Chapter 1

The year was 1983. It was late at night and dark outside. Only a dim light was on inside the Ford residence's living room.

"I'm willing to move abroad to live with you, Mom and Dad," Evelyn Ford said.

Francis Graham and Maureen White were on the line on the other side of the world. They were so overcome by Evelyn's words that they started crying. "That's great, Evie! We wouldn't have been separated for so long if not for that earthquake. We didn't mean to abandon you. We'll head over there right now to pick you up!"

Evelyn felt an odd sense of bitterness surge when she heard her parents crying. She took a deep breath before saying, "Give me another two weeks. I have some things to deal with here; I'll head over once I'm done. Then, I'll remain by your side for the rest of my life."

The Grahams seemed to realize something. "Yes, of course. We got ahead of ourselves. The Fords raised you for many years, and we heard your older brother doted on you since you were a child. It's only right for you to have a proper farewell with them."

Evelyn's heart trembled at the mention of Cameron Ford. A different sense of bitterness and heartache welled in her.

A horrific earthquake had happened the year she was six. She and her parents had been separated, and the authorities had ultimately arranged for the Ford family to adopt her.

The Fords were made of old money and had been around for generations. However, James Ford and Ivy Stone were always busy with work. Though they'd adopted her per the authorities' arrangement, they hadn't had much time to care about her.

Rather than saying the Ford family had raised her, it would be more accurate to say Cameron, her older brother, had raised her.

When she was seven, she was afraid of thunder. He was the one who'd held her and comforted her in her bed. He'd sang her a lullaby.

When she was ten, she was envious of her classmates' snacks and toys. He was the one who'd bought every snack and toy available in the store and doted on her like a princess.

When she was 14, her period came for the first time. He was the one who'd taught her what she needed to know and rubbed her belly after making her a hot drink.

He would immediately bring her whatever she wanted, whether it was a hairclip, shoes, clothes, a gramophone, or even a mini car.

The people who knew him well always teased him about being overly doting toward her. They wondered whether anyone could marry her and take her away from him.

Cameron had pulled Evelyn into his arms with a laugh at the time. "If anyone wants to marry my precious sister, they'll first have to treat her better than I do."

She'd buried her face against his chest then, so he hadn't seen her blush. No one knew she had feelings for him. She'd fallen for him a long time ago, given all the days and nights they'd spent together.

She didn't dare confess her love for him, though. She vaguely realized her feelings weren't anything to be proud of, so she only dared to secretly record them in her journal. The only person she told about this was her best friend, Jocelyn Irwin.

Evelyn didn't expect Jocelyn to tell Cameron about this secret. That fateful night, he'd barged into her room and grabbed her journal. Then, he'd ripped it to pieces with a grim expression. He'd thrown the pieces at her, and the sharp edges of the paper cut her face. She turned away from the pain.

"Do you realize how shameful and immoral you are by developing feelings for your brother?" he'd roared.

That was her first time seeing him so infuriated. A single sentence from him was enough to make her feel like her heart had been stabbed several times over.

She'd stared at him dazedly as tears filled her eyes and silently trickled down her face. He'd stormed off before she could say anything.

After that, Cameron did everything he could to avoid seeing Evelyn. Even when they occasionally ran into each other, he would look at her coldly like she was a stranger.

A week later, he even announced that he was marrying Jocelyn. The news had stunned her. She couldn't even wrap her head around how and when they'd gotten together.

She wanted to press for answers after dinner but stumbled upon Cameron pinning Jocelyn to the wall and kissing her passionately. He was usually so calm and composed.

That night, Evelyn shed tears. She knew she wouldn't get the answers to certain questions, so there was no need to search for them anymore.

Just then, a family search service contacted her and told her they'd found her birth parents. They'd been depressed for a long time after she'd gone missing, and they hadn't stopped searching for her despite being sent abroad as diplomats. They almost fainted upon finally hearing news about her.

At that moment, Evelyn couldn't help but think perhaps these things were already written in the stars. It was fated that she and Cameron would never be together and that her time with the Ford family would be nothing more than a dream. It was time for her to return to her original path.

So, she decided to return to her family and be reunited with her parents. She also decided to let go of the love she'd harbored for Cameron for years.

…

Evelyn headed downstairs early the following morning. She smiled demurely when James and Ivy urged her to join them for breakfast. She sat beside them and told them that her birth parents had found her and that she was going abroad to be with them.

Ivy hurriedly held her hands. She sounded happy for her. At the same time, she realized this meant it was hard to say when they would see each other again. A hint of reluctance tinged her tone.

