He Hated My Love. Until It Wasn’t His

After my parents dead, I was taken in by one of his closest friends—the Draycotts.

Kaelen Draycott, their only son, treated me like I was family.

And I, stupidly, fell for him.

When I confessed, he called me sick. Evil. Disgusting.

From that day on, he made my life hell.

He brought women home, loud enough for me to hear everything. Just to remind me where I stood.

When it came down to it, he saved his fiancée. Left me to be shot, mocked, and forgotten.

I knew what he was capable of. So this time, I made the choice.

I’m leaving. And knowing how much he hates me—

Let my farewell be the best wedding gift he’ll ever get.

Evelina’s POV

I told my guardian’s son I loved him. He looked at me like I was filth. After that, he made sure I understood exactly where I stood—by bringing woman after woman home, making sure I heard every moment. So when he got engaged, I did the one thing I should have done a long time ago. I vanished.

“Grandpa, I’ve thought about your offer—for me to move in with you and the rest Frosts.” I paused. Hesitated. Then, “I’ll go.”

He sounded thrilled on the other end. “Finally! I’ll arrange a private jet to NYC. Tonight work for you? Don’t bother packing—we’ll buy everything new.”

“Actually… I was thinking of staying one more week. You know the Draycotts took me in after Mom and Dad died…”

Grandpa sighed. “Right. The Draycotts. Be sure to pass along my thanks—they’ve done more than enough, especially for you.” Another pause. “If I hadn’t been barred from entering the States back then, and you’d wanted to stay in the city where your parents raised you, I never would’ve left you with them. But they earned my trust. Don’t they have a son around your age? Kaelen, I think?”

At his name, my heart stuttered.

The real reason I’d finally decided to leave the only home I’d known for the past twenty years.

“Yes. Kaelen. He’s… practically like a brother to me.”

After we went over the details, I hung up. Exhaled.

My phone lit up again—just an app update. But I wasn’t looking at that. I was staring at my lock screen.

A picture of me and Kaelen, taken on my twenty-first birthday. The background was NYC’s hottest club. He’d poured me my first legal glass of champagne.

I’d had champagne before. But that one… it tasted different.

Maybe it was the night. Or the way he looked at me across the table. Since then, every time I saw him, my heart raced like it was trying to tell me something.

I loved Kaelen. I probably always had.

But I never had the courage to realize it or admit it—not until that birthday.

…

After my parents died in a crossfire, the Draycotts—close allies of the Frost family—took me in. Grandpa wanted me to come live with him in Italy, but I