Can't Win Me Back

Amber returned to the laundry room after helping the teacher.

Upon her return, she was forced up against the wall by Axel, who pressed his body against her and stared into her eyes.This is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

Her heart was beating uncontrollably. Drawn into his bright and sharp gaze, she found herself falling helplessly for him.

She longed for a ray of light to shine through the cracks and illuminate her dark life. His eyes turned out to be the source of light she had been searching high and low for. "Ms. Altman, did you leave something behind just now?" he teased her in a low chuckle that ended with a seductive lilt.

"What..." Her voice trailed off. She grabbed the edge of the wall firmly as her heart pounded like a drum.

Grinning, he casually brushed his nose tip against hers. The gentle and cheeky move resembled the touch of a lover. Suddenly, he rasped, "You left my heart behind." Amber, whose heart had been racing, broke into laughter. Axel raised a quizzical brow at her. "Tsk! What are you laughing at?"

"Mr. Axel, I assume you haven't dated before, right? Not every girl could take your cheesy jokes." Amber, covering her mouth, laughed uncontrollably in front of him. The affection in his eyes deepened. He clicked his tongue and retorted, "That was a pickup line!"

"A funny pickup line is a joke in itself." She was halfway through teasing him when her eyes wavered in shock. Her silver locket dangled and swayed gently in front of her.

"My necklace!" She frantically fumbled around her neck as all color drained from her face. She had no idea when she had dropped it!

"Give it back!" She reached out to snatch the locket from him, but he playfully raised his arms to keep it out of her reach. She stood on her tiptoe but failed to reach it. He questioned, "Who's that pretty girl in the photo?"

"She's my friend!" Her cheeks flushed before turning white again. This time, she jumped to reach it, but her efforts were futile.

"Do you even have friends? Even if you want to make friends, Jameson Schmidt wouldn't allow it," Axel questioned in disbelief.

"She's... my younger sister!" She spoke in a higher pitch from the embarrassment.

"You literally told me you were an orphan. Why is there a sister in the picture?" His expression soured. Then, he swung the locket and grabbed it. "Ms. Altman, if you refuse to tell me the truth, I'll have to confiscate this and return it to you next time."

Close to tears, she blurted out, "That was me!"

He fixed a deep, emotional gaze on her.

"I was the girl in the photo. It was taken when I was 20. The photo was the only profile photo I have of myself before I was molded into Alyssa Taylor." Her lips quivered. She was overcome with bitterness. "Jameson destroyed all my old photos after I got my plastic surgery, but I managed to save a photo without him knowing. This is the only photo I have of myself.

"Without it, I'm scared that one day I might forget how I look like. If that happened, no one would remember that Amber Altman once existed. I would be no different than an empty shell."

Though she obediently played the role of Alyssa Taylor by Jameson's side, she desperately wished that she could be herself again one day.

"So, please return it to me." Tears streamed down her cheeks when she started speaking. The tears sent a pang of pain through his heart, scarring him.

He silently took her hand and placed the locket, still warm from his touch, on her palm.

Axel and Amber left the orphanage when night fell. Axel hadn't expected her to spend an entire day there, and she was surprised he'd keep her company the whole day.

She said to him, "I'm heading back. Bye."

"Amber Altman!"

Her body stiffened when Axel called out to her. She slowly turned around and gaped at what she saw. Axel stood there holding some lit sparklers. The tiny sparks shimmered like clusters of flowers or ethereal fairies dancing at night.

Smiling, he waved the sparklers around, putting on a delightful fireworks display under the starlit sky.