Chapter 1

Era

My life was like my bedroom wall—plain and boring. I'd never have a boyfriend, no sex life, never had experienced the excitement of a bustling nightlife. Mom's strict and conservative nature was responsible for everything. It was really distressing!

Until one day...

"I got my promotion!" Mom exclaimed as she entered the living room. She took off her heels, walked through the kitchen, and reached for the fridge. She was holding a glass of brown liquor in her hand when she exited the kitchen. So it was a celebration. Unfortunately, she won't allow me to drink yet.

"Wow, that's amazing news, Mom! Congratulations on your promotion," I said with a forced smile. Deep down, I wished I could experience the thrill of celebrating such achievements with a drink in hand.

I was happy for her. She had been working for years, and that promotion was like a knight in shining armor whom she had been expecting to come one day. She'd do anything just to maintain that profile status and continue climbing the corporate ladder.

She sat beside me and sighed before reaching for my hand. "It means I'm leaving, hun."

Like I said, anything. Even though it meant she would be missing my upcoming birthday,

Uncertain of what I'd just heard, I closed my laptop and gazed at Mom. "What do you mean you're leaving?"

"The newly opened branch is in Canada, so I have to relocate there for work," she explained. "I'll miss you, but this is a great opportunity for me."

I took my time gazing at her face as I tried to process the news. Without her, I'd have to figure out life on my own.

On the other hand, I would be free like a prisoner who had just been released. I'd be able to go out with my friends without constantly worrying about her. Being a seventeen-year-old girl was tough, especially if your friends were constantly teasing you about being attached to your parents—in my case, your mother. But with her gone, I could finally break free from that reputation and start living life on my own terms.

I was already beaming at the thought of the possibilities that lay ahead.

But who would prepare my food since my cooking skills were severely lacking? I couldn't even keep up with the laundry. And how could I sleep at night knowing no one was there? What if a robber smashed through the door and killed me? What if the apartment caught fire in the middle of the night?

I can't be alone, or else I'll die!

"Are you listening, Era?" she asked, tilting her head and frowning at my pale expression.

"I just thought... I can't handle the house by myself. You know I'm a total dependent." She took a deep breath. "Don't worry, I'm not leaving you here alone; someone will keep an eye on you while I'm away."

My eyes widened. "You mean Cora's moving in here? That'll be fantastic! I can't wait to—"

"No! She's just a kid like you." She walked toward me and placed her hands on my shoulder. "I'll send your dad over here. He's going to be looking after you."

I frowned. "M-my, dad? Wait, you said he died in a car accident when I was four."

She bit her lower lip and said, "Okay. I lied to you. But now you need to know the truth."

Mom opened up a part of her past. She said they were together way back in college, but when she got pregnant at the age of sixteen, he dumped her. My stupid father left her with nothing but an innocent human being growing inside her!

I thought about her confession for a few moments. But, like bitter medicine, my mind refused to accept it. I thought it was only the two of us since my grandparents had passed away the day I was born. My system was filled with confusion. Meeting another relative, particularly an estranged father, was a tale for me.

"You want me to live with Henry?" I asked with an irritated tone.

Mom raised an eyebrow. "You'll call him Dad. He's still your father."

I shrugged and smiled bitterly. "You know, I can live with the idea of Henry being dead. How could you trust him if he left you in the first place? Are you sure he'll enjoy babysitting a child he abandoned without even knowing the name?"

She ran her hands through her hair and shut her eyes. "I have no options. He's the only one we've got." Mom cupped my cheeks and forced me to look at her. "Look, I need to work. This is for your future, too. Don't worry; when I come back, he's out. But for the moment, deal with him. Please."

I shook my head and threw my hands up in surrender. "Fine!" Though accepting a stranger was still difficult for me, there was nothing I could do. I couldn't win this debate. "I'll try, but I can't guarantee it."

