A Bloom of Thorns

With God as her witness, Holly Sullivan had always been a good girl. Taken in by the Hoffman family at a young age, she had spent eighteen years longing for a way to repay Ronald Hoffman's kindness and the life he gave her. However, she could not bring herself to accept the marriage proposal he put forward—not when her heart already belonged, entirely and irreversibly, to Luke Hoffman. On the night of her eighteenth birthday, Luke—drunk and dangerously charming—lured her into bed. From that moment on, it was not just her heart she had given away. She gave him everything. Chapter 1 A sharp sting on her neck snapped Holly Sullivan out of her daydream. She looked up, her eyes clouded with confusion. She saw Luke Hoffman's attractive face flushed with intense passion and longing. "Holly, can you stay here with me?" Luke's voice was low and laced with a hint of seduction. He drew her closer with a firm squeeze on her waist, his rhythm intensifying—a wordless punishment for her wandering attention. After a contented sigh, he nestled into Holly's arms, relaxing at the touch. What followed was the familiar declaration of love. "Holly, do you have any idea how much I love you? "I'd be lost without you." The lingering desire within her unfurled, wave after wave. His words of devotion shattered what was left of her composure. Luke had a craving for breast milk, and as fate would have it, she was naturally well-endowed. Ever since she hit puberty, she had to change her undergarments constantly. They were a perfect match. Her voice shook with a mix of nerves and anticipation. "Luke, let's get married. I'm nearly 28, and it's—" She could not finish her thought. Luke, who had been so close just moments ago, suddenly withdrew. He stood up. His physique featured broad shoulders that tapered to a narrow waist. Turning his back to Holly, he methodically got dressed. His tone reverted to its usual detached chill. "Why bring that up now? It's too early. Plus, the company's got me swamped, and I don't have time for a wedding." Holly gripped the fabric beneath her, her lower lip caught between her teeth in a bashful plea, "We don't have to have a wedding. I just want to make it official." Luke froze in his place. As the silence grew heavy, his ringing phone broke the tension. He stepped away to take the call, and Holly started to get dressed. A misstep sent her tumbling into the bushes, and a flash of red caught her eye. Shaking, she grabbed a tiny camera hidden among the leaves. Holly dashed towards Luke without even bothering to fix her half-done buttons. After a frantic search, she finally found him. She needed to tell him about the secret video, but she stopped short when she heard his icy voice on the phone. "Got the video? Make sure it's crystal clear, especially Holly's face." It felt like a thunderclap exploded right next to her ear. Her steps faltered and her mind sounded like a whirlwind of noise. Through the speaker, a man's sleazy chuckle oozed through. "Luke, you're too kind to share such a prize with us." Luke's laugh was light, dripping with mockery. "She's just a plaything. If you want, I might let you have a turn next time. "If not for Cecilia, she wouldn't have even caught my eye. "The competition is in two days. If Holly doesn't mess up, Cecilia won't stand a chance at the title. It's always been her dream. "I can't bear to see Cecilia upset." So that was it. He was with her just to help his childhood sweetheart, Cecilia Porter. To him, Holly was nothing more than a toy. A chill engulfed Holly, freezing over her heart. Her face went ghostly white while her body tethered in fear. Her phone buzzed. It was Ronald Hoffman. [Holly, are you sure about turning down the marriage proposal? The guy's a catch.] Tears spilled from Holly's eyes. With her back to Luke, she walked away and texted back. [I've made up my mind. I'll go through with the marriage.] Ronald's response came back almost instantly, his happiness palpable even through the screen. [That's settled then. His family was just waiting on your 'yes' to book the wedding abroad. It'll be in two weeks.] Chapter 2 Holly could not figure out how she ended up back in her car. The heater was on, making it cozy and warm. However, even after she nailed down the last detail of the arranged marriage with Ronald, Holly's hands still kept shaking. Ronald seemed pretty happy with how well Holly was taking it, shooting her one last text. [We didn't raise you without our own interests in mind — but rest assured, we took a lot of thought choosing your fiance. He's more than good enough. You can marry him with a peace of mind.] [Do you want Melissa and me to say something to Luke? You two are really close, and if he finds out