Chapter 1

Because I was slow, my father had bought a poor village prodigy to be my future husband.

He took care of me for four years and promised he would love me for the rest of his life.

But after he got into college, he ran off with the girl next door.

While my father was out looking for him, he fell into the river and drowned.

People in the village said the prodigy had only ever wanted to scam my father out of money to save the woman he truly loved. They joked he must've been out of his mind to fall for someone slow like me.

Seven years later, we met again.

Nathan Rivers was a big shot in the city now, still messing around with Vivian Shaw, and I wasn't slow anymore.

He came to me with guilt. "Marry me," he said. "Let me make up for the promise I broke back then."

I shook my head. I didn't tell him the truth. I was dying. I'd be seeing my father soon.

*****

When I had only a month left to live, I returned home. While working, I ran into Nathan and Vivian, still tangled up with each other.

Everyone knew that Vivian, the queen of the screen, was the apple of his eye. He had once said in an interview that she was the only reason he had built Rivers Corporation.

From the moment they first met, he had vowed to take her out of the countryside and onto a dazzling stage.

They stuck together through all the ups and downs. Their story of redemption had moved millions online.

Nathan became a big name among the capital's elite, pushing the girl he had adored for years to become a top actress.

Everyone thought he was just a brotherly figure with no blood ties.

That was until today, when Vivian almost got taken advantage of in a bar and he had fought fiercely for her. His hidden feelings finally came to light.

Vivian kissed his Adam's apple. "I know you have feelings for me."

Nathan's voice was hoarse. "Vivian, I've always thought of you as my little sister."

Holding back tears, Vivian looked up and shot back, "What kind of brother are you? You coward. You'd rather marry a fool to do her laundry, cook her meals, warm her bed, and even sell yourself to pay for my treatment than admit you love me."

Her words, abrupt and unfiltered, caused an uproar.

"Did I hear that right? The rising star of the capital was actually hooking up with some slow girl?"

"Rumor had it Vivian had a heart condition, and she survived all these years only because Nathan sold himself to earn the money."

"Holy crap, that's insane! I wish I was that slow girl."

Hidden in the shadows, I felt a storm of emotions. Because I was that fool in their story.

I had developed an intellectual disability after drowning at five.

All the relatives and friends had urged my father to remarry, have a son, and sell me off to the village's old bachelors to be used for procreation.

But my father refused. Instead, he spent a fortune to bring Nathan home to be my future husband. He was a poor scholar famous throughout the whole area.

The day Nathan came to our house, he looked so beautiful, cool, clean, and untouchable. I fell for him instantly and threw myself into his arms without a second thought.

My father patted his shoulder with pride. "Nathan, you're the village's hope. Once you get into college and make your way out, Summer will be yours to take care of."

Nathan lowered his eyes and said nothing. He didn't push me away or show any disgust.

He became part of my family. While keeping up with his studies, he cooked for me, dressed me, tied my shoelaces, and braided my hair.

At night, he waited outside the latrine, soothing me when I was scared of the dark.

On our closest nights, he held me in his arms, whispering gently to calm my childish soul when I cried myself awake from menstrual pain.

My neighbor, Luna, was jealous that I had Nathan, who was handsome and gentle. She was always sour about it. "What kind of normal person would like a fool? He's only nice to you because your dad's money can pay for his crush's medical bills."

She said I was stupid, so how could I possibly see through people?

For four years, all I saw and felt was a warm, upright boy who never looked down on me for being slow or foolish, who stayed patient and grew up with me.

I thought it would last forever.

After Nathan received his college acceptance letter, my father treated the whole village to our engagement party. He was overjoyed and drank far too much.

Nathan, on the other hand, looked gloomy.

"I heard Nathan could've gone to Harvard or Princeton, but Mr. Swan switched Nathan's application to a local college for his slow-witted daughter and a scholarship."

"That scholarship was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Treating Nathan's sister didn't even cost that much. What a bargain."

"Such a pity. Nathan's tall and handsome with a bright future ahead. Marrying a fool ruined his whole life."

I licked my lollipop and held Nathan's hand. "Nathan, Dad said that after today, I can be with you forever."

Nathan looked up, his expression tangled and unreadable.

Halfway through the party, Vivian's mother rushed into the yard and begged, "Nathan, go see Vivian, please. She doesn't want to destroy your happiness by making you marry a fool. If you don't go to her now, she might really do something stupid."

Terrified, I clutched Nathan tightly. "Nathan, don't go. Stay with me, okay?"

But all I got was his back as he walked away.

So Luna had been right after all. Nathan's kindness to me was only meant to save the woman he truly loved—Vivian.