PROLOGUE 

LIENNA

2016 SEPTEMBER 01

"Let's break up."

I look at him who is looking down on the floor.

"Wh-what? Why?"

"We just need a break from each other."

I scoff-laugh. What the hell is he saying?

"You need a break from the one you love? Do you even love me?"

"Of course I do. You know damn well how much I love you Lienna." I try to control my tears when he says this while looking up at me with sincerity and love.

"Then why are you leaving me?"

"I don't want to but you know I have no choice. This is my dream." I get up from the couch hearing him, and say controlling my tears,

"I know! I know it's your dream and I want you to follow it but why not while staying here? Why go to a different country Sammy!?"

"Because my parents won't let me pursue it here! I know they will do everything they can to stop me. I need your support, love. Please don't leave me on this." He says still sitting on the couch while his light hazel brown eyes are looking up at me intensely.

"You are the one leaving me, Sam! You are the one who is leaving your girlfriend of 4 years alone! Please....we will figure out something but please don't leave me here alone. You know I have no one but you." My tears escape despite my uncountable attempts to keep them in. I suck at hiding my emotions and especially in front of him. I have always been honest with him. I have always complained to him and ranted to him.

"I am sorry, Lien. I really am. I love you but I have to leave, to become someone. Once I am successful, I will come back to you and we will be together forever, love. But right now, my parents will use you against me. They will go as far as hurting you to stop me, so we have to end this relationship. I know them very well, and they know I love you so much. Please understand me, Lien. Don't hate me. I really love you."

I chuckle sadly as more tears escape my eyes.

"Where is love, Sam? Where is your love?" I say painfully as he gets up from the couch and stands in front of me, towering over me but I look into his eyes too, which now show hurt.

"L-lien I--"

"It's over now. Fine. We are done for good. I wish you success. I hope our breaking apart does you good. I hope you hurting me will be worth it for you."

I am about to leave before I break down completely, but he softly grips my wrist, turns me around, and speaks in a cracking yet calm voice.

"No....Lien....you know I don't want to hurt you. Please try to understand me, love. Once I become successful, I will be able to stand against my family and they won't be able to threaten me with you. Right now, I am dependent on them, and I have to become independent. You know I don't want the family business and they will do anything for me to take it because they say Max isn't eligible for it. Please, Lien, don't make it harder for me. I am doing this for us." I wipe my tears and smile painfully as I say.

"Oh no, you are not. You are doing this just for yourself. If it was for us, you wouldn't be leaving me here alone, knowing I have no one else! You wouldn't be doing this if you cared for us! If you cared for me!" My tears just won't stop. Ughh. I am just so much hurt. I loved him, I love him. But he is choosing his dream over me. It's not that I don't want him to follow his dream, but he is leaving me and going to some other country for it? When he knows my parents are dead and I have no siblings? He told me one of the conditions in his contract is that he won't be able to meet any of his loved ones for at least 5 years. How can he live without me for 5 years if he loves me? He said he would never leave me. He promised he would always love me. Then WHERE IS THE LOVE? And if this is how it is, if he is choosing to leave then fine, I will show him I don't need him. I have my best friend with me. She won't leave me.

"Lienna please don't end us this way. I want you too. I want to be with you but just not yet. I need time, to build myself. We are young right now, and helpless. Don't be immature." I smile mockingly but then I replace it with a true smile.

"Build yourself, Sam Christian. But without me. Without this immature nineteen-year-old girl. Good luck."

I say with tears running down my cheeks. Just before I leave and close the door to his house forever, I turn my head to him slightly and see him looking down with clenched fists and pursed lips. I know he is trying hard to not cry. I sadly smile and say,

"I will be rooting for you but don't expect me to be waiting for you."

I hear his muffled sobs, but this is what he himself chose. I know his parents are billionaires. I know he is their perfect son. I know he isn't interested in family business. I know he wants to be a singer. But to leave me for that....and with no contact for 5 years? What does he expect me to do? It's good maybe, maybe we were meant to leave each other. His parents never approved of our relationship anyway, because I am a middle-class orphan. Never has Sam made me feel like an orphan or alone or lonely. But today, he is the reason I am feeling so lonely, and I am breaking apart knowing I don't have my parents to go and cry to.

"Good luck, Sam. I hope you succeed and become the best singer of this century. I hope you find someone you love and cherish, and she will do the same. I hope she won't be your weakness. I hope she won't be someone like me who is afraid to be away from you, who is afraid to be alone. Stay safe and happy my love."

And finally, not turning back to him, not listening to any more of his words, I close the doors to him. Forever.

...