A Bloom of Thorns

Holly was not in the mood to tear down Luke's facade.

She instead tried to push him away.

However, Luke clung to her even more tightly.

It was as if he was trying to prove his affection.

With one hand, Luke cradled the back of Holly's head, and he pressed his lips to hers with a boldness that left no room for argument.

His other hand started to move.

It snuck under the hem of Holly's clothes, starting to explore every piece of her.

With a familiarity that came with practice, he began to undo the clasps of Holly's undergarments.

A shadow of desire flickered in Luke's dark eyes, his throat involuntarily gulped.

He was oblivious to the resistance in Holly's eyes as he leaned in to whisper against her ear.

"Holly, I want you so bad."

A wave of nausea hit Holly.

She could not remember when she started to feel so repelled by Luke's advances.

She firmly stopped Luke's intrusive hand, took a deep breath, and fought back the impulse to slap him.

"Stop, it's not a good time. I'm dealing with... some girl stuff," she said.

At her words, Luke backed off as if he had been scalded.

He released her, and a brief look of relief crossed his face.

That look stung Holly, making her catch her breath with a twinge of pain.

At that moment, Holly realized the truth.

He did not want her.

He was just trying to keep her calm, to avoid angering her.

She stayed silent as Luke, filled with anxiety, was interrupted by his phone ringing. He stepped away to take the call and did not return.

With a blank face, Holly turned away and went back to her room to gather her belongings.

As Holly taped up the final cardboard box, Luke burst into her room without warning.

He grabbed her hand without a word and pulled her out the door. "You need to come with me," he said urgently.

He did not pause to notice the bareness of Holly's room, which was stripped of everything but the bed. Packed with boxes cluttering the floor.

However, Holly quickly realized what had sent Luke into such a panic.

The Hoffmans were livid. They had found an unopened pack of condoms in the study — a place where family honor was held in the highest regard.

Holly and Luke had been wild before, but would never dare be that reckless in the study.

Seeing what Melissa was holding, Holly felt a sudden stab of pain in her chest. Instinctively, her eyes went to Luke and Cecilia, whose beautiful eyes were brimming with tears.

Melissa, holding the incriminating evidence, spoke with icy disdain. "I get it, you're young and reckless, but you're crossing the line.

"I'm not going to come down hard on you, but you better be ready to face the consequences."

Her eyes were locked on Cecilia. She stood there with a sense of gracefulness, yet her face showed she felt deeply insulted.

"It's not mine. I would never," Cecilia declared, then turned to Luke. "And it's not Luke's. We've been together these past few days. He would never."

Her words might as well have been a neon sign pointing at Holly.

The servants had gathered, their eyes filled with a mix of scorn, contempt, and the thrill of gossip.

Their stares felt like a thousand needles jabbing at Holly all at once.

She felt a chill run through her, and as she met Melissa's searching gaze, she immediately wanted to deny it all.

Luke leaned in close, his voice a hushed plea in Holly's ear.

"Cover for Cecilia, will you? Please, Holly, I need your help just this once.

"If you won't, I'll tell everyone what happened when you turned eighteen."

Holly's whole body jolted, her eyes wide as she stared at Luke in disbelief.

A flicker of guilt passed over Luke's face, but he could not hold her gaze.

His lips were pressed together in a thin line, a sure sign he meant business.

Holly's heart throbbed with a mix of hurt and a bitter tightness. She fought back tears, her voice shaking as she whispered, "It… It was me."