I believed that Drake was the man who made love feel meaningful—something natural and thrilling yet safe. He had the smile and the charm that made me ignore all the warning signs. For once, I felt ready to trust and dream of forever.
Drake spun perfect moments—romantic dinners, whispered promises, and a proposal high in the sky. I said yes without a second thought, imagining our happy ending. But a late-night phone call shattered everything. I heard him joking about me and conspiring with my father to seize control of our family business. My heart broke twice—that night I lost both love and trust.
I left it all behind—the lies, the deal, and Drake himself. While he called it strategy, I saw it as hurtful betrayal. Sitting alone in the garden, Sam—the kind and quiet gardener—offered me a single rose with no words, just support. That simple act taught me that genuine love is steady and true. It doesn’t perform; it simply remains.
