I Dreamed He’d BEG for My Love in 2 Years—So I Kept My Distance While He Scorned Me Chapter 04

I Dreamed He’d BEG for My Love in 2 Years—So I Kept My Distance While He Scorned Me Chapter 04

It was winter, right before final exams of my sophomore year.

Silas’s health had gotten better.

Mr. Thorne wanted him home for Christmas to surprise Mrs. Thorne, who missed him terribly.

I once saw Kael picking out a careful gift for Silas.

But the night before Silas came home, I heard Kael shouting.

“Why do I have to move out of my room just because Silas is coming back?!”

Mrs. Thorne tried to explain.

Kael cut her off, shaking his head.

“You’ve always favored him!”

“Since we were kids, you made me let him have everything. I know why you had me — in case he needed a transplant match!”

A loud slap cracked through the air.

Kael turned his face, hand pressed to his cheek.

“I’m not moving! Make Elara move instead!”

My breath caught. I tried to slip away quietly.

But it was too late.

Kael threw open the door. He froze when he saw me.

His face darkened instantly. He shoved me hard.

“Parasite!”

“When are you going to get out of my house?!”

It hurt. Of course it did.

But I’d learned a long time ago that my feelings didn’t matter.

Kael left.

Mrs. Thorne stared at her shaking hand, tears streaming down her face.

Mr. Thorne pointed at Kael’s retreating back, clutching his chest, gasping for air.

I climbed up off the floor quietly.

I helped the butler get Mr. Thorne into bed when he had an attack.

Then I calmed Mrs. Thorne down.

“Elara… I didn’t mean it… Kael he…”

I put on my coat and nodded.

“I know. Don’t worry. I’ll go find him.”

I found Kael on an overpass.

The night wind in Northwood was bitter cold.

I wrapped my jacket tighter around me and watched his lonely shadow.

I didn’t walk up to him and drag him home.

I didn’t think I could fix his lifelong pain.

All I could do was stand there, ready to call 911 if he tried anything.

Thankfully, he wasn’t that reckless.

I exhaled in relief.

I was tired from staying alert so long. I yawned.

After hours in the wind, Kael finally seemed to calm down.

He checked into a hotel.

I touched my pocket. I couldn’t leave him like that.

I called Mr. Thorne’s driver.

Once someone came, I rode my beat-up bike home.

When I walked in, the house was a mess.

I knew Mrs. Thorne was asleep. I grabbed a broom and cleaned up.

Then I packed my things from my room and moved them to the attic at the very top of the house.

The windows in the attic were old and broken.

It started raining outside. The room was damp and freezing.

I lay on the bare wooden planks, shivering, pulling my jacket tighter.

Stormy nights always made me overthink.

But I had exams the next day.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and fell asleep.

The exams were school-wide finals.

The questions were long, tricky, and brutal.

I forced myself through every test.

By the English final, I was exhausted.

I filled out the scantron and laid my head on the desk to rest my eyes.

When I woke up, I was alone in the classroom.

I shifted slightly. A jacket slid off my shoulders.

I was confused, but a guard walked by telling everyone to leave.

I didn’t have time to think.

I packed my things, folded the jacket, left it on the podium, and rushed to the bus stop.

It was late in the afternoon, right before winter break.

All the nearby schools got out at the same time.

Buses came and went, packed full.

I was debating walking home when a sleek black sedan pulled up beside me.

I didn’t notice at first.

Then a soft, familiar voice spoke.

“Elara. Long time no see.”