Chapter 9

There were no dramatic stories about how I fell for Sven. I liked him simply because he was handsome and had good grades.

Teenage girls often fall for boys better than them, and I was no exception.

In the dim light, my teenage self had written, "I like Sven. Not only is he good-looking and smart, but he's also kind. I saw him donate to underprivileged kids. But I come from an average family, while he's from a wealthy one. There's no way we could ever be together."

Later, after I had reunited with the Leclair family, my diary entries said, "I replaced Alina in the arranged marriage with Sven. I feel guilty about it. Sven doesn't seem to like me. I told my parents I didn't want to go through with it, but Dad slapped me. It hurt."

"I saw Alina confessing her feelings to some gang leader. She said she didn't like Sven. In a way, I feel sorry for him. Maybe I should marry him after all."

"Alina fell down the stairs herself, but Sven thinks I pushed her. Now he hates me even more."