I spent years chasing after my legal guardian, putting my heart on the line. Finally, on my nineteenth birthday, I summoned the courage to confess my love. But Julian looked at me with cold fury. "Hazel, don't forget your place in this family." Yet, clearly, three years ago at that gala, he was the one who pulled me into his arms. With the scent of whiskey on his breath, he whispered in my ear: "When you grow up, let's get engaged, okay?" I took his drunken promise as gospel. He treated it like a forgotten dream. The day he publicly announced his engagement to his long-lost "one that got away," I showed up with my suitcase. People scanned us with amused eyes, asking how I felt. For the first time, I didn't cause a scene. "I wish Julian all the happiness in the world. As for me, I'm leaving the country to study." He crushed the champagne flute in his hand, his eyes darkening for the first time. Later, he canceled the engagement. He stopped me on a snowy street in a foreign city, lowering his head in defeat for the first time. "I was wrong. Please, Hazel... come home with me." 1 "Thank you, Professor Miller, but I won't be joining the exchange program. Please give the spot to someone who needs it more." After hitting send, I exhaled a shaky breath. A heavy weight lifted off my chest. This year, the university had a prestigious dance program in Europe. Professor Miller had been pushing for me to go. But my body... it could no longer support the dream of being a dancer. A cold wind cut through the air, and I couldn't stop coughing. When I pulled the tissue away, it was stained crimson. Before stepping into the elevator, I crumpled the tissue and tossed it into the trash. Today was my nineteenth birthday. I couldn't let Julian see this. Three years ago, he held my hand and told me to wait until I grew up. I had waited long enough. My phone buzzed. It was Julian. "Hazel, are you home yet?" Julian was my guardian. The man who raised me. I smiled involuntarily, my voice lightening. "Not yet, I'm just unlocking the door." His voice sounded unusually exhausted. "Happy Birthday. Something came up tonight. I'll be back before midnight." I understood. I looked down and opened the door. The lights flickered on, revealing a room filled with pink flowers and blue balloons. On the table sat a velvet box containing the blue agate necklace I had begged him for last month. It was exactly what I expected. My mood soared, and my courage swelled. "Julian, I... I want to tell you something." "Something I've kept buried in my heart for a long time." Before I could spill my secret, the line went dead. Beep. I lowered my eyes, quickly composing myself. I placed the necklace back in the box, still hopeful, waiting for him to come back and clasp it around my neck himself. Midnight came. The clock struck twelve. Julian didn't show up. This was the first time he had completely missed my birthday. I felt dazed. He must be too tired. That’s why he didn’t make it. Calculating it now, this was my tenth year living with Julian. When my parents passed away in a suspicious accident, rumors swirled that they had crossed the wrong people in the underworld. They left no bodies to bury. I went from being the pampered princess of the Cloud family to a girl standing in the mud. My father’s legacy was devoured by his so-called "best friends" and business partners over drinks and laughter. Red-eyed, I went from door to door, begging for help. But nobody in the city dared to take in an orphaned girl with a mountain of debt. On the day of the funeral, only one man in black arrived to pay his respects. Julian. I had never met him. Rumor had it he was a dangerous man, a fixer from the shadows who had lost all his own kin. He reached out his hand to me, his lashes lowering. "If you're willing... you can come with me." That was ten years ago. 2 The coughing fit returned. I swallowed a handful of pills with warm water and let the medicine drag me into a fitful sleep. When the sky began to lighten, a rustling sound woke me. "Hazel. Long time no see." A woman stood in the kitchen, wearing Julian's oversized shirt, busy plating food. Her shoulder was exposed, pale and marked with red hickeys. I froze, my hands clenching my sleeves. Vanessa. The woman Julian had placed in his heart years ago. Seven years ago, when Julian was in deep trouble, she left without a word. Why was she back now? My gaze shifted, and my breath hitched. She was wearing the necklace. The blue agate necklace Julian gave me for my birthday yesterday. I pointed at her neck, my voice trembling. "That belongs to me." Vanessa looked at me with amusement. She wasn't surprised. Instead, she yanked the necklace hard. Snap. "Ah!" She screamed dramatically and lunged toward me, whispering in my ear as she fell: "Hazel, you haven't improved a bit in all these years." Before I could react, she threw herself onto the floor. The necklace skidded across the tiles. "Hazel, I didn't mean to wear your necklace! I'm sorry!" I narrowed my eyes. I walked over, picked up the necklace, and dusted it off. I suddenly remembered how many traps she had set for me seven years ago. How many fights she caused between me and Julian. I stood over her, my voice cold. "It's been seven years. You still love framing people? There's no one else here, Vanessa. Who are you acting for?" The next second, I was shoved aside. Julian stormed past me, helping the weeping Vanessa up from the floor. "Hazel, where are your manners?" I stood there, stunned. "She did it herself..." Vanessa cut me off, looking up with red, teary eyes. She looked fragile, like glass about to shatter. "I know... you blame me for leaving Julian seven years ago. You blame me for abandoning him when he needed me most." "But I had my reasons!" She sobbed, collapsing into Julian's arms, looking at me like I was a monster. But I caught the glint of victory in her eyes. I stood frozen. Since living with Julian, I had never been treated like this. I sneered. "Miss Vanessa, save the acting for the stage. Do you think this soap opera routine still works?" The air turned deadly silent. Only Vanessa's soft sobbing remained. Julian looked up, his sharp gaze sweeping over Vanessa. His expression was unreadable. I stood my ground, watching their eyes meet, gripping the necklace in my hand until it hurt. 3 Vanessa wiped a tear, her eyes darting between Julian and me. Her tone was aggrieved, pivoting away from our confrontation to something sharper. "If I had known you and Hazel were together... maybe I shouldn't have come back to disturb