"This is good news, Evelyn. I'm so glad you've found your family. Have you told your brother about this?"

Evelyn was taken aback. Should she tell Cameron? He was all over Jocelyn now. Did it matter whether or not she told him?

"What did you want to tell me?" A cool voice rang out behind them. Evelyn turned to see Cameron standing in the doorway. He looked as tall and handsome as always.

Chapter 2

Ivy was about to speak when Evelyn changed the subject. "It's nothing. You're back, Cameron."

Cameron faltered when he heard her address him by his full first name, which she hadn't done in a long time. He couldn't help appraising her. He couldn't remember when she'd started calling him "Cam" instead of "Cameron." Was it when she was 18? 15? Or earlier?

At the time, he thought it was because they were starting to drift apart as she grew older. Later, he found out it was because she'd fallen for him.

His gaze darkened at her reverting to calling him by his full first name. He stared at her for a while. There seemed to be something different about her.

After a while, he retracted his gaze and lowered his eyes. Then, he approached Evelyn and his parents before putting a gift on the table. He said, "These are gifts Jocelyn bought for you guys, Mom and Dad. She said they're just little trinkets and hopes you'll like them."

Ivy beamed at that. "Of course we will! Josie's gifts are always great. Did you thank her for us?"

James got up, and a small smile lit up his usually stern face. "Remember to bring those coffee beans to Josie's family the next time you visit her."

He and Ivy were very satisfied with Jocelyn, who was soon to be their daughter-in-law. They chatted for a while longer and mentioned that they would like to invite her parents over on the weekend if they had the time. It was clear they wanted to discuss wedding details.

Evelyn sat there and watched the three of them chat happily. A wave of loneliness washed over her. She clenched her fists but soon released them.

At this moment, she clearly sensed that she was only an outsider in this family. Then again, she wouldn't need to be plagued by these matters in the future. With that thought in mind, she got up and returned to her room.

Cameron looked up mid-conversation when he noticed this. All he saw was Evelyn's figure disappearing around the corner.

Was he imagining things? She'd only said one sentence since his return. This wasn't like her at all.

…

That afternoon, Evelyn prepared to leave the house and head to the authorities to update her identification. When she headed downstairs, she saw Jocelyn seated beside Cameron. She was smiling as she watched him peel an orange.

He deftly peeled it and removed the pith. Then, he held a slice to Jocelyn's lips. She blushed and glanced at him before biting it. Her lips brushed against his fingers.

He chuckled and wiped her mouth with a paper towel. "Is it sweet?"

She nodded before holding a slice to his lips. "Why don't you try it?"

Evelyn silently retracted her gaze when she saw how intimate and affectionate they were with each other. She walked down the stairs and headed straight for the door.

"Evelyn!" Jocelyn suddenly called out to her. She turned to see the former beckon to her. "It's Cameron's off day, and we're going to a park. Do you want to join us?"

Evelyn shook her head. "I wouldn't want to disturb you two on your date."

Jocelyn smiled. "You're my sister-in-law. How would you be disturbing us?"

She emphasized "sister-in-law," seemingly wanting to remind Evelyn of her place. In the past, this would've hurt Evelyn so much that she would feel out of breath. Now that she only thought of Cameron as her brother, it didn't faze her. She was calm and collected.

"I have something to do. Maybe we can do this next time."

Jocelyn's smile stiffened at the repeated rejection. Her tone immediately turned aggrieved as she asked, "Are you still mad at me for taking your brother away from you, Evelyn? Is that why you don't want to come with us?"

Cameron hurriedly held her and frowned. "You've always been the one I've liked. How can you say that you took me from her?"

This made her ears turn red. She gave him a chiding glance as she thumped his chest. He chuckled and pulled her closer. Then, he pressed a kiss to her hair. "Leave her be if she doesn't want to come."

Evelyn forced a smile. They did indeed have to leave her be. It wouldn't be long before their paths diverged. They would live on separate sides of the world soon.

She politely bid them goodbye before leaving.

Chapter 3

Evelyn headed to the dance troupe after finishing her business. She headed to the office of her superior, Rowena Green. There, she saw the awards their troupe had won and photos of everyone dancing lining the wall. She ran her fingers over them, and her gaze was filled with reluctance.

She thought she would spend the rest of her youth and life with this dance troupe, but the separation came so abruptly.

"Evelyn." Rowena entered the office and patted her shoulder.

The bitterness Evelyn had just suppressed welled up again when she saw Rowena. Rowena had guided her for the past decade.

