It was my seventeenth birthday, and I was staring at the flickering candles on my cake, about to make a wish. Rhys Ellington, out of nowhere, spoke. “Can you just give the scholarship money to Anya? You’ve already taken everything you can from my family by living here—do you really have to be greedy for that tiny bit of cash, too?” Rhys had always been selectively mute. Since childhood, this was the first time he had ever spoken to me—and he was doing it for the transfer student. I didn't dare say a word. I simply conceded. After all, I was just the poor, live-in ward who had secretly accepted ten million dollars from his father. As soon as high school graduation was over, I was leaving for college abroad. As for the prize money and the boy. I decided not to be greedy anymore. 1 Rhys Ellington was an anomaly. The Ellington family had thrown every imaginable resource and a torrent of money at his condition, but nothing could make him speak. Until one day, when the Ellingtons were at a local children's home for a charity event, they happened upon me. I was fighting tooth and nail with a group of much taller kids over a single cream-filled sandwich. Rhys saw the spectacle, pointed a hand at me, and uttered two halting words: “Help… her.” Those two simple syllables brought the Ellingtons an overwhelming, joyous relief. They finalized the paperwork immediately. Just like that, I became Rhys’s designated "companion." Back then, he was thin and small, and still didn’t talk. A group of older, meaner kids at school decided his silence was an act and picked a day to beat the truth out of him. I was living on borrowed time and borrowed money. I had to prove my worth. So, I didn’t flinch. Faced with thugs who were much larger than me, I felt like I was staring at a field of gold, or maybe a walking merit badge. I snatched a shovel from a school board member who was tending his prized rose bushes and chased them off. I was reported and had to stand outside the Principal's office, but I’d still smile goofily and perform a quick headstand outside Rhys’s window. He was mortified. He would tighten his jaw and refuse to look at me. After class, he’d slide me a note—he hadn’t spoken a word to me since that day at the home. I know you’re obsessed with me. But you can't possibly think these cheap little stunts will win me over, can you? It's pathetic. Stop trying to make yourself into some kind of princess. Ah? He was the Young Master. I was the help. If he went down, I was going down with him. Love? Affection? I wouldn’t dare dream of it. But the Young Master didn't care. He was convinced I was hopelessly in love with him. Which is why, when a nightmare woke him up in the dead of night, he had zero hesitation about calling and waking me up, too. I peeled myself out of bed, still half-asleep, and dragged myself to the bathroom to splash some water on my face before going to his room. The room was pitch black. I found my way to the bedside, gently covered his eyes with one hand, and reached for the lamp with the other. A few seconds later, I dropped my hand. Rhys’s dark eyes were fixed on me. His face was still pale from the bad dream, but his fingers were already tapping away furiously on his phone screen. His complaint: I just had a nightmare and couldn't sleep. I asked you to come read to me, and it took you that long to get here. That was your ‘no-makeup’ makeup look, wasn't it? Don’t splash water on your face next time and pretend to wash it. It’s pathetic. Just come straight here next time. I’ve never said you were ugly. There he goes again. I gave a half-hearted “Uh-huh, sure,” pulled a book from his shelf, and began reading. Halfway through the page, a gust of wind flipped the leaves. I looked up. The window was open. I got up, closed the window, and cautioned him, “Don't leave the window open so wide at night. You’ll catch a chill and get a headache.” Turning back, I tucked the edge of the blanket back around him. He absolutely could not get sick. If he did, I wouldn't be able to sneak into his private tutoring session tomorrow. That exclusive tutor charged a fortune—two thousand dollars an hour. As I moved, Rhys gave me that strange, unreadable look again. “What is it?” I asked. When we apply for college, I’ll permit you to apply to the same university as me. He suddenly brought up the college application process, which was only a month away. I was a little slow to process. Rhys got anxious, practically shoving the phone screen in my face: What? You don’t want to? Why would you not want to? Getting into The University with me is an honor. Don't play hard-to-get with me! Besides, I doubt you can even get into The University! I took a deep breath and shook my head slightly. “No. Of course not.” “I was just… too excited.” Rhys looked satisfied with my answer. He let out a small, self-important huff and closed his eyes. 2 I slipped quietly out of the room, closing the door behind me, and bumped into Henderson, the butler, who had been waiting for me. “Please.” Henderson offered me a cup of tea. I took it, recognizing the expensive blend the Ellingtons reserved for important guests. Mr. Ellington was sitting opposite, rubbing his temples. The timepiece on his wrist was worth enough to buy a condo in the city’s most exclusive district. Henderson thoughtfully smoothed a newspaper across the coffee table for him. The headline was stark: ELLINGTON HEIR RISKS LIFE TO SAVE MYSTERY WOMAN A while ago, a disgruntled former employee had stormed the school and, unfortunately, taken me hostage. Rhys had stepped in, offering himself in my place. I knew Mr. Ellington, just back from an overseas business trip, had completely misunderstood. He thought Rhys was in love with me. It wasn't true. Just today, Rhys had been planning to move me to the remedial class, the one full of rich screw-ups, purely to make room for the transfer student in the Honors section. Rhys was in love with Anya Flynn. Not me, Amelie Brooks. But just as I was about to explain, a check was pushed across the table toward me. “Aside from this small amount of cash, I will cover all expenses for your university education abroad once you graduate.” “The price is simple: complete and permanent severance from Rhys. Can you honor that?” “I do not wish to see scenes like the one from which you just emerged from my son’s room ever again.” Mr. Ellington’s gaze was heavy, silently applying pressure. “Yes, sir. Absolutely, sir.” I let the tears of supposed humiliation fall, clutched the check, and walked back to my room, my shoulders shaking dramatically.
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