To Maddie, Rico had always been her world—the one person who made her feel seen, cared for and safe. He was her salvation, the light in her otherwise dark life. So, it was no surprise that as a teenager, she fell hopelessly in love with him.

When Maddie received her college acceptance letter, she took a deep breath and confessed her feelings to Rico.

But Rico’s response wasn’t what she had hoped for. His brow furrowed, his voice calm but firm. “Maddie, the company has a strict rule: artists aren’t allowed to date. I can’t be with you.”

Maddie refused to give up. If 21-year-old Rico couldn’t fall in love, maybe 31-year-old Rico could. She told herself she could wait.

She could wait forever.

But that hope was shattered when Rico gave his love to someone else—Jane Harper. Maddie watched helplessly as Rico and Jane held hands, hugged and kissed in front of flashing paparazzi cameras. The final blow came when the tabloids plastered pictures of them entering the same hotel late at night.

Her five years of unwavering devotion suddenly felt meaningless. Maddie remembered all the sacrifices she had made for Rico, including abandoning her search for her biological parents and it all seemed ridiculous now.

That evening, Maddie dried her tears, stood tall and tossed the bouquet of flowers she had been holding into the trash. She was done. Done waiting. Done hoping. It was time to go home.

***

At two in the morning, the sound of the front door slamming jolted Maddie awake. Rico had returned home, but he wasn’t alone. Jane Harper stood beside him, her arm looped through his.

“You must be Maddie, Rico’s sister, right?” Jane said, her voice sweet yet cutting. “Hi, I’m Jane Harper, Rico’s girlfriend.”

Before Maddie could reply, Jane continued, her tone apologetic.

“I’m so sorry for the intrusion. We tried to check into a hotel, but the paparazzi were everywhere. Rico thought it’d be safer to come here. I hope you don’t mind?”

Maddie forced a stiff smile, feeling small and insignificant in her oversized pajamas. “No, it’s fine. Welcome…”

This was the first time Maddie had seen Jane up close. On screen, Jane was beautiful, but in person, she was breathtaking. Her flawless skin and striking features were accentuated by the small teardrop mole under her right eye, giving her an air of unattainable elegance.

In contrast, Maddie felt like a forgotten shadow—a plain, ordinary girl standing next to a movie star.

***

“Hey, Maddie, could you make some sobering tea for Jane?” Rico asked, his tone light but expectant.

Maddie hesitated. “I… I didn’t make any tonight.”

Rico frowned, his expression hardening. “What do you mean? You always have some ready. Why can’t you even handle this small thing?”

His sharp tone cut through Maddie and for the first time, he sounded impatient with her. She lowered her gaze, biting her lip to keep her emotions in check. If she spoke, the tears she had fought so hard to suppress would spill out.

She wanted to tell him she was leaving. That soon, the lights left on for him at night, the meals waiting for him when he came home and the sobering tea she always prepared wouldn’t be there anymore. But she said nothing.

Jane pouted dramatically and playfully nudged Rico. “Don’t be so harsh on her, Rico! Go take a shower already! We have an interview tomorrow, remember?”

Rico softened immediately, his frustration vanishing as he smiled at Jane. “Alright, I’ll go. Wait for me, okay?” He leaned in, affectionately brushing a hand over her cheek before heading to the bathroom.

Maddie felt a lump rise in her throat.

***

Once Rico was out of earshot, Jane turned to Maddie with a bright smile, pulling out her phone.

“Hey, can we exchange numbers? I think it’d be nice to stay in touch,” she said sweetly.

“Sure…” Maddie mumbled, fumbling to retrieve her phone.

After they exchanged contacts, Jane’s expression shifted. Her polite smile faded, replaced by a smug, calculating look.

“So,” Jane began, her voice icy now, “I heard you and Rico aren’t blood-related. How does someone like you manage to cling to him for so long? Must be nice, living off his kindness.”

Maddie felt her heart tighten as Jane’s words hit like a punch to the stomach.

***

“Do you even realize how ridiculous you look, clinging to Rico like this?” Jane sneered, her tone cutting through the silence like a blade. “What do you even bring to the table? Me? I have the backing of the most powerful company in the industry. Rico gets access to countless resources because of me. And you? What do you have? An entire orphanage?”

Jane laughed, covering her mouth delicately, as if the insult amused her.

Maddie froze, her heart pounding in her chest. This wasn’t the same Jane Harper who appeared so poised and gentle on screen. This was someone cold, calculating and cruel.

