I Dreamed He’d BEG for My Love in 2 Years—So I Kept My Distance While He Scorned Me Chapter 02

I Dreamed He’d BEG for My Love in 2 Years—So I Kept My Distance While He Scorned Me Chapter 02

“So this is the famous Kael Thorne’s fiancé? She looks so cheap.”

“Is that off-brand Adidas? Wow. Does the great Kael Thorne let his girl wear knockoffs?”

“Haha, maybe his stuff is fake too.”

“No way. The Thorne family’s loaded.”

“Please. Kael’s not the only one. His brother—Silas’s better. If Silas wasn’t sick and living abroad, he’d be the one inheriting everything.”

I wanted to yell.

To say Kael worked harder than anyone.

He studied nonstop.

Even on holidays, he never slacked off.

Silas was three years older.

He had three more years of life experience.

Give Kael three years, and he’d surpass him.

I believed that.

But I never got the chance.

A pair of hands shoved me hard off the stage.

I stared at Kael in shock.

I saw myself reflected in his eyes.

Messy. Ugly. Desperate. Elara.

I ran away.

When I got home, I stuffed those clothes into the back of my closet.

Grandpa found me and pulled me into his arms.

I curled up and cried so hard I could barely breathe.

I wanted to say I didn’t mean to.

I didn’t want to embarrass him in front of everyone.

I just… I just wanted to tell him…

His fiancé was doing okay too.

I was growing up, trying my best.

But I said nothing.

I’d ruined his graduation day.

Anything I said would sound like an excuse.

I cried silently.

Grandpa stroked my back over and over.

Not long after that, grandpa and mom fought badly.

“You think you’re so high and mighty! I’m her mom — I’d never hurt her!”

“If you hadn’t stopped me, I’d be married and living easy! Not stuck here mourning a dead man!”

Mom stormed off.

I saw her again at grandpa’s funeral.

She looked completely different.

Trendy coat. Red lipstick. Curled hair.

A baby in her arms, a man beside her looking at her softly.

She had the life she’d always wanted.

After the funeral, she brought me to the Thorne Estate.

“Elara, this is Kael’s house. You’ve always liked him, right?”

Her voice was gentle.

Too gentle. I almost begged her to take me with her.

But she pulled her hand away first.

Under her sunglasses, her eyes were cold and resentful.

“Elara, your dad died saving their son. If you want to pay someone back, go to them. Not me.”

Her gaze softened for a split second.

She bent down and patted my head like she used to, voice quiet.

“Elara, I have a new life now. You don’t want to ruin that for me and your new dad, do you?”

I swallowed the ache in my chest and nodded.

Under her expectant stare, I knocked on the Thorne’s front door.

Mr. and Mrs. Thorne were kind to me.

They prepared a room for me.

They hired a cook so I wouldn’t miss the food from back home.

They even pulled strings to get me transferred to a new school.

They were so nice I almost forgot Kael hated me.

From the day I moved in, Kael avoided me like I was contagious.

But it was the first day of school.

Mr. and Mrs. Thorne made time to drive us both to the car.

They told Kael over and over to look out for me at school.

As soon as we were out of their sight, Kael dropped all pretense.

He tapped the back window.

“Pull over, Walt.”

Walt glanced in the rearview mirror and stopped the car.

Kael turned to me, a cruel smirk on his lips.

“Saying you agree isn’t enough.”

“Get out.”

I didn’t hesitate.

I didn’t ask why.

I quietly picked up my bag, opened the door, and stepped out.

The window on my side rolled down.

Kael spoke like he was making small talk.

“You flew all the way to Northwood before. Walking to school should be easy for you.”

I looked straight into his eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

That apology was long overdue.

Kael’s hand froze. He looked dazed for a second, then turned ice-cold.

“Don’t think one sorry fixes anything.”

“Parasite.”

I stayed quiet.

Walt gave me an apologetic look, rolled up the window, and drove away.

I stood there, blinking back stinging tears, as the car faded into the distance.