I Dreamed He’d BEG for My Love in 2 Years—So I Kept My Distance While He Scorned Me Chapter 01

I Dreamed He’d BEG for My Love in 2 Years—So I Kept My Distance While He Scorned Me Chapter 01

It was my seventh day living at the Thorne Estate.

I dreamed of the future.

In the dream, two years from now, Kael Thorne would grab my wrist.

He’d pin me to the bed and kiss me like he was losing his mind.

“Elara, look at me. Please… just look at me…”

I jolted awake.

There was no way that was real.

Right now, he was staring me down with a cold, sharp warning.

“Don’t tell anyone you’re living here.”

“I don’t want any rumors spreading at school because of you.”

******

His face was tight, serious, laced with faint disgust.

I patted my cheeks to pull myself together.

Kael frowned when I didn’t answer right away.

His voice turned sharp.

“Elara Voss! Are you even listening?”

“Don’t try any little tricks. If you mess up my life, I’ll have Dad kick you out immediately.”

I knew Mr. Thorne would never do that.

But it stung anyway.

I dropped my gaze and mumbled, “Okay.”

Kael froze for a second, then scoffed.

“You better mean it.”

I felt even worse.

In my eyes, I was nothing but a hassle to him.

A liar.

It felt like the worst thing I could be.

I’d known my whole life I was engaged to a boy studying up north.

Whenever I whined about homework,

Mom would pull out a photo of Kael winning an international award and sigh.

“Wait till your future fiancé finds out how lazy you are, Elara.”

Back then, Kael was perfect. Brilliant. Unreachable.

He was everything I imagined my future would be.

So I gritted my teeth.

I finished all my winter break homework in one night.

Mom raised an eyebrow.

After that, Kael’s name followed me all through my teens.

On cold mornings I didn’t want to go to school.

When I studied for months and my rank still dropped.

When I fought with old friends and felt misunderstood.

I kept hearing stories about him.

I drew strength from his light.

Slowly, Kael wasn’t just my childhood playmate.

He wasn’t just my fiancé.

He was my role model. The person I chased.

The day my middle school results came out,

I got into Westbrook Rural High.

My first thought was him.

I couldn’t wait to see him.

I begged grandpa to book me a flight to Northwood.

I dressed up nice that day.

I spent all my saved money on a bouquet.

It was Kael’s graduation day.

Mom said he graduated first in his entire class at Northwood Prep High.

I wanted to congratulate him.

To tell him his fiancé had been working hard too.

That I wasn’t holding him back.

I got off the plane and rushed to his school before the ceremony ended.

He was just as dazzling as mom described.

I spotted him instantly in the crowd.

But he was surrounded by people.

He never saw me waving.

I pushed through, heart racing, and shoved the flowers into his hands.

I’d practiced so many lines.

But standing in front of him, I was too nervous to speak.

I must’ve been blinded by how bright he was.

I squeezed my eyes shut and recited everything I’d prepared.

In my head, I pictured his face.

He’d be proud, right?

His fiancé didn’t hold him back.

Out of everyone in the county, I placed second.

Or maybe shocked?

Not many people would fly all that way just to see him.

But I got neither reaction.

What hit me first was cruel, mocking laughter.