“I… I didn’t mean…” Maddie stammered, trying to explain, but Jane waved a dismissive hand.

“Save it,” she snapped, her patience wearing thin. “I don’t care what your intentions were before, but here’s the reality: Rico is my boyfriend now. Do yourself a favor—pack your things and leave. Otherwise…” She paused, her eyes narrowing. “Don’t blame me for being unpleasant.”

Without waiting for a response, Jane turned on her heel and strode into Maddie’s bathroom, leaving her standing there in stunned silence.

Maddie sighed deeply, fighting back tears. She told herself it didn’t matter. She was leaving anyway. Soon, Jane’s harsh words and accusations wouldn’t matter anymore.

***

As Maddie sat on the edge of her bed that night, her thoughts drifted back to the past.

During high school, she had leaned heavily on Rico’s support. At the time, Rico was just starting his acting career, taking small roles that barely paid the bills. Money was tight, but Rico had never hesitated to make sure Maddie had everything she needed.

When Maddie entered college, she wanted to ease his burden. She started writing novels, earning a modest income that gradually grew. From $200 a month to $2,000 and eventually tens of thousands, Maddie became fully self-sufficient. But even then, Rico insisted on sending her money every month. She had tried to refuse, but he always found a way to ensure she accepted it.

Quietly, Maddie saved every penny Rico gave her, including what he spent on her during high school. The money sat untouched in a separate account, ready to be returned to him if he ever needed it.

After graduating college, Maddie planned to pursue a job as an editor. But Rico asked her to stay.

“I’ve never had a real family before,” he’d said, his voice soft and vulnerable. “Now that I finally have one, I don’t want to lose it.”

Moved by his words, Maddie stayed. She took care of him, managed the house and wrote her novels. For a time, she thought she had built something unshakable with Rico—a warm, unbreakable bond.

But now, as Jane’s voice echoed in her mind, Maddie realized how naive she had been.

***

The next morning, Maddie woke late. She glanced at the clock—it was already ten. Panicking, she rushed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Rico.

She cooked millet yam and red date porridge, made fluffy egg cakes and fried two simple vegetarian dishes. Rico had a sensitive stomach and Maddie always took care to prepare meals that wouldn’t upset him.

As she finished setting the table, Jane sauntered into the kitchen wearing one of Rico’s oversized shirts. Her bare legs and confident smirk made Maddie feel even smaller.

“Good morning!” Jane chirped, her voice syrupy sweet. It was a far cry from the venom she’d spewed the night before.

Maddie forced a polite smile. “Morning.”

Jane scanned the table and pouted theatrically. “Oh no, it looks like someone forgot about me. No breakfast for the guest? Is this how you treat Rico’s girlfriend?”

Maddie blinked, realizing there were only two bowls of porridge on the table—one for her and one for Rico. Forcing herself to remain calm, she walked back to the kitchen and ladled another bowl for Jane.

As she turned to bring it to the table, she bumped into someone.

“Ah!” Jane shrieked, stepping back dramatically.

The bowl slipped from Maddie’s hands, crashing to the floor. Hot porridge splattered everywhere and the ceramic shattered. Maddie gasped as the scalding liquid splashed onto her feet. A sharp pain followed as a shard of porcelain sliced into the back of her foot, blood pooling instantly.

***

Jane’s scream drew Rico into the room. He rushed to Jane’s side, his eyes wide with concern.

“Jane, are you okay? What happened?”

“She just… bumped into me,” Jane said, her tone laced with accusation. “It’s fine, though. I’m not hurt.”

Rico turned to Maddie, who was crouched on the floor, clutching her bleeding foot. His brow furrowed as he noticed the injury. “Maddie, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Maddie murmured, her voice strained as she fought back tears. She tried to stand, but pain shot up her leg, making her wince.

Jane’s gaze flickered to Maddie’s foot, but her expression remained indifferent. “I mean, accidents happen,” she said breezily, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “But Maddie, you really should be more careful.”

Rico helped Maddie to a chair, his concern genuine, but Maddie could see the way his attention kept drifting back to Jane. The dynamic was clear: no matter what happened, Jane would always come first.

Maddie crouched on the cold kitchen floor, her injured foot stinging with pain. She glanced up at Jane, catching the fleeting glimmer of triumph in her eyes. Jane had done it on purpose—of that, Maddie was certain.

“What’s going on here?”

