Chapter 1

Five years ago, I was accused of hiring someone to hurt the girl Edward Shaw loved most.

I tried to explain, but no one listened.

Every piece of evidence pointed to me, and he made sure I ended up behind bars.

"You've had your happy life long enough," he sneered. "Time to learn some lessons."

Finally, I was free, and there he was—crazy and desperate. He pressed me against the wall, asking if I still cared for him.

I stared at the man I once knew so well and slapped him across the face.

*****

The day I walked free, Edward sent someone to pick me up.

Before I got in the car, his lawyer, Colter Brooks, handed me a divorce agreement. The look in his eyes was pure disdain.

I kept quiet, my eyes lingering on those bold letters.

Colter reminded me, "Ms. King, all these years, he's been so tolerant, but you've really gone too far this time.

"His wedding with Kimberly Castillo is coming. You'd better hurry up and sign this. Then you're completely done with him."

Colter couldn't stop rattling on, and the fact that Edward had made him come pick me up left him feeling sick to his stomach.

He kept rambling, but I had already put my signature on the paper.

Five years ago, the moment my dad was forced to kill himself, there was no possible future for Edward and me.

Five years ago, just before I was sent to prison, my dad came to Edward, desperately begging him to spare me.

However, his bodyguards dragged me inside without hesitation.

At first, I did everything I could to explain that it wasn't me.

No one believed me, and no one cared what I had to say.

Then my dad died. And soon after, the court announced my sentence.

Everyone told me he was soft enough on me and that I would come out soon.

Only I knew that in his mind, my suffering had been far too easy.

Colter paused for a moment, clearly not expecting me to sign so quickly. He remembered how, years ago, I had ripped up the divorce papers without even a glance.

He knew Edward hated me, so he also treated me badly.

The only reason Colter came to pick me up was because Edward's wedding with Kimberly was coming up, and it was time to officially end things between me and him.

Colter pulled the divorce papers back from me and held them against his chest, warning me not to try anything stupid.

I couldn't be bothered. I just leaned back against the window and fell asleep.

I had a long, disjointed dream. I couldn't remember the details—only that when I woke, cold raindrops were hitting my face.

I blinked awake, the dream slipping away before I could grasp what it was about.

The car came to a stop in front of the most luxurious wedding dress shop in Beloris.

I stared blankly at the glowing sign. Before I could react, Colter grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the car.

He dragged me inside, ignoring my resistance, and shoved me into a private room.

The moment we entered, I lowered my head, too silent to speak.

He finally let go, pushing me down into a chair.

I couldn't figure out what Colter wanted from me. All I wanted was to leave, but he blocked my way, saying my dad had left something for me.

I stayed seated, silent, waiting for the last thing my dad would ever give me.

I had no idea how long I had been sitting there when the curtains slid open and two familiar faces appeared right in front of me.

Kimberly was wearing a fancy wedding dress, shyly nestling into Edward's arms.

Edward reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He remained silent, but his eyes said everything.

Staring at them, I couldn't help but get dragged back to the night before my own wedding to Edward.

Our marriage was just a transaction—a business deal between two families who had known each other for decades. The minute I turned eighteen, they introduced me to him.

Everyone in Beloris thought we were a perfect match, childhood sweethearts.

However, the day I went to try on my wedding dress, Edward ditched me to be with Kimberly. By the time he came home, he was covered in the scent of jasmine.

Kimberly liked that perfume.

I stared at Edward's weary face, wanting to ask him why.

Those words had been stuck in my chest for five long years.

I wanted so badly to ask him, "If you never loved me, then why agree to marry me? With the Shaw family's influence, you never had to settle for something you didn't want."

However, it didn't matter anymore.

I lowered my gaze to my feet—thin, pale, almost horrible. I instinctively drew them back.

A moment later, a pair of sleek leather shoes appeared in my sight.

I looked up and met his eyes.

Edward's gaze was cold, almost icy, fixed on my face. He didn't say a word; he just stared at me for what felt like forever.

It wasn't until Colter walked in that the moment finally broke.

Colter handed the signed divorce papers to Edward.

Edward took the documents, gave me a brief glance, then shifted his gaze to the signature on the page. He frowned the moment he saw my crooked signature.

I just couldn't figure it out. I signed the divorce papers, paid with my youth, and gave up everything. What else did he want from me?

He said, "Isabelle, don't play those tired mind games. That trick doesn't work anymore."

He scowled, clearly irritated, and shoved the divorce agreement back into Colter's hands.

Edward said with a blank face, "Get another copy. These scribbles look awful. People would think it was forged."

Colter blinked in surprise, then plastered on a professional smile as he explained, "She put her signature right in front of me. Everything is official."

Edward's frown deepened. His gaze lingered on my face, heavy with annoyance, as if my existence itself offended him.

Not long after, Kimberly showed up in a strapless wedding dress, playing the perfect bride-to-be.

Her eyes widened when she saw me—just for a second—before she masked it with a sweet smile.

She smiled sweetly at me. "Isabelle, when did you get out? Edward should have told me. I would have come to pick you up."

Her tone was casual, like we were just old friends meeting after a long trip.

I still stayed silent.

For a split second, Kimberly's smile froze. Then she glanced at Edward, looking all pitiful.

She even put on an innocent act and apologized, "It's all my fault. Nothing really happened to me, but Isabelle spent five years in prison because of me. I'm so sorry."

It sounded sincere enough, but all the while, her eyes were glued to Edward, like the apology was for him to see.

Colter glanced at me and scoffed. "What's wrong? Say something. You used to have plenty to say, didn't you?"

Still, I didn't answer. I stood and held out my hand toward him.

He didn't get what I wanted, and both Edward and Kimberly gave me weird looks, wondering what I was up to.

I pulled out a tiny notebook from my pocket and wrote "recorder" in bold letters for everyone to see.

Colter finally got the message. With a disgusted sigh, he fished a recorder out of his suit pocket and dropped it into my hand.

I took the device carefully, ignoring everyone in the room, and strode straight out of the shop without looking back.