As school ended, Nora got into her car, her mind drifted back to Arthur, remembering how he used to wait by the gates until she left. The thought of his smile, the warmth in his eyes, now made her feel hollow. She recalled the things he had told her the day before, his words lingering in her heart, twisting it with guilt.
Her driver, a man who had watched her grow up, noticed her melancholy. "Miss Nora," he said, gently seeking her attention. "I've seen you since you were a child, and I've watched you grow. I remember how you always looked so gloomy, going and coming from school. You never seemed to belong, always watching the other children walk home with their friends. I could see the longing in your eyes, the desire for something you didn't have."
Nora glanced at him, startled by the sincerity in his voice.
"But then Arthur came into your life," the driver continued, his tone softening. "And everything changed. You started smiling more, even laughing. You had friends around you, real ones, and it seemed like for the first time, you were truly happy. Arthur isn't like most people I've seen—he's kind, full of innocence, something rare in this world. I don't know what happened between the two of you, but if there's any way to make it right, you should try. Because, Miss Nora, the kindest hearts are the ones that hurt the most when they're broken."
Nora turned her face away, staring out the window as guilt gnawed at her insides. She had used Arthur's genuine kindness and care, all to get closer to his sister, Luna. The shame of it was unbearable, and it was all too clear now just how much she had hurt him.
When they arrived home, Nora was still deep in thought. She barely registered Max calling her to their father's study, where George had summoned them both.
Inside, Max was already seated, his face a mix of tension and frustration. Their father, George sat behind his large wooden desk, his expression severe.
"I know everything," George said, his voice cold. "I know how you both found out about Luna, the CEO of Nexus. And I know why Nora transferred to Sunrise from her prestigious school." He glared at his daughter, disappointment evident in his eyes. "I allowed it because you said you wanted to experience life as a normal high school girl, but in reality, you were there to fulfill Max's request—to get close to Arthur and spy on Luna."
George's gaze shifted to Max, his voice rising with anger. "Max, you're a grown man. You should be fighting your own battles, not using your sister to do your dirty work. You wanted to know more about Luna because you lost a contract to her—that's understandable—but using Arthur, an innocent boy, to gather information is inexcusable!"
Max clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over. "Dad, I was curious! I lost a contract to her, and I wanted to know more. But I never intended to use the information against her."
"You may not have had bad intentions, but you still invaded her privacy," George shot back. He turned to Nora, who sat silently beside Max, her guilt written all over her face.
"And you, Nora, in trying to help your brother, you've played with the feelings of someone who cared about you. Arthur treated you as his friend, and you took advantage of that. It's wrong to toy with the emotions of good, honest people, just because we're rich."
Nora's heart sank further, the weight of her father's words crushing her. She sat in silence, the guilt tightening around her chest, making it harder to breathe.
Before the conversation could continue, Max's assistant burst into the room, panic in his voice. "Sir, you need to see this—Luna's holding a press conference. She's revealing her identity."
The room fell silent as George and Max turned their attention to the television. The entire business world had been buzzing with the news: Luna, the mysterious CEO of Nexus, was about to go public.
Luna stepped onto the stage calmly, her young face causing gasps of shock to ripple through the crowd. She looked far too young to be the powerful figure everyone had speculated about for years. As the cameras focused on her, she began to speak.
"I am Luna, the CEO of Nexus. Many of you know me as one of the most successful businesswomen of our time. But none of that—none of these victories or wealth—means anything to me compared to what I truly value. That is my little brother, Arthur. He's my only family, my entire world. He's innocent and good, and I've worked hard to protect him."
Her voice wavered slightly as she continued. "But yesterday, my identity was leaked, and because of that, someone went after Arthur. Steven the CEO of JR Corp hurt him, and now he's in the hospital, unconscious and seriously injured. Steven thought I would let this go, but I won't. For my brother, I would go to any length. I've gathered evidence against Steven, and he'll be arrested. JR Corp will be merged with Nexus, and this is just a warning to anyone else who dares to harm what is precious to me."
Nora's blood ran cold. Her mind raced as Luna's words sunk in—Arthur had been hurt. Badly. Because of her. Without a second thought, Nora bolted from the house, running to the hospital, desperate to see Arthur. But when she arrived, Luna was waiting for her at the entrance.
"I won't let you see him," Luna said, her voice icy. "You've done enough. I won't let my brother be hurt again—physically or emotionally."
Nora's heart broke as Luna turned her away. She left, the weight of her actions crashing down on her.
Later, Arthur's friends came to visit him, but Luna refused to let anyone near. She was determined to protect him, her trust in others shattered completely.