you're suddenly getting married, he's bound to have a hard time letting go.] That message brought back all of Luke's icy digs. Tears splashed onto her phone screen. Click. Just then, Luke swung the car door open and hopped in. His eyes caught Holly's tear-streaked face, and he frowned, like he was not the reason for it. He wrapped her up in a hug, his voice barely showing concern. "Holly, why the tears? Are you okay?" Holly stashed her phone behind her back, stone-faced. She looked at the guy she used to be crazy about, feeling nothing like before. She shook her head, trying to sound cool and detached, "It's no big deal. "Just got super pumped about the invite to the Ocean Sonata Cup finals." Luke tensed up holding her. He had just been talking about that very competition on the phone. The biggest, most high-stakes piano contest in the capital — the one Cecilia, the daughter of the Porter family, had hoped to win. However, Holly had been the reigning champion of the Ocean Sonata Cup for four years straight. Along with Cecilia trailing behind her in second place. "Holly," Luke whispered, his kisses trailing along her neck with a teasing lilt, "Why bother with the Ocean Sonata Cup again? You've won it enough times. How about skipping this one out? "Stay here with me instead." His words were accompanied by his restless fingers, long and elegant. He began to undo the buttons on her blouse as he spoke. In the heat of their past moments together, Holly would have given in to Luke's whim, whether they made sense or not. Luke thought it was just desire clouding her judgment. He could not have been more wrong. Holly was hooked on the fleeting looks of love she thought she saw in his eyes. However, she saw the truth… He never loved her. She was just a plaything to him. Luke missed the clarity in Holly's eyes and the icy edge to her smile. "Fine, I won't go," she said calmly. "I'll give up the award." 'And I'll give up on you too,' she thought, but those words stayed unspoken. Luke's face lit up with happiness, desire flashing in his eyes as his hands traced the curve of Holly's waist. Holly's expression remained unchanged even as her brows drew together, ready to claim she felt sick to avoid his advances. Then, a rhythmic tapping at the car window interrupted them, followed by a crisp, cool female voice. "Luke, are you in there? What's going on, are you with your girlfriend?" Chapter 3 Within milliseconds, Luke hurriedly shoved Holly away. Her head smacked against the car door, turning her face ghostly white as she winced from the pain. Luke, looking all kinds of worried, quickly fixed his rumpled clothes and rolled down the window. His eyes darted to Cecilia standing outside. Luke, who was usually cool-headed, sounded distressed, "Girlfriend? No way, Holly got hurt, I was just helping her out." Holly looked up to Cecilia's gaze, which was cool, deep, and drop-dead gorgeous. It was like comparing perfection to her mess and mortification. She was the polar opposite of Cecilia. Holly was all curves and sweet innocence with a side of allure — a walking daydream for many guys. Cecilia looked like she was sketched by a goddess, she only had graceful lines and an air of untouchable grace. Holly knew their history, Luke and Cecilia were childhood friends. They went to the same schools and even went abroad together. To all the old folks, and Holly herself, before they were eighteen, Luke and Cecilia were known as the golden couple. Somehow, on her eighteenth birthday, Luke picked Holly instead. Holly had figured Luke just was not into Cecilia's vibe. Then, it hit her. All this time, he did not want to ruin the perfect picture he had of his untouchable goddess. Cecilia watched Holly catch a beat, a small laugh escaping her. Then she dropped the bomb. "Isn't that Holly? The girl your family's taking care of, right? I get that you two are tight, but you better keep a distance. "If people start talking, it won't just be a bad look for your folks – I'd lose respect for you, too." Cecilia's offhand comment sent Luke into a tailspin. "There's nothing going on between us, I'll never be with someone like her." His words edged into me like a sharp knife. Holly's hands were balled into fists so tight that her fingernails nearly pierced the skin of her palms. Cecilia's face remained cold, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. Luke turned back, his eyes pleading as he silently begged Holly for help. Holly fought back the tears, forcing a strained smile that did not quite suit her. "Ms. Porter, you've got it all wrong. "Luke and I aren't dating. We're more like siblings than lovers, in fact. "Besides, I'm about to get married, so there's no way I could be with him." Cecilia's frosty