After posting the comment, Alayna Dickerson unfollowed Jarrett Sheppard's social media. The days until she left were counting down. She would use this time to dig him out of her heart, piece by piece.

She returned to the hillside mansion. The house was empty, and a chill hung in the air. She went into the kitchen and cooked herself a simple bowl of egg noodles.

While she was eating, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Kisha Prince.

[Alayna, Jarrett and I won't be home tonight. Take care of yourself.]

A moment later, Kisha sent several more photos. A candlelit dinner. A mirror selfie in a fancy hotel suite.

Alayna's fingertips trembled slightly as she looked at the pictures. She calmly replied with one word.

"Okay."

She closed the chat, and a notification popped up from her high school group chat. Someone had tagged her. She clicked on it and saw her classmates were planning a graduation party for the weekend.

She thought about it. Once she moved to California, she probably wouldn't come back to the country very often. She agreed to go.

Her reply instantly brought the group chat to life.

[Will your doting brother Jarrett Sheppard come to the party?]

[Remember that time we were camping and there was a landslide? Your brother flew back overnight and brought a search party into the mountains to find you. He said he'd always be with you when you went out. He should come this time too, right?]

The messages from her classmates filled her mind with memories of a time when she felt safe and warm. But now, those warm feelings were like shards of ice, piercing her heart with every breath.

Alayna put her phone down and replied with three words.

[He's not coming.]

Her classmates' idea of Jarrett was stuck in the past, in the years when he spoiled her completely. They didn't know about the confession he had rejected when she was seventeen. And they didn't know that the man who had promised to protect her had found someone else to protect.

That night, Alayna slept restlessly. In her dream, she was eight years old again, standing awkwardly by the fountain on her first day at the Sheppard home. She didn't know what to do.

In the dream, young Jarrett glanced at her indifferently. Then he turned and walked away, without saying a single word.

She woke with a start, her face wet with tears that had stained her pillow.

If Jarrett had been that cold to her from the very beginning, maybe she would have understood the distance between them sooner.

But there were no "if onlys." The hardest thing in the world wasn't never having something. It was having all the favoritism, and then losing it all overnight.

When she got up, she looked at the duffel bag in the corner of her room, full of memories. Thirteen days left. Thirteen days until she truly left this place.

Whether she wanted to or not, she had to throw these memories away. Only by getting rid of them completely could she clear the space in her heart.

Alayna took a deep breath, picked up the heavy duffel bag, and walked out of her room.

As she was about to go downstairs, she saw Jarrett had just returned.

Jarrett frowned when he saw the bag in her hand. "School hasn't started yet. Where are you going with that luggage?"

Alayna tightened her grip on the strap. "I'll be living on campus later, so I packed some useless things to throw away."

She struggled to carry the heavy bag down the stairs.

Jarrett didn't say anything. He just strode forward, took the bag from her, and walked outside. He threw it directly into the large trash receptacle by the curb.

The clattering sound it made as it landed made Alayna's heart sink. If he cared even a little, he would have recognized the perfume bottle or the cross necklace inside.

What he threw away were the gifts he had flown halfway around the world to bring her over the years. They were also the memories they had once promised they would never forget.

But Jarrett didn't even glance at the trash. His gaze was fixed straight ahead.

"You're going to college in the city. There's no need to live on campus. Stay at home after school starts. I'll talk to your teacher."

His tone was unquestionable. It filled Alayna with a mix of emotions. If he had just asked her high school teacher, he would have known she hadn't even applied to any colleges in the city. She had applied directly to the University of California, Berkeley, thousands of miles away.

But his mind was on Kisha Prince now. He didn't care about her future at all.

It didn't matter. Only thirteen days left. Once she was in California, she wouldn't need his attention.

Thinking this, she turned and went back upstairs without a word.

"Is Alayna mad?" she heard Kisha ask from the car.

"She's eighteen now. She should learn to be independent," Jarrett replied coldly.

Alayna paused on the stairs, then continued to her room.

Yes, she was eighteen. She wouldn't miss the past. And she wouldn't hope for the future. From now on, she could walk her own path, all by herself.

