Chapter 1

I had been in an undefined relationship with Henry Sterling, my brother Jason Norton's best friend, for two years when Henry's childhood sweetheart came back.

It was the final straw. My heart was completely done. I finally accepted the arranged marriage my family had been pushing for.

The engagement party was an intimate yet luxurious affair, attended only by close family and a select few friends.

We were gathered for the photographs, all smiles, when Jason's phone rang.

He answered it with a laugh. "You're unbelievable, Henry. You can't even make it to my sister's engagement?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end. Then Henry's voice came through, low and measured. "Say that again. Who is getting engaged?"

*****

"Jason, I'm willing to give that arranged marriage a shot," I said.

My brother Jason clicked his tongue on the other end. "Wow, sudden change of heart? Weren't you all set on sticking around Halasria with your secret boyfriend?"

I answered quietly, "I regret it now."

After a pause, Jason's tone turned serious. "Did he mess with you?"

"No," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "We ended things peacefully."

After I hung up, tears rolled silently down my cheeks.

I took a cab back to the villa where Henry and I lived together.

When I walked in, I'd already managed to calm myself down.

The TV was playing financial news, and Henry sat at the dining table, holding a cup of coffee.

He glanced at me as I came in, his eyes calm and unreadable.

I walked past him without saying anything and just quietly took a seat across from him.

His expression shifted a little as he asked, "Did your dance tour wrap up early? I thought you weren't coming back until tomorrow."

"Yes, it ended early," I replied, lowering my gaze.

There was a tension between us now, something distant and strained, and I couldn't remember feeling it before.

I was sure Henry felt it too.

"That's good." He nodded. "You can get some extra rest." With that, he stood up and walked over to the entryway.

The housekeeper brought over his suit jacket and walked up to him, giving me a small, knowing smile.

Henry glanced my way out of the corner of his eye.

I stayed perfectly still, acting like the TV had all my attention.

Henry frowned slightly.

I knew exactly what he was wondering.

Whenever I came back from a dance tour, I'd always hurry into his arms and excitedly show him all the gifts I'd brought back.

Before he left for work, I'd always take his jacket from the housekeeper and help him put it on myself.

Then I'd kiss him on the cheek and say, "Come home early. I'll miss you."

Henry never really showed much emotion. He didn't seem to like it, but he never turned me away either.

But this time, I didn't do any of it.

After a moment, he took the jacket from the housekeeper himself, his eyes lingering on me for a second before he turned and walked away.

What he didn't realize was that I hadn't just come home today. I'd actually returned last night.

*****

Last night, I had come home early. The soft yellow light from the study spilled into the hallway. I walked quietly toward it, thinking I could surprise him.

But before I could even call him, I heard a muffled groan from inside.

My heart froze for a second, but then I couldn't help but find it kind of funny.

I suddenly realized that all the distance and control he showed me before was just an act.

But then again, Henry was only human. There was no way he was truly as untouchable as everyone made him out to be.

So when I was not around, he just got himself off in secret.

I peeked into the room, and the sight that met my eyes hit me like a physical blow.

Henry looked desperate with need, his eyes glued to a photo on the screen, one hand slipping down to his crotch.

I held my breath. The photo on the screen was of Yvonne Grant, his childhood sweetheart, the girl who'd grown up with him in the Sterling family's care.

I always thought Henry was distant and refined, the type who never liked being close to anyone.

So even after we were together for so long, he always held back when it came to intimacy.

It turned out he did have desires, just not for me.

Cold seeped into my bones.

He was so caught up in his own world that he didn't even notice when I slipped away.

I wandered the streets for what felt like hours, until I finally sat down on a cold curb and stayed there, shivering until morning.

It was then that I understood why, after two years together, Henry had never wanted anyone to know about us.

It wasn't because he was worried about my overprotective brother getting upset, like he always said.

The truth was, his heart belonged to someone else all along.

After Yvonne's family fell apart when she was a kid, she'd been raised as one of the Sterling family's own.

To Henry's parents and everyone in their social circle, Yvonne was Henry's stepsister.

He couldn't, or maybe he wouldn't dare to break the unspoken rules everyone else seemed to follow.

So when I started chasing after him, he just let it happen and let me take the fall as his mysterious girlfriend, all to hide how he really felt about his stepsister.

My chest tightened with a sharp ache. I pulled out my phone and called my brother Jason.

That night, Yvonne posted on her feed: [I'm back. Try and keep up!]