Chapter 10: Summary,
I decided that Daniel no longer had a place in my life.
I blocked his number, deleted every memory of him from my phone, and
ignored the dozens of missed calls that came from random numbers.
For once, I was choosing myself.
Kate stayed by my side, reminding me every day that I was stronger
than the man who tried to break me.
Every time doubt crept in, I pushed it away.
I deserved better.
I deserve peace.
But just when I thought I was finally free, he appeared at my school and
caused a scene, threatening me to come with him.
I told him to leave me alone and focus on his family.
He apologized and tried to explain the reason he did what he did.
At some point, I felt bad, but then again, I remembered how he used
me. We parted ways, and I went back home heartbroken.
Chapter 11:
"Lillian... I'm so sorry. Your dad... he's gone."
Gone….The word echoed in my head like a cruel joke. The man who hurt my
mother. The man who made my childhood a battlefield. The man I spent my
whole life trying to hate enough to forget. I thought hearing those words would
free me.I thought I would feel lighter.Instead, my hands trembled as I clutched
the blanket tighter around me, trying to hold myself together. I was
devastated,lost in thought, drowning in memories I didn’t want but couldn’t
escape. I wanted to cry, but no tears came. Just an endless, hollow ache. I
was at Christian’s house, sitting on his couch, feeling embarrassed by how
broken I was.I couldn’t even say a word when they asked me to give a speech
at my father’s funeral. How could I? What good memories could I share? All I
could see was my mother’s bruised face. All I could hear were the shouts, the
slamming doors, the broken promises. There was nothing kind left to say
about him.
Christian stayed by my side, silent but steady, pulling me closer every time I
started to drift into the darkness.His arms were warm. His presence,
grounding.And somewhere between the grief and the anger, between the
memories and the silence... I let myself fall.I kissed him first,desperate,
aching, and he kissed me back with the same urgency. We lost ourselves in
each other that night, tangled in sheets and emotions too heavy to name. It
wasn’t just skin to skin. It was painful. It was comfortable. It was everything I
didn’t know I needed.
But afterward, lying breathless in his arms, Christian whispered something
against my skin—words so soft I almost thought I imagined them.
"I love you so much, I won't hurt you, I promise"
Chapter 12:
Several months passed, and Christian and I officially started dating.
Life felt different, lighter, safer with him by my side. At the same time, I
was preparing for my graduation.
It was supposed to be my fresh start, a clean slate after everything that
had broken me.
The day of the ceremony, happiness bubbled inside me. Even my
mother, who had sworn she wouldn’t come, showed up at the last
minute, standing proudly in the crowd. But the biggest surprise came
when I spotted Christian.
He had told me he couldn’t make it.
And yet, there he was standing at the podium, giving a speech so
heartfelt it made my chest ache. While he spoke, I overheard some girls
behind me admiring him, whispering and giggling.
Without thinking, I turned around and said, "He has a girlfriend, by the
way."
Not out of jealousy just to set the record straight. When the ceremony
ended, Christian found me in the crowd and pulled me into a tight, proud
hug.
Then he introduced himself to my mother as my boyfriend.
The word made my heart stutter.
Boyfriend.
I hadn’t expected him to say it out loud. My mother smiled softly. "If you
make her happy, then I’m happy too," she said. Kate arrived with Bob
soon after, both of them buzzing with excitement.
My mother hugged Kate tightly, her voice thick with emotion. "I’m so
proud of you, Kate." It wasn’t surprising.
Kate had always been like a second daughter to her.
Sometimes it stung how easily my mother praised her, but tonight, I let it
go.
I was happy too.After the ceremony, Bob and my mother said their
goodbyes, and the rest of us went to a club to celebrate.
We danced, laughed, and for the first time in so long, I felt weightless,
free from the past.
But as I spun around the dance floor, I caught a strange look passing
between Kate and my mother before they left earlier.
Something unspoken.
Something that didn’t feel like pride—it felt like a secret.
And deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever it was...
It was about me.
Chapter 13:
After graduation, Christian surprised me. A real vacation.
