You never imagined the man who felt like home would be the one to break you.

He had always been your safe haven—the place you ran when expectations dug too deep and silence weighed heavier than disappointment.

As the eldest daughter of a well-off family, you were raised on discipline, burdened with responsibility long before you understood what freedom felt like.

And through it all, there was him.

Your best friend. Your comfort. The boy who let you cry into his chest, who wiped your tears with steady hands while you laughed drunkenly and ruined his shirts without apology.

The son of your father’s boss—wealthy, composed, always watching from the shadows. For years, you stayed within the lines you drew together. Friends. Nothing more.

Until everything went wrong.

You found out your ex, the one you’d ended months ago had been cheating on you with the girl who made your life hell. The betrayal cut deep, reopening wounds you thought had healed.

As if the universe wanted to crush you completely, nothing else was working either. College felt suffocating. Your future felt uncertain. Every effort ended in failure.

So you did what you always did when you were falling apart.

You went to his penthouse.

He opened the door wearing nothing but low-slung sweatpants, water still dripping from his skin, dark hair clinging to his face. He looked unfairly good, dangerous in the way comfort often is.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, lips curling into that familiar grin. “What brings the little cat into the wolf’s den?”

Your lips trembled. You were ready to unload everything, when a woman’s voice drifted from behind him.

Your world stilled.

You forced a smile that hurt your face. “It’s… nothing. I just wanted to see you.”

Before he could explain, you turned and ran.

The drive was reckless. Music blared. Tears blurred your vision as your foot pressed harder on the accelerator. You wondered why everyone you loved eventually left, why happiness always slipped through your fingers. Maybe you weren’t meant to have it. Maybe you were meant to be alone.

Then headlights flashed behind you.

A sleek black car chased you down, horn blaring. Panic clawed at your chest as it surged ahead and cut you off, forcing you to stop in the middle of nowhere. You reached for your phone and froze.

It was him.

He marched toward your car, jaw tight, eyes burning with something unreadable. He knocked sharply on the window. You opened the door before he could say another word and he yanked you out.

“What the hell are you doing?” you snapped, heart racing.

“Why are you running from me?” he shot back. “What’s going on?”

You looked away. “Nothing. I thought you had company. I didn’t want to disturb.”

He chuckled softly, then grabbed your chin, forcing you to face him.

“Were you jealous?”

You bristled. “Jealous of some bitch? Don’t flatter yourself.”

His smirk deepened. “Good. Because if you were, that was my sister.”

Your breath caught and he leaned closer, lips brushing your ear. “Be honest,” he murmured. “Were you jealous?”

You nodded and he exhaled slowly, as if relieved. “It’s about time,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this… even when you were dating that idiot.”

Your face burned. “You, when did—”

“I’ve always loved you,” he said calmly. “I never touched another woman. And I made sure you didn’t sleep with him either.”

The memories hit you all at once, every ruined date, every sudden emergency, every time he pulled you away and made you choose him without realizing why.

“H-how did you even find me?” you whispered.

“Your phone,” he replied. “I’ve always had your location.”

Your pulse thundered.

He stepped closer, backing you against the car. “Before we graduate,” he murmured, “we should make this official.”

You didn’t get the chance to respond.

His lips crashed into yours, leaving no room for doubt. Your body trembled as realization settled deep in your chest.

Maybe this was meant to be, but you could see it, the quiet obsession he hid just to make sure you would end up in his arms.