I frequently dreamed of a strange man. We would lose ourselves in passion, doing things too explicit to describe. But every time I woke up, I couldn't remember his name. Six months later, I finally found him. Good news: He's just as handsome as he was in my dreams. Bad news: He's my fake boyfriend's older brother. 01 Cole Harrington was taking me back to his hometown to meet his parents. When he told me, it was a command, not a discussion. "Dress up. Make it sexy." I said, "It's winter. Sexy means freezing." "You got a problem with that? Then let's break up." He was careless and arrogant. He knew I wouldn't agree to break up. I fell silent for a moment. "I don't have money for new clothes." "Knew it." He wired me five thousand dollars, then waved me off impatiently. "Take the cash. I'm gaming. Don't bother me." I lowered my eyes and walked away, acting like a pushover. The young master hopped on a Discord call with his frat-bro friends. "Yeah, I'm bringing her back. I refuse to believe Lexi won't get jealous this time." "I only got with this girl to piss Lexi off. You think I'd actually fall for her?" "Taking her home? Gotta make the act convincing. Lexi and I dated for four years and never met the parents. I'm taking this one home after a month. That'll sting enough, right? Don't worry, my older brother calls the shots in my house. And her—" Cole played with his phone, letting out a dismissive scoff. "She's exactly the kind of woman my brother hates the most." 02 A month ago, Cole suddenly set his sights on me and asked me out. The whole campus knew the wealthy heir had just broken up with his first love. Asking me out now meant I was a rebound. A toy. There was absolutely no genuine affection. But I still said yes. I desperately needed money. To save up for my mom's surgery, I had been working multiple jobs. But recently, her condition had worsened. She couldn't wait any longer. Right at that moment, Cole tossed me an olive branch. The Harrington family owned a massive, publicly-traded conglomerate, currently run by his older brother. Hanging around a trust-fund kid like Cole who loved racing supercars—even just picking up the crumbs—would be enough to cover the medical bills. But Cole didn't know that. He thought I was hopelessly, madly in love with him. 03 Cole booked first-class tickets. As soon as we boarded the flight, he put on his heavy noise-canceling headphones, forbidding me from disturbing him. I was happy for the peace and quiet and quickly fell asleep. Suddenly, a strange sensation washed over me. I was nestled in a man's embrace, my skin burning hot. Again? How many times this month? Doesn't he ever get enough? He gently stroked my swollen, kissed lips and asked, "You look beautiful today. Where are you going?" "To my boyfriend's house." "You have a boyfriend?" I said stubbornly, "Yeah." He went silent for a long time. I lifted my gaze and met the dark storm brewing in his eyes. He was an incredibly striking man. His features were a bit cold, but his body was practically perfect—lean muscle, broad shoulders, narrow waist. If he wasn't, I wouldn't have kept sinking into these dreams. "Break up with him, okay?" His voice was clean and deep, carrying a hint of coaxing. "No." "Why? What am I not doing right?" You're doing great, a little too great actually. But— "Who spends their life devoted to a man in a dream? When I wake up, I have nothing." I didn't know if that sentence stung him, but he didn't say anything else. ... The turbulence of the plane's descent jolted me awake, pulling me from the dream. Cole was looking at me, frowning. "Sydney, are you hot?" I wiped a thin layer of sweat from my forehead. "I'm okay." I had that dream again. About six months ago, this man appeared out of nowhere and invaded my dreams. At first, the dreams were pretty normal. Until one time, I realized he not only perfectly matched my type, but his body was flawless. So, I started getting handsy. From then on, the dreams went wildly out of control... I didn't know who he was. Every time I asked his name, I would forget it completely the moment I woke up. Only the sensations from the dream remained, as clear as if they had actually happened. I secretly saw a doctor. The doctor said it was just a dream. I was young, hormones were high, it was normal. Makes sense. After all, I had never even held a man's hand in real life. Cole found me boring, and I was just using him. So we tacitly maintained a delicate distance. "Your face is red," Cole noted. It was just me blushing, but he hadn't seen it before. I calmly touched my cheek. "It's a little warm." "First time on a plane, huh?" "Yeah. First time. Thanks." I was so honest that it choked back whatever mocking words Cole was about to say. A moment later. He inexplicably reached up and adjusted the overhead AC vent for me. Even he froze for a few seconds after doing it. "Thanks." I didn't pay it much mind, just looked out the window. 