Just the two of us. To celebrate me and to my new beginning and to clear my
head. And maybe he was right. The moment we landed at the resort, I felt
lighter. The ocean stretched endlessly before us, the sun kissed our skin, and
for a few days, it felt like the rest of the world didn’t exist. We spent our days
exploring, laughing, lying on the beach with no worries except what cocktail to
order next. Christian made me laugh until my sides hurt and touched me so
gently it made my heart ache. We went to different locations, resorts, beaches
and tried different restaurants.
It was the kind of happiness I had almost convinced myself I would never
deserve. One night, under a sky full of stars, with the ocean breeze wrapping
around us like a soft blanket, Christian kissed me like he couldn’t breathe
without me. We made love slowly, as if we were learning each other all over
again, every kiss, every touch, every whispered promise.
It wasn’t rushed.
It wasn’t desperate.
It was everything. For the first time in forever, I believed in the possibility of
forever. But the next morning, as I reached for Christian’s phone to turn off his
alarm, a message popped up on the screen.
Three simple words that made my blood run cold:
"She deserves to know."
Chapter 14:
I didn’t want to ruin our perfect days by mentioning the strange message
I had seen.
For once, I wanted to hold onto my happiness without letting fear steal it
away.For once, I wanted to hold onto my happiness without letting fear
steal it away. After getting dressed, I heard the soft sound of music
drifting through the villa. Following it, I found Christian downstairs, sitting
at the grand piano, his fingers moving gracefully over the keys.The sight
of him, so calm and beautiful, made my heart ache in the best way.I
wrapped my arms around him from behind, and he pulled me into his
lap, holding me tightly, like he never wanted to let go. We kissed slowly,
bathed together, and shared a candlelit dinner on the terrace, the ocean
breeze warm against our skin. That morning, over breakfast, Christian
asked casually, "What do you want to do after graduation?"
"Should I help you find a job?" he offered, smiling at me over his cup of
coffee. I shook my head, smiling shyly.
"No," I said. "I want to open something of my own. His eyes lit up with
pride, and I felt a warmth spread through my chest.
He supported me.
He believed in me. But in the middle of our conversation, we smelt
something burning
"The muffins!" He gasped, jumping up. I followed him quickly into the
kitchen.
I grabbed an oven mitt, but Christian, moving faster, pulled the tray out
with his bare hands before I could stop him. The tray slipped slightly,
burning his fingers.
With a hiss of pain, Christian dropped it onto the counter. "I'm so sorry!"
I cried, rushing toward him, reaching out to see his hand. But before I
could touch him, Christian shoved me away. harder than he meant to.
I stumbled backward, crashing onto the cold kitchen floor. The pain in
my hip was sharp, but the pain in my chest was worse.
He had pushed me.
Without thinking.
Without even looking at me. For a second, Christian just stood there,
breathing hard, his jaw tight.
Then realization crashed over his face.
He knelt down instantly, pulling me into his arms, whispering apologies
over and over.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice breaking. "I didn’t mean to. I swear, Lillian.
I would never hurt you."I wanted to believe him.
God, I wanted to believe him.But as he helped me up and kissed my
forehead, I couldn't shake the fear that curled in the pit of my stomach.
I suddenly remembered my dad and mum. He is not like my dad. I said
to myself.
Chapter 15:
Coming back home after the vacation felt like breathing fresh air for the
first time. Opening Bloom Haven was more than just a dream—it was
my new beginning.
Every flower I placed, every detail I fixed, whispered of hope and
second chances. On my second day after opening, as I was arranging
the front display, the bell above the door chimed softly.
A woman stepped inside, around my age, dressed casually, but with a
bright, determined smile. "Hi," she said. "I saw the sign outside. Are you
hiring?"I blinked, confused.
I hadn't placed any hiring signs outside.
"I’m sorry," I said politely. "I’m not looking for help right now." But she
didn’t budge.
"I don’t care about the salary," she said. "I just want to work here.
