Chapter 2

-----

"Mom! Dad!" Laura's voice rang out from the backyard.

Not long after, Emily and Albert rushed over.

"What is it?" Albert asked.

"That orphan girl... she's nowhere to be found, Father."

"Good. I'm glad she's gone from this house," Emily said with visible relief.

"Have you lost your mind?! It's a problem if she leaves!" Albert snapped. "This house and all its assets are still under her name. We can't even sell anything until she turns nineteen."

The middle-aged man looked visibly restless.

"Oh my God, why didn't you tell me sooner?!" Emily exclaimed.

"I just found out yesterday-from the lawyer himself."

"This is a nightmare! Hurry, we need to find her!" Albert ordered urgently.

-----

On the outskirts of the city, Yvette walked with unsteady steps.

No one paid her any attention.

A pitiful little girl in tattered clothes, with messy, uneven hair, wandered along with a pale face, clutching her stomach.

She was heading toward a cemetery just a few meters ahead.

But at the entrance, she spotted a food truck selling burgers.

The rich aroma instantly filled her senses.

Her hunger intensified.

Beside the truck stood a handsome boy, around ten years old, holding a bag of food in his hand.

The hunger made Yvette feel dizzy.

"Forgive me, Father... Mother..." she whispered softly.

Summoning all her strength, she ran toward the boy.

He blinked in confusion at her ragged appearance.

Before he could react, Yvette snatched the plastic bag from his hand.

"Hey! That's my burger!" he shouted.

The boy immediately chased after her as she ran with surprising speed despite her frail body.

"Aaron~"

A gentle female voice called out, stopping the boy in his tracks.

"Where are you going?" the woman asked.

"A little girl stole my food, Mom."

"A little girl?" she repeated, puzzled.

"Let it go. Maybe she's hungry," she said softly. "Come on, we need to head to the cemetery."

She took his hand and led him away.

Aaron, however, kept glancing around, searching for the girl who had stolen his food.

Not out of anger-

But out of concern.

The image of her pitiful clothes lingered in his mind.

-----

Aaron stood before a freshly dug grave.

His grandfather's burial had taken place earlier that day.

Everyone around him looked deeply mournful.

From afar, he noticed a small figure.

The same girl.

The one who had stolen his burger.

Yvette knelt before two neglected graves.

Her parents' graves.

"Ayah, Ibu, forgive me... I didn't mean to steal that boy's burger... but I was so hungry..." she sobbed, her voice trembling as she ate.

She wiped her tears and runny nose with the back of her hand.

She looked utterly disheveled.

It had been nearly three days since she had eaten properly after running away from her uncle's house.

Aaron watched from a distance.

"Poor girl..." he murmured.

Pat!

A hand tapped his shoulder, startling him.

"Aaron, let's go home," his mother said gently.

Lily Watson.

Aaron didn't respond immediately.

His eyes remained fixed on where Yvette had been sitting.

But now-

She was gone.

"She disappeared..."

"Who disappeared, sweetheart?" Lily asked, confused.

"You remember the girl who stole my burger earlier?" Aaron said. Lily nodded.

"She was right there, at those two abandoned graves... but now she's gone."

"She looked so pitiful, Mom. Her clothes were torn, and her hair... it was shaved unevenly. She's a girl, but..." Aaron trailed off.

Lily smiled softly, gently stroking her son's head.

Her son had such a compassionate heart.

"Maybe she went back home," she said.

"No way, Mom. I don't think she even has a home... What if we let her stay with us?" Aaron suggested earnestly.

At that moment, Lucian Watson approached.

His father.

"What's going on?" he asked calmly.

Aaron quickly explained everything.

Lucian nodded with a small smile.

"Of course. She can stay with us... if we ever meet her again," he replied.

"Now come on, Aaron. It's about to rain," Lily said, glancing at the darkening sky.

"Okay, Mom," Aaron answered.

