Chapter 1
Elena Chamberlain never thought her life would take such an unexpected turn. After discovering that her childhood sweetheart had cheated on her, she found herself being pushed into an arranged marriage by her father and stepmother. Her intended, Vincent Hawthorne, came from a wealthy family with a significant fortune. However, he was ten years older than her and had a disability in his left leg. When Elena first laid eyes on Vincent, she was taken aback. He seemed to carry himself with confidence, expertly masking the artificial limb, and was surprisingly handsome. Yet, there was something enigmatic about him; he appeared polite yet emotionally distant, making it hard to connect. She expected nothing from their initial meeting, assuming that Vincent would never be interested in someone like her. To her shock, after they parted ways, she was informed that he had expressed a strong desire to marry her immediately. Elena was speechless. At first, being wed to Vincent felt daunting. To her, he was aloof and cold, making it seem like he would be a challenging partner. However, as time passed, she began to realize that this composed man, who often kept up appearances, was actually quite affectionate. * * * One day, a man who was scheduled to attend a conference abroad unexpectedly appeared at her doorstep. Elena's heart raced with anxiety, thinking he must be there for some urgent reason. "Did the partnership in Europe fall through?" she asked, worry lining her features. Vincent's expression was stern, and he gazed at her with a heavy intensity. In a remarkably serious tone, he asked, "Why haven’t you been replying to my messages?" Elena blinked in confusion, unable to respond. * * * Deep down, Elena understood that Vincent, despite his confident exterior, was quite sensitive about his disability. For instance, he never allowed that leg to come into contact with her. Wanting to soothe his insecurities, she crouched down in front of him and wrapped her arms around his leg. His startled expression made her laugh, and she said, “I’m your wife; you can let me give you a hug, can’t you?” Though his face remained serious, a faint blush crept into his cheeks. He swiftly pulled her into his embrace, gripping her waist tight. In a voice strained with suppressed emotion, he warned, "Don’t tease me like that." Elena chuckled softly, feeling a warmth spread within her. * * * Amidst the complexities of their relationship, Elena often recalled a phrase she had once read: every woman in love is like Sherlock Holmes. It spoke to how women invest so much in their relationships that they become keenly aware of the smallest changes in their partners’ behavior. During dinner with Cedric Albright, she sensed his mind was elsewhere, signaling trouble in their friendship, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Little did she know, this was just the beginning of a journey that would reshape their lives and reconnect them in ways they had never imagined.
Chapter 2
How should I put this? Cedric Albright, while he usually exudes a careless and rebellious attitude, has always been raised with strict manners. Meals, for instance, are serious business in his world; he seldom speaks or gets distracted during them. Normally, Cedric wouldn't even glance at his phone during a meal, but this time he was glued to the screen, chuckling occasionally. Whenever Elena Chamberlain tried to engage him, he responded dismissively. This wasn’t the first time things had felt off between them. Elena recalled the last time they were at the library together, where he had been engrossed in his phone, responding to messages the moment an alert sounded. Who had that kind of ability to get Cedric Albright, the indomitable jock, to reply instantly? Even she, his girlfriend, struggled to captivate his attention that way. Elena couldn’t shake the feeling that Cedric was hiding something, so as they finished dinner and walked to her dorm, she hesitated to say goodbye. Instead, she called out to him just as he seemed ready to leave. Cedric paused, hands in his pockets, looking over at her with his messy hair giving him a wild look. He was dressed in a basketball jersey, knee pads still on—clearly, he had come straight from a game. At over six feet tall, he had a commanding presence. He enjoyed sports, often playing outdoors, which had darkened his skin to a sun-kissed bronze. Instead of hiding his good looks, it only amplified the healthy charm he radiated. "What's up, Little Mae?" was how he always teased her with the nickname he loved since childhood. Suddenly stepping closer, he towered over her, leaning down with a devilish grin on his face, his bright, twinkling eyes sparkling with mischief. “What's the matter? Can’t bear to part with me?” His teasing whisper brushed against her cheek, carrying a warm hint of minty breath, making her heart race as if gripped tightly by an unseen hand. He had always loved to tease her since they were kids; it was just his way. Not wanting to show how flustered she felt, Elena played it cool and stepped back, pretending to be unfazed. “Cut it out.” He straightened up, smirking. “Then why did you call me back?” “Are you hiding something from me?” Elena asked, unable to keep the concern out of her voice. He laughed lazily, his smile lazy yet alluring, with his eyebrows quirking up suggestively. “You know my entire family tree. What could I possibly keep from you?” After they said their goodbyes, Elena returned to her dorm, still feeling uneasy. She recalled glancing at his phone during dinner. He had been scrolling through a social media page; the screen showed a blaring post from a user named “Flower Jam,” featuring a little rabbit wearing sunglasses as the profile picture. Pulling out her own phone, she logged into her social media account and searched for "Flower Jam". There were several accounts with that name, but Elena quickly located the one with the familiar rabbit icon. As she clicked on the profile, her stomach dropped when she discovered that the user was female. A strange tightening sensation gripped her whole body. Scrolling down, she soon came across a post tagged with a location: Northwood University. The blogger was an alum, just like Cedric.