Please?" There was something genuine about her stubborn kindness I
couldn’t say no to.
After a little hesitation, I finally agreed to let her help around the shop, at
least for a while.
Her name was Annie. And just like that, Annie and I clicked.
We spent hours working side by side, sharing small pieces of our lives
like old friends. She told me about her husband, about leaving her career
to become a full-time housewife.
She talked about her family too.How they came from a wealthy
background, with businesses stretching across cities. Her brother, she
said, was the one handling most of the empire now. Annie laughed about
how strict he was, how focused, how lonely he seemed.
"He’s so hardworking, but he never lets anyone in," she said wistfully.
"Sometimes, I wish he could meet someone kind. Someone like you." I
smiled awkwardly and told her I already had a boyfriend I loved very
much.
When I said it, Annie’s face fell just a little just enough for me to notice.
"I was hoping to set you two up," she admitted with a laugh. "You’re the
kind of girl who could make him happy. He's been alone for so long..."
Her words tugged at my heart, her sadness for her brother clear and
raw. It made me wonder how Christian has been before meeting me.
She told me more stories about her childhood, about growing up under
heavy expectations, about how hard it was to be free when you
belonged to a family that owned everything. Annie was sweet, funny, and
real. And by the end of the day, it felt like I had found not just an
employee, but a true friend.
CHAPTER 16
I woke up in the hospital, my head pounding. Confused, I asked the
doctor what had happened. He smiled kindly and said, "Your husband
said you fainted from stress and fell."For a moment, I almost believed it.
Until the memories came rushing back.Christian. The anger in his eyes.
The shove.I was scared. Frozen in the bed, flashes of my childhood
slammed into my mind.The injury on my head reminded me of my
mother—how Kate and I would see bruises on her body, how she would
lie to protect my father.
How she would smile through the pain and pretend everything was
fine.Christian walked into the room holding flowers, his face full of fake
concern. He reached for me, but I pulled away."You pushed me,
Christian," I said, my voice shaking.His face twisted slightly.
"No," he said softly, "you fell. You fainted, remember?"He wanted to
manipulate me. He wanted to make me doubt what I knew was real.But
the flashbacks wouldn't let me forget.
The lies.
The pain.
The promises that meant nothing.Tears burned my eyes as I sat up,
ignoring the ache in my body.
"It's over," I whispered.
"We're done."I watched his face fall, and watched the anger flicker
behind the mask of sadness he wore.
But I didn’t care anymore.I chose myself.
This time, I would not stay and break quietly the way my mother did.
This time, I would walk away.
Chapter 17:
Days turned into weeks, and Bloom Haven started to feel like home.
Walking away from Christian was the hardest thing I had ever done.
Even though I knew it was the right choice, my heart still felt like it had
been ripped in half. Annie became my right hand. She wasn’t just an
employee, she became the sister I never had.
We spent slow afternoons laughing over coffee, rearranging displays,
and sharing little pieces of our hearts.
One evening, while closing the shop, Annie accidentally dropped her
wallet.
As I bent down to help her pick up the scattered cards and photos, I
noticed a picture tucked inside.A picture of a young boy... A boy with
familiar eyes. Eyes that looked far too much like Christian’s. I opened my
mouth to ask, and she said that was her brother Christian Blackwood.
Chapter 18:
I sat at the coffee shop across from Annie, feeling a strange
nervousness stirring inside me.
We had planned a simple lunch until Christian walked through the door.
I hadn’t known Annie invited him.
The second our eyes met, the world tilted slightly.
Memories and regrets flooded between us. We exchanged a stiff hello.
Awkward.
Painful. Before I could even react, Annie leaned forward and looked
Christian straight in the eyes.
"Tell her," she said softly. "Tell her everything. She deserves the truth."
Christian sat down slowly, hands clenched into fists on the table.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
And then... he spoke. When he was a little boy, he told us, he used to
idolize his older brother.
They did everything together.
One afternoon, they found a blade hidden away in their father’s old
workbench.
It was supposed to be harmless.
Just a stupid game between brothers.They laughed, dared each other.
