Chapter 1 — First Meet
Characters :
Elysia Zehryia Laurent
Elysia Zehryia Laurent is the eldest daughter and heiress of Laurent Holdings, one of the most powerful family-owned corporations in the country. Known to the public as elegant, intelligent, and composed, she is often regarded as the perfect successor to her family’s empire. Behind closed doors, however, Elysia is simply a tired eldest daughter carrying responsibilities that were never meant for someone her age. While her two younger sisters are spoiled and cherished, Elysia is expected to sacrifice her freedom, postpone marriage, and dedicate her life to the family business. As a result, she has grown fiercely independent, emotionally guarded, and accustomed to handling everything alone.
Despite her cold reputation, Elysia has a sharp sense of humor and a smart mouth that often appears when she’s annoyed. She dislikes coffee and tea, preferring sweet drinks instead, and has a particular weakness for mango, cookies-and-cream, and matcha-flavored desserts. She loves tulips, especially the softer shades, and finds comfort in rainy days. Whenever she feels overwhelmed, she retreats to her room, sits at her desk, and quietly buries herself in work on her computer rather than confronting her emotions.
Every year on her birthday, Elysia cries alone. Her parents have never truly celebrated it, often leaving assistants to deliver expensive gifts in their place. Over time, she learned to associate love with effort, attention, and visible gestures, believing that affection must be proven rather than freely given. Unknown to almost everyone around her, she also struggles with panic attacks, which she hides carefully behind a flawless image and a practiced smile.
Louis Jasver Beaumont
Louis Jasver Beaumont is the only son and heir of the Beaumont family, Laurent Holdings’ longtime business partner and one of the wealthiest families in the country. Handsome, charming, and notoriously unattainable, Louis has earned a reputation as the elite social circle’s most infamous playboy. He is rarely seen without attention surrounding him, yet no relationship ever lasts long enough to become serious. Most people assume he is careless and irresponsible, but beneath his easy smiles and effortless confidence is someone far more observant than he allows others to see.
Unlike Elysia, Louis never intended to inherit a life defined by expectations. Growing up among powerful families taught him that many relationships were built on status, convenience, and appearances rather than genuine affection. By the time he reached high school, he had already stopped believing in lasting love, choosing instead to keep people at a comfortable distance before they could leave him first.
Louis is exceptionally intelligent despite pretending otherwise. He rarely studies openly, yet consistently excels, frustrating Elysia to no end. Their families have been close business partners for decades, which means the two have known each other since childhood. What began as endless bickering evolved into an unusual friendship neither of them would ever admit to valuing.
Throughout the years, Louis became the person who always seemed to find Elysia whenever she disappeared during family events. Whether she was hiding in a library, a garden, or on a quiet balcony, he would simply sit beside her without demanding explanations. While Elysia claims he is immature and incapable of commitment, Louis quietly remembers details about her that nobody else notices—her favorite flowers, her favorite desserts, her tendency to isolate herself when overwhelmed, and the birthdays she spends pretending not to care about.
Though he fails nearly every material standard Elysia claims to have, Louis unknowingly fulfills every emotional one. And that may become the one thing neither of them is prepared for.
Chapter 1 : First Meet
The Laurent Estate was enormous.
At seven years old, Elysia Zehryia Laurent thought it looked less like a home and more like a museum where nobody was allowed to touch anything.
The chandeliers sparkled.
The marble floors gleamed.
The paintings lining the hallways were worth more money than most people would earn in their lifetimes.
And yet somehow, despite all its beauty, the mansion felt empty.
Elysia sat curled up in one of the estate’s quieter sitting rooms, her small legs tucked beneath her as she read a book nearly half the size of her torso.
The room was silent except for the turning of pages.
Exactly how she liked it.
Outside, adults laughed.
Business partners mingled.
Glasses clinked.
The smell of expensive food drifted through the halls.
None of it interested her.