She clenched her fists and took a deep breath. "I'm here to turn in my resignation, Ms. Green. My birth parents found me, and I'm migrating abroad to be with them."

Rowena's eyes widened in surprise. Then, joy replaced it. She sounded happy as she said, "That's great news! Will you continue dancing when you're abroad?"

She'd watched as Evelyn had gone from being a shy, timid girl to a beautiful young woman. She knew that Evelyn had poured her heart and soul into dancing. It had made her blossom and gave her confidence. That was why Rowena didn't want Evelyn to give it up.

A hint of determination flashed in Evelyn's eyes as she looked at the photos on the wall. She smiled and nodded. "Dancing has always been my dream. I won't give up on it so easily. I'll continue dancing in the future."

Rowena nodded approvingly. She'd always admired Evelyn's determination, so she'd given her the troupe's principal dancer position. She'd done it to train Evelyn to take over for her in the future.

It was too bad that the plan had fallen through. Rowena couldn't exactly stop Evelyn from leaving the country to be reunited with her family.

Rowena asked tentatively, "Are you leaving immediately? The dance you've spent the last year choreographing is about to make its first run. You put your heart into it. You must show it on stage."

Evelyn nodded. "I've already discussed this with my parents and told them I'll join them after settling everything here. I have two weeks before I leave. I have enough time to dance first."

Rowena was relieved to hear that. She patted Evelyn on the shoulder. They chatted for a while longer before Evelyn went to practice. She only grabbed her things and headed home when it was late at night.

Surprisingly, she found that Jocelyn was still around when she got home. As she listened to the conversation, she realized everyone was discussing the wedding gown and accessories.

"My head is spinning from all those designs and accessories, Mrs. Ford. Evelyn and I have been best friends for years, and I was hoping she could help me pick. She knows my likes and dislikes, anyway," Jocelyn said.

Evelyn happened to enter at that moment. Ivy beckoned her to join them. "Josie was just talking about you, Evelyn. How about you accompany her for the next few days so she can pick out the things she needs for the wedding?"

Evelyn looked at Jocelyn. Jocelyn was smiling, but her smile turned provocative when she met Evelyn's eyes.

Evelyn lowered her eyes and decided to turn them down. "I'm sorry, but I don't have the time. I have things to do at the dance troupe."

She only had half a month left and was due to perform soon. She had many things to deal with before leaving, so shopping with Jocelyn wasn't something she had time for.

However, the cheery atmosphere died down at her words. Cameron looked at her icily and said, "Your best friend is getting married. Can't you set aside your things for her? You're going with Jocelyn, and that's final. I'll ask the troupe to give you some time off starting tomorrow!"

What right did she have to say no when he was forcing her to take time off? She smiled bitterly without saying anything else.

For the next few days, Evelyn had no choice but to set everything aside to focus on shopping with Jocelyn for the things she needed for the wedding. She thought Jocelyn would only need to head to the shopping mall to select a few things.

However, Jocelyn brought her from one end of the city to another. She wanted Evelyn's opinion on everything from the wedding gown to a hairpin. Whenever Evelyn suggested she send someone to ask Cameron what he thought, she would give Evelyn a chiding look.

"What's the point of asking him? All he does is give me money. He knows nothing aside from that. You're the one who knows what I think. I asked him to pick out our wedding rings with me last time, and do you know what he did? He had someone send an array of rings to my house so I could pick whichever one I wanted!"

Jocelyn sounded like she was ranting as she tried on a headpiece, but it was clear from the look in her eyes that she was boasting. To her dismay, Evelyn listened silently without reacting the way she expected.

She bit her lip and was about to say something else when she saw Cameron standing at the door. She turned and cried in surprise, "Cameron? What are you doing here?"

Evelyn looked up to see Jocelyn run to Cameron and throw herself into his arms. She kissed his jaw sweetly. He caressed her hair and said dotingly, "You said you wanted to go to the chapel outside of the city, right? I took half a day off to come pick you up."

They whispered sweet nothings to each other, making Jocelyn blush and burrow deeper into his embrace. Then, she seemed to think of something and went back to Evelyn. She held Evelyn's hand but spoke to Cameron. "Evelyn's been with me for the past few days. How about we bring her with us?"

Cameron didn't even spare Evelyn a glance. He merely picked up the things Jocelyn had bought and turned to leave. "Whatever."

Chapter 4

As the chapel's bells tolled and the fog dissipated, the chapel in the mountains was revealed before everyone's eyes. As she walked out, Evelyn looked down at the stone path beneath her feet.

