Locked: My Mother and the Poisonous Rose

"Claire, Rose just broke up. Why don't you let her have your boyfriend?"

My mother Lisa Todd's words hit me like a slap. I stared at her, my heart long numb, but my stomach churned with disgust.

Without a word, I decided to retaliate in my own way-by setting my cousin up with a man notorious for his deceit and abusive behavior.

Let her be stuck with him. I had no regrets.

1.

Was it possible for a mother to love another girl more than her own daughter?

The answer, unfortunately, was yes.

Lisa was one of those women.

Lisa worked for a private company, and my father Walter, a minor civil servant, provided a stable income. We weren't wealthy, but we lived comfortably. As for me, I was Claire Todd, who once had a carefree childhood.

However, my life turned upside down two years ago when Lisa brought my cousin Rose Cox into our home.

With tears in her eyes, my mom held my hand and said, "Claire, Uncle Hank died in a car accident. Aunt Marie took the compensation money and ran off with another man. Rose has nowhere to go. She'll be living with us now. We are family. You need to take care of her, okay?"

Rose stood there, tears glistening on her lashes, her nose red from crying. "I don't want to be a burden," she said softly, her voice trembling. "But I have nowhere else to go."

From that day on, my life became a nightmare. Rose had a knack for taking what was mine, and if she couldn't have it, she'd destroy it. What was worse, she blamed it on me after making a spectacle.

And Lisa? She always took Rose's side, no matter what. Even when I had proof, Lisa scolded me, "You know Rose didn't mean it. Why are you so petty? Can't you just let her have it? Don't be so selfish."

Whenever it involved Rose, I was always the one who had to give in, always the selfish one.

It didn't matter what it was, for instance, my favorite doll.

Unfortunately, Rose always found a way to take them, and Lisa always made excuses for her.

The day I brought it home, Rose was there.

Her eyes lit up with greed the moment she saw it. "I'm so envious of Claire," she said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "She has such a beautiful doll."

Lisa, ever eager to please Rose, immediately turned to me. "If Rose likes it, you will give it to her. We're all family. I'll buy you another one."

"No," I said firmly.

I knew better.

Lisa had made empty promises before-about buying me new notebooks, new pens, and other new stuff. She never fulfilled her words.

This doll was mine, and I had wanted that doll for a long time. It was a reward from my dad for winning first place in a math competition.

No matter what happened, I wasn't giving it up.

I stormed into my room, slamming the door behind me.

I was in a good mood, but now it was totally ruined by Rose.

She was such a hypocrite! I hated her!

Lisa yelled at me from the other side, saying she would buy Rose a doll of her own.

I locked the door and ignored her.

But by the time dinner was over, my doll was gone. In its place was a horrifying sight-the doll, dismembered, its limbs scattered across my bed.

I ran to Lisa, furious and heartbroken. "Rose destroyed my doll!" I shouted.

But Rose, ever the actress, burst into tears. "I know Claire doesn't like me, but she can't accuse me like this! I didn't do it!"

Upon seeing Rose's tears, Lisa's face darkened. "Can't you be more reasonable? How can you frame Rose like that?" she scolded.

Later, I saw Lisa buy Rose a new doll. Not for me, of course.

This became the pattern of my life. At first, I fought back, but over time, I grew tired.

Strangely, Lisa called this "maturity."

The only saving grace was Walter. He saw through Rose's act and secretly bought me a replacement doll. But even he couldn't shield me from the constant tension in our home.

Before Rose moved in, her visits were occasional, but each one left me worse off.

I couldn't imagine what living with her full-time would be like. And yet, there we were.

2.

I had greatly underestimated Rose's shamelessness.

I thought she'd at least behave for a while, given she was living under someone else's roof.

But no-Rose's very first words were like a thunderbolt.

"Aunt Lisa," she called sweetly, her voice dripping with false innocence, "where should I stay? I don't really like sharing a room, and I'm in my second year of high school. The study pressure is intense, and I might need to study late into the night."

She even wiped away a few fake tears as she spoke.

She knew perfectly well that our house had two bedrooms-one for Walter and Lisa, and one for me. There was no extra room. What was she playing at?

I immediately looked at Lisa, but she didn't even glance at me.

Instead, she crouched down, comforting Rose. "Don't be sad, Rose. Be good. You can stay in Claire's room for now. Walter's on a business trip, so Claire can sleep with me."

I stared at her in disbelief. "Mom, I'm your daughter. I'm in my final year too. I need to study as well."

