Chapter 2
I met Tahan Harper hack in high schnel
I had just moved back to the States after spending most of my life overseas, and my English was rough
People loved to act all nice to my fare while saying awful things behind my back, the wogh when I didn’t catch on right away.
Ethan was the same at least at first.
Bhat he never said anything bal
He’d scare those people oft, then quietly lean in and say, “I like you.”
What he didnt know was, I actually understood that much.
One day, I decided to mess with blan.
looked him straight in the eye and said. “Tlike you t
I watched as Ethan turned beet red, the blush creeping all the way from his ears down to his neck
He looked like a boiled shrimp.
At first, I thought I’d gone too far.
But then, he jumped up, bolted, and didn’t stop until he trapped and fell flat on his face
Even then, he scrambled to his feet and ran out of sight
I thought, Great, I probably just lost my only friend.
Bat the next day, he rushed over to me and shoved a warm breakfast into my hands.
Startled, I asked in English. “What’s this for?”
Bishing furiously, he stammered in Chinese, “It’s for my girtin.”
I blushed too.
That was another phrase I understood perfectly.
First love is wild and reckless
Nothing could tear us apart,
When I turned eighteen, I signed away my right to inherit the family business just so I could stay by Dhan’s side.
By the time he found out, it was already done.
He held me night, crying until his voice was hope
“I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world,” he promised
And he did
For ten years, I didn’t do a single chore
I didn’t even have to work
Whenever a buxury brand launched something new, Ethan would bring it home the very next day
I hated eating out, so no matter how busy he was. Diban would always come home and cook
He worked himself into exhaustion for nie.
I begged him to stop, Imt he just smiled, gently brushing my hair out of my face.
“This is the life you deserve.
He’d endure anything for me, and he did it gladly.
Until Ivy Chandler showed up.
She was bright and sunny, bursting into Ethan’s world with undeniable energy.
She cared about him, worried about him–but never crossed.
Even so, I was consumed with jealousy.
I couldn’t stand anyone else rating for Ethan, not when that was supposed to be my role
I threw tantrums, and it all fell apart
In the enil. 1 last. Completely.
None of my friends took my side.
They all said I was ungrateful.
Everyone but Caleh Monroe, who stayed firmly in my corner.
He was like a quiet stream, a soft drizzle, silently staying by my side.
By the time I noticed. I had grown used to his presence. I couldn’t imagine life without him.
I thought, Life isn’t always about losing, I lost Ethan, but I have Caleb Isn’t that enough?
But life doesn’t work that way.
It doesn’t care about what you
think you deserve
Instead, it slaps you hard across the face, leaving you crying so much you can barely breathe.
And the hitter tears fall, hitting the ground and the tip of your tongue.
y taste so bitter.
They t
1 was sobbing uncontrollably when I heard my brother’s voice on the other end of the phone.
“Grace, there’s no place for you here anymoje.”
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