Chapter 1

At our engagement party, everything spiraled out of control because Rayne Russell, Axl Lane's childhood friend, and I wore the same Victorian-style dress. Axl publicly tore my dress to shreds and pushed me into the fountain.

"You've got a heart of stone. I've agreed to marry you, yet you still want to humiliate Rayne," he said.

Climbing out of the fountain, drenched, I watched Axl signal to the group of hooligans outside the door.

"They're yours now. Have fun, do whatever you want."

Surrounded by the thugs, I begged Axl for mercy, but he only shielded Rayne's eyes, saying, "Don't look, it's not worth it."

A week later, he finally remembered me and came with chocolates in hand: "As long as you stop causing trouble, we can still have our wedding."

I looked at him, expressionless: "But Axl, I don't want to marry you anymore."

He seemed surprised by my words, and seeing that I had no intention of taking the chocolates, he thrust them into my arms.

"Still upset? I only meant to scare you that day. Those guys wouldn't dare touch anyone associated with me."

"Besides, this whole mess is your fault. Why do you always have to challenge Rayne? Learn from this and don't do it again."

I said nothing, just stared at the chocolates now in my lap. Their intense sweetness overwhelmed me, irritating my sensitive airways. Quickly, I placed the chocolates on the coffee table and sat as far from them as possible.

Axl's anger flared instantly: "Keira Franklin, what does that mean? Don't make me regret showing kindness! It's just a few harmless touches; I don't mind, so why so dramatic? Let me tell you, many women would kill for the chance to be Mrs. Lane. You better learn to appreciate what's being offered."

Listening to his cold words, it felt like an invisible hand squeezed the life out of my heart. I bit my lip, trying to calm the storm inside, and spoke lightly.

"I'm allergic to nuts."

Axl hesitated, a flicker of guilt crossing his face. Seeing him avoid my gaze, I couldn't help but smirk at the irony.

Maybe out of guilt, his tone softened a little: "Keira, I..."

But I cut him off: "Rayne helped me pick the dress. I didn't know she'd also bought one."

Hearing that, Axl's expression changed quickly. He jumped up from the sofa, pointing a finger at me in anger: "You're truly despicable, still lying even now."

"Rayne already told me she mentioned liking that dress to you beforehand, hoping to wear it to witness our engagement."

"I only consider Rayne a sister. If I truly had feelings for her, would you still matter?"

At that moment, I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. They flowed freely down my cheeks. Watching me tremble silently on the sofa, Axl's eyes were full of annoyance.

"Stop pretending. I'll be staying at the office these days, you should think about things carefully."

With that, he picked up his jacket, turned, and left without looking back. As the front door slammed shut, I clearly heard his final words:

"Rayne doesn't hold grudges against you, but I won't let her suffer. I've given her your diamond ring as compensation."

The closing of the door echoed in the empty house, causing the vibrant chocolates on the coffee table to shudder. I couldn't fathom what harm I had done to Rayne to warrant such compensation.

The diamond ring was specially designed for me, embodying the love and hope I held for our future together. Despite knowing what it meant to me and our relationship, he gave it away so carelessly.

Does this mean that our five-year relationship holds no more value in his heart than that ring?

At that moment, my heart shattered.

Suddenly, an intense itch brought me back to reality as I sat numbly on the sofa. Watching the red spots appear on my skin, a wave of despair washed over me.

Once, to save Axl, I had my finger broken by a thug's hammer.

Because of that incident, I had to abandon my dreams of playing piano and leave the stage I once longed for.

Later, Axl got revenge for me by shattering the thug's hands with a hammer. The image of him doing so mirrored the way he let those thugs humiliate me at our engagement party to amuse Rayne.

If I had known of Rayne's existence before falling irrevocably for Axl, I wouldn't have allowed myself to end up so disgraced.

After all, I once stood as the most dazzling and proud pianist under the spotlight.

I first learned of Rayne during our one-year anniversary. That day, I sat in the restaurant, eagerly waiting for Axl. But he never showed, nor did he answer calls or messages.

Just as I was about to report him missing, I saw him in his best friend's Instagram post. In the photo, a girl leaned against his shoulder, and he looked at her with such tenderness and passion that it felt like someone poured ice water over my warm heart.

Returning home that night, I expected an explanation from Axl. But he spent the entire night in the study, ignoring me completely.

The next day, I confronted him, and he merely said she was like a sister to him, urging me not to overthink. Yet, I felt a noticeable shift in his demeanor, a newfound coldness toward me.

Trying to make Axl happy, I attempted to befriend Rayne. For a while, things did seem to improve between us.

Until one day, when I showed Axl my new handbag, he furiously cut it to pieces with scissors.

"Why did you give Rayne a matching handbag? You know she hates wearing similar things to others!"

"No wonder you want to befriend her; just to humiliate and provoke her."

"Keira Franklin, I never imagined your intentions were so nasty!"

Listening to his unjust accusations left me bewildered, desperate to explain that Rayne had admired my bag and requested one as well.

But Axl refused to listen. In his eyes, all that mattered was Rayne's distress and anger.

Only then did I realize that Axl truly loved Rayne.

I was nothing more than a pawn in his scheme to avenge Rayne's rushed wedding to someone else.

Ever since, any conflict between Rayne and me inevitably cast me as the villain.

Rayne's simple remark about not understanding led him to toss my cherished music scores into the trash, allowing her to mock me as a pianist who could never play again.

I was so furious that I told her to leave my house, only for Axl to throw me out despite my high fever.

Recalling these events only intensified the itch across my skin. Wiping away my tears, I mechanically moved to the medicine cabinet, searching for my allergy medication.

Just as I was about to swallow it, I paused, my hand brushing against my lower abdomen.

How could I forget that I was already one month pregnant?

It was meant to be my engagement gift for Axl.

But before I could share the news, he delivered a gift of his own—a gift that I would never forget.

A gift that made me resolve to walk away from this toxic relationship.