From Ruin She Rose novel Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Emily heard someone say, “Number Ten, your two years are up. Your family’s here to pick you up.”

In the dim room, the only light came from a flickering bulb on the ceiling.

Curled up in a corner, Emily slowly looked up. For the first time in a long while, there was a flicker of emotion on her dirty,

blank face.

Ever since she arrived at this hell called St. Gabriel Reform Academy, she’d faced the “teachers” scolding and beatings, the “classmates” bullying and torment, and the constant fear of being backstabbed. Every day felt as long as a century.

Turned out, it had only been two years.

Like a lifeless doll, Emily was dragged out of the room and down a long hallway.

She didn’t snap out of it until the iron door behind her clicked shut and the blinding sunlight hit her face.

She had spent two whole years trying to escape, nearly dying countless times. And now, she was finally out.

“Emily?” a voice suddenly pulled her back to reality.

She looked toward the sound and saw a young man standing in front of a flashy sports car. He wore a brown leather jacket, cargo pants, and combat boots, holding a pair of sunglasses. He stared at her in surprise.

That familiar yet distant face made Emily think for a while before she remembered-this was Lucas Bennett, the one who had treated her as his sister for eighteen years.

Before she turned eighteen, Emily had been the brightest girl in Cloudridge-the beloved daughter of the Bennett family.

She had loving parents, a doting older brother, Andrew, and a protective younger brother, Lucas. She even had a childhood sweetheart who was supposed to be her fiancé.

But everything fell apart on her eighteenth birthday.

A girl named Lydia showed up with a DNA test, claiming she was the real daughter of the Bennetts, and that the nurse had switched her and Emily at birth.

The birthday party Emily had been looking forward to turned into a reunion. Her parents, who had loved her for eighteen years, held Lydia and cried, promising to make it up to her.

No one noticed Emily, pale and silent in the corner, even though she was supposed to be the star of the day.

Her dad, Gale, said, “Since your real parents are gone, you can stay. One more daughter won’t be too much of a burden.”

Her mom, Emma, said, “From now on, you and Lydia are both our daughters. Isn’t it nice to have a sister?”

Andrew and Lucas, who had always stood by her, said, “Don’t worry. Even if we’re not related by blood, we’re still family.”

But when Lydia set her up, making everyone think Emily had pushed her down the stairs, they all turned against her and sent her to St. Gabriel Reform Academy-a place meant to discipline rich families’ “problem” kids.

Gale said, “Not just anyone can be part of the Bennett family. From now on, go by your real father’s name-Harper.”

Emma said, “Emily, Lydia suffered so much growing up. You had all our love these years. Can’t you just give her a little

room?”

Andrew and Lucas both said, “We don’t want a sister with such a twisted heart.”

1/3

Chapter 1

After they sent her away, they got rid of their problem. But they never stopped to think-a place meant for unwanted kids was never going to be a good one.

“Are you really Emily?” Lucas sounded unsure.

After all, the Emily he remembered always held her chin high, proud like the moon in the sky. She wore the latest designer clothes and her nails were always clean and neatly trimmed.

But now, she was wearing the same ill-fitting white dress from two years ago, a little yellowed, with an old gray hoodie over it. Her nails were ragged, and the once bright face now looked blank and dull.

If it weren’t for her face, he might have thought he had the wrong person.

Lucas frowned. His chest felt tight. This wasn’t the Emily he knew.

Emily snapped out of it and looked him in the eyes. But the moment their eyes met, she looked down again. Her body tensed up and she took a step back.

At St. Gabriel Reform Academy, meeting someone’s eyes was seen as a challenge. They would curse her, beat her, say the cruelest things to her.

It had happened so many times that her reaction became automatic.

But Lucas just laughed. “Looks like St. Gabriel’s really worked. Finally taught you some manners. We should’ve sent you there earlier—maybe Lydia wouldn’t have had such a hard time.”

Emily kept her head down and said nothing. She didn’t fight back like she used to. It was like she agreed with him.

Lucas put on his sunglasses, clearly annoyed. “Come on, get in. Don’t make me late for my race. Lydia’s really nice. If it weren’t for her asking me to pick you up, I wouldn’t have bothered.”

Emily opened the passenger door without saying a word.

She had just gotten in and hadn’t even buckled up when Lucas slammed on the gas. The engine roared, and the car shot forward like an arrow.

Lucas looked excited. He glanced over at her from behind his sunglasses, waiting for her to scream or beg him to stop. Or maybe, like she used to, pull the big-sister card and scold him for speeding off the track.

As long as Emily said something, he’d go back and tell their parents and Andrew she hadn’t learned anything at St. Gabriel’s -still the same spoiled brat who didn’t know her place.

Unless she begged him and promised to stay out of his business, he wasn’t going to let her off easy.

But Emily stayed quiet.

She gripped the handle above the window as hard as she could. Even though her face was pale with fear, she didn’t make a sound.

Two years had taught her how to hide fear. Her face didn’t show a thing.

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