His Wedding, Her Goodbye

My adopted brother, Noah Vance, was my whole world. He protected me, cherished me, and always put me first. I secretly loved him, a forbidden love I dared not speak.

Then, my best friend, Chloe, betrayed me. She told Noah everything, and he exploded, tearing my diary to shreds and calling me "disgusting." A week later, he announced his engagement to her.

He became cold, a stranger. I watched him dote on Chloe, saw him kiss her with a passion he never showed me. My heart shattered. When a family tracing agency found my biological parents, I saw it as a sign-a chance to escape the Vance family and my broken dreams. I made plans to leave the country forever.

But before I left, things got worse. Noah forced me to help Chloe plan their wedding, dismissing my lifetime of dedication to dance. Then, in a horrific car crash, he chose to save Chloe, leaving me bleeding and trapped, destroying my leg and my ability to dance.

Even on the night of my final performance, using the choreography I poured my soul into, he stood by Chloe as she took all the credit. He kissed her on stage, and I was left to watch my life' s dream become someone else' s triumph. How could he betray me so completely?

I packed my life away, the gifts he once gave me now symbols of betrayal. I walked out on his wedding day, leaving him behind forever. I thought I was free. But a diplomat's daughter doesn't just disappear.

It was 1983.

Late at night, the world outside was pitch black. A single lamp cast a weak glow across the Vance family' s living room.

"Dad, Mom, I want to come live with you abroad."

The words traveled across the ocean through the phone line. I heard my biological parents, the Rileys, gasp. Then, they started crying with joy.

"Oh, Liv! That's wonderful! If it wasn't for that earthquake, we never would have been separated for so long. Your father and I never meant to abandon you. We're coming to get you right now."

Hearing their sobs, a strange bitterness pricked at my heart. I took a deep breath to push down the wave of emotion.

"Give me two more weeks. I have some things to wrap up here. After that, I' ll come and I' ll stay with you forever."

The Rileys seemed to remember something.

"Oh, of course, your dad and I are being silly. The Vances raised you for so many years. We heard your brother, especially, has always doted on you. You should say a proper goodbye."

The name Noah Vance made my heart clench. Bitterness and pain washed over me.

I was six when the big earthquake hit. I got separated from my parents in the chaos. An aid organization eventually placed me with the Vance family for adoption.

They were a prominent, old-money family with a deep-seated sense of tradition. Mr. and Mrs. Vance were always busy with their careers. They adopted me, but they never showed me much real affection.

It wasn' t the Vances who raised me. It was my brother, Noah Vance.

When I was seven and terrified of thunderstorms, he held me and sang me to sleep.

When I was ten and wanted the snacks and toys my classmates had, he bought out the entire convenience store, turning me into the princess everyone envied.

When I was fourteen and got my period for the first time, he was the one who ran around, explained what was happening, and brought me warm tea while he massaged my stomach.

From little hair clips and shoes to record players and toy cars, if I wanted it, he got it for me instantly.

People used to joke that he was such a protective brother, they couldn't imagine any man ever being good enough to marry me.

He would just smile and pull me into a hug.

"Marry my precious sister? Only if you can treat her better than I do."

At the time, I always buried my blushing face in his chest so he couldn't see.

No one knew the truth.

I was in love with him.

After countless nights of relying on each other, my feelings for Noah Vance had grown into something more.

But I never dared to tell him. I knew, deep down, that a love like that was wrong. Forbidden. I poured my feelings into my diary and confided only in my best friend, Chloe Davis.

I never thought Chloe would tell him.

That night, Noah burst into my room. His face was a thundercloud. He found my diary and ripped it to shreds.

He threw the torn pieces at me. The sharp edges of the paper scratched my face, and I flinched from the sting.

"Olivia Vance, you' re in love with your brother? Have you no shame? No decency?"

It was the first time I had ever seen him so angry. His words cut right through me, leaving my heart in pieces.

I just stared at him, my eyes wide. Tears welled up and streamed down my cheeks in silence.

Before I could say a word, he stormed out.

After that, he avoided me. On the rare occasions we saw each other, his eyes were cold, like I was a stranger.

A week later, he publicly announced his engagement to my best friend, Chloe Davis.

I never even knew they were together. The news hit me like a physical blow.

After the engagement party, I tried to find him, to ask him for an explanation. Instead, I found him pinning Chloe against a wall in a dark corner, kissing her with a passion I' d never seen from him.

That night, I cried until I had no tears left.

I knew then that some questions were better left unanswered. There was no point in asking.

Just as I hit my lowest point, a family tracing agency called. They had found my biological parents.

My parents had been searching for me for years. Even when they were assigned to diplomatic posts overseas, they never gave up. When they finally heard I was alive, they were ecstatic.

In that moment, I thought maybe some things are just meant to be.

It was meant to be that Noah and I had no future. It was meant to be that my time with the Vances was just a temporary dream.

Now, it was time to go back to my real life.

So I made my decision. I would go back to my real family and leave my years of love for Noah Vance behind.

The next morning, I came downstairs early.

My adoptive parents were at the table. They smiled warmly and invited me to breakfast. I forced a sweet smile and sat down.

I told them my biological parents had found me. I told them I was going to live with them abroad.

Mrs. Vance immediately clapped her hands together, a look of genuine joy on her face. Then, her expression softened with a hint of sadness.

"This is wonderful, Olivia. I'm so happy for you. Oh, have you told your brother?"

I froze. Tell Noah?

His world revolved around Chloe now. It wouldn't make a difference to him whether I told him or not.

"Tell me what?"

A cool voice came from behind me. I spun around. Noah was standing in the doorway, impossibly handsome and poised.

Mrs. Vance started to speak, but I cut her off, changing the subject.

"Nothing, Noah. You're back."

He paused when I said his name. He looked at me, his gaze deep and unreadable.

When had I stopped calling him "Noah"?

Was it when I turned eighteen? Fifteen? Maybe even earlier.

He used to think I was just growing up, becoming more distant. Then