The garden glowed with warm purple lighting, lily flowers scattered around and the light illuminating from the sky casting down on the faces of the guests .
Soft music played somewhere in the background, drowned by the sound of laughter, clinking glasses, and distant camera clicks. A three-tiered cake stood at the center of the garden, decorated in ivory and blush, topped with a gold "21."
Kimberly sat at the head table, surrounded by friends, but it was Castillo's hand quietly tangled in hers beneath the tablecloth that grounded her. His thumb brushed across her knuckles, slow and steady. She didn't have to look at him to feel the calm he gave her.
He hated crowds. Hated attention. But he was here. For her. She was finally going to introduce him as her boyfriend to her parents during the party- this was tye moment she was looking forward to.
She smiled, soft, private — as she listened to her stepfather speak from the stage. Gael stood tall, sharp in his suit, one hand resting on the small of Georgia's back as she smiled beside him, beaming like every dream she ever had had finally bloomed.
Gael cleared his throat over the mic, eyes sweeping across the crowd.
"Thank you all for coming tonight," He began. "It feels like just yesterday Kimberly was running around the house barefoot, chasing Keifer down the hallways, covered in paint and yelling about superheroes."
Soft laughter echoed around the room. He looked at Kim, eyes warm.
"Now look at her. A grown woman. Brilliant, beautiful, and somehow more stubborn than ever."
The guests chuckled. Kim rolled her eyes with a grin, squeezing Castillo's hand under the table.
Gael continued, raising his glass slightly. "We're so proud of you, sweetheart. And we're even more grateful to everyone who's supported her, stood by her, and celebrated her tonight."
Applause filled the air. Kim nodded politely, her smile never slipping. She leaned slightly toward Castillo, their shoulders brushing.
And then, Gael lowered his glass.
"Oh- and before the night ends," He added casually, "We want everyone to keep their schedules open. There'll be another celebration very soon."
A pause. A smile spread across his face as he looked out at the crowd.
"Kimberly's engagement party."
Kim's breath caught.
What?!
She straightened slightly. A few heads turned. Soft gasps floated through the tables.
"Yes. That's right. Our little girl is getting engaged to a wonderful young man, Kalix."
The room erupted in applause.
Kim froze.
Castillo's hand slipped from hers beneath the table. Slowly. Deliberately. She didn't look at him. Couldn't. Her heart was thundering, and yet her face remained perfectly still trained, practiced.
She blinked once, lips parted just barely.
Shw slowly drifted her gaze from her step dad to Kalix who sat across her on the table, smiling like this was real.
But Kim?
Kim sat still, frozen for what seemed like enternity while the man she actually loved let go of her hand and said nothing. If more than anything, Castillo felt even more dumbfounded than Kim.
His very own best friend was getting engaged to his girlfriend!! Kalix played him for a fool! That filthy smirk on his face, he wanted to rip it off. Just when he finally had the opportunity to show the world how much Kim meant to him, he got betrayed.
The applause was deafening. People stood, glasses raised, smiling like this was the best news they'd heard all night. But for Kim, the world tilted sideways.
Her smile faltered. Her heartbeat slammed in her ears like a war drum. She blinked once, then again, as if the words hadn't truly landed yet.
Engagement party... to Kalix?
She turned her head slowly back towards her mother. Georgia beamed at her like this was everything they'd dreamed of. Her hands were mid-clap, proud and unaware. Or maybe worse , fully aware.
Kim's stomach twisted. Kalix raised his glass lazily, smug satisfaction curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Happy birthday, Kim." he said, voice smooth as velvet. His eyes gleamed with something unspoken. Possession. Victory.
Castillo's jaw clenched beside her. His fists curled on his lap, knuckles pale. But before he could even move, Kim shot up from her seat, the chair screeching back behind her.
Heads turned.
She didn't say a word. Didn't look at Kalix. Didn't look at anyone. Her heels clicked furiously across the stone path as she strode out of the garden, her dress flowing behind her like a wave of war.