For the next few days, Alayna Dickerson stayed in her room. She didn't leave from morning until night. Jarrett Sheppard took Kisha Prince out early every day and came back late, and sometimes they didn't come home at all. Their lives no longer seemed to intersect.

Sunday arrived. Ten days before she was set to leave. It was also the day of her high school reunion.

At a bar by the sea, as soon as Alayna walked into the private room, a few of her close friends handed her a drink.

"You're eighteen now. Let's say goodbye to being kids and legally have our first drink."

Alayna paused for a moment. People said alcohol could drown your sorrows, and she wanted to relax. This drink was a farewell to her friends, a final toast.

After one drink, she felt a little dizzy. She went out to the corridor to get some fresh air. As she passed an open private room, she unexpectedly saw Jarrett. He was surrounded by a group of men and women, laughing and talking.

Her heart skipped a beat. She forced herself to look away, but the conversation from inside the room made her stop.

"Jarrett, you're about to get engaged to Kisha. What about your sister, Alayna Dickerson? She used to follow you everywhere."

"She's an adult now. She's not my responsibility anymore."

The clear, familiar voice reached her ears, and it sobered her up a little. She stood at the doorway, her eyes lowered, not moving for a long moment.

After what felt like a long time, she murmured to herself and continued walking down the corridor.

"Yes, she's an adult. She's sensible. From now on, my world won't have you in it, either."

Alayna went to the window at the end of the corridor to get some air. Then she went to the restroom and splashed cold water on her face. When she came out, she ran right into Jarrett. He seemed to have had a few drinks himself.

Their eyes met.

Alayna was about to speak, but Kisha Prince's voice came from behind him. "Jarrett."

She called out his name sweetly, then threw herself into his arms. "I drank too much. I can barely walk."

Jarrett kissed her on the forehead, his voice doting. "Then I'll carry you."

With that, he scooped Kisha up into his arms in a princess carry and walked away, as if Alayna wasn't even there.

Their intimate display left Alayna frozen in place for a long time.

"Alayna, why are you crying?" Her friend, Gabriela, asked, pulling her back to reality.

Alayna froze, then forced a faint smile. "It's just an eyelash in my eye. It's nothing."

Gabriela nodded, then pointed in the direction Jarrett had gone. "Is that your brother? He actually has a girlfriend now. We all thought he'd never date. We thought he'd always stay with you, because he used to dote on you so much."

Hearing this, Alayna felt a slight bitterness in her heart. "He and I both have our own lives. We won't be tied together forever."

Gabriela's face showed a hint of regret. "Actually, we all used to think he was your boyfriend. You two looked so good together. It's just a shame he's your brother…"

Alayna's heart felt heavy and damp. She used to think it was a shame, too. But now she felt that the bonds between people were just fate. She and Jarrett used to be siblings. From now on, they would have no relationship at all.

The reunion ended at one in the morning. Alayna said goodbye to her friends and walked out of the bar. She saw Jarrett and Kisha standing by the revolving door, looking like they were waiting for her.

"You're an adult now, and you're still out past midnight. You're getting more and more out of control. What if something happens?"

The reprimand froze her in place.

Kisha glanced at Jarrett reproachfully. "Alayna has you to protect her now, and later she'll have her boyfriend to protect her. What could possibly happen?"

"Let's go home together," Kisha said, taking Jarrett's hand and walking out. She motioned for Alayna to follow.

Alayna followed behind them, her eyes on the ground. Only when they stepped outside did she realize it was drizzling again.

Jarrett opened his umbrella and walked forward with Kisha, not looking back. The large umbrella was tilted to the right, shielding Kisha completely from the rain, while half of his own shirt was dark with water.

Alayna watched them in a daze. She suddenly remembered how Jarrett used to hold his umbrella for her. He always tilted it towards her.

"Alayna is my delicate rose," he used to say. "Roses can't get wet. I'll always protect you."

A gust of wind blew, and the slanted raindrops fell onto Alayna's white dress, bringing a chill with them.

Alayna came back to her senses and slowly walked out into the rain alone.

Roses can't get wet, but I want to be my own sunflower. Always facing the sun, always bright.

