On My Birthday, My Love Disappeared

When I first entered this world, I harbored a ridiculous crush on Willie and felt fortunate to escape my original life.

In my previous world, I lacked a loving family. I had parents who prioritized sons over daughters and wanted to marry me off early, leading to a bleak fate.

But in this world, my parents loved me and Willie would like to protect me.

We grew up together as childhood friends. He treated me well when we were young as if I were the center of his universe.

I had always been introverted and reserved, yet with my pretty face and Willie's exceptional status, I naturally attracted envy.

The girls around us were quite direct in expressing their feelings.

Whenever I hid in the corner of the classroom and cried whenever they picked on me, Willie would roll up his sleeves and punch the wall next to them, making them scream in fright.

He wore a roguish smile, but his tone was chilling.

"If you bully her again, my fist will land somewhere far more serious than just the wall."

At that time, his family business had not yet gone public, and my family was happily intact. Our parents had a good relationship and were delighted to see us together.

I gazed into his charming eyes as he pulled me up, his slightly childish face already showing hints of youthful handsomeness.

"You don't even know how to fight back when others bully you; you just cry like a baby, Annika."

Though he pretended to scold me, he wiped my tears away and softly comforted me, "It's okay. I'll fight back for you from now on. No one will bully you again."

I believed him, thinking he would protect me for life.

Until he suddenly dropped out of school for a year and moved away when I turned seventeen.

I didn't understand why he left without a word or why my father suddenly became so busy that he was always in the hospital, returning home with bloodshot eyes and bruises on his face.

My mother often cried while holding me, and our door was constantly pounded on by unknown people, the knocking relentless for hours.

I hid under the table, clutching my head, too scared to make a sound.

I dreaded that knocking; it felt as if someone were about to break in and kill us.

"Do well on your exams, Annika." That night was the last time my father came home, stroking my head with a loving smile.

I could never have imagined that the next time I would see him would be in a hospital bed. He was covered by a white sheet, his pale face looking cold.