Your Love Is But a Dream

Chapter 1

"I'm going abroad to further my studies like you suggested, Aunt Katrina," said Clara Salford.

Katrina Caldwell's face brightened upon hearing that. It was as though she had been relieved of a heavy burden. "That's great, Clara! I'm glad you've finally thought it through.

"I'll help you with the admissions process and apply for a student visa at once. You'd best seize the time you have left this last month to say goodbye to your friends. After all, you won't be able to hang out with them again."

Just then, a hesitant expression crept onto Katrina's face. "Shall I tell Wren on your behalf?"

Clara balled her fists and shook her head. "I can tell him myself, Aunt Katrina."

"Alright, then. You can decide what to do." Katrina felt it wasn't her place to say anything more, so she nodded before leaving the living room.

Clara's palms were red when she unclenched her fists. Then, she silently stood, headed upstairs, and opened the door to her bedroom. Upon switching on the lights, it illuminated the wall full of pictures.

She approached the wall, her gaze settling on the centermost photo of two people.

The two stood in the bright spring daylight under lush, blossoming trees. The young man had bushy brows, and his head hung low as he smiled at the girl with a flowy white dress beside him. Those were Wren and Clara when they were 20 and 15 years old, respectively. Clara reached up to touch the photo. She couldn't help but smile, yet tears silently welled in her eyes. Her vision soon blurred. Even so, the memories between her and Wren were crystal clear in her mind.

Alas, nothing was exempt from change. She and Wren could never go back to how they used to be.

Wren Zachman was Clara's older brother, but only in name. They weren't biologically related since he was Katrina's stepson. Katrina had been looking after him since his mother passed away.

Clara loved following the older and handsome Wren around as a little girl.

When Clara was seven years old, her parents died in a car accident. She was the only survivor. However, that caused the Salford family to see her as a scourge of bad luck. They saw her as the main culprit behind her parents' deaths.

Her grandmother kicked her out of the family during winter. It left her kneeling in the snow and nearly freezing to death.

Wren got there in time

even now how Wren suppressed his rage as he spoke to the Salford family

myself! Clara will be a Zachman from now on. She'll have nothing more

warmly held Clara's hand and spoke with

that. He practically raised Clara alone. With time, his proud love and care for her pulled her out of the pain and fear of losing

protected her. She couldn't avoid falling in love with Wren, who had kept her company and defended her as

was why she couldn't hold back the love in her heart on her

had said, "Today's your birthday, Clarey. I'll grant your wish,

Wren. Yet,

you're doing, Clara? I'm

related. You're not my actual

can depend on me, but dependence doesn't equal love! Don't ever bring up such things again!" "Why can't I?" Clara stubbornly met Wren's eyes. "I love you!

lost your mind, Clara. You should calm down and think carefully about what you're doing. I want you to move out of my home if you dare say such revolting things

that day. Since then, there seemed to be an

stopped coming home every day. Clara struggled

terrified. She didn't like this version of Wren, so she hung her head in

rings, hoping to

talking to Wren. They asked, "Why isn't your clingy adoptive

her up? What a total

annoyance on Wren's face through the slight crack of the opened door. Her smile tensed

and summoned the courage

once he saw her.

the bitterness in her chest as she gingerly handed the gift to Wren. "I designed this for you myself. There's something I want to

glance. Instead, he abruptly held the hand of a woman beside him. With a face full of smiles, he announced, "Ivy and I are getting engaged next month. Everyone's welcome to attend our engagement party then!" Ivy Jones was a girl whom Wren's dad, Carlisle Zachman, introduced to the

tears back but no longer repressed her intense feelings. She looked at Wren's back, still refusing to accept defeat. "Are you joking, Wren? You're only getting engaged with

was sarcastic. "You're overthinking things. Ivy and I have long been seeing each other. You should address her as your future

all around her, feeling dizzy like tumbling in a tornado. She didn't