"With you two in the Gardner family, I can finally relax."
I clung to Lance's arm, pouting dramatically. "I just want my big brother to spoil me forever. I'll always be his little princess!"
The look in his eyes when I said that? It was fiercely tender all at once. That moment ignited a fire in him. From then on, he pushed himself harder, took on more responsibility, and quietly built up his strength as if preparing for war, because he had a promise to keep.
He swore he'd protect me for life.
Then came the headlines.
I started noticing Freya appearing in entertainment news, receiving praise and admiration. The media called her the rising goddess of the screen. Vivian named her Freya Lennox, which was nothing surprising, and the press couldn't stop praising her looks and potential.
And then, finally, I saw her again in person.
It was at my eighteenth birthday party.
She walked in with Vivian at her side, wearing a designer gown, with her hair and makeup flawless. She had all the right moves—the grace, the poise, the smile—but her eyes were empty and devoid of life.