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Chapter 10
My heart skipped a beat as I mechanically turned around,
Jade quickly covered: “Nothing! I told a bad joke, and Lyra found it funny”
Julian clearly didn’t believe her but didn’t pursue it. He called Jade over to sign documents.
Raine moved closer to me, whispering: “Lyra, your attachment is becoming excessive. Why follow us here? I don’t want to hurt you by making you witness this.”
“I think you’re misunderstanding something.” I replied.
“Am 1? I thought we’d cleared everything up. Why are you still appearing in front of us? And with Julian Storm?”
1 was genuinely baffled by his self–centeredness.
“Has it occurred to you that this isn’t about you at all, but about Julian?”
I meant it as a dismissive retort, but Raine’s expression grew alarmed.
“What do you mean? I know you’ve loved me for years. I gave you two years of endless affection in return. You can’t expect me to believe this nonsense.”
There was no point continuing this conversation.
We all left together in the same car–Raine drove with Jade in the passenger seat. Julian and I sat side by side in the
back.
He seemed tired, lounging back with his eyes closed.
Only then did I dare study him. He was undeniably handsome–defined features, taut skin, excellent bone structure. His thick eyelashes fluttered slightly, startling me into looking away, only to catch Raine’s eyes in the rearview
mirror.
His brows furrowed as he stared darkly at me.
I was puzzled–I wasn’t even looking at him, so why was he concerned?
Jade chatted animatedly beside him, bringing up our school days:
“Lyra really saved me once. If she hadn’t found my uncle for me, my mom would have killed me.”
In high school, Jade and I were classmates.
She was always mischievous with consistently poor grades, frequently subject to parent–teacher conferences.
The worst incident involved her getting caught dating an upperclassman. The teacher insisted on calling her parents immediately. She desperately gripped the teacher’s hand as he reached for the phone, crying dramatically
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Chapter 10
while promising never to repeat her mistake.
Meanwhile, she kept mouthing words and signaling to me waiting outside, begging me to find her uncle.
I ran to her house at top speed. When I finally found Julian, I was so out of breath I couldn’t speak.
He gave me water and waited until I could explain what had happened.
Afterward, he went to the school and brought Jade home. Her eyes were swollen from crying–he must have scolded
her severely.
But Jade could laugh about the embarrassing memory now, showing her resilient personality.
I envied her–both for being universally adored and for her bright, optimistic nature.
If it had been me, I’d probably never want to mention it again.
I smiled and said: “I was always bumming rides from your family. Helping was the least I could do.”
She reminisced: “Remember how we’d take the school bus together? When the family driver came, we’d drag our feet, eating street food and buying idol merchandise until seven or eight. But when Uncle Julian picked us up, we’d sit ramrod straight, too scared to speak. Those were fun times.”
“But why did you suddenly drop out senior year? I never saw you again before I went abroad.”
My smile froze on my face.
Wet pavement, a dark alley corner–this was the past I most wanted to forget.
Raine looked toward me too, seemingly awaiting my answer. He’d never asked, and I’d never told.
I opened my mouth, but my chin trembled uncontrollably.
Words failed me. My mind went blank–I couldn’t even think of a way to change the subject.
“Jade.”
Julian opened his eyes and lightly kicked the back of her seat.
She turned to look at him, confused: “Huh?”
“I’m resting. Be quiet.”
“Oh…”
She turned back awkwardly, and the car fell silent.
That night, I received a message from Raine:
[You looked so pale when Jade asked about school. Are you alright?]
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Secretly Dating My Brother’s BFF… Until His Hotter Rival Stole the Spotlight
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Chapter 10
I didn’t respond.
Thirty minutes later, he sent another:
[Can you tell me what happened back then? I’m worried about you.]
I blocked him again and buried my face in my soft pillows.
Maddox knocked on my door and entered, placing a glass of warm milk on my nightstand.
“Mom and Dad mentioned you’re moving out after Christmas?”
By next semester, I’d be starting my junior year internship far from home, making the commute impractical.
I nodded.
Maddox’s expression grew serious. He seemed to struggle with his words before sighing:
“Well, you’re grown up now. I’ll make sure your internship company is properly vetted, and I’ll find you an apartment with good security. You’ll need to be extra careful on your own.”
“I know, stop fussing,” I replied.
He ruffled my hair, calling me ungrateful, but his eyes revealed deep concern.
The milk didn’t help me sleep.
I had nightmares all night and woke with a tear–soaked pillow.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.