Before Maddie could respond, Rico walked into the kitchen. Jane’s expression shifted instantly, her red-rimmed eyes glistening with unshed tears. She rushed toward him, her voice trembling with feigned distress.

“Rico! I just wanted to help Maddie in the kitchen, but I ended up making a mess.” She lifted her foot slightly, revealing a few rice grains stuck to her pristine, unblemished skin. “Look! I even burned my foot. It hurts so much…”

Rico’s face softened immediately. He knelt down, gently cradling Jane’s foot in his hands, his voice thick with concern. “Jane, are you okay? Does it hurt a lot?”

Maddie’s stomach churned as Rico shot her a sharp glare.

“Maddie! How could you be so careless? Apologize to Jane!”

Her breath caught. Apologize? Maddie blinked, her tears spilling over as she stared at Rico. Did he truly believe she was the one at fault? Did he even care about what had happened?

It was Jane who had bumped into her on purpose. Maddie bit her lip, swallowing her retort. This wasn’t the Rico she had grown up with—the boy who had once fought off bullies for her, who had promised to always protect her.

Her tears dripped onto her injured foot, mingling with the blood seeping from the cut. The pain was unbearable, but not nearly as deep as the ache in her chest.

***

Rico’s frown deepened as he glanced at Maddie crouching on the floor. “Maddie, did you hear me? I told you to apologize!”

But before Maddie could muster a response, Jane tugged on Rico’s arm, her pout firmly in place.

“Rico, don’t be so hard on her,” she said in a singsong voice. “She’s been cooking for you all morning, after all. Let’s not make a big deal out of it.”

Jane led him out of the kitchen, turning back to cast Maddie a victorious smirk.

“Go eat, Rico,” Jane cooed. “You’ll need your strength for that interview later.”

Rico hesitated, his gaze lingering on Jane’s foot. “Your burn needs to be treated. Change your clothes and I’ll take you to the hospital before the interview.”

“Okay, Rico,” Jane replied sweetly, glancing at Maddie out of the corner of her eye.

Rico’s voice turned cold as he looked back at Maddie. “Clean up this mess. Someone else could get hurt.” Without another word, he left the kitchen, his concern wholly reserved for Jane.

As their laughter faded, Maddie broke down. The sobs she had suppressed poured out in ragged gasps.

It hurt.

It all hurt.

She wasn’t sure if the burning pain from the porridge or the cut on her foot was worse—or if it was the ache in her heart that consumed her the most.

***

After wrapping her foot with a makeshift bandage, Maddie hailed a taxi to the hospital. The doctor cleaned her wound and stitched it carefully, offering advice about avoiding further strain.

As she stepped out of the hospital into the crisp morning air, her phone buzzed. It was her mother.

“Maddie,” her mother began, her voice warm but tinged with concern, “how’s the packing going? I bought you a plane ticket for six days from now. Your sister will come to pick you up in New York the day before.”

Maddie leaned against a bench, staring at her stitched foot. “Mom, I can handle the flight myself. Just have him meet me at the airport. I haven’t packed much yet, but I need to visit the orphanage before I leave.”

There was a pause on the line before her mother spoke again, her voice softer now.

“It’s important to go back, Maddie. That place raised you. Your father and I donated some money recently—I wanted the children there to have a little more, to live a bit better than before.”

The kindness in her mother’s voice cracked something inside Maddie.

“Mom… I don’t blame you or Dad,” she said softly, sensing her mother’s unspoken guilt. “I know you did everything you could. It was hard back then… transportation, communication… everything was harder.”

Her mother’s voice broke slightly. “We searched for you everywhere, Maddie. We never stopped. But the years…” She trailed off, unable to finish.

Maddie closed her eyes, her thoughts drifting to her childhood. Her earliest memories of the orphanage were cold and lonely, but she had always wondered—if circumstances had been different, would she have stayed with her family in Haichester?

***

Her mother’s words brought back painful memories. When Maddie was three, her family had been torn apart by greed and betrayal. Her uncle had demanded a split of the family inheritance, creating rifts that couldn’t be mended. In the chaos that followed, Maddie was separated from her parents, lost in the bustling streets of Haichester.

For years, she clung to the hope that they were searching for her. Now, after so many years apart, the ache of those lost years was still fresh. Maddie had found her parents, but the void in her heart remained.

And now, as she prepared to leave Rico’s home, she realized she was once again stepping away from a life she had fought so hard to build.