Serenity’s days at boarding school melted into one endless stream of activities, all of which she performed like an automaton. She might be there physically in every class, but in almost every second of the day, her mind was lost in dreams and her heart in uncontained hopes.

Every night, she found herself secretly scouring the Internet, trying to find out everything about Willem de Konigh. She memorized everything she could about his businesses, but every time she would see photos of him with another woman, she would unhesitatingly click on the X button to make it go away. Those photos, she wanted to forget, and especially when they were of her older sister and Willem de Konigh together.

Some days, Serenity prayed that she would stop being so obsessively infatuated. She was sure it was just that, an agonizing first crush when before the Dutch billionaire, she had lived a rather carefree life without ever feeling any kind of interest in the opposite sex.

Other days, she wanted to cry because of how much she ached.

There was no other word for the growing, invisible pain inside her, no other way to explain the way the world felt so dreadfully empty every time she remembered that Willem de Konigh existed and he was not with her.

He was not with her.

Oh, how her fourteen-year-old heart ached at this truth.

By the time fall began to give way to winter, Serenity had almost convinced herself that her feelings for the Dutch billionaire were a whim as well. Because she had felt so alone, and he had been the first man to be so kind to her, it was only natural that she would imagine she was infatuated with him.

But really, she was not.

And perhaps she would have succeeded in making herself believe this if not for fate lending its hand once more.

* * *

“A visitor for you, Ms. Raleigh,” the school’s operator informed her.

“Thank you, ma’am.” She placed the receiver down and slowly came to her feet. Could it be Melanie or Shane? Had something happened at home?

Not bothering to change out of her school jacket and its matching pleated skirt, she rushed to the visitors’ hall, and upon hearing a few voices coming from one of the sitting areas, she hurried towards the sound.

There, she saw the school’s headmistress, accompanied by two senior professors, speaking to a tall, blond gentleman in a handmade Italian suit.

Her steps faltered.

The headmistress looked up. “Oh, Ms. Raleigh’s here.”

The gentleman turned.

It was him, of course.

Willem de Konigh.

And at that moment it became clear. So beautifully clear, and Serenity thought, so this was love.

In less than a minute they were left alone, or as alone as a billionaire could ever be, with a pair of bodyguards standing a short distance away from where they were seated. Having recognized the two immediately, she greeted them by name, and the pair had given her respectful nods in return.

It was a rather short exchange, and throughout it Willem had been silently amused. He could see from the way Molen and Smit exchanged looks that the pair had been surprised Shane’s sister still remembered their names.

When it was over, Willem immediately picked up on her nervousness and did his best to set her at ease, explaining about the career fair the school headmistress had invited him to and how, since he was already here, he thought it would be a good idea to check up on her.

“I see.”

Did she, really, Willem mused. Because if she did see and understand that he had actually lied to her, then she was better off than he was.

It was true that he had been invited to speak at the career fair. But he hadn’t needed to come here now, and this was the truth he was determined to withhold from Serenity.

“I hope I haven’t taken you away from any pressing schoolwork?”

“No, sir.”

Again, he studied her as she spoke and saw that she had actually become lovelier since the last time he had seen her. Serenity’s cheeks were flushed, and her blue eyes were sparkling. Out of nowhere the thought came that perhaps the reason why Serenity Raleigh had come to life, like Sleeping Beauty waking up, was because of a boy.

The idea didn’t sit well with him, but he dismissed his feelings about it. He was thinking too much like a big brother to Shane’s little sister, that was all there was to it.

“Thank you for the shoes, Mr. de Konigh,” he heard Serenity say.

“It was my pleasure to give them, and Willem, please.”

He expected her to refuse, like she usually did, but she didn’t.

Instead, he saw her take a deep breath and then she said, softly, almost warily, “Willem.”

Ah.

He stilled, and so did she.

It was just his name on her lips, and yet he felt his world shifting, and by the way she swallowed, he knew she had felt it, too.

A bond, chaining the two of them together, for better or for worse.

Because she was vulnerable, Willem was trying to reason to himself. She made him think of how gut-wrenching it would be, if any of his younger sisters suffered what she had gone through, and that was why they had this connection between them.

Because he was perfect, Serenity was trying to remind herself. Even if she loved him, it did not mean he would automatically love her back. And he wouldn’t. He was dating her older sister, and more than that, he was perfect – too perfect for someone selfish like her.

She jerked in her seat when the billionaire moved, and she couldn’t make herself relax even when she saw Willem de Konigh lean back against his seat.

“This changes things,” the billionaire murmured.

Her heart skipped a beat, but Serenity managed to keep her voice steady when she asked, “What things?”

“Things between you and me.”

She held her breath---

“I don’t know how to explain it, but if I have to, I think it’s because you remind me of my younger sisters.”

---and released it when she realized what the billionaire was saying.

So, so stupid, she thought. Had she really thought the billionaire would say he was in love with a fourteen-year-old kid?

“Do they limp too, Mr. de Konigh?”

His lips curved. “No. They’re just as politely impertinent as you are.”

“I have no idea what you mean, sir.”

His eyes gleamed even as he drawled, “Of course you don’t.” He came to his feet, and when she, too, had stood up, he slowly reached out to ruffle her hair. He gave her all the time in the world to move away. But she didn’t.

He stroked her hair.

She trembled but remained still, her blue eyes pinned to his.

Drawing his hand away, he said simply, “Keep in touch, engel.” He didn’t say anything else, knowing instinctively that Serenity Raleigh, despite her youth, would be smart enough to read between the lines.

With those words, he had promised that no matter what happened between him and her older sister, it would not affect the strange and almost-surreal bond between them.

With those words, he had given her his loyalty and protection.

With those words, he had demanded the same from her.

Slowly, Serenity nodded. “I will. Willem.”