The day out was worth remembering for Rose who had never gone out before. She didn't visit places in the human world.
When she first came here, she was not willing to leave her apartment. But later, she moved freely just in the radius of her locality. That's why, visiting Asher's home was a big deal to her.
He was, in a way, her first friend.
After he showed her the garden, they had lunch. And then she left.
She felt it was good. And she didn't want to take money for this. So, she returned the transfer.
Asher laughed when he saw this.
"Even if you want to fake date, have some brain."
Cora watched his silly smile and uttered.
"What, Mom?"
Silly son.
"You can just date instead of fake date. It wouldn't have mattered much."
Asher then thought about this issue for the first time.
"But she wouldn't have agreed."
Cora rolled her eyes.
"Do you do business with this attitude? Scared and cowardly? How would you know if you never try? From what I see, she is a good child, even for a witch. And I see she is kind. It's hard for someone from Moon Charmer lineage to find love. "
Asher paused.
"Mom, I can't offer her peace. At least not now. You see, Dad is acting like a demon. There's his son. If I really date her, she will be involved. And I don't think I have that kind of feelings for her."
"Silly son, she is already involved. Yes, she changed her identity but what makes you think she will not be disturbed now?"
"It will be a business relationship. Business matters, and she will handle it without losing her heart. But when it comes to someone you like, I don't want her to act weak. And Mom, I just think she is a good girl. If I someday want to date, I'll ask her out."
Cora snorted.
"How come a smart person like me has you as a son? It's all because of your unreliable father and my unreliable grandfather. You don't consider that she could fall for someone else? There's always someone better than you."
Asher stopped breathing. Yes, that could happen. Why did this thought want him to jump away or break something? It's just an interest. He was sure he wasn't crushing on her.
"Keep thinking!"
Cora walked away humming leaving Asher with more questions than he ever knew.
Rose was away from this so she was not at all thinking about Asher. But she was thinking about Cora.
Rose smiled.
First impressions cannot be trusted. How much she didn't like Cora when she first met? But seeing the bracelet, she thought that Cora was also an angel.
The bracelet wasn't an ordinary one. Like how witches consider nature their lifeblood, Moon Charmers have the same notion.
A Moon Charmer grows plants with the Moon as the life force. The plant then has calming qualities. The bracelet should be from such a plant.
The leaves were emerald green and they were alive. She could feel them moving and providing her with waves of calming energy.
Not many know about the calming energy. Like when you are stressed, even some calming stance can stop you from going downhill. It keeps the evil thoughts away.
Such plants are magic. If she could find more, she thought it could help so many people who are stressed and in pain. But witches are filled with chaotic power and they couldn't do this.
Her wand appeared and tried to move away the bracelet and coiled it on her wrist in a beautiful form.
Rose laughed seeing this childish reaction. Competition between two plant branches.
"Okay okay, I'll always love you. Don't fight with a child for a favor. Maybe you can take the branch as your apprentice. What?"
The wand didn't answer.
Rose then chanted a spell making the bracelet invisible to everyone but her. If you have something valuable and then flaunt it, you invite thieves and troublemakers.
Asher: Tomorrow, I'll have to go attend the party celebrating my grandfather's tradition. It's the day the company was formed. So, come with me.
Rose saw the timestamp. He sent this before she even reached home.
Rose: Okay, anything I need to prepare?
Asher was brought out of his thoughts by the notification ring.
He was feeling complicated about Rose but his fingers honestly typed the answer. The sudden party should be his father's doing, he was sure.
Asher: You will be the focus. I'll introduce you as my girlfriend.
Rose understood the assignment.
So, she was dressed in a low-key dress but it was beautiful.
She wore only the bracelet Cora gave her. And her wand was disguised as a hair clip.
Asher didn't have to pick her up as she directly teleported again to his home.
"Nice. We match!"
Rose found both of them matched. His tie was the same color as her dress. Now that's a coincidence.
"Yeah," Asher felt his throat was dry and he coughed.
"Let's go."
He drove the car out of his community and sped to the venue.
Rose saw the gorgeously decorated mansion and she was in awe.
So, when she stepped out, Asher held her hand and smiled at her beautifully.
"Gorgeous, let's go."
Her confused expression fell in the eyes of the bystanders as love and they sneered.
Seeing the happy couple, obviously in love, the girls started fuming.
There was one who absolutely hated Rose. Claudia noticed Asher as soon as he set his foot in the hall. How could she not? She had been chasing him for ten years. She knew more about him than she knew herself.
Asher took Rose to sit at a table that was secluded but he could still feel the eyes on them.
"I'll get you juice."
Ashed noticed her eyes on other's juice glasses and he volunteered to get her those.
As soon as he left, June occupied his seat.
"Hey, you should be my sister-in-law. Nice to meet you. I'm June."
Rose smiled.
"I'm Ivy."
"You are beautiful. Did I meet you before?"
Rose shook her head.
"I would definitely remember a beautiful lady like you."
June giggled and blushed.
"Only someone like you could fall for such a lie. You look so poor. Leave Asher and I'll pay you more than you ever knew." A discordant voice appeared near her.
There it is. The standard drama in a romance novel.
How about she take the money and come back with a different identity? She could be a billionaire with this scheme.
"A poor person like you with such expensive jewelry? Whom did you rob?"
The woman wasn't stopping even when Rose remained quiet.
"Huh, I lost my bracelet here, remember? You picked it up?"
Another girl came forward.
"Guard, check her!"
"Stop it, you have no right. Not all can be fooled by your false rhetoric." June stood up before Rose as if protecting her.
"Huh, guard, come here."
"Yes, mam?"
"Check her, she is a thief."
The guard seemed uncertain.
"Mam, I can call my manager."
"Huh, you want to be fired? My dad is the CFO of Dream Group. You check her now or else I'll make sure no one in your family has a job."
The guard still hesitated.
"What are you waiting for? Lily, I'll check her."
There was no need to check for maliciousness. This group of girls was filled with it.
Rose knew that they could do this because they were sure Asher would be unable to come back to help her.
The girl came forward and stepped on Rose's dress and tried to pat her down. But she was really pulling the fabric as if trying to tear.
Rose never understood why some girls in novels would try to shame other girls. It was just so bad.
Was Rose going to allow her to do this? No!
The girl tripped and fell and her front tooth broke.
The commotion attracted everyone's attention.
"Dad, she pushed me and my friend."
The leading girl complained first.
"Who are you? How dare you mess with my baby?"
A baby who wants to shame another girl?
"Throw her out!"
The man was no wiser than his daughter.
This time the guards swarmed her. They were about to touch her.
Any moment now!