Business dinners happened almost every month.
The same people.
The same conversations.
The same compliments.
The same fake smiles.
Elysia had long learned that adults enjoyed pretending.
Pretending they liked each other.
Pretending they weren’t judging each other’s wealth.
Pretending they cared about things they didn’t.
It was exhausting.
Books were easier.
Books made sense.
Books never lied.
She adjusted her bookmark and turned another page.
“...and the princess refused to marry the prince because—”
“Ew.”
Elysia froze.
That voice definitely hadn’t come from her book.
Slowly, she looked up.
A boy stood across the room.
He looked about her age.
Maybe older.
Dark hair.
Expensive clothes.
Annoying face.
The last one wasn’t an observation.
It was a feeling.
The boy stared at her book like it had personally offended him.
“That’s boring.”
Elysia blinked.
Then looked back down at her book.
Ignoring him completely.
The boy frowned.
“Did you hear me?”
Nothing.
She turned another page.
His eyes narrowed.
“Hello?”
Nothing.
Another page.
The boy looked genuinely offended.
Nobody ignored him.
Especially not a tiny girl hiding in a chair.
He marched over.
Elysia heard footsteps approaching.
Still, she refused to look up.
Maybe if she ignored him long enough, he’d go away.
Adults usually did.
Children apparently didn’t.
“What are you reading?”
Silence.
“Why are you ignoring me?”
Silence.
“Can you even talk?”
Elysia slowly lifted her eyes.
The boy grinned.
Finally.
A reaction.
“You ask too many questions.”
The grin immediately vanished.
“What?”
“You ask too many questions.”
The boy stared.
Then scoffed.
“I’ve only asked three.”
“Exactly.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’re annoying.”
The boy looked horrified.
As though nobody had ever informed him of this fact before.
Which, honestly, explained a lot.
“I’m not annoying.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
The boy pointed accusingly.
“You don’t know me.”
Elysia returned her attention to her book.
“I know enough.”
A few seconds passed.
Then—
The book disappeared.
Elysia’s eyes widened.
The boy had snatched it directly from her hands.
“What are you doing?”
“There,” he said triumphantly.
“You finally sound interested.”
Elysia stared.
The audacity.
The sheer audacity.
No one touched her books.
Ever.
The boy flipped through pages carelessly.
“This is what you’re reading?”
“Give it back.”
“It’s all words.”
“That’s what books are.”
“Seems fake.”
Elysia looked at him like he was stupid.
The boy frowned.
“What?”
“You don’t read much, do you?”
“I do.”
“You don’t.”
“I do.”
“You don’t.”
The boy crossed his arms.
“You’re doing that thing again.”
“What thing?”
“Being annoying.”
Elysia nearly laughed.
Nearly.
Instead, she reached for her book.
The boy pulled it away.
“Hey.”
“Give it back.”
“No.”
“Give.”
“No.”
“Give.”
“No.”
Elysia’s eye twitched.
She had never met someone this irritating in her entire life.
And she had relatives.
The boy seemed delighted by her frustration.
“What’s your name?”
“No.”
“What?”
“No.”
“That’s not a name.”
“It is today.”
The boy snorted.
For some reason, that annoyed her even more.
“I’m Louis.”
She didn’t care.
“Louis Jasver Beaumont.”
Still didn’t care.
“Our families are business partners.”
That explained everything.
Only rich people had enough confidence to introduce themselves unprompted.
Elysia looked away.
Louis looked personally insulted.
Again.
“You don’t care?”
“No.”
“You should.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m important.”
Elysia stared at him.
Then she stared harder.
Then—
To Louis Beaumont’s horror—
She started laughing.
Actually laughing.
The kind that escaped before she could stop it.
Louis looked betrayed.
“What’s so funny?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not funny.”
“You are right now.”
“No, I’m not.”
“You are.”
Louis groaned dramatically.
“I already don’t like you.”
“Good.”
