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.

Alayna Dickerson's mind went completely blank.

This was the scene she had dreamed of countless times, but now it was happening, real and overwhelming. A rough hand moved over her chest, sending a jolt through her body that made her pull back, struggling against him.

"Jarrett…"

Her struggle only seemed to make him more forceful.

"Kisha, be good…" Jarrett's passion-filled murmur exploded next to her ear like a clap of thunder.

In a daze, she felt herself being lifted. The man carried her into the bedroom and pushed her onto the bed.

It was only then, as she landed on the soft mattress, that she truly woke up from the intoxicating kiss.

"Jarrett Sheppard, look closely! I'm Alayna Dickerson! I am not Kisha Prince!"

Alayna's voice trembled with a pain that was sharp and heartbreaking.

Jarrett stopped. His eyes, clouded with drunkenness, glanced at her. He realized he was crossing a line he couldn't uncross. He quickly seized the excuse she offered. "Kisha...?" he mumbled, pretending to be confused.

He then simply pulled her into his arms and held her, doing nothing else.

Alayna tried to get up, but Jarrett's hoarse voice whispered in her ear.

"Don't go."

Her body went stiff. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Was he asking her to stay? Or did he still think she was Kisha Prince?

Deep, even breathing sounds came from beside her. Jarrett had closed his eyes and fallen asleep.

A sudden, suffocating feeling of powerlessness washed over her. She tried to break free from his arms, but his grip was too strong. She couldn't escape.

Her head felt heavy, and the lingering smell of alcohol on his breath made her even dizzier. An overwhelming fatigue washed over her, and she fell into a dazed sleep.

The next morning, the first thing Alayna saw when she opened her eyes was Jarrett. He was standing by the bed, looking down at her with an unreadable expression. To hide his own guilt about the previous night, he attacked first.

"Alayna Dickerson, why are you in my bed?"

The events of last night flooded her mind, and her face flushed with heat. She instinctively opened her mouth to speak, but Jarrett cut her off.

"If this happens again, you'll move to the school dorms. And you will never enter my room again!"

The man's reprimand was mixed with disappointment and disgust. It made Alayna swallow any explanation she might have had.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "It won't happen again."

She knew that even if she told him the truth, he wouldn't believe her. In his eyes, she was just his stepsister who had inappropriate feelings for him.

It didn't matter. Only five days left. In five days, she would be in California. From now on, she wouldn't just avoid his room; she would disappear from his world forever.

Alayna got out of bed, pulling her messy clothes together, and walked out of the room.

Just as she stepped into the hallway, she ran into Kisha Prince coming up the stairs.

"Alayna, why are you coming out of your brother's room so early in the morning?!" Kisha's voice was sharp with shock.

Alayna's face turned pale. She was flustered and didn't know what to say. She avoided Kisha's gaze and fled back to her own room.

But as soon as she entered, Kisha followed her in, slamming the door shut behind her.

"You were in your brother's room all night. What did you do?" Kisha stared at her, her eyes filled with a dark, scrutinizing light.

"We're both women. I've always known how you feel about your brother. I thought you knew your place, but I never expected you to be so shameless. You took advantage of him when he was drunk and climbed into his bed!"

Kisha's words were filled with blatant disgust.

Alayna lowered her head. She knew any explanation would be useless. "Last night, he and I didn't…"

Before she could finish, Kisha interrupted her sharply. "He and I had a fight yesterday, and that gave you an opportunity. But we are getting married soon. If you pull another disgusting stunt like this, I will make sure you leave the Sheppard family forever!"

After her threat, Kisha glared at Alayna one last time, then turned and slammed the door as she left.

Alayna slowly slid down the wall to the floor. She felt as if all her strength had been drained from her body, leaving her weak and helpless.

Jarrett's reprimand and Kisha's warning were like an invisible hand, gripping her heart and squeezing tight.

Large tears rolled down her face uncontrollably. The emotions she had suppressed for so long finally shattered.

Alayna covered her mouth with her hands, letting the tears flow silently through her fingers.