Prologue and Chapter 1

Prologue

"Why are you crying?" A six-year-old boy asked the five-year-old little girl, hiding behind the tree.

She hugged herself tighter and refused to answer. Her tears dripped faster.

"Here," the little boy gave her a white hanky that was neatly folded. "My mother told me that when girls cry, I should wipe their tears or else they'll look ugly."

"Go away, I'm not ugly!" the little girl sobbed. "I don't want you here! I hate you!"

"What? Why would you hate me?" the boy asked, frowning. He squeezed the edge of his shirt, his little fingers turning red with the force.

"I don't like you because you're so smart! They called me stupid because of you!" she shouted, pushing the boy as she abruptly stood up. "My parents like you more!"

"I hate you!" she repeated, crying louder.

"I like you," the boy seriously said as he sat on the ground, dirt all over his shorts and shoes. He worried that his grandfather would see him like this, and he would be angry.

But he didn't care as he wanted to comfort the girl. He liked her as she was like the sun, smiling so brightly when they first met. Though, this time, she was crying.

He wanted to bring back her smile because it made him happy. The first time they met, he was so sad.

But when she smiled, she shone so brightly, he felt warm. It reminded him of his last summer vacation with his family. The sun shone so brightly that time, too.

"Shut up," the girl yelled, stamping her feet on the ground. "I don't like you. You're irritating! My parents told me that I should be like you, a very smart kid!"

"Let's be friends," the boy said, ignoring the dirt on his clothes, giving his hands to her. "You're so pretty."

The little girl's face turned as red as a tomato and she scoffed, "Since you said I'm pretty, I'll forgive you. Let's be friends!"

They shook hands.

"I'm Luke," the boy said.

"And I'm Summer!"

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Chapter 1

Erotic sounds leaked through the door. Summer grew still, her hand on the doorknob. She visibly swallowed, her throat tight and dry. She felt like she was going to faint.

"Oohhh, give it to me," a woman's shrill scream echoed in the room. She seemed to be in great pleasure.

"Faster, oh! That's so deep!" Another shout followed. Summer's whole body trembled, cold sweat trickled on her forehead and back.

A hand held her heart, twisting it to smithereens. It beats so loudly like a drum. Thud. Thud. Thud.

"F**k!" a man groaned, husky and deep. "Yes, I'm coming!"

Summer almost fell, her feet unsteady, so she leaned on the door. Then as if the fires of hell were after her, she gathered her strength to move and escape.

"Oh, God." She ran away from Luke's office and into her car. She didn't want to witness him with another woman.

A sob escaped her lips as she leaned on the steering wheel. The heart-wrenching cry sounded so loud in the empty parking lot.

It was ten in the evening, and she was told that Luke would stay late to finish work. Summer brought him food for dinner.

She thought he was alone, but he wasn't. He was with another woman.

"I should have gotten used to this," Summer said to herself, tears falling from her eyes. "Luke is always like this."

Wiping her tears, she got out of the car and walked like a soldier going for war: head held high with a straight back. She looked calm and collected on the outside, but on the inside, she was breaking down.

Her heels clicked against the wooden tiles, and she calmly rode the elevator back to the top floor. Earlier, she just ran away like a coward.

She schooled her expression before she got off the elevator. From the inside of Luke's office, she could hear the rustling of clothes.

Pursing her lips, she knocked and pretended to be calm. Her senses and emotions were all over the place, and it would explode at any time.

"Who is it?" a man growled, clearly annoyed.

Without waiting for Luke's permission, Summer pushed the door open. She strode in, looking like the owner of the place.

Summer had always shown Luke this tough attitude, and not the vulnerable girl inside her. He told her before that she looked ugly when she cried.

Summer wanted him to see that she was a beauty. She prayed for him to see her as a woman.

As soon as she stepped in, she gave the "other" girl a once over, raising her brow in question. "Is this your new type?"

Summer's heart-shaped lips were in a straight line, aggrieved. The woman's heavy makeup made the woman look older. She had curly hair, and right now, it was like a bird's nest.

Her black mini dress left nothing to the imagination. Summer shook her head, expecting more from him.

"I would have expected her to have a bit more class," she cocked her head, staring coldly at the lady.

"You!" The lady's face turned red, pointing finger at her. Luke stayed on the side, not doing anything.

"How dare you say that to me?!"

"Don't point at me, or I might just break your finger." Raising her chin, Summer walked closer to the girl. Her lips curved in a smirk.

"Was he a good lay?" Silence prevailed, and the woman looked like she wanted to cry. The pressure from Summer was so intimidating, she quaked in her legs.

A hint of discomfort appeared on Luke's face, but he didn't react.

Summer touched the woman's chin with her index finger, and said, "Sadly, it's all that you'll ever get. A good lay."

The woman paled, her face drained of blood.

"Women like you are like flies around him. Annoying and so many," Summer added and wiped her index finger with a tissue she got from the table.

"Now that you're done, leave," she commanded. "I trust you can walk out the door with your trembling legs?"

The lady looked at Luke, her eyes brimming with tears. The man in question frowned and sat on the leather sofa, not caring.

Seeing his reaction, the woman ran away, crying like a baby. As soon as she disappeared from view, Luke opened his mouth.

"You interrupted my fun."

"Did I? I thought you're done," Summer nonchalantly replied and sat on the other sofa. "You smelled cheap, Luke."

Covering her nose, she grabbed perfume from her bag, handing it to him. "Use this to cover the smell."

Luke sighed and didn't receive it. "What are you doing here, Summer?"

"Is that a question you ask your fiancée, Luke?"