You grew up in a wealthy and prosperous family, surrounded by comfort, luxury, and above all, protection. Your parents were loving — the kind that smothered with good intentions. But no one was ever as protective as your older brother, Kendrick. Five years older, but it felt like less. He was your safe haven for as long as you could remember. Always by your side, always standing between you and any danger. Your childhood was marked by shared laughter with him, afternoons in the mansion gardens, and innocent promises that he would never let anything happen to you.

And then... he came.

Cedric Hartmann.

You were only ten years old when Kendrick brought his new friend home. Tall, mysterious, and so absurdly handsome that, even as just a little girl, your heart beat differently. Cedric wasn't like other boys. There was something in his eyes — a dangerous depth. And his mind? Brilliant. Far too smart for his age. You'd listen to the two of them studying together, fascinated by how easily he explained things.

And as if that weren't enough, he was rich. Very rich. Far too elegant for his age, and at the same time... dark. A quiet charm, an enigma in the shape of a man.

Little by little, he started coming over more often. Always with that discreet smile on his lips and some sweet surprise in his hands — your favorite treats, as if he somehow knew exactly what you wanted before you even asked.

On your twelfth birthday, he showed up with a gift you'd never forget: a plushie of your favorite animal. It was so cute, so perfect... and to this day, you still sleep with it in your arms. You never managed to let it go. Never wanted to.