Within milliseconds, Luke hurriedly shoved Holly away. Her head smacked against the car door, turning her face ghostly white as she winced from the pain.

Luke, looking all kinds of worried, quickly fixed his rumpled clothes and rolled down the window. His eyes darted to Cecilia standing outside.

Luke, who was usually cool-headed, sounded distressed, "Girlfriend? No way, Holly got hurt, I was just helping her out."

Holly looked up to Cecilia's gaze, which was cool, deep, and drop-dead gorgeous.

It was like comparing perfection to her mess and mortification.

She was the polar opposite of Cecilia. Holly was all curves and sweet innocence with a side of allure — a walking daydream for many guys. Cecilia looked like she was sketched by a goddess, she only had graceful lines and an air of untouchable grace.

Holly knew their history, Luke and Cecilia were childhood friends. They went to the same schools and even went abroad together.

To all the old folks, and Holly herself, before they were eighteen, Luke and Cecilia were known as the golden couple.

Somehow, on her eighteenth birthday, Luke picked Holly instead. Holly had figured Luke just was not into Cecilia's vibe.

Then, it hit her. All this time, he did not want to ruin the perfect picture he had of his untouchable goddess.

Cecilia watched Holly catch a beat, a small laugh escaping her. Then she dropped the bomb. "Isn't that Holly? The girl your family's taking care of, right? I get that you two are tight, but you better keep a distance.

"If people start talking, it won't just be a bad look for your folks – I'd lose respect for you, too."

Cecilia's offhand comment sent Luke into a tailspin.

"There's nothing going on between us, I'll never be with someone like her."

His words edged into me like a sharp knife.

Holly's hands were balled into fists so tight that her fingernails nearly pierced the skin of her palms.

Cecilia's face remained cold, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

Luke turned back, his eyes pleading as he silently begged Holly for help.

Holly fought back the tears, forcing a strained smile that did not quite suit her.

"Ms. Porter, you've got it all wrong.

"Luke and I aren't dating. We're more like siblings than lovers, in fact.

"Besides, I'm about to get married, so there's no way I could be with him."

Cecilia's frosty demeanor softened for a moment at Holly's words.

Her smile warmed when she looked at Luke.

"Luke, it's been too long since I've caught up with your parents. I'll stop by your place later."

With that, Cecilia walked away, her silhouette graceful and dignified, leaving Holly with a mess of insecurities.

A sudden sharp pain snapped Holly back to reality — Luke was gripping her wrist too tightly.

Luke's frown showed his displeasure. "Holly, what's this about an arranged marriage you mentioned?"

Holly's face remained neutral as she gently pulled her hand free.

"It was just a cover story, don't take it to heart."

Luke let out a relieved breath.

Silence then filled the car, heavy and awkward.

Luke awkwardly coughed, ready to justify his earlier reaction. "I hope you're not upset. I just didn't want Cecilia spreading rumors to my parents, so I had to make sure we were on the same page."

Holly did not say a word. She closed her eyes and feigned to be asleep, releasing an air of exhaustion.

Luke fell for the act and realized she was not mad at him. He let out a breath of relief and, with a thoughtful gesture, draped his jacket over her.

Unseen by him, a tear traced a silent path down Holly's cheek.

They arrived back at the Hoffmans' house to find that Cecilia had already made herself at home. She had been openly welcomed by Luke's parents, Ronald and Melissa Gilbert. Melissa could not resist a jab when she saw Holly walk in.

"Look at that, Holly. Luke and Cecilia are just perfect for each other, right?"

Cecilia's eyes flicked to Holly. "You don't look too happy, Holly. Is it because you don't like me, or because you don't like me being with Luke?"

Her words were like a bait, pulling all eyes to Holly, whose face lost a bit of color.

Melissa chuckled, playing peacemaker. "Oh, come on, Holly's the most understanding person here. Way more than Luke.

"And besides, she's already involved with someone from Yverland...

"Hi, Ms. Gilbert," Holly cut in, her voice tinged with urgency, "I'm not feeling well. I think I'll go upstairs and rest."

Melissa's eyes softened, and she nodded. "Of course, dear."

As Holly made her way up the stairs, she could hear Melissa politely suggesting Cecilia stay longer.

Cecilia quickly declined. Luke, on the other hand, was desperately trying to convince Cecilia to extend her stay.

A smirk curled at the edge of Holly's lips.

Whenever Cecilia was around, Luke had eyes for no one else.

So the days rolled on, a full week slipping away.

Luke was pretty much glued to Cecilia's side, but he had not forgotten about Holly. Every night, he would text her, trying to smooth things over.

[Hey Holly, don't be mad. My folks just think Cecilia needs a tour guide since she's new in town.]

He would write on and on.

[Once she's gone, we'll spend some time together. Remember that cool place abroad you wanted to check out?]