Castillo stood instantly. His glare locked with Kalix's for half a second cold. Lethal. Then he turned and followed her, his strides quick and hard as he pushed past a few dazed guests.
Across the next table, Amelia sipped from her wine glass, watching it all like a scene in a movie.
She leaned toward Rhea with a smirk.
"I didn't even do too much," she said, tipping her glass toward the path Kim and Castillo had just stormed down. "Bitch is out of Castillo's life in a blink of an eye."
Rhea raised her brows, unimpressed. But Amelia just grinned wider. This night was far from over.
---
The garden lights faded behind her as Kim stormed past the hedges, heels crunching into the gravel. The moment she was far enough from the music, the champagne, the lies, she let it all out.
A scream tore from her throat as she stumbled toward the edge of the family garden, clutching the side of a marble bench. Her breath came in harsh, uneven sobs. Her shoulders shook. Tears poured down her cheeks, smudging her makeup, staining the illusion of control she had worn all night.
"How could they!!" her voice broke. "How could they do this to me?!"
"Kim." Castillo's voice came low and urgent behind her.
"Cas." She turned just as he reached her and wrapped his arms around her without hesitation. She collapsed into him, sobbing into his chest, fists curled against his shirt.
"It was supposed to be my night," she cried. "My birthday. Our night. And they-" her voice cracked. "They ruined it. They're forcing me into a life I don't want. They're ruining my life!!"
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I can't do anything, but I promise you Kim..., I'm willing to fight for you." He whispered into her hair, holding her tighter, his jaw clenched. "I'll fight for us."
He rocked her slightly, his hand firm on her back, the other shielding her from the world. But just as her cries started to slow, a familiar voice sliced through the atmosphere.
"Kim."
She froze. Her body stiffened. Slowly, she pulled away from Castillo's arms and turned.
Kalix was walking toward them, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable under the garden lights.
"Don't," she hissed, stepping away from Castillo and towards Kalix with fire in her eyes. "Don't you dare."
"Kim, listen-"
The slap landed before he could finish. Hard. Echoing. He staggered slightly, more shocked than hurt.
"You knew!" she seethed. "You knew and you didn't say a damn thing!"
Kalix touched his cheek lightly, then let his hand fall. "I did," He said. "And I don't regret it."
Her eyes widened, fury burning in her chest.
"Because I'm still in love with you," he added, walking closer to her. "I never stopped and I would've waited a lifetime to get another chance with you. Fate did me a favor."
Kim laughed bitterly, shaking her head.
"Fate? You call this fate?! You're my ex, Kalix. My past. We're over. Done."
"You don't mean that."
"I love Castillo," she screamed, motioning behind her. "Not you. I've moved on, I've built something real. Why are you trying so hard to make my life miserable?!"
Kalix just smirked - the kind of smile that made her want to scream louder. Kim took a step forward, staring deep into his eyes, breath shaking with rage.
"Nothing- not this twisted engagement, not my parents , not you, nothing - is going to stop me from being with the man I love."
"It's nice," Kalix said, his voice calm and eyes locked on hers. "Watching you fight a battle you've already lost."
Kalix's eyes slid past her, to Castillo, who stood stone- still a few feet behind, fists still clenched.
"Good luck with that," Kalix murmured. Then he turned, backing away slowly, step by arrogant step.
But before he left the garden entirely, he called over his shoulder.
"Well, see you later, future wifey. And my very best friend." His voice dripped with coldness as he disappeared down the path, leaving shattered silence in his wake.
Kim stood there trembling, heart shattered, chest heaving. Castillo didn't move , he didn't speak until she turned back to him. Kim squatted, her gown sweeping the floor as she ran her fingers into her hair, tears falling free
ly down her cheeks.
It all started a year ago, the moment she stepped foot into New York City.
A YEAR AGO- SEOUL CITY, SOUTH KOREA.