Ten years ago, our class had a graduation party. I wore the couture dress my dad gave me for my 18th birthday and happily bounded up to Lorcan with a huge rose bouquet. My grin was wide, so dazzling that even the roses in my arms seemed to come to life.

"Marry me, Lorcan. I'll give you a complete family."

The air that night had been chilly with an evening breeze. Everyone had been cheering for us and my proposal, even our homeroom teacher. Everyone and nature itself had been on my side.

Lorcan, however, only looked out for himself at my expense. He'd frowned at me in disgust and snapped, "Scram, and get the hell away from me!"

The breeze tousled my carefully styled hair and scattered red rose petals all over the ground.

That night, I went home without Lorcan for the first time in ten years. I stayed out late partying.

I slipped off my shoes under the silver moonlight, then gingerly opened the front door of my family villa. That was when I heard a familiar male voice coming from the corner of the house. "Don't worry, I'll bring you to Ashfield."

The young woman to whom he was speaking exclaimed, "Really?"

He sounded as dispassionate as ever. "Yes."

I stood barefoot on the icy tiles, my expression dazed. My heart felt like it had been pumped full of lead. It was as if someone had stolen the air from my lungs.

No wonder Lorcan had told me to scram and get the hell away from him. He'd wanted Sabrina Porter, not me.

A bitter smile curved my lips, but my heart was hollow and full of misery.

…

Our class reunion ended with a torrential downpour. Those who drove here disappeared into their vehicles, while others without cars asked for lifts home. Zoey tugged on my arm and offered, "Tess, why don't you come with me? I'll get my boyfriend to drop you off at home."

"It's fine, I can manage," I turned her down with a smile.

Lorcan approached us from behind and stopped about six feet away from me.

Zoey pressed, "Did you drive here?"

I shook my head, smiling as I held up my phone and waved it. "No, someone's coming to get me."

"Oh…"

As if on cue, a black car drove through the rain and pulled up by the curb. A towering man with a refined bearing stepped out of the car, holding up a black umbrella. He came toward me and grumbled in stiff Credean, "This is some weird weather!"

Something about the way he said it must have tickled my funny bone, for I couldn't help laughing. I linked arms with him with practised ease. "Yes, you'll get used to it."

I felt a dagger-like stare sweeping across me from six feet away. I found it odd and glanced over my shoulder at Lorcan, whose lips were pressed into a thin, hard line.

Beside me, Zoey went still with astonishment. "Is he one of your foreign boyfriends, Tess?"

Lorcan's eyes darkened dangerously, his heart tightening.

With my arm still looped through Jonathan's, I said without answering Zoey's question, "Bye, guys. See you around!"

The car wasn't parked far from the hotel entrance. As I walked alongside Jonathan, I felt Lorcan's dark, heavy stare on me like the sharpened point of a knife, ready to plunge through me at any second.

"It seems you've used me to ward off unwanted suitors again," Jonathan grumbled after we got in the car.

I put my hands together. "I'm truly grateful for your help, Jonathan. This is the last time, I promise."

"Yeah, we'll see about that." Jonathan shrugged speechlessly.

I broke into a wide grin at his resignation.

Jonathan Kilbourne was my co-worker abroad, and he came to Credea with me this time because headquarters had arranged for us to scout new talents with celebrity potential to participate in the company's upcoming commercial production.

It so happened that Sabrina was a candidate, too.

The downpour grew heavier and more relentless. Since getting off the plane, I hadn't gotten used to the time difference before attending a class reunion. I was exhausted.

As the rain drowned out the rest of the world outside, I leaned against the window and dozed off.

Sabrina and I were nothing alike. Zoey had once told me I reminded her of a winter fox treading through snow—aloof, elegant, and gorgeous. Sabrina, on the other hand, was an energetic and bubbly beauty whose mother happened to be our family cook.

Sabrina's mother, Nancy Danes, had been our family cook since I was five. Her husband had died from heavy drinking, leaving her to raise her two-year-old daughter.

Generous and kind as he was, my dad took Nancy home and gave her a job. My mom had passed away when I was little, and Nancy practically raised me as her own. She and I were close-knit, and I'd always treated Sabrina like a younger sister.

Two years ago, with some help from my father, Nancy and Lorcan's father, Vincent Steele, settled down together. After that, Sabrina became Lorcan's younger stepsister.

She'd been in elementary school when Lorcan and I were in junior high. As continuity would demand, she'd been a freshman in junior high when we were in high school.

I could only blame myself for missing all the signs between Lorcan and Sabrina. When had they developed feelings for one another?

The suffocating memory of what happened during those wee hours of the morning suddenly flooded my mind.

Doomsday hit faster than any of us could expect it. Five hours later, my dad's company was plagued by a financial crisis and went bankrupt three days later. After a week, scandals and dirty rumors befell the company.

