the call, Rose sighed heavily and wiped away her tears.

"As long as Mom is okay," she whispered.

...

Rose didn't realize that Matteo was standing outside her door, eavesdropping. Matteo's expression was unreadable as he processed the bits of conversation he had overheard.

He knew that Romilda's mother was ill, but he had no idea how serious it was or that she had been hospitalized. Could Romilda have gone through with this marriage just to cover medical expenses?

Matteo shook off the thought and entered the room. Rose, still crying, gasped in shock.

"Matteo!" she choked out.

He approached her but stopped a few steps away, keeping his distance. "I need your ID to apply for a passport. You asked my father for a honeymoon in the Maldives."

"The Maldives?" Rose blinked in disbelief.

"The passport will be ready in a day, and we'll leave right after that."

Rose suddenly remembered-Romilda hadn't left her any ID. There was no way she could hand over her real ID.

"Is this request mentioned in your father's will?" Rose asked, changing the subject.

Matteo shook his head. "No. Why?"

"I don't want to go abroad. So I don't need a passport."

Matteo stared at Rose for a moment, his gaze unreadable. Then, without warning, Matteo stepped closer and gripped her chin tightly.

"What are you up to, Romilda?" he hissed. "Stop making me even more disgusted with you! You got what you wanted! Do you really think I'll go easy on you for the next year?"

Rose stared at him, her eyes full of confusion.

"I'm going to make you beg for a divorce! I will make your life a living hell! Because you have created this yourself! Do you understand, Romilda?" Matteo's voice dripped with venom. "So stop pretending to be innocent! I would never stain myself with your filthy body!"

With that, Matteo let go of her chin and stormed off, cursing under his breath.

"A virgin? What a joke!" he shouted angrily.

Rose swallowed.

In a way, Rose was relieved that Matteo didn't want to touch her-after all, she didn't even know him. But if she couldn't prove her virginity, what would happen to her arrangement with Romilda?

How could Rose ask Matteo to take it from her?

A maid's outfit was left outside the door, left there by an unknown person. Someone knocked briefly before leaving. Rose sighed but was grateful for the fresh change of clothes.

After taking a shower, feeling refreshed and somewhat relieved, Rose got dressed. But now she wasn't sure what to do. No one spoke to her. She had been ignored, confined to the room as if she didn't exist in the Cavanaugh household.

Even food was delivered on a tray and left at her door as if she were a prisoner.

"Maybe I should get out," Rose muttered to herself.

Leaving the room didn't make her feel any better. In fact, it made Rose more anxious. What if she ran into Letty or Nicole? Would they fight again? Rose had never had to deal with confrontation.

The only rivals she'd ever had were in her martial arts training-but that was just a sport. There was no hate or actual competition.

Now, living as Romilda, her world had been turned upside down.

She descended the stairs and noticed Matteo coming through the front door. His pace quickened as he approached her.

Rose stiffened. "I'm just going back to my room. I'm not going anywhere."

"Oh, but you are." Matteo paused. "With me."

Rose frowned. "Where?"

"Our honeymoon."

Then, without another word, Matteo turned back toward the front door. Rose blinked, confused, but followed him anyway.

"I thought you didn't want to go on a honeymoon?" she asked carefully.

"You're the one who refused."

"I said I didn't want to go abroad."

Matteo stopped in his tracks. "Oh, so you do want a honeymoon?"

His stare made Rose's skin crawl. She didn't know how to react. Could this be another one of Romilda's ridiculous demands? Was Romilda asking for everything, trapping Rose in her unrealistic wish list?

"If not, that's okay too," Rose said. "I don't want to argue with you about it."

"Cut the crap, Romilda! I know exactly what kind of person you are!"

Rose fell silent.

And what kind of person was Romilda in Matteo's eyes? Glamorous? A gold digger? A hedonistic bitch?

They stepped outside, and Matteo climbed into the luxury car parked on the porch. Hesitantly, Rose got in from the passenger side, sitting stiffly. Matteo barely glanced at her before starting the engine.

The car pulled away from the Cavanaugh estate, and Rose had no idea where they were going.

...

The drive took them through the city, then onto the highway, eventually leading to a quiet coastal area. The road rose, revealing a breathtaking view of the city below.

Honeymoon... where exactly? Rose wondered.

The car turned onto a narrow dirt road and drove a few hundred meters before stopping in front of a rustic wooden hut.

Rose blinked, confused.

Matteo parked the car, got out, grabbed his laptop bag from the back seat, and walked inside without saying a word.

"Oh, okay. Let's see what you're really up to, Matteo," Rose muttered, annoyed.

She followed him inside, only to freeze at the entrance.

The cabin looked old and shabby from the outside, but inside, it was unexpectedly cozy. A warm atmosphere filled the room-plush couches, a fireplace, a small but functional kitchen, and two small bedrooms. Everything was tidy as if it had just been cleaned.

Matteo was already on the couch, opening his laptop and focusing on his work. Rose approached cautiously, standing next to him.

