Chapter 1

In the empty rented place, Isaac Norris sat there for ages, lost in thought, before finally dialing Nathan's number.

"Nathan, save me a spot on your uninhabited island development project. I'll come find you as soon as I can," Isaac said.

Nathan's voice came through, sounding surprised. "What? Isaac, are you really coming here just to hang out with me?

"Your adopted sister is a big star now. You've been supporting her for years. Shouldn't you be living it up right now? Why would you come all the way here to rough it?"

He added, "Don't tell me you only see her as a sister. I'm not buying it. Did you two get into a fight or something?"

A sharp pain twisted in Isaac's chest, but he kept his voice cool. "No, we're good. We'll always be family, like brother and sister for life. I'm just tired of how things are."

Nathan couldn't hide his concern. "I just hope you've really thought this through. After everything your family's been through, and how much you two have been through together, I just hope you won't regret it."

After hanging up, Isaac's gaze turned dull. The fire in his heart had already gone cold.

Regret? It's not like he ever got to make the choices anyway.

All these years, Isaac always felt it was only right to look after Evelyn, to dote on her, and to make sure she never had to cry.

But now, he couldn't give her anything anymore. She deserved so much more from life, and as her brother, he refused to be the one standing in her way.

*****

When Isaac was five, his parents brought home a little girl from the orphanage.

He was just a clueless kid back then, but when he saw how timid Evelyn was, he secretly swore he'd always look out for her, be her shelter whenever she needed it.

But then, everything fell apart. His parents died in a car accident while they were out working themselves to the bone.

Isaac went from being the golden boy of the Norris family, adored by everyone, to hitting rock bottom. But at least he still had Evelyn by his side.

When he turned eighteen, Isaac got into a top university, but he dropped out to work and support Evelyn.

With no real experience in the world, he had to grind it out at the bottom, hauling bricks on construction sites, delivering food, whatever it took.

He never flinched from any back-breaking or grueling job.

All he wanted was to come home, covered in dust, and hear Evelyn softly say, "Isaac, you've worked so hard. Here, have some water."

To him, that simple moment was sweet as honey.

Evelyn never disappointed him. With exceptional musical talent, she was accepted everywhere with special consideration.

For Evelyn's 18th birthday, Isaac knew her biggest wish was to own a quality violin.

But that violin cost a fortune. No matter how many hours he worked, he still couldn't afford it. In the end, he had to donate his blood for cash, just to barely pull together enough money.

He would never forget the look on Evelyn's face when she unwrapped the gift on her birthday. Her smile lit up the whole room, like a sky full of stars.

She threw herself into his arms, her voice bubbling with excitement. "Isaac, I love it so much! From now on, I'll take this violin to every competition!"

Isaac quietly pulled his sleeve down to hide the bruises on his wrist, just soaking in how soft and warm Evelyn felt in his arms.

He couldn't keep his feelings for her hidden any longer. He wanted to finally tell her what was in his heart. "Evelyn, I..."

But Evelyn pressed a finger against his lips, looking up with her tiny face. "Isaac, you don't have to say anything. We'll be together for the rest of our lives."

In that moment, Isaac felt like he had the whole world.

But he'd gotten it all wrong. Evelyn wasn't in love with him. She was just grateful for everything he'd done, and only ever saw him as her brother.

As time went by, Evelyn kept rising higher, shining on bigger and brighter stages, catching the eyes of the world.

Until one day, Isaac started seeing more and more photos of her online. She was always standing next to a successful man, making headlines everywhere.

When Isaac saw the way Evelyn looked at that man, he felt a sense of unease for the first time.

So he deliberately brought it up, trying to sound casual. "Evelyn, I saw the news about your debut! I'm so proud of you. And that Mr. Olson you were with..."

A hint of shyness flashed in Evelyn's eyes. "Isaac, Mr. Olson really admires me. He's one of the investors, so sometimes I just have to be around him for work."

Isaac bought it at first, but as more and more pictures of them together popped up, he couldn't help feeling a sting of jealousy. He hated himself for it.

But with every new sign, it was getting harder to ignore that Evelyn treated Mr. Olson differently from everyone else.

Isaac lingered by the window, lost in his memories for so long that his legs went numb.

Just then, the wind outside started howling. His damned soft heart wavered yet again.

He snatched up his raincoat and an umbrella and rushed out the door. The rain was coming down in sheets, soaking him through in no time.

But Isaac only cared about one thing. At this hour, Evelyn would definitely be in the rehearsal room.

The old doorman saw him and let him through with a smile. "Back to pick up your sister again, huh, kid?"

Isaac swiped the rain from his face and hurried inside.

He quickly spotted Evelyn, but just as he was about to approach her, two voices cut through the air and made him freeze.

"Evelyn, I swear Mr. Olson is totally into you. But what about your brother? You two aren't even related by blood, you know."

Isaac stood outside, his heart pounding in his chest, but what he heard next utterly shattered him inside.

Evelyn's voice was as sweet and gentle as ever. "Isaac's always been so good to me, but he's just my brother. That's all he'll ever be to me."

"But Mr. Olson is different. He can help me take my career to the next level. You know how tough it's been chasing my dream in music. I'm not ready to give up yet."

She added, "As for Isaac, I'll repay him well. I bought a villa in Riverford. We'll move in soon."

Isaac stood frozen, drenched from head to toe, but the chill in his heart was far worse than the rain outside.

He managed a bitter smile and walked out in a daze, his mind lost in a fog.

He told himself, 'Isaac, you've devoted yourself to her for so many years. Now you finally got the answer you've been waiting for. What right do you have to keep standing in her way?'