Chapter 3
The words instantly sent shock across the dining room.
Mr. and Mrs. Hart both looked at her sharply.
"The amount I'm supposed to pay you back for raising me these past ten years," Rose clarified.
"Rose!" Mr. Hart shouted angrily as he finally rose to his feet. "How dare you speak so ungratefully!"
It was the very first time he had ever raised his voice at her.
But Rose merely smiled bitterly.
"You all want me gone anyway," she said quietly. "So fine. I'll leave."
Her eyes slowly moved across their faces.
"And now I'm suddenly ungrateful?" she asked softly. "Just name your price. You both know I'm not some lazy woman. I'll repay every single thing."
Right at that moment, another Gmail notification appeared on her computer screen.
The message came from the Central Hub once again.
Rose immediately clicked on it, secretly hoping the marriage application had been rejected.
But the moment she opened the message, her heart dropped.
The genetic match had been approved.
Rose clenched her fists tightly.
She wanted to explode in anger.
But after thinking about it carefully, she realized something.
Leaving the Hart family might actually be the best thing for her right now.
Besides, she could still meet this so-called match and explain everything face-to-face. Maybe they could cancel it together.
Taking a deep breath, Rose slowly placed the computer down on the dining table.
Then, without saying another word, she turned around and walked away.
A luxurious black car pulled up in front of the Central Hub. It was a car Rose had bought with her own money , money she earned after years of working for the Hart family as the CEO.
The moment the driver stopped the vehicle, Rose stepped out slowly, her heels clicking softly against the ground.
Her gaze lifted toward the massive building standing before her.
The Central Hub towered over the entire area, its structure so tall it almost seemed to scrape the sky itself. The silver-tinted windows reflected the sunlight beautifully while countless shifters moved in and out of the grand entrance.
Some had animal ears exposed proudly on top of their heads while others had tails swaying behind them casually.
Rose remained standing outside for a moment, staring at the building with mixed emotions.
"So this is the place…" she murmured underneath her breath.
A heavy sigh escaped her lips before she finally walked toward the entrance.
The moment she stepped inside, noise instantly flooded her ears.
Different shifters moved back and forth around the enormous lobby. Some sat at lounges drinking expensive beverages while others laughed loudly while playing games together.
Several workers hurried around carrying files and tablets.
Rose scanned the area silently, her expression calm yet guarded.
Just before she could take another step, a male staff member approached her with a polite smile on his face.
He was tall and burly, his broad shoulders stretching the fabric of his uniform slightly. A pair of wolf ears suddenly popped out from his black hair, twitching slightly as he stopped before her.
"Welcome to the Central Hub, Miss," the man greeted respectfully with a slight bow.
Then he smiled politely.
"You must be Rose Hart."
Rose's brows furrowed slightly.
"Yes," she replied cautiously.
"Your genetic match has already arrived," the worker explained immediately. "He specifically requested that you be led to him the moment you got here."
Rose blinked once.
He's already here? she thought inwardly before scoffing softly to herself.
"Of course he is," she muttered mentally. "Meanwhile I'm only here to explain this whole mess and end it."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"And how does this staff even recognize me?"
Then realization struck her.
"Oh right… my picture was submitted too. It's part of the marriage application process."
The thought of Ava immediately irritated her again.
"That bitch…"
"Miss?" the worker called politely, snapping her out of her thoughts.
Rose inhaled deeply before straightening herself.
"Lead me to him then, please," she said calmly.
The male worker nodded respectfully before turning around.
"This way, Miss Hart."
Rose followed behind him quietly as they walked down a long hallway lined with elegant lights and luxurious decorations.
The deeper they walked into the building, the quieter the surroundings became.
Soon, the worker finally stopped in front of a large wooden door.
The atmosphere around the area felt strangely different compared to the noisy lobby downstairs.
Rose frowned slightly.
"He's inside," the worker informed her with another slight bow.
But before Rose could say anything else, the man turned around and walked away immediately, leaving her standing there alone.
Rose stared after him in confusion.
"What's wrong with him?" she muttered under her breath. "Shouldn't he lead me inside?"
She scoffed softly to herself.
Taking a deep breath, Rose stepped closer to the door and knocked gently.
Knock. Knock.
No response.
She frowned but knocked again, slightly louder this time.
Still nothing.
"Is he sleeping or something?" she wondered inwardly.
With slight irritation growing inside her, Rose raised her hand to knock a third time....
BANG!
The door suddenly swung open violently on its own, slamming hard against the wall.
The loud sound echoed throughout the hallway.
Rose nearly jumped out of her skin.
"What the hell?!" she cursed internally, her heart pounding wildly inside her chest.
For a brief second, cold shivers ran down her spine.
Before she could even process what had just happened, her feet unconsciously stepped inside the office.
And the very moment she entered.....
BANG!
The door slammed shut behind her with terrifying force.
Rose flinched immediately.
"What the actual fuck is this strong wind?!" she cursed silently while swallowing hard.
The room was dimly lit, making it difficult to fully see everything clearly.
Only faint light from a single bulb illuminated the room slightly.
Rose's eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness.
Then she noticed him.
A chair sat near a large window, turned backward.
And someone was sitting on it.
A man.
Only his back was visible, but even from that angle alone, Rose could already tell he was dangerously attractive.
Long silver hair cascaded beautifully down his back in soft, lustrous curls.
Rose quickly cleared her throat and stepped forward cautiously, though she still maintained some distance from him.
"Hi," she began, trying to sound calm. "I'm Rose Hart."
Her fingers curled slightly by her side.
"I'm here concerning the marriage application that got approved today."
The moment her words fell, the man slowly stood up from the chair.
And just from seeing him from behind alone…
Rose's breath nearly hitched.
Even from the back alone, the muscles beneath his white shirt were clearly visible, stretching perfectly across his broad shoulders and toned back.
And fuck…
That narrow waist.
Rose's eyes remained slightly widened as curiosity burned inside her chest. She desperately wanted to see his face.
As though sensing her gaze on him, the man finally turned around slowly.
