From Revenge to Romance

and to get back at her, I delib

ery trick in the book, yet he re

ed, I couldn't h

ied, "I was young an

with a predatory gleam, "Even young girl

ndrew, I even orc

eon lights, I collapsed in front of his

e could catch up, I pitifully plead

, take

nstinctively closed my eyes. The next seco

over my cheeks, I quickly smirked before opening

iving me a brief glance, "Do y

o.

ather seat, my voice trembling, "I'm afraid

the steering wheel, showing a hint of impa

g paused

are dead, I

y, "Uncle, can I stay at

nt, then nodded slightly

, I leaned against the window, stealing

nder the soft light from the car's ceilin

entle and affectionate, but when focused o

, momentarily l

t face was at his sister

was about to become my stepmother, and her

had passed away, but my fat

ially marry Raegan, making them a

emotional card with me, "Caylee, your mom's been gone for two years. D

rked, "Mom's only been gone for two y

e, suddenly standing up and pointing at me, cursing,

n, and Eliza were the real fam

ther completely ignored my existence and

y father and Raegan each holding a glass of win

lly handsome, tall, an

wore only accentuated hi

ally swept over me for a s

major clients, until he left the room with a

e was Raegan's younger broth

dre

but Raegan was so angry she

his head slightly, a hint of familial disdain in h

lowered the brim of my baseball c

or

my head to see a small mole near his Adam's apple, h

ge surged within me, and at t

response, Andrew cont

striding in and sweeping the dishes off the table in f

yle

ather rushed over, rai

step back, de

t was held back by relatives nea

t o

of thi

my lips as I looked at him, "Is t

bigger surprise comin

re h

ally reserved voice sna

n, maintaining a pitiful look a

he way to the thirty-second

a spacious flat

Andrew entered a room and returned shortly

is car, I had fallen hard, scrapin

plained softl

clean the gravel from my wound, disinfect

his long eyelashes cast shadows that softened his oth

ed, "Uncle, have you ever treate

ing away the first aid k

ed up at him, blinking, "I'm truly honor

h y

pression unchanged as he led me t

you need anything, come find m

ed out to him, "I haven't aske

ll, he looked down at

it from his own pleasant voice seemed

stepping forward until my n

too," I said, looking stra

drew's house f

next day, but I clutched my injured kne

I worked my way through college,

y story, his dark eyes watching me a

I lowered my head, avoiding his

tood up, saying calmly, "In that c

gesture of trust, so I could

I went back to school to pack some thi

asually asked, "Are you going

o

ill hav

e on my face, "No, I'm staying a

tended to bring him water, pushing the door open. After a fe

ch.

ain, Andrew quickly stood up, str

reall

s I looked at him. "It hurts

down and effortlessly s

age to fall jus

called Florrie, a

tly set me down. "You don't need

ndle it

ped my arms around his neck, gazi

d my implication but ref

hink things,

stay at my place

exactly why

into a light dress and dabbed some perf

lmost whispering in his ear, "

adult for qui

layer of cold detachmen

here turne

ion, I was about to say something

l calm, glanced at me, a

emed

ching as he walked out and clo

d I heard his icy voice,

through the gap to see Raegan's familiar fac

vely stepped back, accidentally bumping my ankl

roze. "Did you really

a moment of panic, I looked for a place

cat," he said, glancing

arrived, still

O

the subject. "Andrew, you have to help your sister this time. If my hu

d's c

d, trying to he

her-i

carried a hint of sarcasm. "Raegan,

hat his casual home attire couldn't hide. He

wn at Raegan with a calm exp

d before, I'm still your sister

ve with a pleading look that seemed

h through the door gap. Andrew glanced at his

, I'll have securi

the door and stepped out, st

, speaking before I cou

my earlier act of pretending

I was

listening. "Since your leg'

work

e passed by, I mustered the courage to grab

ha

me to see you. Was

his eyes darkening wit

hinking, only hearing his coo

y fingers, the pulse almost palpa

n his ear before he abrup

ice, "you're still just a young girl. Don

ntly at him. "Wh

ntally touched you. D

.

en unexpectedly curved his lips into

ant, I instinctive

t short, teasingly close,

g his beautiful, slightly uptur

lorrie, are you really

ssed and annoyed. Without thinking

ngered for just a secon

"I was looking forward to it, so I deci

response, I turned and r

against it, my heart pounding loudl

by the fleeting ki

s under my eyes, I walked out to f

.

ly asking, "Andrew, did you

eplied casually, placing a plate

brea

ou to school

th gate of the school befo

"Call me after class. If I don

away until it completely disappeared from my sight.

skip classes, so the classroom was packed.

textbook and phone from my bag, an

from

n you come

hing to discu

tle and affectionate tone. Seeing this message gave me a momen

I suddenly remembered what Raega

at my phone, let out a cold laug

the message, my dad called as soon

coldly, "

w speaking softly over the phone, "Caylee, Dad would love to see you. Come

ic and amusing, but

nt me a message: "Are

sent another message, a string of numbers: "Call this

le full of dishes, but ha

to my bowl, smiling ingratiatingly, "Ca

lost

n suddenly tossed the spoon into the bowl and lean

thing, just be s

ly holding. "Caylee, is that

Caylee, about what happened at the hotel l

and

ng time, and it was you two

g at her. "Raegan, are y

ile vanishe

aved his hand. "Caylee, let's get to the point-before your mom

he left you, bring them ou

bout money,

ids and said ind

yle

e. "The family's company is in

of over ten years. Can you st

disbelief, almost

Raegan over, saying everything at home would be handed

g down at him. "Jeffrey, when you brought this woman to provoke my mom, did

ng, a scalding hot liqui

, sitting ac

e glared at me fiercely. "Don'

bore a striking resemblance to Raegan

for a few seconds, then suddenl

midst Eliza's wailing cries, my dad foll

ad turned to the side, half my f

ister is only f

tissue in my mouth, turned to look at him,

e restaurant wall, I

hes, my hair was disheveled, and

pathetic, like a

shifted slightl

you want mone

nd walked away wi

pped outside, it

e streets, eventually buying a few cans of beer from

out the past until my pho

call fr

persistently for a minute before the

location, I'll

ation, and regretted it a few seconds

I typed back. "I'll st

o the dorm. With my face like this, I could

want their

ng can after can of beer under

h, it started

own, grabbing my phone to call a c

familiar, cool voic

aoj

all me by m

es and saw Andrew standing a s

urred everything around him. He stood th

smiling up at him. "An

swear I see sorrow in his

swollen face, and amidst the patter of rai

let's go