Chapter 1

London was supposed to be a new start for me.

But It felt more like an ending.

A kind of ending where I was suppose to pack my entire life and past in a suitcase and move towards My present that was LONDON.

I wasn’t packing alone.

Jane—my best friend since kindergarten—moved around my room like she always had, opening drawers, folding clothes, deciding what stayed and what went.

“I’m going to miss you,” she said quietly.

“I’m not disappearing,” I replied.

She gave me a small smile.

“Yeah… just really far away.”

The door opened.

Lucas — My boyfriend stepped in.

Lucas and I were in a relationship since highschool

— He looked different.

Quieter.

Like something about this was finally hitting him too.

—

Before I could say anything—

he wrapped his arms around me from behind.

—

I leaned back into him.

Trying to hold onto the feeling.

—

“I’ve heard long distance never really works, Lucas,” I said softly.

—

He turned me around, his hands coming up to hold my face.

“Hey,” he murmured.

“We’ll make it work, babe.”

—

“You sure?”

—

A small pause.

Then—

“Yeah. Of course.” he said in an assuring tone.

—

I nodded.

Because I wanted to believe him.

—

“You know I love you more than anything,” he added.

—

And for a moment—

that was enough.

—

He pulled me closer.

And kissed me.

—

I kissed him back without thinking.

Because this felt real.

Because this was something I didn’t want to lose too.

—

“I’ll miss you,” he said quietly.

“I’ll miss you too.”

—

Jane’s voice came from outside.

“If you guys are done, I still need help!”

—

I let out a small breath, stepping away.

“Coming.” I shouted.

—

As I turned—

I glanced back once.

—

Lucas wasn’t looking at me.

—

I didn’t think about it.

I bid my last goodbye to them and left for the airport with my uncle Edward.

—

The airport felt louder than it should have.

—

My uncle stood in front of me, his expression softer than I had ever seen it.

“You don’t have to go,” he said again.

“I know,” I replied quietly.

—

He pulled me into a tight hug.

“Remember something,” he said.

“I’m there for you. Always.”

—

My throat tightened.

—

“If you don’t feel okay… call me,” he continued.

“I’ll come right away.”

—

“I know,” I whispered.

—

“You’re not alone, kid.”

—

For a second—

I almost broke.

—

“I’ll be fine,” I said instead.

—

He didn’t argue.

He just smiled.

—

Because he loved me enough to let me go.

—

—

The flight passed in a blur.

Voices. Announcements. People.

None of it really reached me.

—

And then i reached at my unwanted destination—

LONDON.

—

I sat in the backseat of the car, watching the unfamiliar streets pass by.

Everything felt distant.

Cold.

Different.

—

My mind kept going back—

to Jane.

to Lucas.

to uncle Edward.

—

And then—

to her.

—

Her voice.

Her face.

Her last words.

—

The hospital room had been too quiet.

Too still.

—

“London,” Mom had whispered.

I remember shaking my head.

“I’m not leaving you.”

—

A faint smile.

“You’re not leaving me,” she said softly.

“You’re going somewhere safe love.”

—

“Mrs. Jennifer Sinclair,” she continued, her voice weak but certain.

“My best friend… since we were kids.”

—

There had been something in the way she said it.

Trust.

Complete. Unquestioned.

—

“I trust her, Noah,” she said.

“With everything I have.”

—

My chest tightened at the memory.

—

“You’ll be safe with her,” she had whispered.

“I know you will.”

—

That was the last thing she ever asked of me.

—

And I couldn’t say no to her.

Even if it meant leaving everything behind.

—

“We’ve arrived.”

The driver’s voice pulled me back.

—

I blinked.

—

“The Sinclair residence.”

—

I looked up.

And for a second—

I forgot how to breathe.

—

The house wasn’t just big.

It was the kind of place that didn’t feel real.

Perfect. Untouched.

—

The Sinclairs weren’t just rich.

They were known.

One of the most powerful business families—

their name tied to industries, influence… control.

—

This wasn’t just wealth.

It was power.

—

And somehow—

I was supposed to live here,

And be a part of a completely different world.

The world that I had only seen in movies.

—

Little did I know, London had its own plans for me.

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