you." My secret was out in the open. I forced myself to stay calm. It wasn't a secret that I loved my guardian anyway. Julian raised an eyebrow, his gaze turning cold. "What nonsense are you talking about?" Vanessa let huge tears roll down her face. She tried to take off the apron and leave, but Julian grabbed her wrist. A stack of photos spilled out of the apron pocket. When I saw what they were, I froze. They were photos I had secretly taken of Julian. Candid shots that revealed my hidden admiration, my secret love. I had hidden these deep in my bookshelf. No one knew about them. A wave of shame washed over me. I looked at Julian. He stared at the photos scattered on the floor, his brow furrowing deeply. A moment later, he picked one up and tossed it into the lit fireplace. "These are just a child's games. They don't count." I panicked, grabbing his sleeve. "How can this be a game? I'm nineteen, Julian! I'm not a child anymore!" "Do you remember... three years ago at the gala at the Royal Hotel? I came to pick you up. You said... you said when I grew up..." "Impossible." Julian cut me off coldly, his eyes darkening into an abyss. "Hazel, I've indulged you too much." "I have always seen you as a child. You shouldn't have such disgusting thoughts." I closed my eyes. My face went pale. I had anticipated the worst outcome, but hearing it broke me. He had spoken casually while drunk. I was the fool who took it seriously. Julian's voice came from above, leaving no room for argument. "I bought a condo in the suburbs. The deed is in your name. Pack your things. You move out tomorrow." I heard myself give a soft, defeated "Okay." He was angry. I always thought I was special to Julian. That maybe, just maybe, he loved me too. The kitchen window was open. The wind blew the photos across the floor. I sniffled, squatting down to pick them up one by one. The cold air hit my lungs like razor blades. I couldn't suppress the violent coughing. I felt the metallic taste of blood rising in my throat. I panicked, searching my pockets for a tissue, turning my back to wipe the blood and tears from my face. Julian glanced at me coldly, then walked around me. "If you're sick, go to the hospital. The Sterling family isn't so poor that we can't afford a doctor." Vanessa followed him closely. I stood up. "Julian." I refused to give up. "You said last time you'd go to the hospital with me. I want to go tomorrow." Julian stopped walking. I stared at his back, stubbornness fueling my voice. "I'll wait for you tomorrow." 4 The weather in the city turned bleak. Heavy rain poured down. I waited alone at the hospital for a long time. I waited until the storm turned into a drizzle. My heart sank. Finally, only Wes, his assistant, showed up. "Mr. Sterling said he's accompanying Miss Vanessa shopping today. Here is a card. Buy whatever you need." I pulled my coat tighter, asking the question I didn't want the answer to. "Did he say anything else?" Wes lowered his head, hesitating. "Say it," I urged. "Mr. Sterling said... he hopes you remember your position." "In one month, he will be engaged to Miss Vanessa." Engaged? I took the card expressionlessly. I finally realized that my relationship with him was gone. He was eager to start a new life. My feelings were a stain he wanted to wipe away. He was reminding me, every second, to remember who I was. In that moment, I felt foolish. Holding onto a drunken sentence for years? Pathetic. Fortunately, the test results came back. Not cancer yet, but I needed surgery. The doctor suggested I go north, or even abroad, for treatment. After hesitating, I decided to tell Julian everything one last time. When I arrived at the company, it was late. The light was still on in Julian's office. Just as I was about to walk in, a woman stepped out of the shadows. It was Vanessa. She was sneakily arranging her clothes, hiding a file behind her back after snapping photos of it. Her phone screen lit up. She hurried to a quiet corner to make a call. The office was empty. I followed her to the stairwell. Her voice was light and triumphant. "Don't worry, I got it. This data is enough to bring down Sterling Corp." "Of course. He loves me so much, getting the key to his safe was easy." My hands shook. I pressed the record button on my phone. Vanessa turned abruptly. The clicking of her heels got closer. She was coming towards me. I backed away, trying to keep my breathing steady. I retreated out of the stairwell, my heart pounding. Vanessa was dangerous. I had to tell Julian immediately. As I backed up, I bumped into a broad, warm chest. "You're looking for me?" Julian was behind me. He took a deliberate step back to create distance. I was so panicked I almost cried. I played the recording. "Julian! I saw Vanessa stealing documents in your office! She's on the phone with someone planning to destroy the company..." Julian's face went rigid. To my shock, he snatched the phone from my hand. His expression was pitch black. Without hesitation, he pressed delete. "Since I've chosen to marry her, she will be your sister-in-law. I don't want to see you doing this again." "When did you become like this? Using such underhanded tactics?" I looked at him in disbelief. It felt like I was meeting a stranger. Julian was supposed to be sharp. Calculating. Ruthless to his enemies. Could a man like that lose all judgment over love? I fought back the tears, looking straight into his eyes. "Is that really how you see me, Julian?" He turned his back to me and lit a cigarette. I took a deep breath, wiped the corner of my eye, and let my heart die. "I came here to clear things up. I was immature before. I had feelings I shouldn't have had." "From now on, I wish you and Vanessa a long, happy life." I did as he asked. Overnight, I moved everything out. I waited in the small condo for two weeks, confirming my surgery date abroad for the end of the month. While packing, there was a knock on the door. "Delivery." I opened the package. It was a gold-embossed engagement invitation. Julian Sterling & Vanessa Li. Inside was a photo of them. Vanessa holding Julian’s arm, smiling brightly. I realized today was the engagement party. After packing the last of my life into a suitcase, I went to the venue. Before I even entered the hall, I heard the cheers. "Congratulations!" "What a perfect couple!" "Kiss her! Kiss her!" The moment I stepped through the doors, the room fell silent. All eyes fixed on me.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "389931", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel