My personal bodyguard of eight years left me without hesitation to save my stepsister on the day the villa caught fire. He had pulled me out of danger countless times, and everyone believed he must have loved me deeply. But when I was lost in a daze, he turned away resolutely.

"Miss Holland, many people want to save you. But Liz only has me."

His voice was cold, and dressed in a sharp suit, he disappeared into the smoke. That man was Julius Spencer, my bodyguard for eight years. I watched him go, wiped my tears, and turned to accept the marriage my father had arranged for me.

"I don't want Julius anymore; I accept marriage."

——

The pain in my chest lingered when I woke up. The ward was silent, except for the ticking of the machine and the footsteps outside. I opened the door to find Julius, always composed, pacing nervously in front of Liz Holland's operating room. He didn’t notice me. His hands trembled slightly, and his red eyes betrayed his emotions.

When the lights in the operating room dimmed, Julius stumbled forward. He pressed Liz's hand to his face, as if trying to absorb her into him. I had never seen him like this, and for a moment, I was frozen.

It wasn’t until a group of people entered Liz's room that I snapped back to reality. Through the door, I saw my stern grandmother holding Liz, tears streaming from her red eyes. I smiled bitterly, overwhelmed by the desolation around me.

Julius tensed when he heard the noise.

"Who’s there?"

Before I could answer, he shoved me to the ground. Only when I cried out in pain did he realize, immediately releasing me, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"Miss Holland, why aren’t you resting in your ward?"

His voice was still steady, but his defensive posture was unmistakable. After eight years, I could read him better than anyone else. He was guarding me, afraid I would hurt Liz.

My chest ached suddenly, and as I tried to speak, a violent cough wracked my body, burning my lungs. I stumbled back in pain.

Julius rushed to help, but before he could reach me, a familiar voice called from the ward.

"Julius..."

"Julius, where are you?"

Before the voice finished, Julius withdrew his hand and rushed back into the ward without a glance back.

I collapsed in the cold corridor, watching as he knelt before Liz’s bed, bowing his head with devotion. My vision blurred, tears welling up.

When the Spencer family first sent their men to protect me, I chose Julius at first sight. Not for anything else, but because of his proud, unyielding spirit. He had saved me from trouble several times, and I had looked at him with unguarded affection. Friends even bet on who could make the serious Julius take off his mask. I never spoke of it, but in my heart, I had a secret wish: not only to tear off his disguise, but to see his proud head bow for me.

Now I have seen it. But it wasn’t for me.

Liz recovered quickly and was soon discharged. As for me, my vocal cords had been damaged from inhaling too much smoke, and I could no longer speak for a long while.

"Liz has been having nightmares lately. The doctor suggested she get more sunlight."

"She said she loves the balcony in your room. Can you exchange a few days with her?"

I struggled to lift the heavy luggage, my body aching with the effort. Julius’s words echoed in my mind, sinking my heart once again. He only remembered Liz’s preferences, forgetting that after my kidnapping, I had developed a stress reaction to the pink room. And Liz’s room, of course, was pink.

Julius didn’t seem to notice my feelings at all, his focus solely on one person. When I remained silent for a long time, he frowned, growing impatient.

“Myra Floyd, it’s just a room. Liz became like this because of you.”

His tone lost all patience, his usual cold mask slipping to reveal disgust. I stood there, a bitter taste rising in my chest. For eight years, Julius had always called me "Miss Holland." But now, hearing him refer to Liz so intimately, I was reminded of how I once tried to get him to call me by my name. He refused, and I eventually realized why.

Liz was special to him. I was not. Even now, he only spoke my name in frustration, when it concerned her.

Ignoring him, I walked to the guest room. Julius stood there, momentarily stunned. I lay down on the bed, staring at the white ceiling as my tears flowed freely.

Liz had come into the Floyd family when I was eight. She was cute, lively, and everyone adored her. They kept telling me to treat her like a sister, though she was a year older than me. After losing my mother, I had become even more isolated. Then, Julius appeared. He seemed to be my protector, always standing in front of me, shielding me from danger.

For a while, I believed that, after years of having nothing in the Floyd family, I finally had something that belonged to me. But now, I realized the truth—nothing was really mine.

I woke up to find it was already late. The warm, yellow light flickered in the room that used to be mine. Julius sat by Liz’s bed, reading her a bedtime story in a soft, tender tone.

I watched him, stunned, as his love for her shone clearly in his eyes. I recognized that look—I'd seen it in his eyes, directed at me, for eight years. Had it been so obvious all along? Why had Julius never noticed my feelings?

I took a sip of red wine, a hollow, self-deprecating gesture.

“You…”

I wasn’t sure when Julius had come up behind me, but his presence startled me. He glanced at the half-empty bottle beside me, his brow furrowing slightly. I thought he might do, as he always did—take the bottle from me and drink it himself. But instead, he just looked away.

“Where did you buy the peace sachet you gave me before?” He asked, his voice casual.

The light in my eyes faded completely. I hadn’t bought that sachet—it came from the Stonehaven Sanctuary. I had knelt and recited Buddhist scriptures for an entire day and night, and the abbot, moved by my sincerity, had given it to me.

I turned away, speaking coldly.

“Stonehaven Sanctuary.”

Julius nodded, as if processing the information.

“Miss Holland, go to bed early.”

He turned to leave, but something made me call out.

“Julius, the contract expires in a few days.”

“Will you continue to be my bodyguard?”

His back stiffened, and he paused. He didn’t respond, but the way his gaze lingered on Liz’s door said everything.

I smiled in relief and returned to my room with the last bottle of wine. The next day, Julius seemed to have disappeared entirely. He only sent me a message requesting leave, and after that, there was no word from him.

That night, heavy rain poured down. Julius walked in drenched, clutching a box tightly to his chest. I regarded him with indifference as I took the box and handed it to Liz. She opened it to reveal a brocade bag and looked at me with a hint of pride.

"Sister, thank you. I just mentioned it yesterday. I didn't expect you to send Julius back with it today."

"Julius, you've worked so hard."

Julius's cold expression softened immediately, and even the tips of his ears turned a little red.

"It’s no trouble, just a trip."

He spoke casually, but the slight tremble in his legs as he left betrayed his fatigue. I watched him, a sour feeling rising in my chest. It wasn’t as simple as just a trip, but for Liz, he was willing.

Liz flashed a satisfied smile in the dim light. I ignored her pride and instead mocked Julius's tone.

"Julius, don’t forget, you’re still my bodyguard."

Julius paused before nodding. As expected, he returned to his usual cold demeanor over the following days.

That evening, there was a dinner at the Spencer family’s house. I drank more than I should have, and Julius dutifully watched over me. But his gaze was fixed on Liz the entire time. When he saw her being forced to drink, the veins in his forehead bulged, and his fists clenched in frustration.

Soon, a group of second-generation rich men surrounded him. Unable to contain himself any longer, Julius stormed forward, standing guard over those behind him. Meanwhile, my stomach churned, and I stumbled toward the bathroom alone.

The tensions between the Spencer family and the Floyd family were complicated, so I deliberately brought a signal transmitter to send to Julius. However, even with that preparation, when the door behind me suddenly shut, I froze in shock and broke into a cold sweat.

Liz locked the door expertly and slowly approached me, a malicious gleam in her eyes.

I looked at her coldly. "Have you had enough fun?"

She raised an eyebrow, no longer the innocent girl she used to be. "Sister, what are you talking about? I haven’t done anything yet."

I watched her expression grow darker, and instinctively, I frowned. But before I could react, she pushed me back. I stumbled, hitting the steps behind me, and a painful, bloody mark appeared on my arm.

"I told you, I’ll take everything from you," she sneered, her voice low. "Including Julius."

"Do you think he drank that glass of drugged wine because of you?" Her sharp nails scratched my cheek, but strangely, I felt no pain. I could only stare at her in stunned silence.

"Do you think he stopped that out-of-control car for you? And the kidnapping, do you really believe it was the Spencer family who sent someone to abduct you?"

She smirked as I struggled to process her words, her voice growing colder.

"To be honest, it was Julius who drugged you, tampered with the car, and kidnapped you."

My head spun, the buzzing in my ears louder than ever.

Liz's voice cut through the chaos: "You’ve been blocking my path for too long, so he broke your wings for me. That way, I’ll always get the best before you."

Her eyes flashed with jealousy as she sneered. "I should thank you for choosing such a perfect tool for me."