demeanor softened for a moment at Holly's words. Her smile warmed when she looked at Luke. "Luke, it's been too long since I've caught up with your parents. I'll stop by your place later." With that, Cecilia walked away, her silhouette graceful and dignified, leaving Holly with a mess of insecurities. A sudden sharp pain snapped Holly back to reality — Luke was gripping her wrist too tightly. Luke's frown showed his displeasure. "Holly, what's this about an arranged marriage you mentioned?" Holly's face remained neutral as she gently pulled her hand free. "It was just a cover story, don't take it to heart." Luke let out a relieved breath. Silence then filled the car, heavy and awkward. Luke awkwardly coughed, ready to justify his earlier reaction. "I hope you're not upset. I just didn't want Cecilia spreading rumors to my parents, so I had to make sure we were on the same page." Chapter 4 Holly did not say a word. She closed her eyes and feigned to be asleep, releasing an air of exhaustion. Luke fell for the act and realized she was not mad at him. He let out a breath of relief and, with a thoughtful gesture, draped his jacket over her. Unseen by him, a tear traced a silent path down Holly's cheek. They arrived back at the Hoffmans' house to find that Cecilia had already made herself at home. She had been openly welcomed by Luke's parents, Ronald and Melissa Gilbert. Melissa could not resist a jab when she saw Holly walk in. "Look at that, Holly. Luke and Cecilia are just perfect for each other, right?" Cecilia's eyes flicked to Holly. "You don't look too happy, Holly. Is it because you don't like me, or because you don't like me being with Luke?" Her words were like a bait, pulling all eyes to Holly, whose face lost a bit of color. Melissa chuckled, playing peacemaker. "Oh, come on, Holly's the most understanding person here. Way more than Luke. "And besides, she's already involved with someone from Yverland... "Hi, Ms. Gilbert," Holly cut in, her voice tinged with urgency, "I'm not feeling well. I think I'll go upstairs and rest." Melissa's eyes softened, and she nodded. "Of course, dear." As Holly made her way up the stairs, she could hear Melissa politely suggesting Cecilia stay longer. Cecilia quickly declined. Luke, on the other hand, was desperately trying to convince Cecilia to extend her stay. A smirk curled at the edge of Holly's lips. Whenever Cecilia was around, Luke had eyes for no one else. So the days rolled on, a full week slipping away. Luke was pretty much glued to Cecilia's side, but he had not forgotten about Holly. Every night, he would text her, trying to smooth things over. [Hey Holly, don't be mad. My folks just think Cecilia needs a tour guide since she's new in town.] He would write on and on. [Once she's gone, we'll spend some time together. Remember that cool place abroad you wanted to check out?] [Holly, you're my number one. Always. This thing with Cecilia? It's just for show, for my parents' sake.] [And hey, you promised not to go to the Ocean Sonata Cup, right? Stick with that. Stay home and we'll have our own time.] [Holly, I love you.] Holly had been on the balcony when she read that. If she had not seen Luke tenderly pick up a flower that slipped into Cecilia's hair and tucked it away like a treasured keepsake, she might have kept fooling herself into believing Luke still cared for her. Holly could not just stay still. She had been out and about with the Hoffmans, getting all her travel documents in order, even personally picking up her certificate. Melissa and Ronald were really pleased with how well she was handling everything. They were treating her upcoming marriage like she was their own daughter, full of gifts. Luke did not bat an eyelash when Melissa invited Cecilia to go hiking, even with Holly right there. Melissa, ever the peacemaker, chimed in, "Let's bring Holly along. It'll be good for her to get out before the big day." With Melissa weighing in, Luke could not exactly say no. So, they left the room together, a reluctant trio. Holly had thought about playing it cool, making up some excuse to bail. However, there she was, stuck in the middle of it all. Luke's grip on Holly's wrist was sudden and firm. He pulled her into a hidden corner away from prying eyes. "Holly…" Luke's voice was urgent, his body radiating a nervous heat as he leaned in close. His voice quivered, betraying a hint of fear, "Are you upset with me? There's nothing going on with Cecilia, I swear. It's all for show, to keep my parents off my back. You believe me, right?" Chapter 5 Holly was not in the mood to tear down Luke's facade. She instead tried to push him away. However, Luke clung to her even more tightly. It was as if he was trying to prove his affection. With