-----

That night, under the steady drizzle of rain, Yvette had no choice but to sleep beneath a bridge.

She wasn't alone.

There were others there too.

People with the same fate as hers.

Homeless.

That was the word for those without a place to call home.

"Cold..." Yvette whispered, hugging herself tightly.

Her clothes were far too thin.

Not long after, an old man approached with an irritated expression.

"Hey! Get out of here!" he barked.

He didn't like others invading his spot.

"Please let me stay here for the night, Uncle..." Yvette pleaded weakly.

Her face was pale.

She hadn't eaten at all that day.

"I'M NOT YOUR UNCLE! GET LOST BEFORE I HIT YOU!" he shouted.

Yvette froze.

It reminded her of her own uncle.

"Okay... I'll go..." she said quickly.

She ran off in fear, her small feet moving as fast as they could.

She didn't want to be beaten again.

-----

A luxurious car stopped in front of a school gate.

Someone stepped out.

Aaron Watson.

He flinched when he heard a voice shout nearby.

"Hey! Thief!"

Curiosity drove him to follow the commotion.

Several students were chasing a small girl in ragged clothes.

Aaron's eyes widened.

He recognized her.

He began running too-faster than the others.

It was the same girl from the cemetery.

Yvette.

She had stolen food again.

"Hey, wait!" Aaron shouted as he ran.

But Yvette didn't stop.

She kept running toward the road.

"Hey! Where are you going? That's the main road!" Aaron yelled.

Then-

Honk!

Crash!

A car struck Yvette.

Her small body was thrown several meters away.

Aaron witnessed it all.

He froze in shock.

Blood pooled beneath her fragile body.

-----

Yvette lay weakly on a hospital bed.

Her body was covered in wounds.

Her head was wrapped in bandages.

"It seems she has suffered repeated physical abuse," said a man in a white coat and glasses. "There are bruises everywhere-pinch marks, even burn scars from an iron."

He observed her condition from behind a glass panel.

Beside him stood Lily.

After hearing what happened from her son, she had rushed to the hospital immediately.

"Poor child..." Lily whispered, her heart aching. Especially seeing Yvette's uneven, partially shaved hair.

"Was she being abused? We should report this to the police."

"We need to wait until she regains consciousness first," the doctor replied.

Lily's gaze remained fixed on Yvette's fragile figure.

Her heart ached at the thought of a child enduring such suffering.

No child should have to go through something like this, she thought.

Aaron slowly entered the room.

He stood beside the bed, looking at Yvette up close.

There were so many scars on her arms.

"Mom... Dad..." Yvette murmured weakly in her sleep.

"Mom... Dad..."

Aaron flinched slightly.

"Mom, she's waking up..."

Lily, who had been speaking with the doctor, quickly entered.

Yvette's fingers twitched faintly.

Aaron gently took her hand.

"It's okay... we're here. We'll protect you," he said softly.

Slowly, Yvette opened her eyes.

The bright white light stung her vision.

"You're safe now. You have a big brother who will protect you... forever," Aaron said, smiling warmly.

A single word-

Forever.

It became a light in Yvette's darkness.

A promise she would hold onto for the rest of her life.

To be continued...

Chapter 3

-----

Several years later...

Since that accident, the Watson family had officially adopted Yvette as their daughter.

From that very day, Aaron and Yvette became siblings. Aaron was overjoyed to finally have the little sister he had always wished for. He often spoiled her without restraint.

However, Yvette perceived that affection differently.

Now that she had grown into a teenager, the warmth between siblings had, in her heart, transformed into something else-something deeper. Love, not as family, but as a woman for a man.

Like right now.

Yvette rested her chin on both hands, staring at Aaron, who was focused on studying in his room.

Aaron had grown into a handsome and charismatic young man. At twenty years old, he stood tall at 180 cm, his presence striking.

Yvette, too, had blossomed into a beautiful young girl.

"Aaron~" Yvette called softly.

