Chapter 2The Boy Who Chose Wrong

My heart sank.

In the beginning, Holden wasn't this cold.

My father and his father were best friends. They grew up together, were college roommates.

Our parents even joked about us getting married one day since we were the same age.

But the jokes ended when tragedy struck.

My parents' company was framed, plunging into a massive crisis. On their way to fix the mess, they died in a car crash.

They never came back.

The little assets left were devoured by greedy relatives. Nothing remained.

And I became a burden. No one wanted me.

In the end, it was Holden’s parents who took me from the empty, foreclosed house.

Little Holden followed behind, tugging at my shirt, stumbling as he tried to comfort me.

"Don't be scared, Luna."

"Follow me from now on. I'll protect you. No one will bully you!"

He kept that promise.

For years, he always took me with him. He acted like a big brother, the first to fight anyone who mocked me for being an orphan living on charity.

Until high school.

Sophomore year.

Rumors started spreading about us.

They said I was his "child bride," that the Sterlings only adopted me to fulfill an old engagement.

At first, Holden didn't care.

But the gossip grew. And Chloe, the new girl who quickly became part of Holden’s group, kept teasing him.

"For real, Holden? Is that little follower really your child bride?"

"So you're taken? Aww, I better stay away so people don't call me a homewrecker, haha!"

Holden’s face changed.

A few days later, on the way to school, he pulled me aside and drew a line between us for the first time.

"Luna, stop following me all the time."

"Don't you think it's annoying?"

"Let's keep some distance."