one hand, Luke cradled the back of Holly's head, and he pressed his lips to hers with a boldness that left no room for argument. His other hand started to move. It snuck under the hem of Holly's clothes, starting to explore every piece of her. With a familiarity that came with practice, he began to undo the clasps of Holly's undergarments. A shadow of desire flickered in Luke's dark eyes, his throat involuntarily gulped. He was oblivious to the resistance in Holly's eyes as he leaned in to whisper against her ear. "Holly, I want you so bad." A wave of nausea hit Holly. She could not remember when she started to feel so repelled by Luke's advances. She firmly stopped Luke's intrusive hand, took a deep breath, and fought back the impulse to slap him. "Stop, it's not a good time. I'm dealing with... some girl stuff," she said. At her words, Luke backed off as if he had been scalded. He released her, and a brief look of relief crossed his face. That look stung Holly, making her catch her breath with a twinge of pain. At that moment, Holly realized the truth. He did not want her. He was just trying to keep her calm, to avoid angering her. She stayed silent as Luke, filled with anxiety, was interrupted by his phone ringing. He stepped away to take the call and did not return. With a blank face, Holly turned away and went back to her room to gather her belongings. As Holly taped up the final cardboard box, Luke burst into her room without warning. He grabbed her hand without a word and pulled her out the door. "You need to come with me," he said urgently. He did not pause to notice the bareness of Holly's room, which was stripped of everything but the bed. Packed with boxes cluttering the floor. However, Holly quickly realized what had sent Luke into such a panic. The Hoffmans were livid. They had found an unopened pack of condoms in the study — a place where family honor was held in the highest regard. Holly and Luke had been wild before, but would never dare be that reckless in the study. Seeing what Melissa was holding, Holly felt a sudden stab of pain in her chest. Instinctively, her eyes went to Luke and Cecilia, whose beautiful eyes were brimming with tears. Melissa, holding the incriminating evidence, spoke with icy disdain. "I get it, you're young and reckless, but you're crossing the line. "I'm not going to come down hard on you, but you better be ready to face the consequences." Her eyes were locked on Cecilia. She stood there with a sense of gracefulness, yet her face showed she felt deeply insulted. "It's not mine. I would never," Cecilia declared, then turned to Luke. "And it's not Luke's. We've been together these past few days. He would never." Her words might as well have been a neon sign pointing at Holly. The servants had gathered, their eyes filled with a mix of scorn, contempt, and the thrill of gossip. Their stares felt like a thousand needles jabbing at Holly all at once. She felt a chill run through her, and as she met Melissa's searching gaze, she immediately wanted to deny it all. Luke leaned in close, his voice a hushed plea in Holly's ear. "Cover for Cecilia, will you? Please, Holly, I need your help just this once. "If you won't, I'll tell everyone what happened when you turned eighteen." Holly's whole body jolted, her eyes wide as she stared at Luke in disbelief. A flicker of guilt passed over Luke's face, but he could not hold her gaze. His lips were pressed together in a thin line, a sure sign he meant business. Holly's heart throbbed with a mix of hurt and a bitter tightness. She fought back tears, her voice shaking as she whispered, "It… It was me." Chapter 6 Melissa let out a defeated sigh, her eyes clouding with disappointment. "I'm going to let this go. Whatever your reason, never pull a stunt like that again." However, Cecilia just laughed scornfully and reached out to link arms with Melissa. "Like I said, Luke's not the type to cause trouble. "It's a good thing Holly's just a foster kid who was taken in. We'll make sure Luke keeps his distance from now on." Her gaze on Holly was sharp, filled with challenge and scorn. Holly bit back her tears, but as she turned away, they betrayed her. Luke watched her go, his heart in turmoil. He dashed after her, pulling her aside where no one could see. "Holly," Luke's movement seemed urgent, tinged with a desperate kind of coaxing, "don't get mad, okay? I'm really sorry. "Cecilia's got her pride. If word got out about this, it would crush her. "And honestly, there's nothing going on between us. Cecilia's just... naive. She was curious, that's all. She didn't mean anything by it." Holly jerked her hand away from Luke, tears streaming down her face. "So, Cecilia is the perfect one, huh? Proud, pure, and