I went inside my room and jumped onto the bed. My eyes were closed, but my thoughts were racing. How can I deal with this situation?

o0o

"Would you like to hang out with us? We're going to the mall," my best friend, Cora, said. Her face was flushed with delight because the bell had just rung. Her natural routine was to hang out with friends after school, but I had been avoiding socializing lately.

I gathered my belongings on my desk and gave her a tentative smile. "No, Cora. I have to get home right away because my father is on his way. Mom says I should be at the apartment before he arrives."

"Your dad?" Cora's eyes widened. "I thought you didn't have one."

"That's what I thought too." I sighed.

"So, what does he look like? Stout? Bald? Tattooed? Pierced?" She sat on my desk, looking up at me as if she were a curious meerkat.

"A total jerk." I shrugged my shoulders. "Though I haven't seen him just yet."

"Wow, you are so judgmental," she said, grinning. "Wait, is he staying with you for good? Are your parents getting back together?"

I rolled my eyes. "When that happens, I'll run away."

"Aw, you don't like to do that, honey. Anyway, we have to go. See you tomorrow." She planted a kiss on my cheeks and gracefully walked towards a cluster of couples. She wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's waist, and he kissed her lips and squeezed her butt.

I grinned. These people would surely be crawling in shame before dawn the next day.

On my way to my apartment, I noticed a red car parked proudly in front of the convenience store beneath the building. As I entered the lobby, I couldn't help but stare at it. "Perhaps it belongs to the owner of this building," I whispered as I stepped into the elevator. I reached for the tenth-floor button, but then I paused. It was already glowing.

Except for a man standing beside me, there was no one in the elevator. He was also heading to the tenth floor. Perhaps he was a new occupant.

I wasn't used to studying people, but my rule didn't apply in this case. His features were too prominent to ignore. I stepped back and cast my gaze over his entire body. Very tall, possibly over six feet. A white T-shirt clung to his broad chest, showcasing his lean biceps. Legs wrapped in faded denim.

I blinked as a ringing noise interrupted my brain's survey of this sexy stranger. He took the phone from his pocket and answered it without even checking who was calling.

"How's everything in there, Timothy?"

That sound. It was so deep and rich. I couldn't help but be affected by his voice. "Yes, cancel all my meetings for this week; I have more important things to do."

The elevator tingled and opened automatically. The man stepped out of the double door while still talking on his phone. I stomped next. It was then that I noticed he was walking in the same direction as me, as if we were both drawn to the same destination.

"...that's pleasing to hear. Well, I've got to go. Goodbye." He ended the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket. Shortly, he stopped and spun to face me.

Oh no!

I froze, absorbing every detail of his face. He was a really gorgeous man. He had a sculpted face and a firm stubble on his jaw. His brows were thick and dark greenish-blue, like aquamarine stones. He had a very Roman nose. His dark blonde hair was slicked back into a trendy style.

"Hey," he mumbled.

As our eyes met, my breath caught in my throat. Oh, great. He thinks I'm stalking him!

"You are Era, right?"

My eyes widened as he stepped closer to me. I wanted to ask why he knew me. But I lost my voice. I was too busy staring at him in star-struck awe.

"I knew it!" he chuckled. "Of course it's you. Forgive me. I should have recognized you immediately."

So he's...

"I'm Henry. Your dad," he said in an easy-going tone.

What the hell?

So my father was the man I'd been admiring for the last ten minutes.

"O-oh, h-hi..." I found my voice. "It's good to finally meet you after, well, seventeen years?" I stuck out my hand.

But rather than shaking it, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me tighter to his chest.

"Oh, come here."

My cheeks were red-hot. I swallowed the lump in my throat as my heart continued to beat forcefully. I should have pushed him away from me. He was the reason I grew up feeling insecure, why I envied my friends who had complete families, and why I had no idea what paternal love was!

But rather than hating him, I found myself appreciating his kind words. Worse yet, I was also enjoying his embrace.

This is bad.