Lisa frowned. "Junior school isn't as stressful as senior high school. Can't you just give in a little? You could sleep with me for a few days."

"And when dad comes back?" I asked, my voice tight.

Lisa hesitated, clearly unprepared for the question. "Well... then you can sleep in the living room. It's big, and the sofa is soft. Isn't it better than your small room?"

"Since it's better, it's perfect for Rose, right?" I shot back.

Lisa was momentarily speechless.

Rose, ever the opportunist, chimed in with her best impression of a martyr. "Lisa, maybe I should sleep in the living room. It's okay, I'm just in my second year of high school. It's not as important as the final year."

Lisa fell for it instantly. "Look at Rose, she is so attentive. Don't you have any sense?" she snapped at me.

"She's not the one who got expelled from her own room and need to sleep in the living room!" I retorted, but it was no use.

Lisa ignored my protests, packed my things into a suitcase, and threw them into the living room.

I was furious. I refused to sleep with Lisa, even if it meant staying in the cold living room.

And true to form, Lisa didn't leave the door open for me.

Autumn nights were freezing, and the living room had no heating. I shivered under a thin blanket, unable to sleep. Both bedroom doors were locked, leaving me no escape.

I ended up pulling a down jacket from my suitcase to keep warm.

3.

Two weeks later, the weather turned even colder.

I asked Lisa for an extra blanket, but Rose claimed she was cold too.

Naturally, Lisa gave the extra blanket to Rose instead of me.

The next day, I woke up with a fever.

My limbs felt like ice, but my head was burning.

The clattering noise from the kitchen made my headache worse.

Someone viciously pulled half of my blanket away, letting the cold air in.

I heard Lisa chatting and laughing with Rose at the dining table, as if they were the real mother and daughter. "After breakfast, I'll take you to school," Lisa said.

Since Rose had arrived, Lisa had stopped taking me to school, claiming Rose needed more care.

Never mind that Rose's school was a ten-minute walk away, while mine required a half-hour bus ride.

The only bus that got me there on time left at 6 a.m., so I had to get up at 5:30 every morning.

Lisa only made breakfast for Rose, leaving me to buy bread on my way to the bus stop.

The irony wasn't lost on me.

I lay on the sofa, burning with fever, but Lisa didn't even notice.

When I woke up again, I was in a hospital bed, the sharp smell of disinfectant stinging my nose.

Walter sat beside me, peeling an apple.

Lisa stood nearby, her face cold. "You're such a worry," she said when she saw I was awake. "Why did you hide your condition from me? You made your dad argue with me!"

Walter cut her off with a sharp glare. "Enough. You're her mother, yet you let her sleep in the cold living room. What kind of mother can't even notice when the daughter gets sick?"

Lisa defended herself. "I told her to sleep with me, but she didn't want to."

"Bullshit, you locked the door," I said, exposing her without hesitation.

Lisa's face flushed with anger. "You ungrateful liar, what are you saying!"

She raised her hand as if to hit me, but Walter stopped her.

"What are you doing? Are you really going to hit Claire?"

Lisa backed down, but her resentment was palpable.

Walter turned to her. "Where will Claire stay once she's better?"

Lisa replied without missing a beat, "Of course, the living room. Poor Rose, she's been frail since childhood. How could she possibly stay in the living room? What if she gets sick?"

Walter stood up, his anger boiling over. "So you know the living room is cold in winter and hot in summer, yet you let Claire sleep there? Whose daughter are you really?"

I sneered inwardly. So Lisa knew all along-she just didn't care.

I turned to Walter, my voice hoarse. "Dad, I want to stay at the school dormitory."

Lisa's eyes widened. "What do you mean? Are you blaming me? Do you know how hard it is for me? I've been taking care of both you and Rose these past few days."

I interrupted her coldly. "You've been taking care of Rose, not me."

Walter's chest heaved with anger. "Is your idea of care sending Claire to the hospital?"

Lisa looked hysterical. "I'm doing this for your sake. Dormitories are expensive, and besides, don't you want to see your daughter? If she leaves, you'll only see her a few times a week."

Walter fell silent for a moment.

I felt a surge of worry in my heart. Would he be...

He then said firmly, "You are right."

Lisa's lips curled into a smile.

My heart sank deeper.

"Why should my daughter be wronged? Rose will stay at the school dormitory." Walter added.

I hugged Walter, tears welling up in my eyes. "Dad."

Lisa's smile faltered. "No, Rose can't go. She'll be bullied at school. She's all alone. She doesn't have parents. How pitiful is she?

