Chapter 1

Late at night, Vanessa Samson arrived at the Bowen residence with a pale face. "Mrs. Bowen, you once told me Blake has had a crush on me since we were kids. Is that true?" Rose Kirby was startled by Vanessa's unexpected visit at such an hour. Nevertheless, she lit up with excitement and grasped Vanessa's hand tightly. "Of course! If you don't believe me, I can take you to his room right now, and you'll see for yourself. Blake's already 27, and even though women are lining up to date him, he's never had a serious relationship. I used to think he wasn't interested in girls at all. "But then I went into his room one day and discovered he's been in love with you all this time. It makes sense, doesn't it? He's your brother's best friend and has watched you grow up. You're so lovable. How could I not have guessed?" Rose was halfway through pulling Vanessa toward Blake Bowen's room when Vanessa suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Mrs. Bowen, if Blake really likes me, then I'm willing to marry him." "Really?" Rose's eyes widened in joy as she exclaimed, "Oh, that is wonderful! I'll call him right away. No, wait. We should pick a date for the wedding first!" Then, she hastily grabbed a calendar as if she feared Vanessa might slip through her fingers. Vanessa managed a faint smile. "Let's make it December 8th." Rose glanced at the date, and her grin grew wider. "That's great. It's only a month away. Vanessa, you sure know how to pick!" Vanessa smiled and said nothing. She hadn't chosen that date by chance. It was the day Harris Samson was getting married. After an animated conversation, Rose reluctantly saw Vanessa out of the house. The rain-soaked streets glistened under dim streetlights as groups of people strolled by the riverbank. Occasionally, children darted past, their laughter ringing in the cool night air. One little girl accidentally bumped into Vanessa, causing her to stumble backward. A slightly older boy rushed over and said nervously, "I'm sorry! My sister didn't mean to run into you. Please forgive her." Vanessa blinked, momentarily dazed, then shook her head gently. "It's okay. Go on and play." Relieved, the two children ran off and continued playing around. Vanessa watched them silently as a memory surfaced. Once, someone had stood up for her like that too. When Vanessa was six, her parents died in a car accident, and their close friends, the Samsons, took her in. With her adoptive parents consumed by work, the responsibility of caring for her fell to their son Harris, who was seven years older than her. Harris would postpone his meetings and rush to her school to shield her from bullies, make her favorite dessert, and hold her close during stormy nights while telling her bedtime stories. Basically, Harris had raised her. And somewhere along the way, her feelings for him changed. She couldn't pinpoint exactly when it happened, but her admiration had turned into love. However, because they were siblings, Vanessa never dared to reveal her feelings. Instead, she poured her emotions into her art and sketched a thousand portraits of him. On the corner of each drawing, she scrawled the same confession—I love you, Harris. Three months ago, her secret was exposed when Harris found her sketches. It was the first time Vanessa had seen him angry. He'd clutched the papers in his trembling hands and thrown them at her, the edges cutting not only her face but also her heart. Tears had streamed uncontrollably from her eyes and blurred her vision, leaving only the sound of Harris' furious voice in her ears. "Vanessa, I've cared for you all these years, but not for this! Not for you to harbor such disgusting thoughts. I'm your brother. I'm seven years older than you. How can you do this? And besides, I'm in love with someone else." A few days later, Harris had brought his girlfriend home. Vanessa had imagined countless times what kind of woman he might like, but she never once expected it to be her college roommate, Waverly Jones. When they first started college, Waverly mentioned coming from a poor, rural area and struggling financially. Over the four years they spent together, Vanessa took care of her in many ways, even often bringing her home for meals. Yet despite all this, Waverly and Harris had always been mere acquaintances. How did the two of them suddenly become a couple? Vanessa didn't believe it and clung to the hope it was all an act to force her to move on. Nonetheless, time crushed her hope, especially when Waverly constantly schemed against her, and Harris always took her side. Just earlier that night, Harris had announced his engagement with Waverly and ordered Vanessa out of the house for the first time. His face had been stormy as he stood by the door. "Go stand outside for two hours. If this happens again, don't bother coming back." Harris had once patted her head and promised, "Wherever I am, that will always be your home." Yet now, for Waverly, he had broken that promise. Of course, he was getting married, and he needed a home of his own—one without her. So, Vanessa decided to leave it all behind. Suppressing the sorrow in her eyes, Vanessa turned toward the stairs. Just as she was about to step up, a cold and sharp voice rang out from above. "I told you to stand outside for two hours, but you disappeared all night. Where have you been? Do you not want to come back anymore?" Vanessa froze mid-step. Without looking up, she replied softly, "That's right." She wouldn't come back anymore.