I packed up and left on a plane, flying far away from the land I called home.

My dad had died because of them. He'd jumped off a building, and I'd seen his death reported on the internet.

"Tess!"

I woke up with tears streaming down my face, only to see Jonathan staring at me worriedly. I grabbed a tissue and dried my tears, my voice hoarse. "I'm fine."

Jonathan handed me an opened bottle of water. I took it and let the water soothe my grainy throat. "Head over to Skylark Entertainment without me tomorrow, Jonathan."

Skylark Entertainment was the largest entertainment agency in the country. Lorcan acquired it five years ago.

"Why?" Jonathan asked, baffled.

A humorless smile tugged on my lips as I opened the car door. My voice was drowned out by the sound of the pouring rain. "Because I've still got some pride left."

Alas, an ordinary person's pride and integrity were only worth so much.

While researching potential celebrity candidates in the hotel, I'd only just come across a decent-looking young man when Jonathan called. "Tess, it's best if you come to Skylark Entertainment."

I looked no better than a bedraggled goblin as I leaned into the swivel chair behind my computer. "Did something happen?"

"The reps at Skylark Entertainment think your absence is a show of insincerity on our company's part," Jonathan explained.

Insincere? Those pricks!

I bolted for the shower. "Give me half an hour."

Half an hour later, Jonathan and I found ourselves waiting in the CEO's office at Skylark Entertainment. We were given a simple task—talk Sabrina into signing with us.

Ten minutes later, the CEO of Skylark Entertainment finished his meeting and strolled through the office door, his silhouette dashing and confident.

I stood up and met the CEO halfway, smiling as I reached for a handshake. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Steele."

Lorcan hummed in acknowledgment, then turned his gaze on me. "Sit."

"Mr. Steele, our company has already reached out to Skylark Entertainment with an invitation. We were hoping to—"

Before Jonathan could finish speaking, Lorcan crossed his legs on the couch and gave the documents he held a cursory glance. After that, he lifted his gaze to us and interrupted coolly, "Co-workers?"

"Uh, yes…" Jonathan was thrown off his curve by Lorcan's unexpected question.

My brows furrowed. "Mr. Steele, we came today to invite Ms. Sabrina Porter, a talent managed by Skylark Entertainment, to collaborate on our company's commercial production. If you're agreeable—"

"I'm not." Lorcan's gaze was as dark as obsidian, and he said in a cold, hard voice, "If your company is interested in working together with one of our talents on an upcoming commercial production, we're happy to let other excellent candidates collaborate with you. But Sabrina—"

"Fine, then," I cut him off brusquely and stood up to leave. "I hope we'll get to work together with Ms. Porter the next time."

I'd delivered that statement through gritted teeth, then dragged Jonathan with me as I left the office.

Lorcan was happy enough to let us hire any candidate under his management except Sabrina. I ought to commend him for his loyalty and dedication.

I was fuming, and it was a surprise smoke hadn't come out of my ears.

A week later, I attended a star-studded dinner party in an expensive cocktail dress.

Skylark Entertainment wasn't the only agency I could reach out to. There were plenty of fish in the sea.

I helped myself to a glass of champagne, and with a winning smile, graciously approached a nearby, fresh-looking young man. He was the high-potential candidate I'd found and researched back at the hotel.

Unfortunately, the entertainment industry was nothing more than murky, shark-infested waters.

Before I could get close to the young man, a greasy, stout, bald man approached me. His clammy, fleshy palm immediately found its placement on my waist as he leered at me. "Hey, gorgeous, why haven't I seen you around before?"

I scowled. "Let go."

"Oh, don't play coy with me. Women who come to these things are always looking for a rich man to go home with."

"Didn't you hear her? She told you to let go!" The next second, a long leg shot out and landed a swift, hard kick on the greasy bald man. He fell, landing on his backside.

Lorcan straightened, his face grim with the promise of violence as he slowly approached the bald man. The sole of his leather shoe, polished to the point of gleaming, pressed against the greasy man's right hand.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Mr. Steele, please spare me! I'm not worth your time!" the greasy man pleaded, practically prostrating at Lorcan's feet as despair twisted his face.

Lorcan stared down his nose at the creepy man, scowling. "Which hand did you put on her? This? Or this?"

He stepped on the man's fingers even harder until a distinct crunch rang through the air. The man let out a howl as his fingers were crushed under Lorcan's shoe.

I stared at Lorcan in bewilderment. It was as if he'd become the brash young man he'd been ten years ago.

My heart wrenched over and over. I mourned for him, as I did for myself. He would have been better off without me. I was an accessory to his most miserable, most humiliating moments.