"What's this?" A voice broke through her thoughts. She looked up to see Jocelyn standing before a tree and scrutinizing the prayer ribbons that hung from it.

"I pray Evelyn Ford will always be happy. Love, Cameron Ford."

"I pray Evelyn Ford will always have a good life. Love, Cameron Ford."

"I pray Evelyn Ford will always be healthy and that everyone she meets is kind. Love, Cameron Ford."

"I pray Evelyn Ford will always be safe. Love, Cameron Ford."

Jocelyn read the prayer ribbons. The jealousy in her tone became more pronounced with each one. Meanwhile, Evelyn stared at the ribbons. Her heart was trembling as her thoughts wandered.

She hadn't been in good health after the earthquake—she frequently fell sick. To help her get better, Cameron visited the chapel every week to pray for her health and safety.

She didn't expect to see that he'd made so many prayers over the years. The prayer ribbons were still on the trees, but things would not be the same between Cameron and her again.

"You two are on such good terms. It makes me seem unnecessary." Jocelyn couldn't read anymore. She turned to leave, and her expression was cold.

Cameron hurriedly stopped her and said patiently, "Come on, don't say such things. How can you be unnecessary? You're my wife, and she's just my sister. I'll have someone remove these ribbons if you're so upset with them."

After that, he instructed his subordinates to tug all the prayer ribbons down. They fell to the ground, where people stepped on them and dirtied them. New prayer ribbons were soon hung on the tree. This time, they were filled with sweet nothings Cameron wrote for Jocelyn.

Only then did Jocelyn smile again. She gave Evelyn a smug look but pretended to be worried as she asked, "Won't Evelyn be mad at you for doing this?"

Cameron chuckled. "My sister will never be more important than my wife. What about you? Are you still mad at me?"

It seemed his tricks had done the job. They pleased Jocelyn so much that she kept clinging to him as he drove them back to the city. Evelyn sat in the backseat with her eyes shut. She was about to take a nap when the car suddenly shot forward.

She opened her eyes, wanting to ask what had happened when there was a deafening bang. Cameron lost control of the car. He had sent it flying over the barrier, and it spun around several times before getting caught in a crevice.

Evelyn's head smacked against the back of the seat, making her vision go black for a while. When she returned to her senses, she saw that she was stuck in her seat. A tree branch pierced her arm; it was a bloody sight.

Jocelyn was beside her. She was unconscious but looked unharmed. It seemed she'd fainted from the shock.

Cameron was quick to react. He hurriedly clambered out of the car, staggering a few times before steadying himself. His gaze traveled between Evelyn and Jocelyn—one was in great pain while the other was unconscious. After a brief hesitation, he picked Jocelyn up. "I'll take Jocelyn with me and send someone to get you later."

With that, he turned and left. He seemed worried something happened to Jocelyn.

When deciding to give up on Cameron, Evelyn had already told herself to never cry for him again. She would only live for herself in the future. But as she lay there, pinned to her seat in the middle of nowhere, she couldn't help thinking about the earthquake.

At the time, she'd been pinned under debris and left alone in the darkness. She'd been trapped there for three days and nights. She'd cried the whole time.

Later, after being adopted by the Ford family, she would still be plagued by nightmares every night. She would wrap herself in her blankets and cry so hard that she would tremble uncontrollably.

Cameron would always come to her room then and hold her tightly. "Don't be scared, sweetie. I'm here for you. I won't let anyone or anything hurt a hair on your head in the future."

That was what he'd promised her, but she could only watch at that moment as he left with Jocelyn and disappeared from her line of sight.

Evelyn's blood continued to flow, and the sky was getting dark. The seconds ticked by, but no one came to save her as Cameron had promised.

She smiled bitterly and mustered the remnants of her strength to crawl out of the car while ignoring the pain. Then, she gritted her teeth and ruthlessly pulled out the tree branch. After that, she slowly crawled toward the main road.

She didn't know how long it took her to get there. Blood mingled with her tears with every move she made. Finally, she got to the main road. She was covered in blood. Then, she passed out.

When Evelyn woke up again, she found herself lying on a hospital bed. Her arm was wrapped in layers of gauze. The last thing she remembered was a kind stranger saving her and taking her to the hospital.

Cameron hadn't visited her once since then. She heard from a nurse that he was caring for Jocelyn. Jocelyn only had minor injuries, but he'd cleared out a whole floor so she could have some peace as she recuperated. He even arranged for various specialists to check on her.

