Withdrawal Symptoms Chapter 2

If people considered Ned and me to be childhood sweethearts, then Penny was the one who got away, the tragic muse he could never truly possess.

We had all met in high school. Unlike the rest of our privileged circle, Penny was a scholarship student. She was beautiful, brilliant, and possessed an infectious, hardworking optimism. The moment she transferred into our class, she caught Ned’s attention.

At first, I thought his interest was just a passing phase, a wealthy boy amused by a novel plaything. That was until the day Penny was falsely accused of stealing the class funds.

A group of girls had dragged her into the restrooms to corner her. By the time I heard the rumors and rushed over, the bullies had already left. The empty restroom was dead silent, save for Penny, who was shivering in the corner, her shirt torn open.

I pulled off my coat, intending to go in and help her, but before I could take a step, Ned walked out from one of the stalls. He was holding Penny’s jacket.

Penny kept her back turned to him, her voice thick with tears. "Just leave. If anyone sees you here, we will never be able to explain it."

"Then we won't explain it," Ned replied softly. "Just put your jacket on first."

After a tense silence, she relented. But for some reason, she struggled to fasten her bra strap with her trembling hands.

Without a second thought, Ned stepped in. "Let me."

His expression was incredibly solemn, his fingers clumsy and hesitant as he fumbled with the clasp. When he finally got it secure, I saw the tips of his ears turn a deep, burning crimson.

When he turned around, his eyes met mine. A flash of panic crossed his features, but he quickly composed himself and walked toward me.

"You're just in time," he said, keeping his voice steady. "Go help her."

He walked out, but paused at the door to look back at me. "Keep this between us. Please."

I promised him I would.

Yet, by that very afternoon, photos of Ned helping Penny dress had circulated through the entire school. Ned was convinced I was the one who leaked them. That day, he lost his temper with me for the first time.

"Andrea, don't think just because my parents back you, I won't do anything to you," he snarled. "You are their choice for a wife, not mine. No one dictates who I marry."

I pressed my lips together, refusing to let my voice shake. "Whether you believe me or not, I had nothing to do with this."

He let out a harsh, mocking laugh. "You were the only one there. If it wasn't you, who else could it be?"

"It wasn't me!" I shouted back, my stubborn pride refusing to back down. "Why would I even make up such a rumor?"

"Because you're jealous that she's with me."

My mind went entirely blank. I stared at him, unable to process his words.

"Since... since when?" I whispered.

He looked at me with cold amusement. "I saw her intimate side. Naturally, I have to take responsibility for her."

"But what about us?"

He cut me off, his impatience cutting through me like a knife. "Andrea, you didn't actually think that just because I looked out for you over the years, I loved you, did you?"

I felt as though I had been plunged into a frozen lake, my limbs too numb to move.

That night, Ned’s family found out about his relationship with Penny. His father dragged him to our house to force an apology.

But Ned stood tall, his jaw set in defiance as he muttered words that nearly drove his father mad: "If you love Andrea so much, why don't you marry her yourself?"

That earned him a brutal beating from both families.

Back then, Ned was too young to understand how the world worked. He didn't realize that I had been groomed to be his wife since childhood. As the sole heir of his family's empire, he never had the luxury of choice.

And so, in the end, he still married me.

Shortly after the photo scandal, Penny transferred to another school. Once graduation was over, Ned was packed off to study abroad, staying away for eight long years.

When he returned to take over the family business, the boyish warmth was entirely gone, replaced by a cold, calculating gravity. He came to me and proposed.

"Since we are both still single, we might as well get married," he said.

I knew I couldn't escape an arranged marriage. Marrying someone I had known my whole life seemed like the safest bet. It was only later that I discovered Ned had gone to find Penny the very day he landed.

But Penny had too much pride. She rejected him.

His proposal to me was nothing more than a childish act of retaliation against her.