Chapter 3

ANGEL

“Hah!”

I jolted awake, my body snapping upright as the nightmare tore me out of sleep. My chest heaved while I dragged in shaky breaths, my hand instinctively wiping the cold sweat from my forehead.

Two years ago, our car was ambushed. Everything was still so vivid in my memory, as if it had just happened yesterday. There were gunshots, screams, and blood. By the time it was over, both of my parents were already dead. I was the only one who survived.

No matter how many times I tried to bury that night, it always found its way back to me.

Gideon and I had been best friends since we were kids. Whenever he had achievements to celebrate or problems he could not handle alone, I was the first person he ran to. And when I needed comfort, he was always there.

Our parents were not just friends but business partners as well. When we were fifteen, they arranged our marriage, something that would only happen after we graduated from college. We didn’t think much about it back then, likely because we were still too young.

But everything changed when we entered college.

We attended the same university, yet we rarely saw each other anymore. He had made some new friends. They dragged him to parties and late-night drinking sessions. Smoking became routine. Skipping classes turned into a habit. They even set him up with different girls, laughing as if it were all just harmless fun.

Worst of all, I never imagined that it would take just one woman to ruin everything we had.

When Gideon met Amanda, his sister’s best friend who had just returned from America, everything between us changed. The warmth in his eyes disappeared whenever he looked at me. He grew distant, as if I were suddenly a stranger intruding on his life.

Then my parents died. With no family left, his parents decided to go through with the marriage. They said it was for my protection, that it was what our parents had agreed upon from the start.

Harboring a secret affection for him, I agreed.

It felt foolish, maybe even selfish, yet when the chance was laid before me, I couldn’t bring myself to walk away.

I got out of bed and stepped quietly out of my room. The entire mansion was wrapped in darkness as I made my way to the kitchen. I opened the fridge, grabbed a pitcher, and poured myself a glass of cold water. I sipped slowly, letting the chill wake me up.

“Still awake?”

Gideon’s voice startled me. I spun around. He was standing in the kitchen doorway. He walked toward me, picked up a glass, and poured himself some water.

“Just thirsty,” I murmured softly.

I watched him drain the glass. He set it in the sink and was about to leave, but his eyes flicked to my forearms.

“What’s that?”

I followed his gaze. He was referring to the bruises and scratches on my hands and forearms.

I quickly hid my hands behind me, feeling ashamed.

Was he disgusted?

“Just… allergies,” I muttered, feeling my cheeks heat up.

“Is the bruise on your forehead from your allergies too?”

My eyes widened, and my hand instinctively went to my forehead. I winced as my hand pressed harder against the bruise. Zenaida was the one who did this. She shoved me, and I banged my head on the edge of the table when I refused to obey what she wanted.

I let my bangs fall over it and gave a small, nervous laugh. “I bumped my head,” I lied.

“Stop being so clumsy. My parents would think I’m hurting you. I’m gonna get in trouble because of you,” he said coldly.

My hopes crumbled in an instant. I thought, even if only a little, that he cared about me.

“Mm…” I nodded. “By the way, uh… how was your dinner with her?” I managed to ask.

“It was wonderful, just like always,” he said.

I pressed my lips together, feeling my heart twist painfully. I forced a small smile and nodded.

“That’s nice,” I murmured.

“But I’d be happier if you’d let me go, so we could be together freely.”

I stayed silent and looked away. He hissed before walking away, leaving the kitchen. I placed the glass in the sink and followed.

Just as he reached the stairs, I veered off toward my room.

“Where are you going?”

His voice stopped me in my tracks. I looked back at him. He was standing on the stairs, eyes narrowing at me with suspicion.

I hesitated, words failing me for a moment. He raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting.

“My room,” I answered, keeping my voice calm.

“Room?” He slightly tilted his head. “Your room’s on the second floor.”

I swallowed hard. Gideon thought I slept in the guest room. The guest rooms were on the second floor, and his room was on the third.

I bit my lip, frantically searching for an excuse. I couldn’t let him know that his siblings had kicked me out of the guest room and moved me into the abandoned storage room. I was certain it would make them even more furious, and I didn’t want more trouble here.

“I’m going to Karen’s room. I just need to borrow something.”

“At this late hour? Are you serious?”

“Yeah. I can’t sleep. My back hurts. I’m going to borrow some ointment from her.”

I noticed his eyes softened for a moment. I wanted to get my hopes up, believing that he was worried about me, but it was impossible for him to show concern. If things were still like before, back when we were friends, I was certain he would have been frantic with worry.

“Okay…” he murmured, his tone a bit hesitant.

I finally felt my chest unclench the moment he disappeared from sight. I breathed a sigh of relief and slowly made my way to my room. I switched on the light and roamed my eyes around.

The room was small and cramped. I had to clean and renovate it myself because when I moved here, it was full of dust and old belongings. Thankfully, I figured out a way to make it decent to live in.