All Chapters of I Was the Secret, She Got the Ring: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

At his birthday party, Kieran Brock pulled me into an empty private room next door. Scorching breath swept in together with a searing kiss.I could hear the faint murmur of strangers passing by behind the door.Blushing furiously, I tried to push Kieran back. But he caught my wrists and pinned them above my head until I couldn't move."Esty, don't say no to me, please."His usually steady voice had a pleading edge to it that instantly melted my resolve. I wrapped my arms around his neck.It wasn't until Kieran's hand slid under the hem of my dress, sending a shiver through me, that I finally snapped back to my senses.Breathless, I caught his hand before he could go any further. "N-Not here."Kieran's voice was low and hypnotic. "No one's coming in."I looked away, afraid that if I caught his gaze, I'd lose myself and agree to anything. "I can't. Mom is waiting for me to get home."Kieran stiffened for a moment, then thoughtfully buttoned up each undone button for me."I won'

I was 12 years old when Mom married into the Brock family. Kieran was 15 years old then, and his gaze toward us was sharp and cold.It wasn't hard to tell that he hated the very idea of us being there.I remember clutching the hem of my dress as Mom introduced me to him as his sister.Kieran only glanced at me coldly and sneered. "My mom only had one child. I'd appreciate it if certain people didn't try to force a connection. Especially the child of a homewrecker."The humiliation of those words pinned me to the spot.I tried to find my voice and explain that Mom didn't date Andre until long after Kieran's mother had passed away. She wasn't a homewrecker.But Kieran didn't care for the truth. He treated us like dirt, and no matter how many times Andre scolded him, nothing changed.To keep the peace for Mom, I stayed out of Kieran's way to avoid sparking his fuse.I thought my relationship with Kieran would always stay this tense.Then came the night I turned 17 years old.I w

I curled up under the covers, tossing and turning as tears soaked my pillow. Every time I closed my eyes, those cruel words replayed in my mind like a recurring nightmare.It wasn't until the early hours of the morning, just as I was drifting into a hazy sleep, that a cold body pressed against mine."You left your phone in the private room. Why didn't you borrow someone's to message me? I was worried sick when you didn't pick up."I snapped awake, struggling to break free from his hold. "I was just exhausted when I got home. I forgot."Kieran locked his arms around my waist, pinning me in place. "Esty, I've been worrying about you all night, yet here you are, sleeping like a baby. Didn't we agree you'd wait up to give me my gift? Where is it?"The image of the carefully wrapped box hidden in my drawer flashed through my mind, and my eyes stung again. "I lost it."Kieran didn't press the issue. Instead, he nipped at my ear, his hot breath trailing down my neck. "It's fine. You're

The room went quiet the moment the words left his mouth.Everyone knew Kieran wasn't exactly head over heels for me. Thus, his sudden defensiveness felt off.Mom quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "I can't bear to see Esty get married yet. We're here today to talk about your wedding with Kieran anyway. Let's not talk about Etsy."I raised my glass and smiled at Vivian. "Thanks for the thought, but the most important thing right now is your wedding with Kieran. I'm in no rush. I can't wait for you to be my sister-in-law."I thought saying the word "sister-in-law" would feel impossible, but when it came out, it sounded completely natural.Reality had to be faced. Kieran would never marry me. Vivian was his future wife, and I had no choice but to acknowledge that.Sure enough, the moment I said "sister-in-law", Vivian's smile turned genuine.Only Kieran's expression darkened.I pretended not to notice and downed my drink.As everyone continued chatting about the wedding, I

After lunch, Kieran saw off Vivian's family.Back home, I finally got a reply from the dance troupe. "We're really looking forward to having you! Our first tour stop will be Gryndale!"After booking my flight to Gryndale on April 8th, I finally told Mom and Andre I'd be leaving.Mom's eyes welled up. "Esty, how could you not talk to me about such a big thing? You've never been away from me before, and now you're going abroad?"I buried my face in her shoulder, forcing a light tone. "Mom, performing on the international stage has always been my dream. You should be proud of me. Besides, I'm 23 years old now. I can't stay by your side forever."Andre stepped in to comfort her. "Esty is a grown-up now. She should have her own life. Chasing dreams isn't a bad thing. Esty, I support you."Mom knew he was right. It was just hard for her to swallow the fact that I was leaving.She wiped her eyes and cupped my face. "Take care of yourself out there. Promise you'll check in every single