You were the one who abandoned me, why do you regret it?

Kelsie's arrival was like a bolt of lightning that woke me from all my dreams.

Whenever she appeared, Bradyn's gaze would follow her involuntarily.

No matter what he was doing, one phone call from her, and he would drop everything to rush to her side at any time without hesitation.

She and I couldn't be more different. I was a spoiled rich girl, while she was calm, composed, and always knew exactly what she wanted.

From the moment she became Bradyn's assistant, her eyes shone with determination, as though she was certain she would win him over.

Under her soft and considerate attacks, Bradyn gradually went from indifferent to paying attention to every detail of her life. Eventually, they became confidants, and after some alcohol, they ended up in bed together.

I yelled, screamed, and even threatened to hurt myself, but the more I acted out, the more Bradyn grew to despise me.

Right in front of Kelsie, he said he only ever saw me as a younger sister and that he didn't have the slightest romantic feeling for me. He told me to stop daydreaming.

I couldn't believe it. I held up the lucky charm he had once given me and demanded an explanation.

When I was fifteen, I caught a fever after swimming at the beach.

The fever lasted three days, and even the doctors had given up hope. My parents were on the verge of despair. Only Bradyn refused to give up, desperately searching for a way to save me.

He traveled alone to a church at a high altitude to pray and brought me back this lucky charm.

It was strange. After the lucky charm was placed under my pillow, I recovered from the fever by the next day.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Bradyn's disheveled but smiling face.

The light in his eyes was so bright that it illuminated my entire world.

From that moment on, my heart seemed to beat solely for him.

For nine years, I orbited around him. It was so long that he became a habit I couldn't break.

Bradyn glanced at the lucky charm in my hand and scoffed.

"It's just some trinket. I didn't expect that you would treat it like it's priceless."

I finally understood. To him, I was just like that trinket, something insignificant, easily discarded.

The car pulled into the Ruiz's house.

After getting out, Bradyn took a deep breath and then frowned in disgust before reluctantly grabbing my hand.

I knew he was only doing it for our parents, but I recoiled inside.

His cold fingertips pinched my palm, sending a sharp pain through me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trembling all over, trying to pull my hand away.

But Bradyn's warning look stopped me.

"Giana Miranda, behave yourself! Don't try anything stupid, or you know what will happen!"

I stopped resisting, letting him lead me inside, numb and devoid of feeling.