Chapter 1

"I'm going abroad to further my studies like you suggested, Aunt Katrina," said Clara Salford. Katrina Caldwell's face brightened upon hearing that. It was as though she had been relieved of a heavy burden. "That's great, Clara! I'm glad you've finally thought it through. "I'll help you with the admissions process and apply for a student visa at once. You'd best seize the time you have left this last month to say goodbye to your friends. After all, you won't be able to hang out with them again." Just then, a hesitant expression crept onto Katrina's face. "Shall I tell Wren on your behalf?" Clara balled her fists and shook her head. "I can tell him myself, Aunt Katrina." "Alright, then. You can decide what to do." Katrina felt it wasn't her place to say anything more, so she nodded before leaving the living room. Clara's palms were red when she unclenched her fists. Then, she silently stood, headed upstairs, and opened the door to her bedroom. Upon switching on the lights, it illuminated the wall full of pictures. She approached the wall, her gaze settling on the centermost photo of two people. The two stood in the bright spring daylight under lush, blossoming trees. The young man had bushy brows, and his head hung low as he smiled at the girl with a flowy white dress beside him. Those were Wren and Clara when they were 20 and 15 years old, respectively. Clara reached up to touch the photo. She couldn't help but smile, yet tears silently welled in her eyes. Her vision soon blurred. Even so, the memories between her and Wren were crystal clear in her mind. Alas, nothing was exempt from change. She and Wren could never go back to how they used to be. Wren Zachman was Clara's older brother, but only in name. They weren't biologically related since he was Katrina's stepson. Katrina had been looking after him since his mother passed away. Clara loved following the older and handsome Wren around as a little girl. When Clara was seven years old, her parents died in a car accident. She was the only survivor. However, that caused the Salford family to see her as a scourge of bad luck. They saw her as the main culprit behind her parents' deaths. Her grandmother kicked her out of the family during winter. It left her kneeling in the snow and nearly freezing to death. Fortunately, Wren got there in time to save her. Clara could remember even now how Wren suppressed his rage as he spoke to the Salford family that day. He said, "If you, Salfords, refuse to care for her, I'll do it myself! Clara will be a Zachman from now on. She'll have nothing more to do with you guys." Then, he warmly held Clara's hand and spoke with an unprecedented determination, "Come on. Let's go home." Wren kept his promise after that. He practically raised Clara alone. With time, his proud love and care for her pulled her out of the pain and fear of losing her parents. Clara couldn't help but feel touched every time he protected her. She couldn't avoid falling in love with Wren, who had kept her company and defended her as she grew up. That was why she couldn't hold back the love in her heart on her 18th birthday. Wren had said, "Today's your birthday, Clarey. I'll grant your wish, no matter what it is." That was enough to make Clara tiptoe and kiss Wren. Yet, to her shock, Wren pushed her away at once. "Do you know what you're doing, Clara? I'm your brother!" Clara rebuked, "It's not like we're biologically related. You're not my actual brother! Why can't we be together?" Wren's expression withered like never before. Even Clara had never seen him throw such a huge fit. He snapped, "I know you feel like you can depend on me, but dependence doesn't equal love! Don't ever bring up such things again!" "Why can't I?" Clara stubbornly met Wren's eyes. "I love you! I know what my feelings are for you! Don't you like me, Wren?" All warmth left Wren's eyes as he looked at Clara and snarled frostily, "You've lost your mind, Clara. You should calm down and think carefully about what you're doing. I want you to move out of my home if you dare say such revolting things again!" After saying that, Wren slammed the door in her face and left. Clara and Wren ended the conversation on bad terms that day. Since then, there seemed to be an invisible wall between them, keeping them apart. Wren even stopped coming home every day. Clara struggled to see him once a week. At that point, Clara was terrified. She didn't like this version of Wren, so she hung her head in defeat and wanted to make amends. Clara bought two custom rings, hoping to give them to Wren on his birthday. Yet, as she approached the private room that day, she overheard someone talking to Wren. They asked, "Why isn't your clingy adoptive sister here today, Wren?" "Can you not bring her up? What a total buzzkill," Wren answered. Clara stiffened. She could see the annoyance on Wren's face through the slight crack of the opened door. Her smile tensed bitterly. Still, she refused to give up and summoned the courage to enter the room with her gift. "Happy birthday, Wren—" Wren's face darkened once he saw her. "Why are you here?" Clara ignored the bitterness in her chest as she gingerly handed the gift to Wren. "I designed this for you myself. There's something I want to tell you—" Wren didn't bother sparing her a single glance. Instead, he abruptly held the hand of a woman beside him. With a face full of smiles, he announced, "Ivy and I are getting engaged next month. Everyone's welcome to attend our engagement party then!" Ivy Jones was a girl whom Wren's dad, Carlisle Zachman, introduced to the Zachman family. How could Ivy and Wren get together? Clara forced her tears back but no longer repressed her intense feelings. She looked at Wren's back, still refusing to accept defeat. "Are you joking, Wren? You're only getting engaged with someone random because you want me to give up on you, right?" Wren turned around to stare at her coldly. His tone was sarcastic. "You're overthinking things. Ivy and I have long been seeing each other. You should address her as your future sister-in-law." Clara froze on the spot. She took in the cheers and congratulations from all around her, feeling dizzy like tumbling in a tornado. She didn't even notice it when Ivy snatched her gift. Ivy opened the gift before everyone, revealing the pair of rings. Then, she exclaimed in disgust, "Oh, my God! I can't believe she got you rings! She's not trying to propose to you, is she, Wren?" Clara finally snapped out of her dazed state. By then, everyone gave her strange looks and whispered about her. Her lips trembled, and she wanted to say something. However, Clara received a repulsed look from Wren. He said, "I told you that I'm your brother! How could you still harbor such revolting intentions?" Wren grabbed the ring box and threw it into the garbage bin. He tossed it away like it was trash, much like how he treated Clara's feelings for him. Every muscle in Clara's body froze as a chill seeped into her limbs and heart. She never imagined Wren would find her feelings this repulsive. Clara couldn't remember how she left that private room, but Wren didn't follow her. Memories of her and Wren flooded her mind, and she went home in a daze. She couldn't hold back anymore once she saw Katrina. She lunged into the latter's arms and cried in agony. Katrina only spoke up once Clara calmed down. She said, "Clara, about the studying abroad thing… I hope you'll give it another serious thought. "I know I've been so busy with the company these past few years that I haven't had time to look after you properly. Plus, Wren raised you alone, so I get that you can't bear parting with him. But your crush has to end sooner or later. "I don't want to see you get hurt." Katrina had suggested that Clara study abroad half a month ago. However, Clara couldn't bring herself to part with Wren. She wanted to keep winning over his affections. Now that she finally had her answer, she had completely given up on him. She figured it was time to let go. Clara tucked away her memories, wiping her tears as she removed each framed photo off the wall. She needed to leave now that Ivy was about to be the new lady of the Zachman family. It was inappropriate to have these photos, which represented her and Wren's past, lying around. Clara took out the pictures from the frames. Then, she burnt them all to ashes, like her love for Wren.