Chapter 1
Four years after taking the fall for my husband and serving time in prison for a crime I didn't commit, the court suddenly sentenced me to death.
As I touched my final broken rib, I realized maybe dying wouldn't be so bad after all.
But the moment the lethal injection entered my veins, I heard a sharp clap.
"Cut! The prison training film is officially wrapped."
The blinding white lights were switched off, revealing several crew members hiding in the shadows.
And there he was, my husband, who was supposed to be delivering food on the streets just to save up for my lawyer fees, now sitting in the audience in a perfectly tailored suit.
"Jodie and I made a bet," he said with a cold smile. "She thought you wouldn't last a year in prison before turning against me.
"But looks like I won. You really do love me more than anything."
Jodie Lawson walked over and affectionately linked her arm through his.
She said, "Don't be mad, Maisy. Reginald only did this to stand up for me. After all, you were the one who exposed me as the other woman back then. I lost several major endorsements because of you.
"But it's all in the past now. You passed Reginald's little test. From today onward, you'll finally be the true Mrs. Hurst."
So he was Reginald Hurst, the legendary heir of Kingsford, the man everyone knew as the future ruler of an empire.
"Why are you still lying there? Get yourself together and come back to the Hurst family with me. My relationship with Jodie is none of your business. If you want to be Mrs. Hurst, learn to behave."
Those were the same words again.
Fine. This time, I would give him exactly what he wanted.
My shattered rib had already pierced my heart and lungs for three days.
Even without the lethal injection, I wouldn't have survived much longer anyway.
*****
I just stared blankly at the ceiling, not moving a muscle.
Every time I breathed, it hurt so much it made my whole body shake.
"So you star in one prison film and suddenly think you're some kind of celebrity?" Reginald scoffed.
He slammed his hand down on the armrest. "Figures. You're just a nobody, never good enough for the big leagues."
I tried to speak, but nothing came out.
My mouth was torn all the way up to my cheek, stitched together with thirty ugly threads, leaving me with a grotesque, clown-like grin.
How could I not look like a clown?
I'd fought tooth and nail just to survive, all for that one monthly prison visit with "Ricky Vinson."
Oh, right. He was Reginald, Kingsford's crown prince.
He never got tired of pretending to be some nobody, always telling me how many delivery orders he'd completed.
He'd brag about how many bags of cement he'd lugged around at the construction site.
And he'd go on about how many times he'd been beaten and humiliated by his bosses, mistreated and stepped on.
But he didn't care. He was ready to burn himself out, spending every ounce of his time and health just to earn enough money to clear my name.
I still remembered how his body was battered and bruised.
He'd push through the pain, put on a brave face, and reassure me.
"Maisy, just hang in there a little longer. Once you're out, we'll have a baby together," he'd say.
In the end, I realized it was all a lie. He was never real, and our marriage was nothing but a fraud.
I was a plaything for Kingsford's crown prince, something to keep him entertained when he was bored.
"Mr. Hurst, looks like she really took a beating. Should we grab a wheelchair for her?" someone suggested.
The woman acting as the prison boss helped me up and whispered, "Sorry, girl. I'm just doing my job."
"No need," I said.
Reginald sneered, "She's tough as nails. She could probably take down nine bulls with her bare hands."
"Reginald, Maisy's acting up. Go comfort her with a hug," Jodie said.
She tapped his chest lightly, her smile mocking.
Reginald caught her hand and pressed a kiss to it.
Then he turned to me, his eyes cold as ice.
Reginald said, "I could've comforted you, but after you slapped Jodie and embarrassed her, it's my job as your husband to deal with that attitude.
"As your husband, I have to tame that temper of yours."
Reginald stood up and strode over, yanking me to my feet. "Maisy, stop faking it. The wedding's ready to go. All you gotta do is put on the dress.
"Everything for the wedding's set. Just slip into the wedding dress."
He looked down at me, arrogance dripping from his voice. "Move it. Being Mrs. Hurst is the kind of luck you couldn't even dream of in a hundred lifetimes."
I let out a low, bitter laugh.
Some blessing. That was one I could never handle.
"See? Even the tiniest scraps of favor make her lose her mind with joy," Reginald scoffed.
Reginald shoved me away in disgust, then turned and wrapped his arm around Jodie's waist.
I collapsed to the floor, my body going limp as my broken rib dug even deeper into my heart and lungs.
"Once you two tie the knot, my fans will finally buy that I'm single," Jodie said.
She gave me a look of pure contempt. "Maisy, stop being dramatic.
"I promised my fans I'd never get married or fall in love. Why would I even bother fighting you for Reginald or the Mrs. Hurst title?
"Seriously, could you stop calling me a homewrecker every time you open your mouth?"
As she said this, she acted all hurt and snuggled herself into Reginald's arms.
Reginald patted her back, soothing her. "Don't pay her any mind. Her world is so tiny, she can't even see past her own nose. She'll never get what kind of bond we share."