When she got home, Alayna Dickerson was soaked from the rain. She felt drowsy and heavy. After a hot shower, she collapsed into bed and fell asleep immediately.

For the past few days, she had been alone in the mansion. She was already getting used to it. She no longer tried to ask about Jarrett Sheppard's whereabouts.

"Ding."

Her phone chimed with a message. She picked it up and saw it was from her father, Samuel Dickerson.

[My dear daughter, your flight is scheduled to depart at 10 PM on August 25th. Remember to bring all your documents and materials for school. Dad will be waiting for you at the airport.]

Alayna clicked on her phone's calendar. She murmured to herself, "Only seven days until I leave this home."

Her calendar for seven days from now had an entry: [Jarrett Sheppard's Birthday].

Maybe her departure was the best birthday gift she could give him.

Over the next two days, Alayna went through her luggage again, making sure she had everything. Then she packed up all the old things she couldn't take with her and arranged for a donation pick-up service.

As the courier was making a list of the items and preparing to pack them into boxes, Jarrett returned home.

"What's going on?" he asked, his eyes on the piles of clothes and books.

Alayna filled out the donation form and motioned for the courier to take the bags first. "I arranged for old clothes to be picked up. I'm clearing out things I don't use."

Her voice was calm and empty of emotion. It made Jarrett frown. He had felt that Alayna was different lately, but he couldn't quite figure out what had changed. A strange feeling was growing inside him, a sense of emptiness he couldn't explain.

"Kisha and I have been staying at the Blue Sea Apartments downtown," he said, changing the subject. "It's quieter there and more convenient for work."

Alayna just nodded slightly. The Blue Sea Apartments, without her there, would indeed be quieter.

She watched as Jarrett started gathering some of his and Kisha's things, preparing to leave again. On impulse, she asked, "Jarrett, your birthday is next Friday. Can I attend?"

Alayna had meticulously prepared a gift for Jarrett's birthday every single year. This year would have been the tenth year. Ten. A perfect number. She wanted to see it through one last time.

Jarrett had shielded her for ten years. She wanted to say a proper goodbye.

"We'll see," Jarrett said, unwilling to commit. He pushed his suitcase toward the door and left.

The heavy sound of the door closing made Alayna's heart tremble slightly. Her eyes reddened.

Back in her room, she instinctively reached for the drawer in her bedside table, wanting to look at the love letters she had written to him. But when she opened it, the drawer was empty. She had already thrown away those brief but heartfelt letters. Only a faded sketchpad lay at the bottom of the drawer.

Alayna carefully took out the old sketchpad and gently opened it. The yellowed pages each showed Jarrett in a different moment.

Jarrett in his plaid school uniform, holding her hand, saying, "Kid, I'm taking you home."

Jarrett on the highest podium, holding a trophy, hanging the gold medal around her neck. He had said, "Kid, you're my badge of honor."

Jarrett at a formal banquet, holding a wine glass, in complete control, sending a thornless rose over to her table. He had said, "Kid, roses need time to bloom. I'll wait for you to grow up."

Every drawing was a memory etched deep in her mind.

But it didn't matter anymore. She would scrape those memories clean from her heart, bit by bit.

She turned to the last page of the sketchpad. It was blank. Alayna remembered that every year on Jarrett's birthday, she would secretly draw a picture of the two of them together. She thought she would draw one this year, too.

But this year, the people in the drawing would be Jarrett and Kisha Prince.

This time, she genuinely wished them well.

She drew meticulously, stroke by stroke, with great care. She didn't stop until the sun began to set.

Then, she heard the sound of a key in the front door.

Alayna went out to the living room and saw Jarrett stumble in. He smelled strongly of alcohol.

"Jarrett, why did you drink so much?" Seeing his unsteady steps, she quickly went to help him.

Jarrett leaned heavily on her, his large hand wrapping naturally around her waist. The strong scent of alcohol mixed with his familiar woody cologne filled her senses.

Alayna froze. She wanted to step back, to create some distance, but the next moment, Jarrett pulled her into his embrace.

His restless hand slipped under her clothes, and his burning, alcohol-fueled kiss landed forcefully on her lips. He knew exactly who she was, but the suppressed desire broke free under the influence of alcohol.