Chapter 1

I fell for the gentle second male lead in a novel's world and chose to stay there for him.

The system warned me that if Samuel Griffith ever stopped loving me, I'd slowly forget everything about him and be forcefully ripped from this world.

Samuel tapped my nose, laughing.

"I'll never change my heart, and I'll never let you go," he said softly.

After ten years of marriage, Julia Archer and I got hurt when the building collapsed.

Samuel left me stuck under the rubble and rushed to help Julia. He didn't care about his own safety at all. Meanwhile, I was badly hurt, barely alive under the debris.

When I woke up, Samuel's assistant, Parker Sutton, was nervously telling me what had happened. His voice was shaky and careful.

I was bewildered. "What's going on? Why are you explaining everything to me so nervously?"

*****

Parker's smile instantly vanished.

"It was Mr. Griffith's birthday a few days ago. You went to the mall to pick out a present for him, but the building suddenly collapsed and you got caught in it. You... really don't remember?" he stammered, looking worried.

I frowned, "I was injured by the collapse?"

Parker looked genuinely shocked and then asked again, "Today is your wedding anniversary with Mr. Griffith. Do you remember?"

My heart skipped a beat, but I kept quiet.

I couldn't remember anything.

Every year, I'd always start planning days ahead for our anniversary with Samuel, but this year, I forgot all about it.

Just then, the hospital room door was pushed open, and before I could react, Samuel swept me into his arms.

He said softly, "I had to attend the Chamber of Commerce meeting today, so I couldn't stay here with you. You're not mad at me, are you?"

I looked up at Samuel, his eyes sparkling with a gentle smile as he comforted me.

He added, "I've been busy working out a deal with the supermarket these past few days, so I haven't had a chance to come visit you.

"Now that things are opening up, I need to make more money to support you. Don't be mad at me, okay?"

He was the sharpest guy in town. Everyone else got the cold side of him, but with me, he was warm and tender.

Even though work kept him busy, he never made me lift a finger at home. Every day, he'd come back and make dinner for me himself.

Now, after I almost died in that accident, he told me he was too busy to take care of me.

I swallowed the uneasy feeling inside and said, "I'm fine. I just want to go home."

"Alright, I've got this. Just have a seat," Samuel said. With that, he sliced an apple and handed me a piece. Then he bustled around the room, packing my things and making trips in and out to handle the discharge paperwork.

Wrapped up in his doting care, I found myself a bit lost in the moment.

Back then, my whole family tried to talk me out of marrying Samuel. He was poor, but I didn't care. I was committed to him, no matter what anyone said.

On our wedding night, he pulled me into his arms and vowed, "Now that you're my wife, I swear I'll never let you suffer."

And he kept his word.

Samuel landed a job at the ice factory, doing back-breaking work from dawn till dusk. And he spent every penny he made on me, buying me clothes and jewelry.

A few years later, he'd saved up enough to start his own factory. His business kept growing, and before long, he became the richest man in town.

Even after he made it big, his gentleness never wavered. Never once did he entertain the advances of other women that his partners suggested. Instead, he insisted I join him at every business function, solely to reassure me and ensure I never doubted his love.

Everything looked the same on the surface, but deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that something just didn't feel quite right anymore.

Once Samuel finished the discharge paperwork, he picked me up without a second thought. My leg was still injured, so he carried me straight to the car, never letting me walk a single step.

"Let's go home," he said softly.

Just then, his secretary came rushing over and whispered something in his ear.

Samuel turned to me with a worried look. "Claire, there's an issue at the factory. I need to go take care of it.

"You head home first. Don't wait up for me tonight."

I was about to remind him it was our anniversary, but when I saw how flustered he looked, I swallowed the words and just nodded.

"Go on. Just be careful out there," I said, trying to sound casual.

He shot me a quick, grateful look and called out, "David, send Claire home."

Without another word, he spun around and hurried off.

I reached home.

This was the first anniversary in ten years that we weren't together.

We were always doing sweet things for each other, little surprises, cute photos, just being all lovey-dovey.

Now, a chill of emptiness settled in the house, and a heavy sadness had settled in my eyes.

I was thinking of cooking for myself, so I grabbed a wooden stick for support and started to make my way outside. But before I got far, I overheard David Murphy and the bodyguard whispering in the yard.

"Mr. Griffith is so inconsiderate, leaving Mrs. Griffith all alone at home and taking Julia out to dinner at Maple Leaf Restaurant," one of them grumbled.

"That's different. Julia is Mr. Griffith's first love. She copies Mrs. Griffith and even makes him take pictures of her. The other day she got a tiny scratch, and he had her stay in the hospital and kept her company all day," the other said.

"Mrs. Griffith's leg is broken, and Mr. Griffith hasn't even come to see her. She's getting discharged today, and he's not even here with her. Do you think he's going to divorce her?" the first one whispered.