untouchable. I'm just the lowlife, am I the wild girl who deserves to be stepped on?" Luke watched Holly's tears, it felt like his heart was shattering into pieces. He longed to hold her and tell her he was wrong. Right then, Cecilia's voice called out for him from behind, and he froze, his hand hanging in the air. Holly wiped away her tears and gave Luke a small, brave smile. "It's fine, I'm over it," she said. With those words, she turned and walked away, thinking to herself, 'No point in getting angry over a lost love.' Hiking day came. Luke and Cecilia's friends were all there, and Holly felt like the odd one out. She had regretted coming the moment they started. Her stomach was in knots with cramps, and she was breaking out in a sweat. Her period had decided to show up. However, backing out then would send the wrong message to everyone. Nobody knew she and Luke had a thing. To everyone else, Luke and Cecilia were the dream team, the golden couple. Some even whispered that Holly was the only thing standing in their way. It was her stubborn refusal to leave Luke's side that stopped the golden couple. However, Holly was not worried. Her period cycles were like clockwork, and Luke always remembered. He would find her an excuse to leave soon enough. However, when Cecilia complained of thirst mid-hike, Luke had everyone stop so he could fetch her favorite lemonade. Cecilia pouted at him, "Did you forget? I don't like cold drinks." "Don't let it go to waste though," she added, and Luke nodded. Without a second glance, he shoved the cup into Holly's hands. Holly gazed down at the frosty lemon juice that had suddenly been given to her. Her brain short-circuited for a second. She could not believe Luke had spaced on the fact that she was on her period and could not handle the tart, icy drink. Laughter and jeers broke out around them. "Luke, that's just low. You know Miss Antique can't stand Cecilia. Yet, you pass off her rejected drink to her? Miss Antique will be heartbroken… Again." Holly was older than the rest of them. The ones who sneered at her, they all made sure to say "Miss Antique" extra loud. However, Holly was not ticked off about the title they used. It was Luke's attitude that really got under her skin. Luke shot her an impatient frown, "It's just a drink. You like lemon juice too, don't you? I wasn't thinking anything of it. Let's not cause a scene with the crowd, alright?" Holly's grip on the lemon juice tightened, the chill from the cup seeping through her fingers and straight to her heart. She managed a feeble, "Luke, did you forget? I'm on my-" "If Holly doesn't like it, then let's not push her," came a voice. Chapter 7 Cecilia rose to her feet. Her usual cool and aloof demeanor showed, but her eyes betrayed a hint of defiant tears. She snatched the lemon juice from Holly's arms, ready to down it in one go. Luke quickly moved, panic written all over him, "No, don't drink that. You can't drink cold drinks." He turned back, shooting Holly a glare that could freeze fire. It was the first time he had ever looked at her with such annoyance and revulsion. Holly's composure nearly crumbled from the wrongful accusation. She could not hold back the tears as she walked away from the mocking crowd. She walked until they were all far behind her. Holly could still hear their snide comments and mockery. "As if she doesn't know her place. At twenty-eight, she's still trying to outshine Cecilia." "Sure, she grew up with the Hoffmans, but look at her. She was groomed just to be some man's plaything. Why else would she be single at twenty-eight?" "No respectable family would ever consider a woman like her into their family." "I mean, she was already messing around at eighteen. I saw her running out of that room myself, hair all over the place, and clothes a mess." While they spewed their venomous words, Luke was right there. He heard every insult, but he did not say a word in her defense. He was too busy trying to cheer up a sulking Cecilia. Holly watched from a distance, her tears falling faster than she could wipe them away. After what felt like an eternity, she managed to steady her emotions, but then footsteps approached from behind. "Holly, you can't seriously think Luke has a duty to comfort you, right?" Startled, Holly spun around to find Cecilia standing there, arms folded, a sneer plastered across her face. Cecilia plopped down beside Holly, feigning a cozy camaraderie. "You know, I kind of admire you. You've got nerve, hanging around Luke at your age, as if… Ha! As if he'd ever marry you." The scorn in Cecilia's eyes felt like a physical pain in Holly's chest. However, Holly was done biting her tongue. She narrowed her eyes, giving back as good as she got. "Are you