A Bloom of Thorns

With God as her witness, Holly Sullivan had always been a good girl.

Taken in by the Hoffman family at a young age, she had spent eighteen years longing for a way to repay Ronald Hoffman's kindness and the life he gave her.

However, she could not bring herself to accept the marriage proposal he put forward—not when her heart already belonged, entirely and irreversibly, to Luke Hoffman.

On the night of her eighteenth birthday, Luke—drunk and dangerously charming—lured her into bed.

From that moment on, it was not just her heart she had given away.

She gave him everything.

A sharp sting on her neck snapped Holly Sullivan out of her daydream.

She looked up, her eyes clouded with confusion. She saw Luke Hoffman's attractive face flushed with intense passion and longing.

"Holly, can you stay here with me?"

Luke's voice was low and laced with a hint of seduction.

He drew her closer with a firm squeeze on her waist, his rhythm intensifying—a wordless punishment for her wandering attention. After a contented sigh, he nestled into Holly's arms, relaxing at the touch.

What followed was the familiar declaration of love.

"Holly, do you have any idea how much I love you?

"I'd be lost without you."

The lingering desire within her unfurled, wave after wave.

His words of devotion shattered what was left of her composure.

Luke had a craving for breast milk, and as fate would have it, she was naturally well-endowed. Ever since she hit puberty, she had to change her undergarments constantly. They were a perfect match.

Her voice shook with a mix of nerves and anticipation.

"Luke, let's get married. I'm nearly 28, and it's—"

She could not finish her thought.

Luke, who had been so close just moments ago, suddenly withdrew.

He stood up. His physique featured broad shoulders that tapered to a narrow waist.

Turning his back to Holly, he methodically got dressed. His tone reverted to its usual detached chill.

"Why bring that up now? It's too early. Plus, the company's got me swamped, and I don't have time for a wedding."

Holly gripped the fabric beneath her, her lower lip caught between her teeth in a bashful plea, "We don't have to have a wedding. I just want to make it official."

Luke froze in his place.

As the silence grew heavy, his ringing phone broke the tension.

He stepped away to take the call, and Holly started to get dressed.

A misstep sent her tumbling into the bushes, and a flash of red caught her eye.

Shaking, she grabbed a tiny camera hidden among the leaves.

Holly dashed towards Luke without even bothering to fix her half-done buttons.

After a frantic search, she finally found him. She needed to tell him about the secret video, but she stopped short when she heard his icy voice on the phone.

"Got the video? Make sure it's crystal clear, especially Holly's face."

It felt like a thunderclap exploded right next to her ear. Her steps faltered and her mind sounded like a whirlwind of noise.

Through the speaker, a man's sleazy chuckle oozed through. "Luke, you're too kind to share such a prize with us."

Luke's laugh was light, dripping with mockery. "She's just a plaything. If you want, I might let you have a turn next time.

"If not for Cecilia, she wouldn't have even caught my eye.

"The competition is in two days. If Holly doesn't mess up, Cecilia won't stand a chance at the title. It's always been her dream.

"I can't bear to see Cecilia upset."

So that was it. He was with her just to help his childhood sweetheart, Cecilia Porter. To him, Holly was nothing more than a toy.

A chill engulfed Holly, freezing over her heart. Her face went ghostly white while her body tethered in fear.

Her phone buzzed. It was Ronald Hoffman.

[Holly, are you sure about turning down the marriage proposal? The guy's a catch.]

Tears spilled from Holly's eyes. With her back to Luke, she walked away and texted back.

[I've made up my mind. I'll go through with the marriage.]

Ronald's response came back almost instantly, his happiness palpable even through the screen.

[That's settled then. His family was just waiting on your 'yes' to book the wedding abroad. It'll be in two weeks.]