Claire, can't you feel sorry for her?"

Walter stood his ground and questioned. "Who is your daughter exactly?"

A heavy weight pressed on my heart, making it hard to breathe.

My dad said firmly, "We've done our duty by paying for Rose's schooling. We won't let Claire suffer. If you pity her, you can move out with her."

When we got home, Walter made it clear to Rose.

She burst into tears, clinging to Lisa. "Auntie Lisa, does Uncle Walter not like me? Please don't make me leave. I'll be good. I'll wash Claire's clothes and cook for her. Please tell Uncle not to make me leave!"

Lisa comforted her, tears streaming down her face. "No, no, we won't make you leave. Claire, look at your sister. She's so pitiful. She is your cousin, and blood is thicker than water!"

She cried along with Rose, which annoyed me since I was still unwell.

"I've arranged for you to stay at the school dormitory. We really don't have enough space at home." Walter looked at the two of them huddled together, trying to keep his tone gentle.

Upon hearing this, Rose cried so hard she fainted.

She rushed her to the hospital in a panic.

Walter and I packed Rose's things while Lisa took her to the hospital after she had her dramatic faint.

When they returned, my room was restored, and Rose's belongings had been sent to the school.

She had no choice but to leave.

That night, Lisa and Walter had a huge argument.

In the end, Lisa packed her things and left with Rose. Watching her go, I felt a mix of sadness and relief.

But for the first time in years, I felt like I could breathe.

4.

There were just over sixty days left until the high school entrance exams.

During that time, Walter took care of me, constantly reassuring me not to feel too much pressure.

Lisa, on the other hand, didn't visit me once before the exams.

But honestly, with her and Rose gone, I was able to focus better on my studies.

The day before the exams, I came home from school and was shocked to find Lisa and Rose in the house.

I immediately looked away, refusing to acknowledge them.

Lisa, noticing my coldness, snapped, "I am your mother. Where's your manners? Rose and I came to cheer you on for your exams. How can you be so arrogant?"

"As if I care," I muttered under my breath. "If you hadn't come, I'd be thanking God."

Lisa's face flushed with anger, then paled with shock.

Rose, ever the fragile flower, started crying on cue. "Claire, I know you hate me. If you don't like me, just say so, and I'll leave right now."

"You know it, yet you still came," I shot back, my voice icy.

Rose's expression stiffened, but she quickly recovered and made a show of heading for the door.

Lisa stopped her, of course, and Rose gladly stayed.

Walter didn't kick them out, either-after all, they were still family.

Rose offered to sleep on the sofa, but Lisa insisted she take my room for the night.

Walter, knowing how important the next day was for me, refused. Instead, he let them have the master bedroom and slept on the sofa himself.

The next morning, Lisa knocked on my door, her voice unusually gentle as she woke me up.

For a moment, I thought I was dreaming.

But no, she was being genuinely kind -unbelievably so.

She had even prepared a table full of my favorite breakfast foods.

I couldn't help but wonder if she was trying to mend things with Walter after being away for so long.

I was suspicious.

As I sat down at the table, Rose smiled sweetly and handed me a glass of milk. "Here, have some milk. Aim for a good score today," she said.

Both Walter and I frowned.

Lisa, noticing my hesitation, urged, "Drink up. Look how nice your cousin is, warming up milk for you."

Walter's face darkened. "Claire is lactose intolerant. Don't you know that?"

Lisa waved him off impatiently. "Lactose intolerant? She's just being picky. Why can't she learn from Rose? Rose never fusses over food. Hurry up and drink."

She stared at the milk, urging me to drink it.

Rose pushed the glass closer to me, but the smell alone made me nauseous.

Walter snatched the milk away. "Rose had an upset stomach for hours after accidentally drinking milk. Remember?"

"She just wasn't used to it," Lisa retorted, pouting.

I gripped my fork tightly, my shoulders trembling.

"Mom, what do you want? Today is my exam. It affects my whole future."

Lisa, perhaps afraid of causing a scene, finally relented. "Fine, don't drink it. You're so delicate."

I thought the drama was over. After all, it was my exam day.

Maybe Lisa genuinely believed milk made you smarter and was just trying to help.

I never imagined she would actually try to harm me.

But I was wrong -terribly wrong.

Lisa would do anything for Rose.

As soon as I took a bite of the bread, I knew something was off.

My stomach twisted and churned, and a sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen.

I swept the breakfast off the table, dishes crashing to the floor.

I clutched my stomach, my eyes red, "What did you put in these breads? Is there dairy in them?"