But laughter turned into panic when Christian accidentally sliced his
brother’s wrist. Blood.
So much blood. Christian cried, screamed for help, and begged his
brother to hold on.
But his brother only looked at him once, eyes full of pain and betrayal
and pushed him away weakly before falling unconscious. Christian sat
beside him, helpless, as life drained from his brother’s body.
Before anyone could save him, it was too late.From that day, Christian
carried the guilt in his chest like a second heart.
Every relationship he had afterward every person he ever loved he
pushed away, convinced he was a danger to them too.
"I never wanted to hurt you," Christian said, voice shaking. "But every
time you got close, all I could hear was him pushing me away... blaming
me... leaving me alone." I sat frozen, tears burning behind my eyes.
Because now, I finally understood.
Christian wasn’t just angry.
He was broken in a way I couldn’t fix.
As Christian’s voice cracked and Annie wiped silent tears from her eyes,
I realized with a crushing ache:
Sometimes love isn't enough.
Sometimes loving someone means knowing when to walk away.
Chapter 19:
I sat across from Christian at the small coffee shop, the weight of
everything we had survived hanging heavy between us. I thought
nothing he could say could surprise me anymore.
I thought I had already survived the worst. I was wrong.
"Is there anything else you're hiding from me?" I asked, barely above a
whisper. Christian hesitated.
The air between us thickened, and for a long moment, he just stared at
his hands, as if trying to find the words.
"What I'm about to tell you will hurt," he said finally, his voice trembling.
"But you deserve the truth." I braced myself
"Kate..." he started. "Kate is your biological sister."
The words hit me so hard I thought I might pass out.
I blinked at him, heart racing, trying to make sense of what he had just
said.
"Explain," I whispered, my voice shaking. "Explain, Christian."
He shook his head slowly, pain filling his eyes.
"I can't," he said. "You need to ask your mother. She's the only one who
can tell you everything." Tears welled up
in my eyes, hot and fast.
"Don't tell me she’s my mother’s daughter," I said, my voice cracking
with fear. Christian didn’t speak.
He just gave a small, broken nod.
Confirming everything. I sat there frozen, devastated, my whole world
crumbling around me.
The memories, the half-truths, the way my mother always treated Kate
just a little differently it all made a sickening kind of sense now.
Everything I thought I knew about my family was a lie.
Everything I thought I could trust was gone.
Chapter 20:
When I got home, I found Kate sitting casually on the couch, scrolling
through her phone like the world hadn’t just fallen apart. She looked up
and smiled, but her smile faded when she saw my face. "What
happened?" she asked, setting her phone down. I didn’t
hesitate.
I didn’t sugarcoat it.
"You’re my biological sister," I said, my voice cold, trembling. For a
moment, she just stared at me.
No shock.
No confusion.
Only quiet acceptance. That was when it hit me. They all knew. All of
them.My mother. Kate. Maybe even Bob.
"So you all decided to keep me in the dark," I whispered, my voice
breaking. "You all lied to me." I didn’t wait for her to explain.
Didn’t want to hear more lies.
I turned and ran into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. The
second it clicked closed, the tears came, hot and fast, blinding me. I
collapsed onto the bed, sobbing into the pillow like I could erase the pain
if I screamed hard enough.My phone buzzed on the nightstand.
It was my mother calling. I stared at the screen, anger and betrayal
boiling inside me.And then...
pieces started fitting together.It made sense now.
The bruises.
The shouting.
The nights my father would storm out of the house after Kate first
arrived.The beatings had started when Kate came into our lives.
I had been too young to understand.Now I saw the truth:
My father hadn’t hated my mother for no reason.
He hated her because she brought home a "bastard"(a reminder of her
past mistake.Kate wasn’t just a stranger who needed love.
She was the living proof of everything my mother had hidden.Even the
moments that once felt pure Kate convincing me to accept Mum’s
marriage to Bob, Kate standing by me when I doubted
they all felt fake now.
Manipulated.
Built on a foundation of secrets.!
