I was adopted by the Tran family when I was sixteen, just starting high school. Back then, Hayden was already twenty-three, fresh out of university. He came from a wealthy background and was strikingly handsome, constantly surrounded by a swarm of admirers.

I would often feel a pang of jealousy and approach him, saying, "Hayden, can't you keep your distance from those girls?" He would chuckle softly and ruffle my hair, replying, "Whatever Nora wants, Nora gets."

In my teenage heart, I mistook that for love. I did everything I could to be near him, to understand his interests, and to become the kind of person he would cherish. At eighteen, I put on a glamorous Victorian-style dress and high heels for the first time. During a Thanksgiving party, when a rich young man struck up a conversation with me, Hayden dragged me into the restroom and kissed me passionately. His dark eyes were intense, as his tousled hair fell forward and he pressed his forehead against mine, declaring, "You belong to me."

Initially, he filled me with hope, showing affection in countless ways. Yet now, he accused me of being clingy. Heartbroken, I walked away, unable to hold back my tears as I reached the door. My hands trembled as I took out my phone and opened WhatsApp. The latest message was from Hayden: "Happy birthday, Nora."

At that moment, I was in the middle of saving a pregnant woman, covered in blood, having been awake for over twenty-four hours. But his message gave me a renewed sense of energy. I wiped away my tears and called him through voice chat.

"Nora, what's going on?"

Hayden's voice on the other end was as soothing as ever. It took him some time to answer, so he must have found a quiet spot to take the call.

I wanted to speak, but all I could picture was him with a child, standing beside another woman.

"Nora?"

He called me by my nickname again, which I used to love. But now, it made me feel nauseous.

"Hayden, I'm back." If you listened closely, you'd catch a slight shake in my voice. But Hayden didn't notice. He paused for a moment, then asked, "Why are you home?"

"Where are you? I'll come to you."

Seeing them in the garden broke my heart into pieces. Yet, he remained as kind as ever.

"I'm at the front door," I said gently.

Hayden had bought this house for me when I turned eighteen. At the time, he said, "No matter who you're with in the future, this house is yours."

"Being connected to Hayden Tran should give you confidence."

But now, he lives here with another woman, and they have a child.

When Hayden stepped outside, I had already composed myself. He walked toward me through the snow, each step measured, his eyes filled with concern. As he came closer, he pulled me into a firm embrace, his warm breath tickling my ear.

"Nora, it's been three years. You've lost weight."

A scent of apples filled the air—his fragrance had changed. He used to smell faintly of coffee. His touch now made me uneasy, and I pushed him away.

His eyes narrowed for a moment before he smiled. "Our Nora has grown up, understanding the boundaries between men and women."

"But remember, I'm still your fiancé. Don't pull away from me, okay?"

He was once a guiding light in my life. When I first arrived at the Tran household, I was painfully introverted and bullied at school. There was a day after classes when some kids trapped me in an alley and attacked me. Hayden suddenly appeared, driving a sleek Bentley, scattering those bullies. He got out and shielded me.

I'll never forget his cold words to them: "Nora Stewart is like a sister to me, Hayden Tran. If anyone dares to mess with her again, they’ll answer to me."

But now, he seemed so different. It was the same face, yet I no longer felt the same heart-fluttering excitement as before.

Hayden reached out to caress my cheek, and I noticed a ring on his fourth finger. It used to be bare.

"I'm tired. Can I go home and rest now?" I said, turning my gaze away and studying his face.