Chapter 2

Raymond had appeared during the darkest time of my life.

Dad, who had never cared about us, was sent to prison for robbery. Meanwhile, Mom was working as a stripper at a bar.

After a rich man kept her as his mistress, she swiftly abandoned us.

Because of my plain looks and dull personality, I was bullied by my brothers and eventually kicked out of the house.

So when I first saw Raymond, I was captivated. I couldn't look away from his striking looks, and the way he charged across the fields made me sigh at how energetic and strong he was.

In that instant, I made a wish. I wanted to date someone like him.

I wanted him, but I knew I couldn't have him.

I was painfully aware that someone as ordinary as me would never catch the eye of someone as dazzling as him.

Yet now, Cora had handed him to me herself.

To me, it felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from.

I pretended to not notice everything, gladly accepting all of Raymond's attention and affection.

He began running into me at the library. At first, it was just casual conversation, but later, he'd outright drag me away from the library.

I spent more and more time with him and less time studying, but my grades never dropped. I stayed at the top of my class.

Eventually, Raymond couldn't hold back anymore and confessed to me in front of everyone.

"Adeline, I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"

Thrilled, I threw myself into his arms, deliberately ignoring the undisguised look of disgust in his eyes.

I simply closed my eyes, greedily savoring the scent of his hormones. He was finally mine.

But I knew he'd only belong to me for a little while.

Maybe he just saw me as a convenient sidechick—an easy target for humiliation. Or maybe he'd publicly dump me in a few days to embarrass me and help Cora vent her anger.

No matter what Raymond wanted from me, I was willing to play along—as long as I could have him.

But I never expected that he and Cora would be so guileless. All that effort he'd spent getting close to me and pretending to date me was only to drag my grades down.

That time, I was watching his rugby game. I didn't understand why they kept fighting over a ball just to toss it away again.

But since Raymond wanted me there, I sat in the stands with my headphones on, studying while he played.

It wasn't until he came off the field, fuming as he tore my headphones away.

"I don't like it when you study while you're with me!"

Not wanting to upset him, I immediately turned off my phone. "Okay. I won't do it anymore."

He frowned at me—but anger only made him look even hotter.

"I don't like you studying," he finally ground out. "There's too big a gap between us, and it upsets me."

I was momentarily stunned. "Then what do you want?"

He suddenly leaned in close, cupping my face in his hands. Pressing his forehead against mine, he pleaded sweetly, "Stop studying. Just relish the joy of ultimate freedom and recklessness with me, will you?"

Waves of exhilaration washed over me.

So that was all he wanted.