The boy I secretly admire encounters his ex-girlfriend, the school beauty. I have no intention of competing with the school beauty for him, so I plan to step back. Little did I know, the next moment he actually does...
The boy I secretly admire encounters his ex-girlfriend, the school beauty. I have no intention of competing with the school beauty for him, so I plan to step back. Little did I know, the next moment he actually does...
A light drizzle fell outside, and I was in the kitchen making sushi for the guy I liked, a dish I had just learned how to make.
Cooked shrimp, thinly sliced cucumber, and a fluffy omelette were neatly arranged on a plate, and the air was filled with a pleasant aroma.
My phone buzzed with a text message.
With one hand occupied, I used my free hand to open the message from Alec Griffiths, "Sorry, Rosanna, something came up, and I can't make it to the movie tonight. You'll still need to go feed Muffin for me."
I replied, "Okay."
A single tear fell onto my fingers.
This was supposed to be our first date after our cold war.
But once again, it ended without a resolution. I couldn't even describe how I felt at that moment.
I didn't know what could be so important. He didn't explain, and I didn't ask.
Besides, I didn't have the right to ask. I wasn't in a position to.
I thought that, sooner or later, we would break through that awkward barrier!
But Alec still hadn't given me the confession I was waiting for.
Kathryn, one of my colleagues, called while I was at Alec's place, feeding Muffin.
Muffin was a dog-one that Alec had raised with his ex-girlfriend, the one he had always held dear. I wasn't fond of animals, but for Alec's sake, I tolerated it.
Muffin was doing well; he's a dog that could be trained and become quite tame.
A few months ago, when Alec went on a business trip, he left the spare key to his apartment with me.
Since then, I had been coming over to help clean his apartment and feed Muffin. Occasionally, I would cook meals for Alec, waiting for him to return so we could eat together.
Kathryn asked me about work, but then her tone turned serious. "Rosanna, I heard Linsey's been transferred to our department."
I stopped petting Muffin and froze for a moment, quickly asking, "Wasn't she promoted to supervisor in Brighton City? Why did she choose to come back?"
"Yeah, she chose to return as a supervisor, too. She'll be our new boss. Not sure if that's a good thing or not," Kathryn said casually.
The few words she said carried so much weight. I couldn't stay calm.
Linsey Roberts was the student council president and the most popular girl in our high school.
More importantly, she was Alec's first love. They had been together for two years in college.
Back then, Alec and I were in the same Math class. If you had to find a connection between us, it was probably just that we sat near each other.
We sat in front and behind each other, while Linsey and Alec were seated together as partners.
I often saw Linsey looking at Alec in class, her eyes full of admiration.
In truth, Alec wasn't that handsome. He was just tall, good at basketball, and one of the top students in our grade.
As for his personality, he wasn't competitive and treated everyone the same.
Later, the three of us ended up at the same university.
I had secretly liked Alec for six years. I couldn't even remember when he first entered my heart.
Maybe it was when he patiently explained a problem to me, or when he effortlessly fixed my computer. Or maybe it was earlier...
But that didn't matter. In our second year of university, Alec and Linsey became a couple.
I naively thought someone like him, so indifferent, wouldn't start dating too early. But as it turned out, men were all the same; they couldn't resist a beautiful face.
When I found out they were dating, I deliberately distanced myself from both Alec and Linsey.
But, of course, Linsey and I lived in the same dorm, and although we weren't particularly close, I could still hear her talk about Alec with our other roommates.
Linsey often said that Alec was perfect-he would buy her breakfast in the morning, remembering her favorite flavors, and when she was upset, he would let her vent without ever getting angry.
Every time I heard her talk about those sweet moments, it felt like a heavy stone was crushing my chest. It hurt to breathe.
I was both envious and jealous. Several times, I had to make an excuse to leave halfway through their conversations.
I spent two difficult years like that, still unable to forget Alec, even as graduation loomed.
Of course, Alec and Linsey couldn't escape the breakup curse that seemed to come with graduation. That summer, Linsey resolutely moved to Brighton City.
Alec was left behind with Muffin, trying to heal from the breakup.
During that time, I often came over to keep Alec company, watching him drown his sorrows in alcohol as he went through the hardest days of his life.
Maybe Alec was touched by my presence. After he pulled himself together, I could tell that he started to treat me differently than he did others.
Then, he gave me the key to his place.
To me, that key was a silent confirmation of my place in his life. He hadn't confessed, but it felt like I now had a way in, didn't it?
Now, I realized I might have been fooling myself. Maybe the signals I picked up were just my own wishful thinking. In reality, he didn't treat me any differently.
Alec appeared to have moved on from his previous relationship, but in reality, he remained distant, never allowing anyone to truly get close to him.
Well, the reason for our last fight was enough to prove how perfectly my analysis matched reality.
For three quiet, patient years, Christina kept house, only to be coldly discarded by the man she once trusted. Instead, he paraded a new lover, making her the punchline of every town joke. Liberated, she honed her long-ignored gifts, astonishing the town with triumph after gleaming triumph. Upon discovering she'd been a treasure all along, her ex-husband's regret drove him to pursue her. "Honey, let's get back together!" With a cold smirk, Christina spat, "Fuck off." A silken-suited mogul slipped an arm around her waist. "She's married to me now. Guards, get him the hell out of here!"
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
After a devastating divorce with the man she had been married to for over three years, Rachel thought her life was over. Her family disowned her, they wanted nothing to do with her anymore and she couldn't blame them. She had just divorced David Hart, one of the top successful bachelors in the country and heir to the Hart industries. But they would never understand that she didn't divorce him, he divorced her after she caught him cheating on her with her god-damned best friend! Rachel was just about to end everything by jumping off a bridge when she was saved by the most unexpected person. The boy she once bullied severally in highschool because he always wore ugly glass and was from a poor background, how come that glass make him so hot now? Why was he helping her get revenge on ex-husband who is trying to make her life even more miserable? And most important how did he get so handsome? What exactly does he want from her? ... No, you must want something, anything. If you can really help me get revenge on David and Lana, I can't just let you do it for free". Ethan went quiet for a while. I held my breath waiting for what his request might be. If it was something money could buy, I'll try my best to get it for him even though I was somehow broke right now. "You're right I do want something". He said after thinking for few minutes "What?" I asked slowly. " Until you get your revenge on David, Lana and every other person you want, you will live here". Live here as in...? " Wha... What are you saying? ". I stammered hoping he wasn't saying what I thought he was saying. I tried to step back but I missed a step and almost fell on the bed but Ethan caught me holding me in his muscular arms. Ethan moved his face closer to mine be was so close, our nose almost touched. " I want you to be with me! ".
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
Livia Shelby, 19, is forced into marriage with Damian Alexander - a ruthless CEO with a cold heart. Hate simmers beneath the surface, and sometimes it blurs the line between resentment and desire. But what happens when the love that grows between them is bound by a contract... and forbidden to be spoken? Author's Note: This book has been previously published on several platforms. This version is a revised and improved edition.
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