04 After landing and grabbing our luggage, Cole walked off to the side to make a call. "Did you guys invite Lexi? Cool. See you in a few days. The girlfriend? I'll dump her after I see Lexi." Seeing me approach, Cole quickly hung up. "Sydney, I need to warn you about something." "Hm?" "At my house, my parents are easygoing. But watch out for my older brother." "Why? Does he eat people?" Cole gave me another weird look. Before, when I talked to him, I just said "mhm" and "oh," playing the obedient girlfriend. Now that I almost had enough money, my desire to act was plummeting. "...My brother has a bad temper. He's very dominant. What he says goes, both at home and at the company. Even my parents are a little scared of him now. Just keep your head down when you see him." As unruly as Cole was, the mere mention of his older brother brought a look of fear and reverence to his face. "Got it." I really couldn't care less about his family dynamics. But Cole looked even more confused. "Aren't you happy to be coming home with me?" "I'm ecstatic," I said with a deadpan face. Cole: "..." A chauffeur picked us up and drove us to the Harrington estate. Just as Cole said, his parents were quite friendly and asked me all sorts of caring questions. Until right before dinner. Nathaniel Harrington came home. Cole's arrogance vanished completely. He stood up straight like a schoolboy and greeted him obediently, "Nathaniel." "Mhm. Rough flight?" It was a lukewarm, apathetic voice. It had the smooth, cold texture of jade. It was so familiar my scalp tingled. I turned my head and my eyes widened in shock. It was him. The man from my dreams. 05 "Nathaniel, this is my girlfriend, Sydney Kensington." Nathaniel's gaze swept across my face. "Welcome." He looked exactly like he did in my dreams. The sharp jawline, the slightly hooded eyes that made him look cold and ruthless. He first loosened his tie and took a sip of water. A drop of water rolled down his Adam's apple and slipped under his collar, dampening the fabric to reveal the faint outline of his chest. Only then did he sit down at the dining table. Everyone's voices instinctively lowered. Cole was acting so well-behaved he seemed like a different person. During the meal, the conversation occasionally turned to me. "Sydney, Cole mentioned you've never dated anyone before?" "Yes, Mrs. Harrington. Cole... is my first boyfriend." "Oh my. For a girl as pretty as you not to have dated, that's quite rare." I nervously swallowed hard, my peripheral vision darting toward Nathaniel. He was cutting his steak, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing. Right. He probably didn't know me. It was just my own one-sided dream. As for why I dreamed of him? Probably my subconscious. Maybe I had caught a fleeting glimpse of Nathaniel's photo in some financial magazine, and it manifested in my dreams. I adjusted my mindset and responded positively. "Mrs. Harrington, this is my first relationship. I'm incredibly lucky to have met Cole. He's a star on campus, and I've looked up to him since freshman year." "Our Cole can be a bit rebellious, but he's good at heart. Sydney, I hear you're an honors student. Please take good care of him." "I will. I really care about Cole." No, what I care about is the fat red envelope of cash you're about to give me. Suddenly, I felt a gaze land on me. I instinctively looked back. Nathaniel was replying to a work message on his phone. He wasn't looking at me at all. Just now... was that my imagination? 06 After staying at the Harrington estate for a few days, I got used to it. Nathaniel was rarely home. When we occasionally bumped into each other, he just gave me a polite, distant nod. I grew more and more certain that the dreams were mine alone. The day to meet Lexi was approaching. Cole wasn't satisfied with the clothes I brought, so he had someone buy me a new outfit. A slip dress. Something you'd only wear in the summer. He made me put it on to take a few photos with him. The fabric was paper-thin. Even with the estate's central heating, I was shivering. But Cole didn't notice. He was determined to take the perfect photo to make his first love jealous. The next day, I caught a cold and spiked a fever. Did Cole care? Of course not. He was busy going out drinking with his buddies. As he was leaving, I heard him complaining on the phone: "Of course she gets sick right now. If she embarrasses me in front of Lexi in a few days, I swear... Do you guys have any other girls around? I need a backup..." I was burning up, feverish and groggy, blurring the line between dreams and reality. My throat was agonizingly sore. I got out of bed to get a glass of water. The study door across the hall was wide open. When I looked up, I actually saw Nathaniel. 