Thirteen years ago.
It was the grand opening party of Maison Langley's New York branch.
A high-rise ballroom at the Grand Hotel, jazz music flowing under a canopy of golden chandeliers, and the air thick with perfume, champagne, and prestige.
VVIPs, world-class designers, media elites, and global partners filled the room shoulder to shoulder.
Noah was there, too—tagging along with his parents.
His father was a foreign correspondent.
His mother, an editor at a political magazine.
Busy people with busier schedules.
He was used to it by now—being left alone in glittering rooms full of strangers.
"Stay here. I just need a quick interview," his mom had said before disappearing.
His father was already walking away, phone pressed to his ear.
Noah quietly set his glass down and slipped away from the noise, the laughter, the shallow small talk.
He didn't want much—just a quiet corner to breathe.
He ended up in a dim hallway near the staff entrance, cool air brushing against his skin.
And then—he heard something.
A hushed breath.
A shift in the shadows.
Two figures.
Still. Close.
"…Mm."
A boy and a girl, caught in a silent kiss.
**
Celeste and Daniel.
The only daughter of the Langley family—beautiful, elegant, beloved.
And the son of Dr. Nam, a long-trusted family partner.
They were golden children—perfect, polished, adored.
But here they were, hidden away in the dark, sharing something no one was meant to see.
Noah froze.
And something twisted inside him.
Jealousy.
He was always alone.
They had each other.
Some people just… had that.
Time. Connection. Love.
Noah turned and walked away.
But after that night, he started watching them.
Quietly. From a distance.
Through a camera lens.
He began collecting their secrets.
The park. Behind the school. Under stairwells.
Glances that lingered. Fingers brushing sleeves.
The way they looked at each other—and quickly looked away.
**
A year later, winter.
Daniel's parents died suddenly in a car crash.
Not long after, another whisper began circulating at school.
"Daniel's being adopted by the Langley's."
"So he and Celeste are siblings now?"
"He's officially one of them now?"
"Man… unreal."
That night, Noah went to Celeste's room with a stack of photos in hand.
He spread them across her desk, one by one.
"I took all of these," he said calmly.
"Since that night behind the hotel…Every little moment you thought no one saw."
Their first kiss.
The way he held her.
The way she looked at him, and smiled.
His voice was steady, but something bitter pulsed underneath.
"Some people are always alone. And you two? You're beautiful, loved, wanted. Now you're siblings. Still in love. What makes you guys so special?"
"…Noah."
Celeste finally spoke.
And activated her ability.
Her eyes locked onto his. She focused—gently tugging at his emotions.
But—
Noah flinched, then scowled.
"…What the hell was that? Are you trying something on me? That's disgusting."
Her eyes flickered in shock.
It hadn't worked.
The first time… it hadn't worked.
Noah let out a dry laugh.
"Seriously? Unbelievable. So you really do have some freaky little superpower?"
He tilted his head mockingly.
"Too bad. Guess I'm immune. " Then, smirking—
"Forbidden love and freaky little superpower. What a combo."
"…What do you want?"
Daniel's voice was cold.
Noah shrugged.
"At first? I was just curious. But now…I think I'd like to disappear for a while. A round-the-world trip. Plane tickets, some cash, a card or two."
He paused.
"I'll think about the details and get back to you."
**
After that, Noah vanished.
He stopped coming to school. No one saw him around the neighborhood.
Then the rumors came.
"Noah's family left in a rush."
"The house is still empty—they just up and left."
"I heard they moved to the UK."
**
A few days later, a bright red SOLD sign appeared in front of Noah's house.
Daniel stepped into Celeste's room, his expression unreadable.
He locked the door behind him and handed her a plain white envelope.
"Some guy dropped this off out front."
Inside—
Dozens of photos. Far more than before. More intimate. More detailed. Some raw. Some painful.
And one note.
[I kept the originals. You'll hear from me when the time's right. – N]