"I don't want to do what you want me to!" Rose shouted. "That's enough!" her mom yelled at her in anger. "I had you study science for a reason. You think you can move ahead in life by doing this kind of work? You're my daughter, yet you can't even live up to my expectations. You're a useless daughter!" her mom said sharply.
"Yes, I studied what you wanted me to! Did anyone ever ask what I wanted to do? No! Because you only care about yourself! Everything I did was just to please you. You knew I had a passion for painting, yet you ignored it. You made me choose science because you wanted me to. You said if I scored well, I could get into a university of your choice. But did you ever once consider what I wanted?" Rose said, crying.
"That's it! I will no longer do what you want!" she cried out.
"You're talking back to your mother now?" her mom yelled, and before Rose could say anything more, her mother slapped her. "You will do exactly what we say! Do you understand?!"
Rose, full of anger and pain, went to her room, slammed the door shut, sat in a corner, and cried. She cried so much, it was as if a mountain had collapsed on her. All the memories of her past came flooding back—the things she went through as a child's
Years ago, when Rose was about 18, she was sitting in her room preparing for her college entrance exam, which was two days away. Her mother came into the room and said, "Study well. If your score isn't good enough, I'll make you repeat this class."
Rose replied, "I'll do my best." Her mom nodded slightly and left the room. Rose studied all night. It was nearly 3 a.m. when she finally dozed off. She took the exam, and her name was among the top 10 scorers. Her mother was pleased.
Afterward, Rose said she wanted to pursue painting and study art. But her mother instantly refused. "No, you will not do painting. You cannot waste your life on such a useless thing."
"But—" Rose began stubbornly.
"No 'but' or 'anything.' You will not do painting!" her mom snapped.
While thinking about all this, Rose's eyes fell on an old photo—it was of her and her family. Looking at it made her cry again.
The next day, she left the house, supposedly for work—but her intentions were different. She had taken a job at a hospital as a nurse. But for part-time, she had planned to start a small art exhibition.
On the way back, she took a taxi. As she sat inside, she noticed something odd. She had seen the driver somewhere before. She rubbed her eyes and looked again.
The driver noticed her too—and his reaction was just as surprised as hers…