[Holly, you're my number one. Always. This thing with Cecilia? It's just for show, for my parents' sake.]

[And hey, you promised not to go to the Ocean Sonata Cup, right? Stick with that. Stay home and we'll have our own time.]

[Holly, I love you.]

Holly had been on the balcony when she read that. If she had not seen Luke tenderly pick up a flower that slipped into Cecilia's hair and tucked it away like a treasured keepsake, she might have kept fooling herself into believing Luke still cared for her.

Holly could not just stay still. She had been out and about with the Hoffmans, getting all her travel documents in order, even personally picking up her certificate.

Melissa and Ronald were really pleased with how well she was handling everything. They were treating her upcoming marriage like she was their own daughter, full of gifts.

Luke did not bat an eyelash when Melissa invited Cecilia to go hiking, even with Holly right there. Melissa, ever the peacemaker, chimed in, "Let's bring Holly along. It'll be good for her to get out before the big day."

With Melissa weighing in, Luke could not exactly say no. So, they left the room together, a reluctant trio.

Holly had thought about playing it cool, making up some excuse to bail. However, there she was, stuck in the middle of it all.

Luke's grip on Holly's wrist was sudden and firm. He pulled her into a hidden corner away from prying eyes.

"Holly…" Luke's voice was urgent, his body radiating a nervous heat as he leaned in close. His voice quivered, betraying a hint of fear, "Are you upset with me? There's nothing going on with Cecilia, I swear. It's all for show, to keep my parents off my back. You believe me, right?"

Holly was not in the mood to tear down Luke's facade.

She instead tried to push him away.

However, Luke clung to her even more tightly.

It was as if he was trying to prove his affection.

With one hand, Luke cradled the back of Holly's head, and he pressed his lips to hers with a boldness that left no room for argument.

His other hand started to move.

It snuck under the hem of Holly's clothes, starting to explore every piece of her.

With a familiarity that came with practice, he began to undo the clasps of Holly's undergarments.

A shadow of desire flickered in Luke's dark eyes, his throat involuntarily gulped.

He was oblivious to the resistance in Holly's eyes as he leaned in to whisper against her ear.

"Holly, I want you so bad."

A wave of nausea hit Holly.

She could not remember when she started to feel so repelled by Luke's advances.

She firmly stopped Luke's intrusive hand, took a deep breath, and fought back the impulse to slap him.

"Stop, it's not a good time. I'm dealing with... some girl stuff," she said.

At her words, Luke backed off as if he had been scalded.

He released her, and a brief look of relief crossed his face.

That look stung Holly, making her catch her breath with a twinge of pain.

At that moment, Holly realized the truth.

He did not want her.

He was just trying to keep her calm, to avoid angering her.

She stayed silent as Luke, filled with anxiety, was interrupted by his phone ringing. He stepped away to take the call and did not return.

With a blank face, Holly turned away and went back to her room to gather her belongings.

As Holly taped up the final cardboard box, Luke burst into her room without warning.

He grabbed her hand without a word and pulled her out the door. "You need to come with me," he said urgently.

He did not pause to notice the bareness of Holly's room, which was stripped of everything but the bed. Packed with boxes cluttering the floor.

However, Holly quickly realized what had sent Luke into such a panic.

The Hoffmans were livid. They had found an unopened pack of condoms in the study — a place where family honor was held in the highest regard.

Holly and Luke had been wild before, but would never dare be that reckless in the study.

Seeing what Melissa was holding, Holly felt a sudden stab of pain in her chest. Instinctively, her eyes went to Luke and Cecilia, whose beautiful eyes were brimming with tears.

Melissa, holding the incriminating evidence, spoke with icy disdain. "I get it, you're young and reckless, but you're crossing the line.

"I'm not going to come down hard on you, but you better be ready to face the consequences."

Her eyes were locked on Cecilia. She stood there with a sense of gracefulness, yet her face showed she felt deeply insulted.

"It's not mine. I would never," Cecilia declared, then turned to Luke. "And it's not Luke's. We've been together these past few days. He would never."

Her words might as well have been a neon sign pointing at Holly.

The servants had gathered, their eyes filled with a mix of scorn, contempt, and the thrill of gossip.

Their stares felt like a thousand needles jabbing at Holly all at once.

She felt a chill run through her, and as she met Melissa's searching gaze, she immediately wanted to deny it all.

Luke leaned in close, his voice a hushed plea in Holly's ear.

"Cover for Cecilia, will you? Please, Holly, I need your help just this once.

"If you won't, I'll tell everyone what happened when you turned eighteen."

Holly's whole body jolted, her eyes wide as she stared at Luke in disbelief.

A flicker of guilt passed over Luke's face, but he could not hold her gaze.

His lips were pressed together in a thin line, a sure sign he meant business.

Holly's heart throbbed with a mix of hurt and a bitter tightness. She fought back tears, her voice shaking as she whispered, "It… It was me."