Chapter 3
Elena Chamberlain scrolled through her phone, suddenly captivated by a post on social media. It featured a girl who was undeniably adorable. With a beaming smile that revealed two subtle dimples, she wore a high ponytail, a bright Kate Whitaker t-shirt, and a plaid Bartholomew skirt, cradling a plush bunny in her arms. The caption by Quinn Hawthorne read, “I hope today I can be as cute as Little Bunny!” The post had sparked dozens of comments underneath. Elena quickly recognized a familiar username and clicked on it—it was definitely Cedric Albright. “Adorable,” he commented, in a tone reminiscent of a rugged athlete. One user replied, “That just means ‘cute,’ right? Didn’t you know that, senior?” “Just like Little Bunny, you’re adorable,” Cedric shot back. Another comment chimed in, “Are you saying I’m not as cute as Little Bunny? (pouts dramatically)” “Can a bunny even compare to how cute you are?” Cedric responded, adding a playful wink emoji. Elena’s eyes widened in disbelief as she read those exchanges. She could hardly believe Cedric Albright had written that. She had known him since they were kids, and she understood his personality better than anyone. Girls had always chased after him, but he seemed uninterested in relationships. He rarely spoke to girls outside his close circle and had earned the nickname “Mr. Cool” back in middle school. Seeing Cedric leaving comments about an attractive girl’s post was genuinely shocking; it surpassed everything she knew about him. Her instincts told her that there was definitely more to his relationship with this girl than just a casual school acquaintance. Elena closed her phone, feeling the itch to ask Cedric about that “fluffy little bunny” comment. However, she hesitated, worried she might blow it out of proportion and make him laugh at her. Even though they were technically dating now, their relationship was still fresh, and they hadn’t fully transitioned from being best friends to being lovers. Their banter remained playfully antagonistic, lacking the intimacy often found in romantic couples. They hadn’t even held hands yet; the most affectionate gesture Cedric had given was resting his hand on her shoulder—a move he also made with his other buddies, so it didn’t feel all that special. What if she asked him and he thought she was jealous? Though as his girlfriend, a twinge of jealousy was warranted, particularly now. But she could already imagine Cedric’s teasing grin, laced with charm, teasing her about being possessive. “You’re feeling possessive today, huh? Are you not okay with me talking to other girls?” he might quip, smirking, “Are you really that into me?” Elena had never said she liked him like that. In fact, she found herself often rolling her eyes at his playful teasing and challenging him fiercely. It was Cedric who had initiated their romance first during a class reunion. She would never forget that night on the rooftop. After a few drinks, they went outside to catch some air. He’d casually mentioned, “Look at everyone here pairing up, how about we give it a shot?” That gentle, warm breeze had swept over her. The flutter of nerves in her stomach as the words escaped him brought her back to that moment, her fingers feeling rigid with anxiety.