"Hmm," Aaron responded briefly without taking his eyes off his laptop. He was busy working on his college assignment.

Yvette smiled.

Her gaze lingered on his face.

"I love you," she confessed.

It was something Aaron had heard dozens-even hundreds-of times since they were children.

Aaron looked at her fondly.

"I love you too, my dear little sister," he said, gently stroking her long, silky hair.

Yvette pouted.

"Not that kind of love," she protested.

Aaron frowned slightly.

Yvette smiled, then suddenly grabbed both of his hands, holding them tightly. Her cheeks flushed a deep red.

Aaron fell silent for a moment.

"Will you... become my husband someday?" Yvette asked softly, though her voice was still clear enough for him to hear.

Aaron smiled.

"Of course I will," he answered casually, returning his focus to his work.

Yvette's face lit up with excitement. "Really?!"

"Yeah. I'd do anything for my beautiful little sister," Aaron replied.

"Yay!!!" Yvette cheered happily.

Aaron simply shook his head lightly.

She'll forget about it soon enough, he thought, assuming her words were nothing more than childish nonsense during puberty.

Several years later...

Yvette had just stepped out of the campus gates with her classmates. She was now nineteen years old.

One of her close friends, Gabriella, nudged her with her chin.

"Hey, your brother's here!"

Yvette looked ahead and saw a man in casual clothes standing beside a car.

Aaron.

He almost always came to pick her up.

"My husband, not my brother," Yvette corrected with a smile as she ran toward him, waving back at him.

But her steps suddenly halted midway.

A beautiful woman in a dress stepped out of the car.

A stranger Yvette had never seen before.

Who is she?

The question echoed in Yvette's mind.

The woman even waved at her.

And stood beside Aaron.

Why is she standing next to Aaron?

"Yvette, don't stop in the middle of the road," Aaron called out.

Yvette remained frozen.

A car honked loudly at her.

Honk!!!

She quickly moved aside.

"Hey! Do you think this road belongs to your ancestors?!" the driver snapped angrily.

Yvette still looked dazed.

"Yvette, are you okay?" Aaron asked worriedly. He took her backpack and placed an arm around her shoulders, guiding her into the car.

She sat in the back seat.

Not in the front, beside Aaron like usual.

Instead, that woman sat there.

"Aaron, who is she?" Yvette asked bluntly.

The woman turned around.

"Hi, I'm Belinda-Aaron's girlfriend."

"WHAT?!" Yvette's face turned pale with shock and disbelief.

Aaron could clearly read the displeasure in her expression.

"Break up with her!" Yvette ordered.

Belinda looked confused.

-----

Thud!

Yvette threw her bag onto the living room sofa carelessly.

"What's gotten into you, Yvette?!" Aaron protested, annoyed by her earlier behavior.

Back at the car, Yvette had forced Belinda to get out. Feeling bad, Aaron had ended up driving Belinda home instead. He had originally intended to introduce her properly to Yvette.

"What's gotten into me? You're the one cheating!"

"Cheating?"

"Yes, cheating! You promised you'd become my husband someday!"

Aaron fell silent.

He rubbed his temples slowly, not expecting his careless words from years ago to come back and haunt him.

"I love you, Aaron!" Yvette's tears began to fall.

"Yvette... what you feel is just sibling affection. Nothing more," Aaron explained gently, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

He didn't want his little sister to be hurt because of him.

Yvette brushed his hand away.

"No. This is love between a man and a woman. Not siblings."

"What's going on here?" Lily asked as she entered, seeing the two of them arguing.

"Mom~" Yvette cried, immediately hugging her.

"What happened, Aaron? What's wrong with Yvette?" Lily asked, confused.

Aaron scratched his head, frustrated.

"Explain," Lily demanded.

Even though Yvette was adopted, the Watson family loved her deeply-sometimes even more than Aaron.

