My bodyguard

I was engaged to Grayson Fuller when I was a little girl. So I had been waiting for the day we could become husband and wife.

However, he didn't value my feelings and forced me to marry his bodyguard.

The bodyguard was unwilling to let me down and pleaded with him to find me a better match.

Grayson sneered, "She has stayed in with the Fuller family all these years. I make it worth your while to marry her."

Grayson held a woman in his arms, who smiled triumphantly.

She looked at the bodyguard as if he were his toy.

I clenched my teeth and helped the bodyguard stand up. I said, "Let's get married!"

1.

I am Norah Horton, the adopted daughter of the Fuller family. Grayson's father had chosen me to be Grayson's wife in the future.

When I was five years old, my parents passed away. Georgia Fuller, Grayson's mother, took me in back then.

She said, "Norah, you will be Grayson's only woman in the future, the daughter-in-law of the Fuller family."

She let me and Grayson attend the same school. We always went to school and came back home together.

She familiarized me with Grayson's habits and reminded me to be attentive so that I could be a good wife and take care of him in the future.

At first, Grayson was nice to me.

He was like an elder brother, buying me candy, complimenting my dresses, and protecting me from bullies.

But then, everything suddenly changed for no reason.

When I entered middle school, Grayson was already in high school.

If anyone asked him who I was, he would coldly reply that he didn't know me.

In private, he warned me, saying, "Don't let me hear anything about our relationship. Otherwise, I'll kick you out."

I nodded meekly.

I couldn't risk angering Grayson because I had no family since I was five.

I didn't know where else I could go.

However, my attempts to avoid conflict didn't bring peace.

I proudly showed Georgia my perfect test scores. She praised me as a good girl and a good match for Grayson.

But Grayson would tear up my books, telling me not to curry favor with Georgia.

When I bought a new dress and went out to hang out with my friends, he and his friends would run past me and knock me into a puddle.

He then mocked me for being dirty and like a stray dog.

I held back tears and limped home.

When I saw Georgia, I couldn't hold back any longer and threw myself into her arms.

She comforted me, saying, "Norah, you're such a good girl. Don't cry. I will teach him a lesson for you."

Then she would console me, saying that boys at Grayson's age were energetic and immature and that they often expressed affection by teasing girls.

She let me not overthink it.

"Really?" I was unsure.

I knew Grayson seemed annoyed by even a glance at me. Would he really like me?

"Really. I never lie to you," Georgia said.

"And you like Grayson too, don't you?" Georgia gently stroked my head and uncovered my secret feelings.

At the age of budding emotions, anyone would like Grayson.

He was handsome, in really good shape, academically excellent, and from a rich family. He was so popular at school.

There were always people peeking at him outside the classroom.

Moreover, I had been following him since I was a little girl.

He was the only guy in my world.

I knew he liked sweets and disliked spicy food.

He would show off playing basketball, but actually, he preferred soccer.

He had a nervous habit of touching his earlobe when he was not truthful.

Georgia even visited the school for Grayson and me.

Some people learned about our engagement and asked Grayson about it.

His face turned dark as he said, "That's right. My parents arranged it for me."

People laughed. They called me the child bride of the Fuller family.

I secretly watched Grayson's expression. My heart raced, and I mistakenly thought he had accepted me.

On his birthday, I invested a lot of time preparing a gift and baking a cake.

But when I arrived, I overheard that he said to his friends, "Don't mention Norah to me. She makes me sick."

The cake box fell, shattering on the floor.

The ring I bought rolled away, and I couldn't find it after I searched for it for a long while.

Tears welled up, fell onto the carpet, and disappeared instantly.

For the first time, I understood how bitter it was when I loved a man who didn't love me.

2.

Since Grayson didn't like me, I watched him from afar.

I no longer went to school and came back home with him. I gave him a glance at the school gate and then took the bus home.

I prepared birthday gifts secretly and placed them with others'.

But he always picked mine out and threw them away.

After repeated rejections, I finally began to let go. I thought maybe I could live well without Grayson.

When I applied to college, Georgia patted my head and said, "Norah, don't worry about that brat. Just apply to Lunaris City University so you'll be close to me."

Lunaris City University was the best. Grayson was there. I had hesitated about it.

But when I met Georgia's hopeful eyes, I couldn't refuse her.

When Grayson learned it, he uncharacteristically said nothing.

He took out his offer from a college abroad and showed it to Georgia and me. He said, "It's perfect timing. I'm going to study abroad."

I stared at him, stunned.

I had never heard of his plans to study abroad, as he had planned to join the company after graduation.

Georgia's face turned cold as she said, "Grayson, what are you doing? You didn't tell me such a big decision until now?"

Grayson remained expressionless. "It doesn't matter when I join the company. But I want to explore more when I'm young. It's the 21st century now. How could you get me engaged when I was a little boy?"

He then looked at me and said, "Maybe after Norah goes to college and meets different people, she'll realize there are plenty of men in the world. It's best for her to forget about me, as I don't like her."

Georgia was furious. She cursed him a rebellious son.

He didn't care. Then he stood up and leaned over to whisper in my ear, "Do you think I will fall for you after you followed in my footsteps to the same college? Stop dreaming!"

My face turned pale. I hadn't intended to cling to him.

Grayson left without a care. Georgia was angry, but she couldn't help but worry about him.

She often called him.

She sighed when she saw me. "Norah, that foolish guy doesn't know true love is the most valuable in the world. He'll regret it one day."

Georgia wasn't truly old-fashioned. After she found out about Grayson's resistance and that I didn't insist, she silently cancelled our engagement.

She treated me even better. She seemed to compensate for Grayson's love.

I blocked out the news of Grayson and focused on my academic learning.

Two years later, Grayson's father unexpectedly passed away. Grayson returned to take over the family business. Georgia took me to meet him. Then I saw him again.

He was more mature and composed than two years ago. He was chatting happily with a woman.

I learned at that moment that he had a girlfriend when he was abroad.

The woman was striking, with fair skin and flowing hair. Others would have a good impression of her at first glance.

When Grayson saw Georgia, he ran up to her and gave her a big hug.

Grayson beamed and said, "Mom, this is Vivian Dobson."

Georgia snorted and then took me away. "I never liked her. She is in skimpy clothes. She's off-putting. Grayson will suffer sooner or later if he insists on being with her."

I smiled and said, "Grayson has good taste. He wouldn't choose the wrong woman."

Georgia sighed, "If he can't see how good you are, he is just blind. From now on, you're my daughter."

She had given up on pairing me with Grayson.

I felt unexpectedly relieved.

But things didn't go as smoothly as I had thought.

3.

Vivian went to the Fuller family's old estate with Grayson.

He let her sleep in my room because she liked the sunlight, and my room had the best light.

Georgia was naturally unhappy about it.

I didn't want them to quarrel over me. So I gently comforted Georgia and moved my belongings to the guest room under Grayson's gaze.

I thought my concession would please them.

But Vivian wasn't a friendly woman.

She cornered me in the garden when no one else was around.

"So you're Grayson's child bride? You are just so-so!" She sneered while she crossed her arms and sized me up. "I don't know how you are so lucky to latch onto Grayson. You are such a cheap woman."