Since 1998

The Glasshouse Promise

Allison Ainsley was only eleven years old when she developed her first real crush, whom she first saw in the summer of 1998. He happened to be his schoolmate in grade school. She often stalked him silently, yet she was too shy to approach him.

There is something about that boy. At eleven, he was arrogant with cynical eyes. He was always serious which made him so attractive. His skin was pale and Allison described him as a vampire.

But in that one-sided childhood crush, someone was secretly admiring Allison too. He was so close to her and they were inseparable. It happened that her parents found out about that boy's family background, and Allison heard her parents' arguments. They just decided to send her away.

They can't simply grow up together. His dad really hated his family.

Now Allison was about to lose two important people in her life and as a kid dependent on her family, there was nothing else she could do but cry.

She escaped that day to meet her best friend, Devin in the place where they first met, where they built their makeshift fort a year ago. She ran, breathless, until she found him there, sitting on the sand, waiting at Charleston beach, summer of 1999.

Devin saw her coming from afar and he slowly stood up, “You came…”

“I escaped, barely, just to see you today.”

“But why? Did your parents forbid you from seeing me?”

The sky suddenly rumbled, and heavy rain was about to pour.

Devin and Allison stood still. He waited patiently for her answer while she looked completely lost. To him, something in her had changed.

“Allison…”

“Devin, let's get inside, it's about to rain.” She pulled her best friend toward their makeshift fort. “It's getting smaller.” She gestured around the cramped space.

“Well, we're growing up, Ali. Maybe we should make a bigger one.”

Devin sat beside her, his eyes scanning her cryptic face.

She looked at him, the weight of two massive secrets crushing her tongue. If she told him about the boy she was crazy about, it would break his heart. If she told him what her parents were planning, it would ruin his day.

Allison hesitated, but it was what she had come for. She gathered her courage. “Devin, my mom and dad are thinking about sending me far away because of you.”

“What? Why?”

A blinding flash of lightning split the sky. Thunder cracked, rattling the driftwood logs above their heads. Allison flinched, instinctively burying her face against Devin's shoulder as the heavy downpour finally slammed against the roof.

Panic gripped her. “Oh s**t!” She peeked outside at the raging storm. “If they find out I wasn't home, they'll blame it all on you.”

“I'm sorry. You shouldn't have come.”

“They'll think we ran away if they find us here. Let's hide somewhere.”

But the wind grew stronger. Their fort swayed, and the roof was nearly ripped clean off. Devin shielded her with his body as the deafening roar of the rain swallowed Allison's scream.

“We can't, Ali! Not until the storm calms down!”

Allison tensed. She looked at him for a long beat, then threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

“Hey, what's wrong?”

“Devin, I just wanted to thank you for being my friend.”

Devin patted her back, wondering why she was being so sentimental all of a sudden. “Allison, come on, don't say things like that.”

“Sorry. Just in case, you know... if Mom and Dad find out I wasn't home.”

Devin took her hands in his. “I'm going to talk to them.”

Gradually, the rain began to fade.

Allison brushed a layer of damp sand off her knees, peering out into the gray afternoon. “It stopped. Come on, let's hide somewhere else…”

She crawled toward the narrow opening of the fort, but the moment her head cleared the driftwood logs, her entire body locked up.

“D—dad?”

Alex Ainsley stood just outside in a drenched, tailored suit. Beside him, Devin's uncle stood with his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

Alex glared down at Devin, shook his head in disgust, and turned away without a single word.

Lauren Ainsley walked toward her daughter, her high heels sinking deep into the wet muck. She grabbed the girl roughly by the elbow, pulling her up. "On your feet."

"No! Devin…" Allison yelled, reaching back one last time to hug her best friend.

"Allison!" Devin scrambled out of the ruins of the fort.

Ben Austin stepped in, firmly catching Devin by the shoulders and pulling him back. The kids' fingers brushed, then slipped apart.

In the middle of the chaos, Lauren managed to steal a final glance, her eyes locking onto Ben’s with a heavy, unspoken pain.

Tears blurred Devin’s vision as he watched Allison being led down the beach by her parents.

"Why are they taking her?" Devin sobbed, turning to his uncle. "She didn't do anything wrong!"

Ben let out a long, shaky breath. "Of all the people in the world, Devin... why did it have to be her?"

"I don't understand, Uncle. We're just best friends."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Ben said quietly. “But she's not for you.”

