Chapter 1

The day two of my students got into a fistfight, I ran into Logan Mercer for the first time in ten years.

The little boy wiping away tears called him Dad.

Logan froze the moment he saw me, only remembering his manners after an awkward silence.

"Ms. Rhodes, I'm so sorry for the trouble he caused."

I kept everything strictly professional and settled the restitution on the spot.

As everyone left, Logan lingered at the back, hesitating.

"I remember you never wanted to be a teacher."

I offered a faint smile and walked him to the office door.

"People change, and so do their minds."

Just like my feelings for him, that chapter had been closed long ago.

1

Kids move on quickly from their squabbles.

The two boys ran outside giggling, with the other child's mother trailing close behind.

Only Logan remained rooted to the spot, quietly looking at me.

His gaze was not intense, but it was far from steady.

"How have you been all these years?"

My polite smile remained intact as I gave him a formal nod, treating him just like any other parent.

"The teaching schedule is packed, but thankfully the kids are mostly well-behaved."

"Mr. Mercer, please have an honest talk with Zach at home. He apologized this time, but if he hits someone again, the other parents won't let it slide."

His throat bobbed, and he abruptly shifted the subject.

"I meant, have you... all these years..."

"Dad!"

I instinctively took a step back as Zach's voice echoed down the hall.

"Hurry up and let's go home! If we're late, Mom will be furious!"

Logan swallowed back whatever words were on his tongue.

My smile did not waver.

"Drive safe, Mr. Mercer."

By the time I turned back to my desk, he had already walked away.

Nina Larson, the math teacher, walked in from the hallway and asked casually.

"Did Zach Mercer beat someone up again?"

My pen paused over the student assignments. "Again?"

"Oh, right, you just transferred here so you wouldn't know. Zach is the biggest troublemaker in Class Three."

"His parents get called in almost every week. The funny thing is, he always cries and acts so apologetic, even smacking his own hands with a ruler. But the next week, he does it all over again."

"Who knows how his parents actually raise him."

Frowning slightly, I pulled up Zach's student file.

Father: Logan Mercer.

Mother: Sheila Young.

"You know Mercer Technologies downtown? His dad founded it."

"His mom owns a high-end art gallery. Both of them are elites―a tech CEO and a painter. You'd think their kid would be a prodigy, but he turned out to be a little terror."

Nina sighed in frustration and handed me an administrative form.

"By the way, the principal said you only filled in your own name under family emergency contacts. You need to complete it."

I gave a quiet hum.

"I grew up in an orphanage. I don't have any family."

"Oh... I'm so sorry. I'll take it back to the principal for you."

She stood across from me sorting her papers.

Perhaps feeling guilty, she glanced at me several times before working up the courage to speak.

"Ms. Rhodes, it's okay. Once you start dating and get married, you'll have a family of your own."

She even pulled out her phone to show me pictures of her single friends, offering to set me up.

I shook my head, grateful for her kindness.

"Many years ago, I was in love. I almost had a family back then."

"What happened after that?"

I smiled faintly and did not elaborate.

Later, he built a family with someone else, and I was left all alone again.

Nina's expression turned into open disgust.

"You ran into a total scumbag, didn't you? Where did you find him, a dumpster or a septic tank?"

Her bluntness made me chuckle, though my eyes drifted back to the father's name on Zach's file.

Amid the noisy chatter of students leaving for the day, my mind drifted back to freshman year of high school.

That was the first time I met Logan, and it was also because of a fight.

I had punched my desk mate for calling me a bastard orphan.

Logan had beaten up the gym captain for calling him a jinx.

Neither of us was willing to admit fault, and neither of us had parents to call, so we were made to stand beneath the flagpole together.

While the principal scolded us over the loudspeaker, Logan noticed the cotton ball stuffed in my bloody nose and the cut on my index finger.

He narrowed his dark eyes at me. "Did you lose?"

I bit my lip. "I just skipped breakfast and was off my game. Next time, I'll beat him until he begs for mercy."

He paused, his tone cool and confident.

"Next time you need to fight, find me. I'll make sure you win."

Nina waved her hand in front of my face.

"You fought because your desk mate had a foul mouth. Why did he fight?"

I rubbed the faint scar on my index finger, my eyes scanning past the word 'Father' on the file to 'Grandmother.'

"His father passed away when he was young, his grandparents died in grade school, and his mother fell seriously ill in middle school. The neighbors had to pool money for his tuition."

"All the kids said he brought bad luck to everyone around him."

Nina stared in disbelief, sighing after a long pause.

"Two poor souls clinging to each other."

I pressed my lips together.

Actually, once we got into a top university, those two poor souls became three.

My best friend from the orphanage happened to attend the same college.

She ran toward me excitedly on move-in day, accidentally bumping into Logan's thermos.

The hot cocoa he had made for me spilled all over both of them.

Afraid they would get off on the wrong foot, I rushed to introduce them.

"Logan, this is Sheila Young, my absolute best friend from the orphanage."

"Sheila, this is my boyfriend, Logan Mercer."