Chapter 4

Thomas' face was dark and stormy.

He took a long moment, fighting to keep his emotions under control.

He drew a deep breath, his voice a little softer. "I know you just want your dad to feel at ease. But right now, I really can't do it."

I asked quietly, "Is it just right now, or is it never?"

Thomas was speechless.

He fell silent for a long while before speaking again. "Nina, calm down. This bracelet does look similar to my grandma's, but a fake is still a fake.

"Take it off, okay? You're too young for this bracelet. It doesn't suit you."

He reached out, trying to grab my hand.

I turned aside, dodging his touch, and laughed softly, "Of course I know it's not your grandma's.

"That one's on Grace's wrist right now."

For a second, panic flashed across Thomas' face, but he wasn't surprised. "You found out?"

I thought after five years, I'd learned to accept reality, to let go.

But hearing that, my chest still stung, like a needle had jabbed right through.

Grace would never lie about something like that.

Thomas looked momentarily at a loss, before his brows drew tight. "Is this why you've thrown such a fit, and even taken it out on Grace?"

I stared at him, utterly incredulous.

No disappointment, no sadness, just pure anger.

Five years together, and we never even went public.

Now he was turning around to marry someone else.

And he thought that was all I cared about?

My temples throbbed. I shot back, "When did I ever take it out on Grace?"

Thomas' face fell, disappointment written all over him. "Grace came to see your dad this morning. She said you stopped her and almost made her drop her bracelet."

I let out a bitter laugh, suddenly feeling like the man in front of me was a total stranger.

All the anger and resentment faded, leaving only a cold calm.

I looked up at him and said, "Just think of it as me being disgusted by her."

Thomas frowned. "Grace and I grew up together. It's not her fault my grandma likes her. You shouldn't have made a scene. Just apologize to her, okay?"

I shot back, my voice flat: "We're done here."

After five years, I didn't even want to waste another word on him.

I turned and walked away.

Thomas reached out, grasped my arm, and spoke firmly, "Go explain to your father that you will not go through with this engagement. Nina, whether we marry or not, I will always take care of you."

That was disgusting.

Was he planning to marry Grace and keep me as his secret lover forever?

I turned and shoved his hand away.

Suddenly, I couldn't understand why I'd ever thought he was so perfect five years ago.

I headed for my dad's ward.

Thomas called after me, his voice shaky and confused. "Nina, do you really have to get married?"

He had most likely long forgotten the earnest promise he'd made back when we first fell in love. He'd told me solemnly that he would marry me.

I first met Thomas when I was thirteen.

He was twenty-one back then, freshly transferred from a southern outpost to the military camp in Northbridge.

He was exceptionally capable. He and my father shared similar temperaments and had built a deep‑seated friendship.

For years, just like my dad always said, I'd seen him as nothing more than a family friend.

We'd eat together at the military base, and sometimes he'd teach me chess or help me with schoolwork. That was all.

When I was sixteen or seventeen, at that age when I started noticing people, there was an upperclassman who had a crush on me.

He was in the same year as my brother, kind and handsome, just like him.

Whenever he came over, he'd always bring me little gifts. Stuffed bunnies, handmade scarves.

One time, blushing, he asked, "Nina, want to catch a movie with me this weekend?"

I hesitated.

Thomas appeared behind me, his voice icy cold. "She's a minor. It's not appropriate for you to take her out alone."

My senior's face flushed even deeper. "Then... we could invite her brother along."

Thomas ignored him and turned to me. "I got two tickets from the base for that play you've been wanting to see but never managed to book. Come with me."

I always treated Thomas like an elder, and I was worried he might tell my dad about it, so I didn't dare talk to my senior anymore.

When I was nineteen, a guy from my class sent me flowers.

He wasn't like my senior, who'd get all embarrassed and blush. He just confessed right in front of everyone, downstairs at the dorm.

Right then, Thomas showed up to get me. He reached out and pulled me away.

Thomas shot me a stormy look. "Why are you standing there? Don't you know how to say no?"

I couldn't figure out why Thomas thought I had to say no to him.

Without waiting for my reply, Thomas drove me back home.

When the war broke out, my dad and my brother both headed south to the battlefield.

Thomas took care of me, and he filled our backyard with flowers.

The day the flowers bloomed, Thomas said to me, "Nina, there are plenty of people who can give you everything you want. Your family and me. Nina, don't let some guy trick you just because he does you a few small favors."

I looked at the flowers and realized he was talking about the bouquet from that classmate.

That day, after the snow had stopped, he stood in the backyard, surrounded by flowers that had started to bloom.

I suddenly noticed he looked even more handsome than when I first met him. His brows were sharper, his eyes brighter, and I couldn't take my eyes off him.

That was the sixth year I'd known him.

I harbored a shameful, unspeakable secret, one I had long resolved to bury forever in the dark, never to see the light of day.

But right then, out of nowhere, a crazy, impulsive idea popped into my head, and I stopped caring about anything else.

Somehow, mustering up courage I didn't know I had, I met his gaze and asked, "Can you really give me everything I want?

"If I want to fall in love and get married, that's not something my family can give me.

"So can you be the one to give me that?"

For a moment, Thomas froze, caught off guard by my words.

The moment the words left my mouth, I instantly regretted it.

My hands were clammy with cold sweat, and all I wanted was to turn and run for my life.

But as I was about to turn and run, I saw his gentle face as he spoke seriously, "Do you want that?"

For a moment, I thought I'd misheard him.

Then he went on, "If you do, I can."