"Mom, make Aaron break up with that awful girlfriend and accept my love," Yvette pleaded like a child asking for a toy.

Lily gently stroked Yvette's hair.

"Alright, I'll scold him first. You go back to your room. You haven't had lunch yet, right?" Lily said.

"Okay, Mom," Yvette replied before leaving without even glancing at Aaron.

A few minutes later...

"Just accept Yvette as your future partner," Lily said.

"Mom..."

"What's wrong with that, Aaron? You're not blood-related. The family would stay whole."

"That's not the issue, Mom."

"Then what is? Yvette has liked you for a long time. She's beautiful, cheerful, and kind to us. What more do you want?"

"It's impossible, Mom. I've always seen her as my little sister. I care about her as a brother would. I can't feel anything beyond that."

Unbeknownst to them, Yvette stood upstairs, secretly listening.

Tears streamed down her face.

"So... I've been loving him alone all this time," she whispered as she sank to the floor.

"What should I do? I don't want the person who has always loved me and protected me... to belong to someone else, God."

"Fine... if Aaron can't love me, then I'll make him love me starting now. I'll prove that my love is greater than hers."

Yvette's resolve hardened.

She didn't stay to hear the rest of the conversation.

"OH MY GOD, AARON?!" Lily gasped in shock, covering her mouth.

To be continued...

Chapter 4

-----

Today, Yvette had no classes scheduled at the university. She was now standing in front of the building where Aaron worked.

Watson Corp.

A large company operating in the electronics industry.

A smile never left Yvette's lips.

Today, she looked especially beautiful.

Her long hair flowed freely, paired with a long denim skirt with a side slit and a crisp white blouse.

In her hand, she carried a paper bag containing a cake she had made herself.

"He'll definitely like this."

Not long after, Yvette arrived on the 20th floor where Aaron's office was located. It had been quite a while since she last came here. The company used to be led by Lucian Watson-now it was under Aaron's control.

"I'm sorry, Miss Yvette, but Mr. Watson has a guest inside," said the secretary stationed outside Aaron's office.

"Who? Surely they're not more important than me, right?" Yvette insisted, already reaching for the doorknob.

"Miss, please wait-"

The door swung open.

The sight before her pierced her heart.

Aaron was kissing that woman.

Belinda.

Yvette's legs weakened instantly. She nearly collapsed.

Aaron was equally shocked to see Yvette standing there.

Hold it together, Yvette. Just give him the cake with a sweet smile, she told herself.

If you can win his heart... not just his lips-everything will belong to you.

"Yvette-"

"Aaron, I'll head back first~" Belinda said, wiping the corner of her lips.

Yvette felt disgusted watching her.

"Bye-bye, Yvette," Belinda added as she walked past her.

Aaron approached Yvette and gently pulled her inside the office. Truthfully, he felt awkward being caught like that.

"What are you doing here? I mean... it's rare for you to come," Aaron said, sitting beside her.

Yvette smiled sweetly.

"I baked a cake today. I wanted you to try it," she said, placing the cake in front of him.

A rich chocolate brownie topped with delicious garnishes.

"Wow, it looks amazing," Aaron said as he picked it up.

He took a bite.

"It's really good. Anything you make is always delicious. You truly have talent in cooking, Yvette," he praised, his mouth still full.

Yvette fell silent for a moment.

"Can you not call me 'little sister'?"

Aaron turned to her, wiping his lips with his hand. Yvette's eyes lingered there-those lips that had just kissed another woman.

"But you are my sister. The one I love the most in this world," Aaron said, pulling her into a hug.

Yvette struggled free.

"I don't want to be your sister. I only want to be your lover!" she protested.

This again... Aaron thought.

"Give me a chance to be the best for you."

"Huh?" Aaron blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

"So you can see whose love is greater-hers or mine," Yvette continued.

She stood up, glancing at the time on her wrist. She had an appointment to attend.

