Chapter 12

As he spoke, his thumb lightly caressed the skin at the back of her neck. His deep, husky voice only made her heart race, causing her ears to flush with warmth. Stella’s eyelashes fluttered as she lifted herself slightly on tiptoe, her slender arms wrapping around his neck. She tilted her chin up, then playfully bit his lips.

Rowan swallowed, his throat working as he tightened his hold on her chin. Then, with a slight shift, he mirrored her action, gently biting her soft lips in return. Their heartbeats raced in unison, and the air between them was charged with tension. Rowan was just as stunned, if not more so. He couldn’t believe it. She was so obedient in his arms, letting him kiss her.

In the past, it was a scene he couldn’t even dare to imagine; she had always hated him, her eyes only ever looking at Randy. He remembered the countless times he had watched her with Randy, the way she would smile so brightly at him while Randy seemed bored and annoyed. Rowan had often wondered what it was about Randy that she liked so much. Anything Randy had, Rowan could give her, too. He was willing to become whatever she liked, just for her. But she never gave him even the slightest glance.

Rowan still remembered, during her sophomore year and just before his senior year graduation, one evening when they “happened” to run into each other on the rooftop. She was sitting in the corner, hugging her knees, lost in thought. The corners of her eyes were slightly red, a clear sign she had been crying. He knew exactly why she was upset. He had overheard someone talking about it.

It was because Stella had bought a limited-edition diamond hairpin, something she had loved dearly. Celina liked it too, and when she saw Stella wearing it, she showed her envy. Jessie and Lewis had made Stella give it to her sister. Stella refused, which angered their parents. Jessie had ripped the hairpin off Stella’s head and broken it right then and there.

The next day at school, Celina brought the repaired hairpin in a jewelry box and apologized. But Stella had thrown it straight at Celina’s head and scoffed, "I don’t need your fake apology. Get lost!" At that time, Randy was also there. He immediately snapped, pulling the red-eyed Celina behind him. He yelled at Stella, "Celina fixed the hairpin for you, and you’re throwing a tantrum like this?" He had ordered, "Apologize to Celina." Stella had no intention of apologizing, so she simply turned and walked away.

Rowan only found out about this later, when he overheard Joseph gossiping. He went up to the rooftop and, sure enough, found Stella sitting there alone. She always came here to be alone whenever she was upset, sitting quietly in her thoughts. At that time, Rowan leaned casually against the wall with his hands in his pockets, a lollipop in his mouth. His expression was indifferent as he looked at Stella, almost as if he were casually asking a question he had been holding in for a long time. "So, what is it about him that you like so much?"

Stella didn’t respond. Her gaze was lowered, unusually quiet. Rowan bit down on his lollipop, grinding it into small pieces. A bitter, self-deprecating smile curved his lips as he straightened up and walked over to her. He stood above her, looking down, and called her name, "Stella."

Finally, Stella lifted her eyes to meet his. Her gaze was wet, her face pale and fragile. At that moment, she resembled a rose that had lost its soul, its once-vibrant petals withering, almost lifeless. Rowan’s heart tightened, and the hand in his pocket clenched into a fist.

He leaned in close to her, looking into her clear eyes. With a teasing tone, he said the words that had been buried deep in his heart, "If you ask me, if you’re going to like someone, why not like me instead? Am I not better looking than him?"

Stella stared at him for a moment before once again lowering her gaze. Her voice was hoarse, thick with unshed tears. "Even if there were no other men in the world, I would never like you." Her words were cold.