“Good?”
“That makes two of us.”
Louis gaped.
Then narrowed his eyes.
Challenge accepted.
He handed the book back.
Elysia immediately checked for damage.
The pages were fine.
Good.
Then she noticed something.
Her bookmark was missing.
She frowned.
Flipped through pages.
Nothing.
Checked the floor.
Nothing.
Louis suddenly looked very interested in the ceiling.
Suspiciously interested.
Elysia’s eyes narrowed.
“...Louis.”
“No.”
“You took it.”
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
“I didn’t.”
Elysia held out her hand.
Louis smiled.
It was the smile of someone making a terrible decision.
Then he pulled the bookmark from his jacket pocket.
And ran.
The little brat ran.
Elysia stared.
For exactly two seconds.
Then she launched herself after him.
“GET BACK HERE!”
Louis laughed.
The sound echoed through the hallway.
For someone with expensive shoes, he ran surprisingly fast.
Elysia chased him through corridor after corridor.
Past startled employees.
Past confused guests.
Past a horrified housekeeper.
Louis looked over his shoulder.
“Catch me!”
“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!”
“You sound like your grandmother!”
“I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!”
Louis laughed harder.
Eventually he reached a dead end.
The hallway ended at a large window.
He stopped.
Turned.
Grinned.
And held up the bookmark triumphantly.
Victory.
Or so he thought.
Because Elysia Laurent had reached the end of her patience.
And when Elysia reached the end of her patience, bad things happened.
Louis saw her expression.
“...Uh oh.”
Correct.
Before he could react—
Elysia kicked him.
Hard.
Right in the shin.
“OW!”
Louis doubled over.
The bookmark slipped from his hand.
Elysia caught it.
Victory.
She adjusted the ribbon calmly.
Then glared at him.
Louis clutched his leg.
“You kicked me!”
“You stole from me.”
“It was a joke!”
“It wasn’t funny.”
“It was a little funny.”
“It wasn’t.”
“It kind of was.”
“It wasn’t.”
Louis stared.
Then—
To Elysia’s surprise—
He started laughing.
Not mocking.
Not mean.
Just laughing.
Elysia blinked.
“What are you doing?”
“You’re crazy.”
“I’m not.”
“You kicked me.”
“You deserved it.”
Louis considered this.
“...Fair.”
Elysia looked suspicious.
Most children would’ve cried.
Or complained.
Or run to adults.
Louis simply sat on the floor.
Still laughing.
Weird.
Very weird.
After a moment, he patted the space beside him.
“Sit.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want to.”
“That’s a boring answer.”
Elysia rolled her eyes.
Louis waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Finally—
With the reluctance of someone accepting a prison sentence—
She sat down.
A full three feet away from him.
Louis immediately noticed.
“Why are you sitting so far away?”
“So I don’t have to kick you again.”
“That’s rude.”
“You stole my bookmark.”
“One time.”
“You’ve known me for twenty minutes.”
“Still.”
Elysia sighed.
Louis smiled.
Then pointed toward her book.
“So what’s it about?”
Elysia hesitated.
Normally she hated explaining things.
But for some reason—
Maybe because he hadn’t run crying to adults.
Maybe because he’d laughed after getting kicked.
Maybe because he seemed just as bored by these parties as she was.
She answered.
And Louis listened.
Actually listened.
Interrupting occasionally.
Asking questions.
Making ridiculous comments.
Arguing with the plot.
By the time Elysia finished explaining, she realized something strange.
She wasn’t annoyed anymore.
Well.
Maybe slightly annoyed.
But less.
Louis stretched.
“This party is boring.”
“Obviously.”
“Want to explore the mansion?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
A pause.
Then—
“...Maybe.”
Louis grinned.
Elysia immediately regretted it.
The grin looked dangerous.
Like future trouble.
The kind of trouble that would follow her for years.
Neither child knew it yet.