Devin wiped his nose. "I told her she talks just like you."

Ben let out a hollow, bitter laugh. "Is that a compliment?"

"I like her, Uncle. But I couldn't say it. You knew her family well, and you even liked her—now you're saying she's not for me?"

Ben’s laugh died. He looked down at Devin with sudden, stark seriousness. "Devin, if her parents are forcing a separation between you two, it means they have already decided on her future.”

“What?”

Ben remembered how he, too, had been forced apart from the person he loved years ago. His thoughts drifted back to the painful love triangle of his youth.

Devin shattered the silence. "Uncle, what if we buy this land? I want to buy this entire beach. I'm going to build her that glass house.”

Ben raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Really? So you're finally ready to claim the fortune your parents left behind?"

🔅🔅🔅

The next day, Devin waited anxiously outside the heavy iron gates of the Ainsley mansion. Maria, Allison’s nanny, slipped out to meet him.

“Devin, I’m so sorry. You won't be able to see her anymore."

Devin’s heart dropped. "Just one last time? Please.”

Maria blinked back tears, glancing nervously toward the dark windows of the estate. "We are moving to Spain. But here is the address. Send your letters to me, and I’ll make sure she gets them."

Maria hurried back inside, terrified that Alex would catch her talking to the boy.

Upstairs in Allison’s vast bedroom, Lauren sat on the edge of the mattress. Allison lay face down, her face buried in a pillow, her eyes swollen shut from crying.

Leaving her daughter in peace, Lauren went downstairs, only to find Alex standing by the window, staring blankly out at the grounds.

Lauren slipped into the study and closed the heavy wooden door behind her. "They're just kids, Alex. They didn't mean anything by it. She said he’s just like a brother to her.”

Alex kept his back to her, his fingers tightening against the window frame as he stared out at the rainy grounds. "I saw how you looked at him, Lauren. At Ben.”

Lauren remained speechless. She couldn't find the words to defend herself, knowing Alex wouldn't listen anyway.

The heavy silence broke when visitors arrived in the foyer. Together, they went out to meet them.

Olivia Hollingsworth, a powerful single-mother tycoon, stood in the center of the room. Her high heels clacked sharply against the marble floor.

“Olivia.”

“What is this I hear, Alex? You're leaving for Spain?”

“I'll be back in six months—alone,” Alex answered. His gaze dropped to the young boy standing stiffly at Olivia’s side. The child looked thoroughly bored, his dark eyes fixed firmly on the floor. "Is this Daniel? He's grown so much."

Olivia's manicured fingers dug firmly into her son's shoulder. "Daniel. Greet your future in-laws.”

The chilling words from the boy's mother twisted his stomach. Future in-laws? he thought. Mom—seriously?

But Olivia's eyes were sharply observing him. Realizing he had no choice but to play along, Daniel bowed politely.

Just then, Allison appeared at the top of the stairs, with messy hair. She peered over the railing, the misery on her face instantly evaporating as she processed the guests below.

"I see," Olivia murmured. "This must be Allison."

My poor daughter, Lauren sighed silently.

Daniel and Allison locked eyes. In that exact moment, something clicked. She recognized the boy right away, and her heart began to race. It's him! What is he doing here? She instantly spun around and ran back toward her room, nearly colliding with Maria in the hallway. “M—Maria, it's him, right? What is he doing here?”

Downstairs, Daniel watched her bolt and scoffed under his breath. Seriously? That crazy stalker? Huh. Ain't she lucky? She literally won a lottery. There was absolutely no way he would ever consider a crybaby like her.

“Forgive her, Olivia. My daughter is just shy,” Alex said, placing a reassuring hand on Daniel's stiff shoulder.

“How are they supposed to grow up together, Alex, if you're sending her away?” Olivia asked, raising an eyebrow.

🔅🔅🔅

A few months later, Devin wrote his first letter.

Dear Allison,

I'm inserting a laugh here with missing teeth. I'm sorry if I don't know what to say. I hope you are smiling now. Don't be sad anymore. We'll see each other again, I promise. This letter is as short as the time we were friends—one fine, short summer.

Bye,

Devin.

"Thank you, Maria.” Allison hugged her nanny after she gave Allison Devin's letter.

Weeks later, Devin practically flew up his driveway, nearly wiping out on the concrete. Allison wrote back.

Butterflies exploded in Devin’s stomach. With a shaky hand, he reached into his bedside drawer and pulled out a hidden note—a confession letter.