Prologue

Five years ago…

Ryleigh chose to stay in the University's Garden to keep an eye on her crush, Lucas Carter, on one particular morning. The man is three years older than her and has already in his final year in college. He is her childhood friend because their fathers were college buddies. Since then, she's had a crush on the guy and followed him to his institution. However, she initially had trouble getting in because Luke attended an Ivy League school, and she's not as smart as Luke, but she did her best to enroll. She is currently in her second semester as a freshman.

"Lucas will melt when you keep looking at him, Rye."

Ryleigh exhaled deeply and turned to face her friend Abby. It is their free time before their last subject for today.

"I simply cannot take my eyes off of him."

Abby's laughter causes her to scowl. "Dream on, young lady. Luke already had a girlfriend, and they had been together for four years. And you," Abby examined her from head to toe, "…are merely his childhood buddy and younger sister."

Ryleigh sighed deeply as she sipped her matcha milk tea.

"Accept that you will never get the opportunity. In a few months, he will graduate from college. Similarly, his girlfriend. They will marry each other in the future—"

Ryleigh raises her right hand in Abby's direction. She looked at Abby and said, "Stop!" 

They have only been acquainted for a few months, yet Abby acts as if she already knows everything. She likes and treats her as her best friend, but Abby never supports her whenever she gushes about her love for Lucas. Despite their numerous shared interests, Abby never supports her when it comes to her thing about Luke.

"What type of companion are you?” Ryleigh asked.

"Rye... As much as I want to support you and your hopeless love, I cannot make the impossible possible. Consider how Luke regarded his girlfriend. He is passionately in love. And Luke never dated other women; he never attempted to cheat on his girlfriend."

"And where did you hear that? You were a freshman exactly like me,” Ryleigh inquired in confusion.

Abby rubbed her left brow. “Research. Okay, I questioned some of Luke's classmates," Abby groaned.

"Do you mean you flirted with one of them to obtain information?

Well, it’s Abby’s way. She will flirt as if she likes the guy, even though she uses him.

Abby averted her gaze and chomped on her sandwich.

"Gosh, Abby. You are not required to do that—"

"I only wish to help you, alright? Fine. I attempted to support you in your pursuit of Luke, but after discovering these facts, I felt it was futile. Therefore, bury anything you feel for him."

Ryleigh heaved a deep sigh and stared at Luke, who was currently French kissing his lover. "Maybe you’re right…” she nodded as if she was trying to accept the truth and before tears clouded her sight, she added, “—Luke can’t be mine."

…

Present, August 2022…

RYLEIGH Evans had a long infatuation with Lucas Carter. She simply cannot tell him how she feels since she would not want him to ignore her. 

Luke is every woman's fantasy. He is a devoted son, companion, and now a devoted and faithful boyfriend to his longtime partner, Hannah. Last year, she met Hannah at the burial of her uncle William, Luke's father. Luke's company started to experience numerous issues after losing Mr. William Carter as all of their investors began backing out, and his mother, Charlotte, was unsure what to do.

             

She witnessed Luke's grief but was not there to console him. Given that he had Hannah.

           

As Ryleigh walked toward her father's office, she expelled a long sigh. She wonders what makes her father summon her. She knocked on the door before turning the knob. She peered and noticed her father turning the pages.

Noah Evans smiled when he saw her. "Ryleigh, come in."

Ryleigh smiled and walked inside her father’s office, and drew nearer to his table.

"Anything you want to say, Dad?" she asked as she strode towards her father’s direction.

"How is Luke's business doing?”

Ryleigh arched her brow, confused. Yet she still says, "I think Luke is attempting to find a solution, Dad.

Mr. Evans nodded his head. “Exactly and you were aware that your Aunt Charlotte could not assist because she is disabled.”

Ryleigh nodded.

Yes, her Aunt Charlotte, Luke's mother, had hypertension and a minor attack that weakened her nerves after the death of her husband.

"Do you think Luke can handle it?” Mr. Evans asked.

“W-What do you mean, Dad?”

Ryleigh’s father gazed at her. "Hmm... do you still have a crush on Luke?” It is too late for her to cover her face from her father's queries, as he has already laughed. “Oh, my daughter, you knew that Luke treated you as if you were his sister and he was already engaged. What exactly was her fiancé’s name again?”

“Hannah.”

In addition, they had been together for about nine years. Last year, before her uncle William's death, Luke proposed to Hannah, and they were to marry after two months of engagement, but his father passed away.

“Right. Hannah, the daughter of William's secretary.”

Ryleigh nodded. “Anyway, Dad, why am I here? Do we need to talk about how Luke’s company—” she paused when her father raised his right hand and smiled. She frowned and felt uneasy. “W-Would you help Luke, Dad?”

The old man smiled. “Marry Luke.”

Two words. It was just two yet she seems not to process it. She was shocked. Her family knows her love for Luke but she never dreamed to ruin someone’s relationship. Luke was madly deeply in love with Hannah.

            “B-But—you can’t do this, Dad. I knew Luke. He has a fiancé—”

            “They’re not married yet, Rye. You still have the chance. Also, it will help Luke. You know how much they treasure that business—”

            “But—”

            “No buts. You will marry Luke and I will help him recover from his loss. You love him, do you?”

            Ryleigh met her father’s gaze. “I do—”

            “Then it settled. I will make the contract—”

            Ryleigh clenched her fist. “You don’t understand, Dad!” She won’t regret to raised her voice. “Dad, please… I want to help Luke too but I don’t want to do things that will make Luke hate me—”

            Mr. Evans stood up and slammed his wooden table. “Stop complaining and just be grateful, Ryleigh. You’re my only daughter and I only want you to be happy—”

            “Forcing me to marry Luke won’t make me happy, Dad,” she said as she wiped the tears that streamed in her cheeks and left the room.

            Mr. Evans was in a rage and tried to stop his daughter from leaving but Ryleigh didn’t listen.