"I can't promise you that, Yvette," Aaron said, his words stopping her just as she reached for the door.

"I can make you fall in love with me-even if you don't love me now. Just give me a little time," she said firmly, her sweet smile never fading.

"But Belinda and I are getting married soon. She's pregnant with my child, Yvette."

BOOM.

It felt like thunder striking in broad daylight.

Yvette froze.

Tears began to stream down her face.

"What?! Married? Pregnant?" Her voice trembled.

Had she already lost-

Before the fight had even begun?

"Yes. We're getting married next week," Aaron said with regret.

"So please... stop loving me and-"

"I don't want to hear it!" Yvette shouted before rushing out.

"YVETTE!" Aaron called after her.

Yvette ran out of the building, her heart shattered.

She ran aimlessly.

Even the Watson family driver, who had been waiting outside, called after her-but she ignored him.

"He's a liar..." she muttered, wiping her tears.

Her mind drifted back to the past.

To Aaron-who had always protected her.

Who had always been there.

Flashback

"Adopted kid! So pitiful-you don't even have parents!" a classmate mocked during elementary school.

"Hiks... hiks... what did I do wrong? Why do you always bully me?" little Yvette cried, hugging herself.

Thud!

A rotten egg was thrown at her.

"Take that, you orphan!" they laughed.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" a boy's voice shouted.

Aaron.

"Run! Her brother's here!" the bullies scattered.

"Yvette..." Aaron said softly.

Yvette ran into his arms.

"It's okay. As long as I'm here, no one will hurt you again."

Flashback End

Yvette felt betrayed.

The person who had always been there for her...

Would no longer belong to her.

She sat down by the roadside.

Cars passed endlessly.

"Aaron... how could you do this to me..." she sobbed.

Suddenly, a commotion across the street caught her attention.

A woman was yelling angrily at another.

"Enough, Anne. Don't cause a scene here," a man said.

"A scene? Aren't you the one causing it?! How dare you cheat on me with that woman!" Anne pointed accusingly.

"I love her, Anne," the man replied calmly.

Yvette-and everyone nearby-fell silent.

Anne's expression shifted into heartbreak.

"Fine... if that's what you want... I want a divorce."

Yvette kept watching.

Then-

An idea formed in her mind.

A sly smile appeared.

Fine... if I can't make Aaron fall in love with me... then I'll take him.

"Aaron belongs to me."

-----

"Yvette!" Aaron called out.

He had just arrived home.

His face was filled with worry as he searched for her.

His heart felt uneasy.

"Laudya, where's Yvette?" he asked one of the house assistants.

"Miss Yvette is usually in her room, sir."

"Alright."

Aaron quickly rushed upstairs.

His thoughts were in chaos.

Click!

He entered her room-

But she wasn't there.

"Yvette..." he called, checking the bathroom as well.

Still nothing.

"Where are you? Are you really that upset?" he muttered anxiously.

He searched the entire house, asking every servant.

His head began to throb.

Being a CEO left him with little free time.

But for Yvette-

He had even skipped an important meeting today.

Finally, he entered his own room, intending to rest.

But he froze.

Yvette was there.

Sleeping on his bed.

"Thank goodness..." Aaron sighed in relief.

He approached her slowly.

Yvette opened her eyes.

"Aaron..." she murmured.

"Go back to sleep," Aaron said, adjusting the blanket and gently stroking her hair.

As if he would never allow her to be hurt.

"I'm sorry," Yvette whispered.

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry about earlier. I should've been more mature. Maybe... this really is just sibling love," she said regretfully.

Aaron smiled faintly.

"Just rest. It's okay."

"After you get married... will you still treat me this well?"

"Of course. You're the best sister in the world. I could never neglect you."

Yvette hugged him tightly.

Of course you will... I won't let you be good to another woman, she thought, smiling inwardly.

This was her plan.

To slowly take Aaron back-

Until Belinda finally gave up.

To be continued...