Chapter 1

"Emily, as long as you stay, I'll have one billion dollars wired to your account today. If that's not enough, 1.5 billion dollars. Just name your price," Bruce Oliver said.

In the main hall of the Oliver family's old mansion, Bruce sat in a rosewood armchair that had been passed down for three generations.

The lion and rose patterns on the back had been polished to a shine from years of touch. He leaned forward, hands braced on his knees, watching the slender young woman across from him.

Emily Mitchell sat across from him and shook her head, so gently it was as if she feared breaking the hush in the hall.

She slid the check, stamped with the Oliver family's seal, back across the polished rosewood table, its paper whispering against the wood.

"Mr. Oliver, we agreed on seven years. The seven years are up. I've repaid the favor. It's time for me to go," she said.

Her voice was soft, her tone as calm as if she were talking about the weather.

Bruce stared at the check she'd pushed back for a long moment, then finally leaned back in his chair and let out a long, weary sigh. It sounded like it came from the very depths of his chest, carrying the exhaustion of a man in his seventies.

He said, "It hasn't been easy for you these past years. Before you go, if there's anything you want, tell me."

Emily didn't answer right away. The clock in the hall chimed a dozen times before she finally spoke. "I want you to stop standing in the way of Noah and Amber.

"He's always had her in his heart. Seven years, and that's never changed. You can't change that."

Bruce's hand tightened on the armrest, his knuckles turning white. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he said, "All right. I can't meddle in young people's affairs anymore. You can bring up the divorce with him yourself."

Emily stood up and bowed low to Bruce, showing him the utmost respect. As she turned to leave the hall, her steps were steady, and she never looked back.

Once she got in the car, Emily glanced at the old mansion's crimson gate in the rearview mirror. Seven years ago, she first stepped through that gate, back in the winter when she was twenty-two.

She grew up in an orphanage. When she was fourteen, the heating broke down one winter, and the director couldn't afford to fix it. All the kids were shivering under their blankets.

Bruce happened to pass by that day and paid for the repairs without a second thought. After that, he took care of the orphanage's expenses every year. Emily was only able to finish college thanks to Bruce's support.

The year she graduated, she went to the Oliver family's old mansion to thank him. Bruce was sitting in that same chair and said something that would change her life.

"Emily, the Oliver family has everything we need. If you really want to repay me, do me a favor. Marry my grandson, give him a child, and stay by his side for seven years. After that, if you want to leave, I'll let you go," he said.

Back then, Noah Oliver was caught up in nonstop drama with Amber Hardy. Amber was the daughter of the Hardy family, longtime friends of the Olivers, and on paper, she was a good match.

But the Hardy family ran into trouble and owed the Olivers a ton of money, making things awkward between them. Bruce didn't trust the Hardy family's intentions and flat-out refused to let Noah marry Amber.

Noah spent two years fighting with his family over it, stopped caring about the business, and hung out with Amber every day. Bruce got so angry that he landed in the hospital twice.

Emily agreed. She felt she owed Bruce, and seven years to pay him back felt fair enough.

For seven years after the wedding, Emily played the role of a perfect Mrs. Oliver. She kept the house running smoothly, treated her in-laws with respect, and gave birth to their son, Jayden Oliver.

Noah was never warm to her, but he never raised a hand or his voice. He made Amber his personal secretary, and they spent every day together. Everyone knew that the woman in Noah's heart wasn't his wife.

Three months ago, Amber started showing up at the Oliver family's house all the time. At first, she was dropping off paperwork, then she started having meals with them, and eventually, she was taking Jayden to the amusement park.

The five-year-old didn't really understand what was going on. He only knew that Amber was way more fun to play with than his mom.

Last month, Jayden blurted out in front of a room full of guests, "I don't want my mom. I want Ms. Hardy."

Emily was sitting on the couch, holding the apple she'd peeled for Jayden. Everyone in the room was staring at her, their faces full of different emotions.

From that day on, she'd been waiting for the last day of those seven years to finally arrive.

By the time Emily snapped out of her thoughts, the car was already cruising down the city highway. It was 2 pm, and the road was pretty empty. Emily leaned back in the seat, closed her eyes, wondering where she should go to collect her things later.

But before she could finish her thought, a deafening crash came from the left. The whole car was tossed sideways, like a toy in a giant hand.

The seatbelt bit into her collarbone, and another impact followed right after. The car twisted, and the roof caved in, pinning her left leg.