Chapter 1

Derek Hugh sneered, “Sofia, what kind of trick are you playing now? To play hard to get, you’d even bring out a disabled guy who can barely hear me just to annoy me?”

Dad’s face darkened, and he scolded me under his breath, “Sofia, stop talking out of anger!”

Mom quickly stood up and offered Derek’s parents an apologetic smile. “It’s just a little squabble between kids. Sofia is just acting out of spite. Derek, don’t take it to heart. We’ll give her a proper talking-to when we get home.”

Mrs. Hugh smoothed things over immediately. “Well, young people have temper tantrums; it’s completely normal.”

Although those were her words, she looked smug. In her mind, the more I liked Derek, the easier it would be for their family to control me.

Floating comments flashed before my eyes.

[Did the side character go way too far here?]

[It’s hate born from unrequited love. Since she can’t have the male lead, she’s starting to go crazy.]

[Poor Julian. He’s been humiliated and treated like a tool.]

[The male lead has already made things crystal clear. Why hasn’t she given up yet?]

I watched those words drift past without feeling a thing.

Since we were young, everyone had assumed I liked Derek, all because I was constantly around his family’s estate.

When Derek was going to school, I brought him breakfast. When Derek skipped class, I helped Mr. Hugh call around to find him. When Derek got into fights, I cleaned and dressed his wounds.

Even when he was addicted to video games, smoking, or skipping football training, I was the one who covered for him time after time, trying every way possible to pull him back on track.

Everyone said I was easy. What they didn’t know was that I didn’t agree to my parents’ arrangement to get close to Derek because I had feelings for him. In fact, the person I wanted to see was the one standing behind him—Julian Grey.

Julian was wearing a faded white shirt, his hands holding the car keys and suit jackets for Derek’s family, with a cheap hearing aid fitted in his ear. He had used that device for so long that its edges were worn down and scratched.

Derek usually loved calling him “the deaf boy.” However, I knew Julian wasn’t born deaf.

Ten years ago, to save me, he was struck on the ear with an iron bar by a thug. That day, his face was covered in blood, yet he still shielded me behind his back. Later, the driver adopted him, and he became a servant in Derek’s household.

To be near him, I had no choice but to follow my parents’ arrangements and hang around Derek all day long. Julian couldn’t hear me clearly, but he always looked closely at my lips when I spoke. Those eyes of his were calm and clear—completely different from Derek’s.

I picked up the university application materials on the table, and just as I was about to speak, the door to the private room suddenly opened. Eliza White walked in wearing a white dress, her long hair draped over her shoulders, holding an exquisite box of cake in her hands.

Derek’s eyes lit up instantly, and he stepped forward to greet her. “Eliza, you’re finally here.”

Eliza smiled gently. “The traffic was a little heavy on the way here.”

Derek took the cake box from Eliza and took the opportunity to hold her hand. Then, he cast a provocative look toward me.

“Father, Mother, this is Eliza, my girlfriend.”

The room instantly fell silent. The smile on Mrs. Hugh’s face froze, and my parents exchanged glances. Everyone’s gaze landed squarely on me.

I felt a little puzzled as to why they were looking at me. She wasn’t my girlfriend.

Meanwhile, the comments went crazy.

[Here it comes, here it comes! It’s time to bring out the popcorn!]

[Is the side character going to cry now?]

[The male lead has finally revealed the female lead’s identity!]

[Sofia, go crazy, hurry up! Get wrecked!]

Eliza broke free from Derek’s hand and slowly walked over to me, her eyes turning red.

“Sofia, I’m sorry.”

When I said nothing, she reached out to grab my hand, her voice soft as if she were comforting an unreasonable child.

“I know you have feelings for Derek and that both of your families have always wanted you to be together. But you can’t force someone to love you. Derek and I have been together for a long time. It’s just that you’ve been clinging to him every day, and he couldn’t bear to reject you out of fear of hurting the relationship between both families, so he never told you.”

At that point, tears were already streaming down her face.

“I’m begging you, please give up on him. Just let us be together, okay?”