Chapter 1

When Silas Levine married Yvonne Swanson, he was 26, and she was 32.

She was not only older but also had a wealth of life experience that far surpassed his.

During their three years of marriage, she showered him with endless patience, giving him everything he desired. She treated him like he was her most treasured possession.

Every night, she'd curl up in his arms like a kitten, making him feel more needed than he ever thought possible.

He was well aware of her financial stability and the abundant love that she had to offer, all of it devoted to him.

But everything changed the day his father suffered a heart attack. He called her 88 times, only to be met with silence as she hung up each time.

A friend of his sent him a message with a photo. [Silas, is this your wife? I just spotted her hugging some guy on the streets of Parielle.]

When he opened the photo, it felt like he'd been plunged into an ice-cold lake.

The woman was Yvonne, and the man was Howard, her first love.

*****

Three days after Silas's father passed away, Yvonne finally came home.

As soon as she opened the door, she saw Silas sitting on the couch, his eyes rimmed with exhaustion and grief, looking so fragile and alone.

Guilt hit her hard, and she hurried over and pulled him into a hug.

"Silas, I had to fly to Parielle for a project at the last minute. I missed your call because of the time difference. Sorry that I couldn't be there for the funeral. I'm so sorry. Whatever you want, I'll make it up to you, alright?"

Silas listened to her quietly, his face completely blank. Without a word, he took out two documents, flipped to the last page, and passed them to her.

"Yvonne, I just want these two things. Sign here."

Yvonne let out a breath, grabbed the pen, and signed her name without hesitation.

Seeing how quickly she signed, Silas's eyes grew red. "You didn't even look at it. Aren't you worried I might be asking you to sign something important or costly?"

Yvonne tried to comfort him, her tone gentle but a little helpless. "Silas, we're married. What's mine is already yours. Once our baby's born, everything will belong to you and the baby. Whatever you want, you can have, okay?"

She placed his hand on her belly. "Isn't today the day for my check-up? The baby's not giving me any trouble. Will you come with me, please?"

Silas stayed quiet, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Yvonne took his silence as a yes and linked her arm with his, leading him to the car.

The car was filled with a heavy silence. Yvonne was just about to break the ice when her phone suddenly rang. "Yvonne, I'm back in town. I really want to see you," came a familiar voice.

Because they were sitting so close, Silas could clearly hear Howard James on the other end. He found his hand tightening on the seat. The next moment, he watched as Yvonne quickly ended the call.

"Silas, something urgent just came up at work. I need to handle it right away. I'll have Harlan go with me to the check-up later, so don't worry, okay?" Yvonne said softly.

Silas didn't say a word about her excuse. He just opened the car door and stepped out.

Standing in the chilly wind, he hailed a cab. As he watched the streets fly past the window, memories came rushing back, flooding his mind.

A few years ago, Silas had been in a terrible car accident. The driver sped off, and the bystanders, afraid of getting involved, just watched.

He was lying in a pool of his own blood, barely clinging to life. It was Yvonne who stopped, called an ambulance, and stayed by his side until help arrived.

That day, he fell for her at first sight, despite the six-year age gap between them.

Luckily for him, Yvonne, who was gentle and captivating, liked him, too. After a year of dating, they finally tied the knot.

Maybe it was her maturity; Yvonne always seemed to have endless patience. Not once did they fight after getting married. She never forgot a single birthday or anniversary, always surprising him with thoughtful gifts.

In everyday life, Yvonne always put Silas first. The only time she ever lost control was in the bedroom; her desire for him was wild and relentless. But Silas was a young guy in his prime, and honestly, he loved every second of it.

There were plenty of nights when Yvonne ended up sobbing and begging him to go easy on her, but Silas would just laugh, shower her with kisses.

He always teased her, "Babe, I only do this because I love you so much. Gotta keep going, sweetheart. How else are we gonna make that baby?"

So they kept at it, night after night, trying for a baby. Finally, in their third year together, Yvonne got pregnant.

Three days ago, Silas's father suffered a sudden heart attack. Silas rushed to the hospital, only to hear his dad constantly asking about Yvonne. He wanted to see his daughter-in-law's face one more time.

Silas's family knew that Silas's father wanted to give the couple some final words, so they all tried everything to get in touch with Yvonne.

No matter what they did, no one could reach her. Silas kept calling until his phone died, but it was all in vain. In the end, his father passed away with regret in his heart, never getting to see her.

Silas had thought she was just busy with work, but right after he finished handling his father's funeral, a friend sent him a photo.

He couldn't wrap his head around why his wife was hugging Howard, his cousin.

His mind was a mess. He finally found the courage to step into Yvonne's study, a place she'd always kept off-limits to him.

The moment he opened the door, it felt like he'd been plunged into ice water. Everything in the room was about Howard.

Photos covered the walls, love letters were carefully preserved, and there were countless gifts that had never been given away. And then there was a thick diary, still being written to this day, chronicling their love story.

Reading that diary, Silas finally saw the whole truth laid bare.

In her whole life, Yvonne had only ever loved two men—Silas and Howard.

Yvonne and Howard had been campus sweethearts, and their relationship had burned bright for eight unforgettable years.

At their best, she had crossed the channel with him, trekked through the desert by his side, and held him close, kissing him beneath the shadow of the mountain range.

At their worst, she had torn up contracts worth millions for his sake, swallowed her pride to chase him overseas after their breakup. When she had learned he'd moved on, she had drunk herself into the hospital with a bleeding stomach.

Her entire life—all her joys and sorrows—seemed to be tied to Howard.

The only reason she got together with Silas was because, after breaking up with Howard, she needed a stand-in who looked just like Howard.

So she targeted Silas, the architecture student whose face was almost a copy of Howard's. She even orchestrated that hit-and-run accident, just to make Silas fall for her.

All those nights she begged him for more, desperate to get pregnant—it was never about wanting Silas's child. She just wanted a baby who looked like Howard.

The instant Silas learned the truth, it was like being struck by lightning. His whole world came crashing down, leaving him utterly broken inside.

Yvonne's care was fake, her love was fake, and even her sincerity was all a lie. She had played him from start to finish, leaving nothing real behind.

He might be young, but he knew that people should say goodbye to their old story before embarking on a new journey. And besides, he was never anyone's substitute. He was the one and only Silas Levine.

But from the very beginning, she'd been lying to him. So, he figured it was only fair to give her a taste of her own medicine, just this once.

He'd kept her in the dark on purpose. What she'd just signed were actually the divorce papers and his application to leave the country.

He was nobody's substitute. Since Yvonne didn't truly have him in her heart, he wanted nothing to do with her.