Neither knew they would spend the next two decades arguing.
Or protecting each other.
Or showing up for each other when nobody else did.
Neither knew they would become each other’s favorite person to fight with.
For now—
They were just two lonely children hiding from a business dinner.
One with a stolen bookmark.
The other with a bruised shin.
And somehow, against all odds—
The beginning of a friendship.
Neither of them would ever admit it.
Especially not Louis.
Because according to him, friendship wasn’t what happened when a girl kicked you.
And according to Elysia, friendship definitely wasn’t what happened when a boy stole your bookmark.
Yet as they disappeared down the hallway together, leaving the adults and their business deals behind—
The first chapter of their story quietly began.
The following Monday morning, Elysia Zehryia Laurent was already having a terrible day.
Which was impressive considering it was only 7:15 a.m.
She sat in the backseat of the family car, staring blankly out the window as the city passed by.
Her first day of first grade.
How exciting.
Or at least that was what every adult kept saying.
Elysia didn’t understand the excitement.
School meant people.
People meant conversations.
Conversations meant questions.
And questions were usually stupid.
The driver pulled up to the front gates of Saint Augustine Academy, one of the most prestigious private schools in the city.
Children in neatly pressed uniforms poured through the entrance.
Parents hovered nearby.
Some children cried.
Some looked excited.
Some looked terrified.
Elysia looked annoyed.
The driver opened her door.
“Have a good day, Miss Laurent.”
She nodded politely.
Then stepped out.
Immediately, she missed her room.
And her books.
And silence.
Mostly silence.
Adjusting the strap of her backpack, Elysia headed toward the classroom building.
Students rushed around her.
Teachers greeted parents.
The entire school buzzed with energy.
It was loud.
Far too loud.
A wrinkle formed between her brows.
She hated loud.
By the time she reached Classroom 1-A, her patience was already hanging by a thread.
The room was half-full.
Children chatted excitedly.
Some introduced themselves.
Others compared supplies.
Elysia ignored all of them.
She chose a seat beside the window and pulled out a book.
Naturally.
A few curious classmates stared.
Most seven-year-olds didn’t immediately start reading on the first day.
Elysia didn’t care.
People were easier to tolerate when they were quiet.
The classroom door suddenly opened.
And then—
Elysia froze.
No.
Absolutely not.
The universe couldn’t possibly hate her that much.
Yet there he was.
Louis Jasver Beaumont.
Standing in the doorway.
Smiling.
Alive.
Unfortunately.
The moment Louis spotted her, his face lit up.
Like he’d found something entertaining.
Elysia immediately glared.
Hard.
Very hard.
The kind of glare usually reserved for villains.
Or people who stole bookmarks.
Louis grinned wider.
The traitor.
The absolute menace.
He walked straight into the classroom.
Straight toward her.
Straight toward disaster.
“No.”
Louis stopped.
“What?”
“No.”
“What do you mean no?”
“You are not sitting here.”
Louis looked around.
Then pointed at the empty seat beside her.
“But I want that seat.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re annoying.”
“Still?”
“You stole my bookmark.”
“That was three days ago.”
“Exactly.”
Louis looked genuinely confused.
Elysia wasn’t surprised.
People like him probably forgot every bad thing they’d ever done.
Louis dropped into the seat anyway.
Elysia’s eye twitched.
“You can’t stop me.”
“I can.”
“How?”
“I’ll tell the teacher.”
Louis gasped dramatically.
“You would betray me?”
“We’re not friends.”
His grin returned.
“Sure.”
Elysia hated that grin.
Especially because it kept appearing.
The teacher entered before she could continue the argument.
The room quickly settled.
“Good morning, everyone.”
The students greeted her back.
“My name is Mrs. Castillo, and I’ll be your teacher this year.”
Elysia immediately paid attention.
Louis immediately got bored.
Predictable.
Mrs. Castillo began introducing classroom rules.
Most students listened.