"What should I do?" she asked.

Matteo shrugged. "Whatever you want."

Rose went to the kitchen, checked the stove, and turned the knob experimentally. It worked. Then she opened the fridge and frowned; it was empty.

Sighing, she decided to go out the back door, where she found a small vegetable garden. Rows of produce bloomed ripe fruit and fresh vegetables ready to be picked.

Kneeling down, Rose dug into the soil and harvested a few potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes. At least she wouldn't go hungry for lunch.

"What are you doing?"

Matteo's voice startled her. Rose jumped up, the vegetables slipping from her grasp and scattering to the ground.

"S-Sorry! I just wanted to make a stew. It's almost noon," she explained.

Matteo stepped closer and crossed his arms. "What are you trying to do? Play the innocent maid from five years ago? The sweet, honest, dependable girl?"

Rose stared at him, confused. Wait... was Romilda once a maid for the Cavanaugh family?

"I don't know what you mean, Matteo," she admitted.

"We're already married, Romilda. You don't have to keep up this act anymore. Hell, I should give you an award-higher than an Oscar-for your dedication to pretending to be a saint all these years!"

Matteo turned to leave, but Rose instinctively grabbed his arm. "Wait!"

He turned back. "What now?"

"You're angry because you had to marry me and share company shares with Ro-...me?"

Matteo didn't answer, but his clenched jaw spoke for itself.

"For all these years, what was the worst thing I ever did to you? Tell me clearly!" she pressed.

"You're playing amnesia now?"

"Fine! Let's say I have amnesia. Explain it to me now! What did I do to make you hate me so much? And your sisters, too?"

Matteo scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. "Unbelievable."

"You don't even have the guts to say it, do you?"

"What did you just say?!"

Matteo stepped closer until only inches separated them. His eyes burned with anger, his breath shallow.

"You did not deserve my father's affection, Romilda. It wasn't love. It was disgusting lust!" His voice spilled with malice. "Did you really think I wouldn't know? That you were sneaking into his room at night? You're the reason my mother is in a mental hospital! Because she found out you were my father's lover!"

Rose froze.

The name of yet another victim in Romilda's twisted past surfaced-Anais Cavanaugh, Matteo's mother.

The reality of Romilda's cruelty hit Rose hard.

"I know my father wanted to give you shares, which is why he wrote that ridiculous will. But you don't deserve them unless you become part of this family!" Matteo spat.

"I... I..." Rose stammered.

"So, yes, you win! You got my father's love. You destroyed my mother. And now you're my wife. What more do you want?"

"Matteo, I..."

"Oh, and why does Letty hate you? Maybe because you slept with her ex-husband and ruined her marriage. Does that ring a bell?"

Matteo stormed back inside, his shoulders rising and falling with heavy breaths, his anger palpable.

Rose felt her legs buckle beneath her. Kneeling in the dirt, she fought back tears.

"Why, Romilda? Why have you been such a monster? And now you expect me to change Matteo's mind, to fix everything, when you've already destroyed them all?"

*

Rose spent the entire afternoon in the backyard, not daring to approach Matteo. Guilt gnawed at her heart as if she were responsible for all of Romilda's actions. She had only prepared some stew for Matteo for lunch, not even knowing if he would touch it or not.

As night fell, Matteo opened the back door and stared at Rose sitting on a firewood pile.

"Get inside!" Matteo barked, his voice sharp and commanding.

Rose followed Matteo inside, but suddenly, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to the edge of the bed. Matteo's eyes bored into her sharply.

"Still pretending to be naive, Romilda?" Matteo snapped.

"What? I don't know what you're talking about!"

Matteo put his hands on his hips and shook his head in disbelief, his breathing growing heavy with anger.

"Making me stew? Pretending you're the perfect wife?" Matteo growled. "Just tell me how much you want! I'll pay you! But stay away from my family's inheritance, you greedy woman!"

"Matteo, I..."

Rose's tongue felt tied. What else could she say to defend herself? After all, it was true that Romilda was after the Cavanaugh fortune.

Suddenly, Matteo grabbed Rose by the shoulders.

"Take off your clothes," he ordered firmly.

Rose instinctively pushed his hands away, clutching her body protectively. "Why?"

"You're my wife!"

"But..."

"Drop the innocent act, Romilda! Do you think I'm going to fall into your trap? That's what you want, isn't it? We sleep together, and then you fake proof that you're still a virgin!"

"What are you talking about, Matteo?"

"I bet you have some trick to convince everyone you're pure!"

Rose fell silent, trembling at Matteo's accusations. She was still a virgin, and hearing him accuse her of planning to fake it broke her heart.

"If you're so sure, why don't you let a doctor examine me?" Rose challenged. "You'll get your answer!"

"Shut up! I know your kind!"

Matteo tried to force Rose to undress, ripping open the buttons on her top. Rose screamed in fear and struggled to fight him off.

"No!! Stop!!" Rose cried out.

"Let's see if you're still a virgin!"