sure it's me who's hanging on to him? "Hasn't he told you? He and I have been an item for ages." "W-what?!" Cecilia's face turned red with rage. Then, out of nowhere, Cecilia started to laugh. It was a weird, creepy laugh that sent shivers down Holly's spine. "I know the truth. I've known it for ages." Holly's eyebrows knitted together as she watched Cecilia's smile grow wider, filled with sinister intent that made her skin crawl. "What are you talking about?" Cecilia's laugh was then full of contempt, and she did not bother to hide it. "You can't seriously think that Luke was into you. That he got with you on your eighteenth birthday because he liked you. That's got to be a joke. "He was intoxicated. I drugged him. He thought I was too young, too innocent to touch, so he turned to you instead. "By the next day, he was already begging me to forgive him. "Don't believe me? Watch this." Cecilia whipped out her phone and showed Holly a video. There was Luke, still with his boyish charm, looking lost. His voice was broken, choked with tears. He desperately pleaded like a puppy that's about to be left behind. "Cecilia, I've made myself clean, really clean. I'm not dirty. "Don't look at me like that. "Please." He was hitting his own face, already swollen and red, but he did not react to the pain. Then, Cecilia's voice cut through the video. "If you've been with her, then you might as well stay with her, Luke. I can't stand men who don't take responsibility for what they've done." Luke's eyes filled with hopelessness, and he numbly nodded in agreement. "I'll do anything, just don't hate me." Chapter 8 The video stopped abruptly. That very next day, Luke came to Holly. He nervously stumbled all over his words, trying to make things right. Holly had thought about saying goodbye to Luke before she left. In the end, she knew he was not worth it. Tomorrow, she will be leaving the country for an arranged marriage. Holly had just finished packing up for the night when her phone buzzed with calls from numbers she did not recognize, followed by a barrage of crude and mean texts. Something was definitely off. Then, like a bad joke, a hashtag flashed across her screen. #PianoProdigyExposed in Racy Photos, Friends Claim She's a Total Mess# #Who Knew the Piano Girl Had Such Weird Tastes# With shaking hands, Holly clicked on the link and her heart sank. She was in the video. She was in the dressing room, changing her brassiere. Because of some meds she was on, she has been dealing with the embarrassing issue of leaking fluids. Even on that day's mountain hike, she had to sneak away to a midway changing room for a quick switch of clothes. However, that was not all. There were more photos of her face crudely pasted onto the bodies in adult movies. Her phone nearly slipped from her grasp as dizziness washed over her. Only Cecilia had been with her when she changed. Holly stormed off to confront her. Cecilia sneered when she saw Holly, "Oh, so you've got that problem, huh? Tsk, tsk. Come on, spill it. You really expect us to believe Luke's the only guy in your life?" Fury blazed in Holly's eyes. Her hand reacted before her mind did, landing a stinging slap across Cecilia's cheek. Cecilia staggered, hitting her head on the corner of a table as she fell, a welt forming instantly. "Cecilia!" Luke's furious shout echoed behind Holly. In a flash, Luke pulled Holly away and tossed her aside. He wrapped his arms around Cecilia while he shot a look filled with disgust and suspicion at Holly. "Do you even know what she did?" Holly cried out. The noise had drawn the attention of the Hoffmans. They peered at Cecilia with a mix of concern and curiosity while she clung to Luke's shirt, looking utterly helpless. Luke inhaled deeply, his voice steady and sure. "I know what you're thinking, and yes, I did it." His words struck like lightning, echoing in everyone's ears. Holly's eyes widened as her heart shattered. Could he really love Cecilia enough to take the fall for her? Ronald was livid, his face turning a shade of red as he stormed over and kicked Luke. However, Luke took the hit with no remorse while cradling Cecilia. Holly sidestepped Melissa's attempt to support her. Gathering her remaining strength, she stood and faced Luke. "Luke, I'm giving you one last chance. Are you telling me you did this?" Luke could not bear to meet Holly's gaze, filled with numbness and pain, and he let out a defeated nod. "I sent the photos. I couldn't stand seeing you, an adopted daughter of the Hoffmans, outshining everyone." Holly's laugh was bitter, and her tears flowed freely. "Luke, it's over between us." With those final words, she turned her back on the stunned room and walked away. Her mind raced to catch her flight.