07 At this hour, Cole was out partying, and his parents were out running errands. Nathaniel should have been at the office. Why was he home? There was only one possibility—I was dreaming again. If it's a dream, that makes things easy. I stumbled in and threw myself aggrievedly into his arms. "I feel awful." He stiffened for a moment, then asked, "Did you take medicine?" "Yeah." "Go back and rest." But I clung to him, refusing to let go. "I met someone who looks exactly like you." "...Did you?" "But I know he isn't you." "How do you know?" "Because you're a dream. The moment I see the mole on your collarbone, I know I'm dreaming." With practiced ease, I unbuttoned his dress shirt. I was far too familiar with this mole. In my dreams, I had bitten it countless times. I sat on his lap, tracing the mole with my finger. "Nathaniel" suddenly stopped me. "Didn't you say you really liked him?" "What?" "You said you really liked Cole." "How do you know about Co—" My brain exploded. All the romantic tension cooled in an instant. I pinched my own thigh hard. It hurt. This wasn't a dream. This was reality. The man I was currently pinning down was the real Nathaniel Harrington. "Sydney." He called my name in a low voice, the end of the word sending a shiver down my spine. "I asked you in dreams for six months, and I finally remembered your name." That sentence froze me in place again. What did he mean? He was dreaming too...? My CPU was short-circuiting. I was still straddling him, wearing only my pajamas. His shirt was disheveled, and his eyes were dark and bottomless. Right at that moment. A knock came at the door. "Nathaniel, have you seen my girlfriend?" Cole? Why was he back? "Nathaniel, are you in there? I swear I just heard Sydney's voice." Dead silence. "No one? I'm coming in." Cole turned the handle... 08 Cole stepped into the room. "Nathaniel, you're here." Nathaniel asked, "Why are you back?" "I just felt bad leaving her alone when she's sick. Anyway, Nathaniel, I just checked the bedroom and didn't see Sydney. Have you seen her?" "No," Nathaniel lowered his eyes. At this very moment. I was crouched under the massive mahogany desk, pressed right against Nathaniel's suit pants, not daring to make a single sound. "Maybe she went to the bathroom. I'll wait here for a bit." Cole plopped down on the sofa and pulled out his phone to play a game. Before the match even loaded, he suddenly frowned. "Nathaniel, why does it smell so good in your study?" "I lit an incense candle." "Aren't you the one who hates that stuff the most? Did the sun rise in the west today?" Cole still didn't suspect anything. But he stood up and started looking for the incense. He was about to walk behind the desk. Nathaniel reached out and stopped him. "Get out." "Huh?" "I'll wire you ten grand. Take Niki to the groomers. The dog smells." "That's the housekeeper's job!" "Are you going or not?" Nathaniel raised a pair of eyes that brooked no argument. "You can keep the change." "On it! I'll make sure she's squeaky clean!" Cole headed downstairs to find the dog. Once the house was quiet again, I crawled out from under the desk. Holding my dizzy head, I cut straight to the chase: "Have you been having the exact same dreams as me?" "It appears so." "How is that possible... Do the timelines match up?" Nathaniel adjusted his rimless glasses. "The first time, on August 10th, you treated me like an emotional dumping ground and ranted about a lot of nonsense." "The second time..." "The sixth time, you said: 'You up? Let me see those abs.'" Me: ... "The seventh time, in September, the relationship took a turning point, and we—" "Okay! You don't need to say anymore!" It was definitely shared dreaming. The information overload, combined with my fever, made my vision swim. I almost fainted. Nathaniel caught me. "Don't think about it right now. Get some rest." He picked me up to carry me back to the bedroom. But halfway there, we ran into the housekeeper. The housekeeper slowly widened her eyes, forgetting to even say hello. "Sir, is that... Ms. Kensington in your arms?" 09 I tried desperately to cover my face. Nathaniel said calmly, "You know what to do." His tone was polite and even, but it carried the murderous aura of silencing a witness. The housekeeper quickly scurried away. "Oh my, I'm getting old. My eyesight is terrible. I can't see a thing..." Nathaniel placed me on the bed and pulled up the covers. "Martha is trustworthy. She won't gossip. Just focus on getting better." I was truly exhausted and had no energy to argue with him. That evening, Cole returned from washing the dog. He tossed a box of medicine onto my nightstand. "We're going to that party the day after tomorrow. Don't embarrass me." I thought he was going to leave after that. But he suddenly sniffed the air twice. "Wait a minute. That smell is so familiar..." Crap. Am I busted? 10 I gripped my water glass tightly, my mind going blank. Cole, being as oblivious as he was, didn't connect the dots. "My brother's study had the exact same scent. It actually smells pretty good." I secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Then, I heard him mutter, "My brother went on a business trip. I'm finally free for a few days." "A business trip?" "Yeah. Left right after lunch." He was probably hiding from me. Nathaniel didn't come home until the day of the party. When he saw me, he still just gave a faint nod. As if nothing had happened. The day of the party arrived. I had recovered from my cold and went with Cole to his high school reunion. With Cole's personality, he was the center of attention wherever he went. By extension, I was also in the spotlight. Cole's buddy slung an arm around his neck and whispered, "This is the