Chapter 4
Elena Chamberlain felt a whirlwind of emotions, uncertain whether Cedric Albright was joking or teasing her again. She considered kicking him and scolding him for being such a jerk; after all, rabbits don’t eat the grass right next to their burrow, yet here he was, thinking about her. The soft breeze tangled her thoughts, and the alcohol muddled her brain. She heard her heart racing in her chest, almost against her will. Instead, she found herself giving him a tiny nod. “Alright, let’s give it a try.” However, inside, she felt guilty and anxious. What if Cedric really did see through her mixed feelings? They were only experimenting, merely indulging in a joke with no real interest in one another. But if he knew the thoughts she couldn’t speak aloud, it would give him power over her, making him even more reckless in teasing her. The last thing she wanted was for everything to become awkward between them. So, she chose not to ask anything further. The following weekend, Cedric didn’t come to see her. Instead, he sent her a message on WeChat: “Can’t come this week, got things to take care of.” There were times before that he couldn’t make it, and even then, she never pried too deeply into his life. This time, though, she couldn’t help but reply, “What’s going on?” He took a while to answer, finally getting back to her with, “Lots of stuff, too busy. I’ll visit next week.” Elena’s heart raced with unease. She wanted to call and find out what had kept him busy, but doing so would make her seem overly eager as if she were dying for him to come see her. Of course, she trusted Cedric. They grew up as friends in Little, and she believed he would never do anything to hurt her. Another week passed, and just before noon, Elena received a new message from Cedric: “I’ll be there in half an hour.” Elena was studying for her finals when the message chimed. She quickly set her books aside, put on some light makeup, and slipped into her sky-blue dress. Typically, Elena dressed quite conservatively, rarely wearing a dress at all. This was the only one she owned, tailored with a modest design that was still considerably bolder than her usual choice of denim and T-shirts. True to his word, Cedric texted her just half an hour later: “Come down.” Elena dashed down the stairs excitedly. Outside the dormitory, a magnificent pomegranate tree loomed above, in full bloom at the end of June. The tree’s broad canopy cast a deep shadow, under which giant, wine-glass-sized pomegranate flowers spilled their vibrant petals into the sunlight, creating a scene so vivid that she could almost smell their fragrance. Most times, when Cedric visited, he would lounge in the cool shade, occasionally lighting a cigarette. But this time, he brought company—a girl. Elena immediately recognized her as the bubbly girl from the previous semester. Just then, a pomegranate blossom tumbled down from the tree, landing squarely on the girl’s face. Cedric swept it aside and, chuckling softly, teased her. The girl pouted in mild indignation, and Cedric reached out to pinch her cheek lightly. When Cedric’s gaze fell upon her, he wore a casual, nonchalant expression as he approached, still holding the girl's hand. With an easy smile, he introduced her, “Hey, I wanted to introduce you to someone. This is my girlfriend, Nia Blackwood.”
Chapter 5
Elena Chamberlain felt as if she had misheard him at first. She stared in disbelief at Cedric Albright. Had he just introduced her to this girl as his girlfriend? "This is Nia Blackwood, the girl I mentioned," Cedric said, his tone casual. Nia waved at her with a bright smile. "Hi, Elena! I've heard so much about you from Cedric." Elena's stomach churned, a sharp pang shooting through her ribs as she instinctively clenched her fists. Waves of tremors coursed through her body. She had always believed Cedric was better than this, never a person to hurt her intentionally. It was unfathomable why he could so easily bring another girl right in front of her and claim that she was his girlfriend. What did that make her? A rush of guilt surged within her; she feared that Cedric might discover her feelings for him. The thought of him laughing at her crush filled her with dread. But now, overpowering anger and an unbearable sense of betrayal washed over her, prompting her to blurt out, "Cedric Albright, what does this mean?" Cedric noticed her distress. "What’s wrong?" he asked, genuinely surprised. He looked completely at ease, as though she had no reason to be upset at all. Elena turned to Nia directly. "Did he tell you that we were in a relationship?" Nia's face turned awkward as she glanced between Cedric and Elena. "Well, he did mention that you guys grew up together and knew each other well. He said that once, you thought about seeing if things could develop into more, but it didn’t work out because you were too familiar with each other. He said you both liked to keep things casual. So, I assumed… you weren’t serious?” She glanced back at Cedric, a bit bewildered. “You two were just messing around?" “Messing around? Cedric Albright, so you’ve treated it like a game all along?” "Elena, come on… why are you reacting like this? Were you seriously thinking it was more than just something fun to try?" Elena felt a strong urge to slap him across the face. To him, it was a game, a childhood pastime like playing house. Cedric stared at her intently. "Elena, please don’t tell me you were serious about this." Of course, he would think that. Everything Cedric had done matched her worst fears. Elena's anger flared even more, and she didn’t want to speak another word. She felt ridiculous, and the last thing she wanted was to see any hint of amusement at her expense on Cedric's face. Without a word, she turned and walked away. “Elena!” Cedric called. "Big sister!" She heard Cedric's voice trailing behind her, but she did not stop. Nia looked concerned. "Did I upset her? Is it because of me?" Cedric shrugged, letting out a soft chuckle as he ruffled Nia's hair. "It’s nothing you did. I know how to handle her; I’ll just buy her a gift in a few days. I know her well enough." He was confident that with a few kind words and a present, things would smooth over. Sure, he hadn’t handled things well by bringing Nia to meet Elena without a heads-up, but he understood Elena’s typical moods. After all, they had shared a bond for so many years; he had an instinct for navigating her emotions.
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