…

While I was in a daze, the security came and dragged the greaseball away. It was only when Lorcan turned to look at me that I snapped out of my thoughts. Flashing him a smile, I said politely, "Thank you."

With that, I spun on my high heels and made to approach the young, high-potential candidate I'd been eyeing earlier.

"Tessa Langley." Lorcan's large palm suddenly wrapped around my arm.

"You want him?"

I turned around and met Lorcan's dark, depthless gaze. My smile grew contemptuous as I noticed the way he was gripping my arm. "What about it, Mr. Steele? He's not part of Skylark Entertainment, is he?"

There was a long silence, then Lorcan swallowed and said in a grainy voice, "I'll let you sign whoever you want in Skylark Entertainment as long as it's not Sabrina."

"Let go!" I shrugged him off, grimacing in anger. It was always "Sabrina" this and "Sabrina" that with him. I'd lose my mind if I heard her name again!

Lorcan stared at me for a heartbeat, then narrowed his eyes. In a show of compromise, he released me. "Fine."

I appraised him critically, then turned to leave. The next second, I felt the world spin and go out from under my feet. Before I knew it, I was slung over Lorcan's broad shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"What the hell are you doing, Lorcan?" Blood rushed to my face as I screamed and smacked him. In a seamless series of movements, he carried me out of the hall, tossed me into the car, and took me home.

His abode was much fancier than the home I'd lived in before my family went bankrupt. It was an overtly resplendent house, as expected from the wealthiest man in the country.

"What the hell, Lorcan?" I demanded, whirling to fix him with an angry, indignant look after he'd taken me here against my will.

However, I'd only just turned when I noticed how deathly pale Lorcan looked. I was so startled that I asked, "Hey, what's the matter with you?"

Lorcan glanced at me, beads of cold sweat forming on his brow, and said nothing. The next second, his towering figure went slack, and he collapsed.

Panic had me lurching forward to catch him, though I made a clumsy job out of it. I carried him to the couch, which later proved to be a laborious endeavor that left me breathless.

Lorcan sank into the couch, his brows knitting together as pain etched on his face.

This was the first time I'd seen him like this, and I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. My tone softened. "What's wrong with you, Lorcan?"

He couldn't speak, and his brows remained drawn. At that moment, a piercing ringing sliced through the air.

It was Lorcan's phone. He didn't respond even though it had been ringing for over ten seconds. I decided I was past asking for his permission and leaned forward to dig his phone out of his pocket.

I slid my thumb across the screen and put the call through. "Hello?"

"What the hell?" The person on the other line boasted a rather familiar, if not annoying, loud voice. "Tessa?"

My head throbbed. "Yes."

"Why do you have Lorcan's phone? Are you with him? Hold up, when did you two get so chummy? Also—"

I cut him off, "Stop. I have only one question now—does Lorcan have a medical condition or something? He's now—"

I lowered my gaze and assessed the man lying on the couch. His face was ashen, and he'd broken into a cold sweat. Whatever it was he had, it looked serious.

"Did that punk drink again?" Callum cried, "He's got gastritis!"

"Is it serious?" I asked.

"Well, yeah. During the class reunion last week, the punk downed so much alcohol while I wasn't looking and ended up in the hospital emergency room with a bleeding stomach."

I hung up, but Callum's words still echoed in my mind.

I was in the kitchen making hot tea with honey when Jonathan called. For what it was worth, Lorcan's way of living was decent by conventional standards. At least his fridge wasn't empty.

"Tess, where are you?"

I brought the honeyed tea out of the kitchen. "What's up?"

"Hurry over! I found you a decent Credean man!" It was all flashing neon lights and white noise on Jonathan's end. From the looks of it, he was at a bar.

I put the call on speaker and set my phone on the couch. Then, propping up a very weak and vulnerable Lorcan, I said to Jonathan, "Go have fun without me! I can't make it."

"Why not?" Jonathan looked scandalized. "Are you planning to use me to ward off unwanted suitors again? You know what my sweetheart will think of that! She'd be livid!"

I shot him an odd look. "You don't have a sweetheart."

Lorcan seemed to be doing better after recuperating for a few minutes. He opened his eyes lazily, held my stare, then dropped his gaze to the cup of honeyed tea in my hand. He said nothing.

"I just met her! She's super cute, and so, so beautiful—" Jonathan rambled on like a lovesick fool, only to snap out of his trance a second later. "Wait, don't change the subject, Tess! I'm serious about that Credean guy. I found you a match, and a handsome one at that!"

I handed the honeyed tea to Lorcan as he lay awake on the couch and turned to grab my phone. "Alright, fine, give me his number. I don't have time today, though…"

There was a loud crash, followed by the sound of porcelain shattering. My back stiffened as I spun to look at Lorcan.