Chapter 1

...

The night was quiet as I made a call to my uncle, Mike Wilson.

"I booked my flight for Wednesday afternoon," I said. "I'm skipping the graduation party."

Mike's voice boomed with approval. "That's great. You're finally coming around. You dated that guy for so long, but we never got to see him. It just would not work. If you had agreed to this sooner, you would probably have had kids by now."

My eyes prickled with unshed tears. I lowered my gaze and whispered, "Sorry."

His voice softened as he caught the tremor in mine. "Never mind. By the way, why don't you invite Luke? He's my old college buddy and your professor. You two can come together."

He paused, then added, "Oh, and I listed him as the contact for your marriage documents. You can share the news when you pick them up."

"He's not coming," I cut him off.

Before Mike could reply, a shadow blocked the balcony's cool breeze.

A low, magnetic voice boomed, sending a chill through me. "Not coming to what?"

Luke Collins had come out of the shower. Droplets slid from his damp hair and vanished into the folds of his robe. The fabric clung to his frame, outlining his toned body.

"It's just a party." I hurriedly ended the call, trying to avoid him and leave the balcony.

'Actually, it's my wedding,' I thought.

His hand shot out, pulling me gently against him. The familiar warmth seeped through my clothes, stirring an ache in my chest.

He chuckled, "Were you talking to Mike? Did you spill our secret?"

Luke was undeniably striking. At school, he was an iceberg, cold and untouchable. But in private, he was warm and almost clingy.

In the past, I'd have melted into his arms, blushing. Now I just stepped back, creating distance.

"Didn't you want to keep us hidden?" I muttered.

His eyes flickered as he caught the edge of my tone. Still, he pressed on with the question that always lingered. "You know we can't go public."

His breath grazed my ear, but I couldn't smile.

At school, I was his invisible girlfriend. To my family, I couldn't even mention his name.

"Don't worry," I said blandly. "I didn't tell him anything."

I knew my place. I was more of a substitute than a girlfriend to him.

Love swept me away at 20. I fell hard for Luke.

It began on a rainy night when he picked me up, a favor arranged through Mike. The spark ignited, quiet but undeniable.

Later, I found myself caring for a drunken Luke. Beer cans littered the floor, and he was a mess, with flushed cheeks and hazy eyes. That image was nothing like the distant professor everyone knew.

Exhausted, I collapsed on the couch and fell asleep. When I woke, something tickled my face. I opened my eyes to find Luke gazing at me.

But instead of looking away, he smiled at me. "Ada, let's be together."

After that, we began a secret relationship. Every summer and winter break, my parents begged me to go home, but I always made excuses to stay.

For his sake, I hadn't seen my family for four years.

Mike would call Luke, grumbling about my lovesick behavior, asking about my boyfriend, and telling Luke to watch over me.

He never knew I was with Luke.

During one of those calls, Luke stroked my back. His eyes glinted with mischief.

After the call, he joked, "Mike would never guess I'm the one stealing your heart."

But all his love for me collapsed the moment I heard about Amanda Snyder.

One night, Luke stumbled in, reeking of alcohol. I caught him as he nearly fell. He looked up and smiled bitterly, "Amanda, you're back. I'm so happy."

Confused but worried, I helped him to the couch and brewed a hangover remedy. As he sipped it, his hand slid to my waist, his voice low and rough. "Amanda, don't ever leave me."

I froze, realizing I hadn't heard it wrong. He was muttering another woman's name.

I asked around and finally learned the truth.

Luke, the campus legend, had only ever lost himself to Amanda, a bar singer. For her, he dropped out, spiraled into chaos, and became a shadow of himself.

His mother paid Amanda to leave, and Luke swore off love until he met me.

The reason? I looked like Amanda.

Four years of my devotion couldn't outshine their brief, fiery romance. That was when I decided to go back to my family, marry who they chose, and never see Luke again.