Chapter 4

The warmth of his palm had seeped right through my skin, straight into my soul.

I had stared at him in awe, clutching onto that heat.

It was the very first time anyone had ever shown me kindness like that.

From that day on, I followed behind Christian wherever he went.

I followed him for ten years.

Every single memory of my childhood was filled with Christian.

My grandfather had taught me that when someone shows you kindness, you should repay it tenfold.

So, every time Christian snapped at me, every time he humiliated and mocked me, I always quietly gave him another chance in my heart.

Christian used to be so good to me.

I couldn't bring myself to leave him.

Yet the Christian standing in front of me now seemed further and further away from the boy in my memories.

I stayed in the hospital for a few days. One afternoon, I overheard two nurses whispering outside my door.

"Did you hear? The two Vance brothers got into a massive fight."

"I know! Apparently the older brother threw the first punch. Who knows what went down, but people said it was brutal."

I blinked, startled.

Christian and Julian?

They had never really gotten along, but had things escalated to actual blows?

I wanted to ask Christian, but remembering how he treated me made me shrink back.

Not long after, Julian unexpectedly walked into my room.

I scrambled to sit up. "Julian..."

"Lie back down."

He set a beautifully wrapped box on the bedside table.

It was a pastry box from my favorite bakery.

My eyes brightened, and a sincere smile broke across my face.

"Thank you, Julian!"

It was the first time I had ever spoken to him with such warmth. Julian froze for a moment.

He pulled up a chair and looked away awkwardly. "I was just passing by. Good to know you like it."

That was when I noticed the faint bruises across his cheekbone.

The rumors were true.

I bit my lip. "Did you and Chris get into a fight?"

Julian's hands paused as he awkwardly peeled an apple. He gave a quiet "Mm."

"Just a disagreement. Nothing serious."

A beat later, he added in a softer tone:

"Don't worry. It won't happen again."

After that incident, Christian's attitude toward me softened slightly.

When I returned to the estate, he didn't give me any smiles, but he stopped hurling insults.

Hoping to bring us closer together, Grandpa Vance arranged for me to work as Christian’s personal assistant.

Christian hated the idea, but under his grandfather's strict orders, he had no choice but to agree.

Yet as he brushed past me on the first day, he muttered, "Watch your step, idiot."

I curled my fingers inward and quietly kept my head down.

I stayed by his side at the office.

He surrounded himself with different women, making me run around fetching their favorite coffees.

He would keep me in his office, forcing me to watch him flirt carelessly with others.

It felt like calculated revenge.

It was strange. Christian clearly hated me, yet he couldn't bring himself to ignore me entirely either.

One afternoon, Christian stepped out of his office.

When I walked in to grab some documents, a woman blocked my path.