Evelyn couldn't help looking at her bandaged arm when she heard this. She recalled a time when she'd been hospitalized after catching a cold. At the time, Cameron had also acted like he was facing a formidable enemy. He'd called in several doctors while staying by her bedside and delayed his return to the army.

Tears flowed from Evelyn's eyes and dampened her pillowcase.

…

The day she was discharged, many friends came to see her. One of them was a young man who'd once pursued her. She wanted to turn him down when he held out a bouquet, but he stopped her.

Then, he stammered, "D-Don't get the wrong idea, Evelyn. This is just to celebrate your discharge. I know you're leaving soon. I only hope you'll do well in the future."

That took her aback. Then, she thanked him and accepted the bouquet. When she turned around, she saw Cameron standing at the door.

As far as she remembered, he rarely got mad. However, his expression was dark as he glowered at the bouquet she held. After that, he turned and left.

Evelyn was confused by this. She didn't understand why he was mad. She didn't think much of it, though. When she got home, she put the flowers in a vase.

Just then, someone knocked on her door. She approached it with one hand on the wall before opening the door. It swung open to reveal Cameron's handsome face.

Their relationship had reached the freezing point after he'd learned about her feelings for him. He hadn't knocked on her door since then. What was he doing there?

Before she could speak, he wrapped his arms around her, scaring her with his sudden action. She staggered backward and pulled him down with her as she fell onto the couch.

She smelled the alcohol on him and wanted to pull away from him. That was when he gripped her jaw and kissed her!

Chapter 5

Evelyn felt like a bomb had detonated in her mind. As her brain short-circuited, Cameron deepened the kiss. Then, he rasped, "Jocelyn…"

Had he mistaken Evelyn for Jocelyn in his drunken state?

Evelyn snapped to her senses and shoved Cameron away. Then, she ran out of the room. Fortunately, he didn't pursue her.

The next morning, when Evelyn came out of the guest bedroom, she saw Cameron approach her with a frown. "What was I doing in your room?"

The impatience and doubt in his tone took her aback. She wanted to explain what had happened last night when she saw that he didn't remember.

However, he stopped her and snarled, "Did you drag me in there? I told you there's no chance of us being together, Evelyn. Besides, I'm about to get married. Haven't you given up yet?"

Evelyn was caught off guard. Then, she lowered her head without saying anything. Was there any point in saying anything? She'd committed the original sin by falling for him. To him, everything she did was wrong.

Cameron's breathing grew slightly heavier when he saw her silently bow her head. He was about to step closer when a gentle voice rang out from outside. "Cameron!"

Jocelyn walked in and was about to throw herself into his arms with a smile. Suddenly, she saw something, and her smile faded. "Why do you have a cut on your lip?"

He touched it and appraised Evelyn before saying, "I don't know. Maybe I scratched it after a mosquito bit me."

…

After that day, Evelyn and Cameron didn't spend any more time alone. He kept busy with Jocelyn while Evelyn focused on practicing.

One day, she was practicing a difficult move when Rowena suddenly led Cameron and Jocelyn in. "Take a break, everyone. Allow me to introduce you to Ms. Jocelyn Irwin—she's a dance student recommended by Mr. Ford. Please give her a round of applause to welcome her."

Rowena looked at Evelyn. "You're the principal dancer, Evelyn. Show Jocelyn the ropes, okay?"

After that, she brought Cameron and Jocelyn to handle the necessary procedures.

"I heard Jocelyn tried and failed to get into our dance troupe back in the day. Well, I suppose this is only expected of Mr. Ford's fiancée. He only needs to say the word to get her in here."

"Think about everything we had to get through to join the dance troupe. You just can't compare with someone who has the right connections."

The troupe members expressed their jealousy. Evelyn sat cross-legged on the floor, away from them. She looked at herself in the mirror, and her eyes flashed.

No one knew Cameron better than she did. He was aloof, principled, and always a stickler for rules. Despite holding power, he'd never abused it. Yet there he was, making an exception for Jocelyn. It seemed he genuinely adored her.

From that day onward, Jocelyn became a member of the dance troupe, and Evelyn became her mentor. Per Rowena's instructions, Evelyn taught Jocelyn seriously. Jocelyn refused to listen, though.

She always brushed Evelyn off whenever Evelyn tried to correct her. That wasn't all—every day, she would come up with excuses to skip training and leave early.

One day, Jocelyn left the dance troupe before Evelyn could stop her. Evelyn headed to the window to call out to her but saw her running into Cameron's arms. He caught her steadily. They kissed passionately before getting into the car together.

Evelyn looked away and calmly shut the window. Then, she continued practicing.