From Ruin She Rose novel Chapter 5

Chapter 5

There were a lot of guest rooms in the Bennett house, but most of them weren’t cleaned up yet. Only the one in the far corner on the first floor was ready to live in.

It used to be the maid’s room and hadn’t been cleaned either.

Andrew glanced inside but didn’t walk in. “You’ll have to stay here for now. Tomorrow, Mom will have someone fix up another room for you…”

Emily didn’t catch all the long explanation. She was just instinctively checking out the layout and feel of the room.

It was small-just enough for a bed, a nightstand, and a wardrobe.

But there was no stinky mud or dirty water. The bed didn’t have moldy boards, and the lights were bright. The bed was only half a step from the door. Compared to where she had slept the past two years, this was a huge upgrade.

So when Andrew said, “Don’t mind how small it is. And don’t blame Lydia…” she shook her head.

“I don’t mind,” Emily said sincerely. “I really like this room. Thank you, Mr. Bennett.”

Andrew suddenly stopped mid-sentence, feeling a wave of relief.

Emily and Lydia were both his sisters. He’d always hoped they’d get along. If Emily had really changed and wouldn’t go against Lydia anymore, that was the best thing he could hope for.

“Then get some rest,” he said. “Tomorrow I’ll take you to see Grandpa. He’s been wanting to see you. He…”

As he spoke, he reached out, wanting to pat her head like he used to. But Emily flinched hard and shoved his hand away, stepping back fast.

His hand slammed into the door with a loud thud, and pain flashed across his face. Anger flared up instantly. “Emily, you—”

But when he looked up and saw her face, he froze.

She was pressed against the wall, eyes filled with fear, caution, and a kind of wild defensiveness-like a stray dog ready to bite if pushed.

Then, just for a second, she dropped her head. “S-sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

Her voice shook. Her hands were twisted tightly together. Her whole body was stiff, like what Andrew saw might’ve just been his imagination.

He stood there in silence, feeling like something was stuck in his chest. The pain in his hand didn’t even register anymore. He didn’t know what to say.

Emily really did seem different.

After a long pause, he awkwardly said, “Get some rest,” and left.

Emily didn’t relax until she heard the door shut.

The moment Andrew raised his hand earlier, she’d thought she was back at St. Gabriel Reform Academy-thought she saw hands reaching for her again. Hands holding rocks, sticks, and whips.

Her face turned pale. Then, something clicked in her mind, and she started searching the room.

Under the bed, she found a pen-no idea how it got there. She took off the cap and gripped it tightly.

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Chapter 5

Then she turned on every light in the room and curled up in the farthest corner of the bed, pressing her back hard against the wall. It seemed like only that could give her a little sense of safety.

She held the pen close to her chest and lay down facing the door. If anyone came in, she’d know right away.

The bright lights lit up every shadow in the room-but none of them could reach the darkness buried deep inside Emily,

huddled there in the corner.

At dawn, the maids in the villa started getting up and working. The occasional clatter instantly woke Emily.

She stared at the bright but unfamiliar room for a long time before realizing she was no longer at St. Gabriel’s.

She had finally left that hellish place.

Emily knew she wasn’t welcome here, so she got up early and slipped into the kitchen. While helping the chef, she quietly ate her breakfast.

The Bennetts had light, well-balanced breakfasts with careful plating, so there were always a lot of leftover scraps.

Emily wasn’t picky. After getting the chef’s permission, she ate the scraps for breakfast-even the two cherry tomato slices that had fallen on the counter didn’t go to waste.

She was starving. The last thing she ate was half a slice of bread she got in exchange for a beating the night before last. She hadn’t tasted fresh, warm food like this in two whole years.

Watching her shovel food into her mouth like a machine, the chef’s eyes showed a flicker of pity.

He made a plate of spaghetti and added a misshapen fried egg he’d planned to toss out. “Ms. Harper, have this instead.”

Emily quickly swallowed what was in her mouth and took the plate with both hands, full of gratitude. “Thank you.”

She actually wasn’t that hungry anymore. After two years of eating once a day, her stomach had shrunk, and she couldn’t eat much at each meal.

But she’d gotten used to finishing every bite of food she got. If she didn’t, someone might steal it, and she’d have no idea when the next meal would come.

Only by eating as much as she could now did she have a better chance of staying alive until the next one.

Emily finished the whole plate of spaghetti, not even leaving a drop of sauce. She hadn’t been full in two years-she almost forgot what it felt like to eat until she was stuffed.

She touched her full belly and felt like she was dreaming.

Whenever she was starving to the point she thought she’d die, she used to dream about tons of fresh, delicious food- enough to make her full.

“What are you, a wild animal?” Gale’s mocking voice snapped her back to reality. The smile on Emily’s face vanished in an

instant.

She looked at Gale standing in the doorway with a dark expression and instinctively tried to hide what was in her hands.

But then sheʼremembered it was just an empty plate-no one here would fight her for food-so she stood there, unsure what to do.

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