girl you brought to make Lexi mad? Bro, are you blind? This girl is way hotter than Lexi!" "You're the blind one. She doesn't even compare to Lexi." "Did you warn her? Lexi's going to target her tonight." "No need to tell her," Cole said lazily. "The more Lexi targets her, the more it proves Lexi isn't over me." I sat nearby and heard every word clearly. Cole turned to clink glasses with someone. "We're drinking until we drop tonight!" Someone joked, "Young master, you sure you wanna drink? Aren't you afraid your brother will beat you up?" "My brother can't babysit me today. He went on a blind date." My mind, which had been wandering, suddenly snapped into focus. Who was Nathaniel Harrington? The current head of the Harrington Group. Powerful and handsome. Everyone was incredibly curious about his gossip. Cole was happy to share: "He's a chronic bachelor. I don't know how they convinced him to go on a blind date this year. Probably because she's pretty, and I heard she comes from a prestigious family." "Tsk. Looks like I'm getting a sister-in-law soon." The loud music suddenly made me feel incredibly irritable. Just then, the VIP room door opened. "Lexi's here!" "Welcome, Prom Queen!" 11 Cole's first love was very pretty. But she was highly hostile toward me. Surrounded by her clique, she made passive-aggressive comments meant to put me down. The atmosphere was tense, so I volunteered to wash the fruit knives to get away. At the same time, I was calculating something else. Cole spent money like water. I never explicitly asked him for money. Just by collecting the scraps he threw my way, I had finally saved enough for the surgery. It was time to break up. How should I bring it up? As I was pondering, Lexi and her squad surrounded me from behind. She dropped her goddess persona, acting like a total mean girl. "Did you roll your eyes at me just now?" "No." "Liar! We all saw it!" "You're overthinking it," I said lazily, wiping down a fruit knife. "I can't even be bothered to look at you. Why would I roll my eyes at you?" Lexi grew even more furious. Several girls lunged forward to tear at my dress. "Look at this dress, Cole definitely bought it! His taste is terrible!" "Today, we're going to teach you who you messed with!" I was incredibly annoyed. Before they could ruin my dress, I reached out and grabbed Lexi by the hair. With a swift spin, I shoved her head right under the faucet. Let her wash her hair and cool down. The clique didn't expect me to be so strong and all took a step back. I said coldly, "Just looking at you proves Cole's taste is indeed terrible." "You—glug glug—" Lexi was cursing quite colorfully, but I didn't care. I was helping her rinse her mouth. "If you're pissed off, go yell at Cole. Taking it out on me proves nothing. Only brainless, insecure girls like you would treat a trash man like a prize." Lexi stopped cursing and started wailing. The bathroom was close to our VIP room. Cole and the guys rushed over upon hearing the noise. Lexi finally broke free from me. Looking like a drowned rat, she ran crying into Cole's arms. "Your girlfriend bullied me!" "No way, Sydney isn't like that..." Cole said instinctively. Lexi cried even louder. "Cole! Harrington! Didn't you just see it? she shoved my head into the sink!" The clique finally snapped out of their shock: "Yeah, we all saw it." "She bullied your ex-girlfriend and you're not doing anything? Are you even a man!" Unable to withstand the provocation, Cole immediately looked at me sternly. "Sydney, apologize to her." 12 Apologize? That's hilarious. Spinning the fruit knife in my hand, I walked steadily toward Cole. No one dared to make a sound. Under my intimidating glare, Cole kept backing up. Until he tripped over the sofa and fell into it. I planted one foot right between his legs on the sofa cushion. A fraction of an inch more, and my black velvet stiletto would have crushed his most prized possession. "Time to settle the score, fuckboy." The flat edge of the fruit knife brushed against Cole's face. He flinched, seemingly startled by the cold metal. "You used me to make your ex jealous. I'll let that slide. Luckily, all I wanted was your money, so you couldn't break my heart. We're even." "But as of right now, we are broken up. Please don't ever show your face in front of me again." Cole froze, then suddenly reached out and grabbed my ankle. "What do you mean, all you wanted was money?" "It means exactly what it sounds like. Did you skip English class?" "Sydney Kensington, you don't like me?" "I don't. In fact, I find you incredibly annoying." Under the dim lighting, Cole actually looked lost. "Impossible. How could you not like me? You're always so obedient—" I stabbed the fruit knife down. Cole was petrified. A long moment later, he realized the knife was just stabbed into the sofa cushion next to him. "Even coming home with you this time was just for your family's money. Stop flattering yourself—" Just as I finished speaking, I suddenly felt the atmosphere shift behind me. I turned around. Nathaniel stood in the doorway. He heard everything.
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