Some fidgeted.
Louis doodled on a piece of paper.
Elysia noticed.
“You’re not listening.”
“I am.”
“No, you’re drawing.”
“I can do both.”
“You can’t.”
“I can.”
“You can’t.”
“I can.”
Mrs. Castillo looked in their direction.
Both children immediately became silent.
The teacher continued.
Louis smirked.
Elysia wanted to throw him out the window.
Not fatally.
Just enough to inconvenience him.
A little later, Mrs. Castillo began writing on the board.
“Today, we’ll start with a simple grammar exercise.”
Elysia sat straighter.
Finally.
Something interesting.
Mrs. Castillo wrote a sentence.
“The dogs is running in the park.”
Several students nodded.
A few copied it down.
Elysia stared.
Then stared harder.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Slowly, she raised her hand.
Mrs. Castillo smiled.
“Yes, Elysia?”
“The sentence is incorrect.”
The room fell silent.
Mrs. Castillo blinked.
“Oh?”
“The dogs is running should be the dogs are running.”
A pause.
Another pause.
Mrs. Castillo turned toward the board.
Then laughed softly.
“You’re right.”
The sentence was corrected.
Several students looked impressed.
Others looked confused.
Louis looked amused.
Very amused.
Elysia didn’t know why.
The lesson continued.
A few minutes later—
Another mistake.
Another raised hand.
Another correction.
Then another.
And another.
By lunch, Elysia had corrected her teacher four times.
Not because she wanted to embarrass anyone.
She genuinely couldn’t help it.
Wrong grammar bothered her.
Like an itch.
A terrible, irritating itch.
When lunch arrived, the classroom exploded into noise.
Students gathered into groups.
Introductions happened.
Friendships formed.
Elysia took her lunch and headed for a quiet corner.
Naturally.
Three seconds later, Louis appeared.
Naturally.
“You always sit alone?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Peace.”
“You sound eighty.”
“You sound five.”
“We’re seven.”
“Exactly.”
Louis sat across from her.
Without permission.
Again.
Elysia sighed.
Again.
Louis peered at her lunch.
“Mango pudding?”
“It’s good.”
“Looks weird.”
“You’re weird.”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“It is if I decide it is.”
Elysia stared.
Louis smiled.
Elysia looked away.
A dangerous realization suddenly appeared.
He wasn’t leaving.
Not now.
Not ever.
Like a mosquito.
A wealthy mosquito.
The worst kind.
The afternoon passed surprisingly quickly.
Lessons.
Activities.
Introductions.
By the end of the day, most students looked exhausted.
Elysia wasn’t.
She actually enjoyed learning.
The only exhausting thing was Louis.
As students packed their belongings, Louis leaned back in his chair.
“We survived.”
“We went to school.”
“Exactly.”
“That’s normal.”
“It was traumatic.”
Elysia rolled her eyes.
“You’re dramatic.”
“My mother says I’m charming.”
“She lied.”
Louis clutched his chest.
“Wounded.”
“You’ll live.”
“I don’t know.”
“You will.”
“Do you even care?”
“No.”
“Wow.”
Elysia stood.
Gathered her books.
And headed toward the door.
Louis followed.
Obviously.
As they exited the classroom, he suddenly spoke.
“See you tomorrow.”
Elysia kept walking.
“Unfortunately.”
Louis laughed.
A real laugh.
The kind that made people smile despite themselves.
Elysia absolutely did not smile.
Not even a little.
Definitely not.
And if she walked home thinking about how annoying Louis Beaumont was...
Or how he somehow made school slightly less boring...
Or how she didn’t completely hate sitting beside him...
Well.
Nobody needed to know that.
Especially Louis.
Because if there was one thing Elysia Zehryia Laurent was absolutely certain of at seven years old—
It was that Louis Jasver Beaumont was the most irritating person she had ever met.
And somehow, despite that fact, he was already becoming part of her life.
