Chapter 1
Three months after marrying Samuel Monroe, I attempted suicide by cutting my wrists.
My soul hovered in the air.
I imagined he would be overwhelmed with grief, searching frantically for me all over the world, at least holding my body and crying by my grave day and night in remorse.
I imagined it would be like one of those tragic romance stories—the rich CEO losing his one true love, going gray overnight, his empire collapsing, ready to die from heartbreak.
But none of that happened.
Samuel looked at my body and simply said, "What a nuisance."
He felt no regret at all.
Instead, my death provided an opportunity for the Monroe family's adopted daughter, Sophie Monroe, who swiftly took my place as Samuel's wife.
I glanced down at the knife in my hand, and time seemed to rewind to the day of my suicide attempt.
I was never the one who deserved to die.
I let go of the knife and stepped out of the room.
Before Samuel and Sophie could move into my marital home, I signed my name on the divorce papers.
*****
When the pain hit, I realized my memories from just before I died kept flashing through my mind.
The only reason I tried to end it all was because half an hour ago, Sophie sent me a message that shattered my world.
A picture of them, with her on top of Samuel in an extremely suggestive pose, all within the narrow and quiet confines of a car.
I was furious.
My hands shaking with anger, I started blowing up Samuel's phone, but he just let my calls ring through. After I kept calling, he finally just hung up on me.
Everybody in Hayston knew my life practically depended on Samuel. I was so hopelessly in love with him, it was like I couldn't breathe without him.
People even gave me a nickname—Charlotte, the Obsessive Beauty.
Just thinking about Samuel hooking up with another woman sent me over the edge.
I lost it and instantly created a WhatsApp group, pulled in all of our mutual friends, and started threatening to end it all.
Everyone in the group scrambled, telling me to chill out and not do anything crazy.
But Samuel just replied with a cold word. [Whatever.]
The word jarred me deep inside, making my nerves feel like they were about to snap.
I was so starved for even the tiniest crumb of love from Samuel, I actually turned on the livestream and tried to end it all right there, in front of everyone.
Everyone on the WhatsApp video call went pale with shock.
Samuel finally moved. He muttered "lunatic" and rushed over in a panic.
He finally came rushing back, leaving another woman behind.
Finally, he was back.
He's mine, and mine alone.
But I went too far—I really died.
As I floated in the air, I desperately wanted to see if Samuel would finally realize his love for me. I hoped he'd hold my lifeless body and grieve bitterly. But he did nothing; he simply had my body cremated.
And barely a month later, he up and married Sophie, letting her snatch the Mrs. Monroe title that used to be mine.
That suicide made me realize that loving a man can't compare to loving myself.
Samuel, I didn't love you anymore.
Sophie's message was still on my phone. I didn't hold back and shot back a reply.
[Samuel's the type who always has to be in control. You're throwing yourself at him like that? So not his thing.] I texted.
She went quiet after that.
I stepped out of the bathroom and dumped all the stuff I'd used for that pathetic suicide attempt right into the trash.
Ten years of desperately chasing Samuel, trying to squeeze out even the tiniest bit of his affection, and all I did was waste my own future. It really wasn't worth it.
I shot Samuel a text.
[The divorce agreement's all set, just waiting for your signature.]