Chapter 1

I gave up all my wealth and stuck by Andrew Shepherd's side for thirty years.

In our toughest year, we didn't even have any food at home.

Andrew went out to fight in underground matches, getting beaten black and blue, but no matter how bad it got, he just wouldn't back down.

He put his body and soul on the line to carve out a bright future for me.

Now, he had become a prestigious gentleman, and I had become his wife, the one he treasured with all his heart.

When I returned home after a year away because of a family crisis, Andrew was so anxious that he ended up seeing a therapist.

Everyone said Andrew loved me more than himself.

I used to believe it, too.

But one day, I stood on the balcony and saw Andrew in the villa next door, holding another girl tightly in his arms.

Andrew said, "Even though Charlotte's back, just thinking about you leaving makes me want to explode.

"I realized I can't live without you.

"Mia, you're not allowed to have any other men around you. If I ever see another man near you, I'll want to kill them."

His voice was low, tinged with a madness he didn't even realize he had.

"What about your wife? Didn't you say you care about her more than your own life?" Mia asked.

"Just keep it under wraps. As long as she never finds out, we're good, right? I want to be with you, always," Andrew replied.

My hand holding the fruit knife started to shake. The blade slipped and nicked my skin, but I couldn't even feel it.

Andrew and I were childhood friends, and we'd been supporting each other through everything for thirty years. Only one year apart, and it all burst like a bubble.

My hands trembled as I pulled out my phone and called my mom. "Mom, I wanna go home. I need a brand new identity and a one-way ticket out of the country."

"Did you get hurt? Come home, then," my mom said.

Her voice on the other end of the line was as gentle and caring as always.

After I hung up, memories from the past thirty years flickered through my mind like old film reels, each scene replaying one after another.

We used to tumble around in the mud, and Andrew would grab my hand, his voice sweet and innocent, saying, "When we grow up, I'm going to marry you."

Back when I was bullied at school, he'd take on a whole gang by himself. He was battered and bruised, but still grinning as he stood in front of me, shielding me from harm.

"Don't be afraid. From now on, nobody's ever going to bully you again," he promised.

In that cramped rented place, he worked around the clock, fighting in underground matches, and even selling his own blood, just to earn every last cent, which he'd quietly slip into my hands.

"I want everyone to see that Charlotte didn't make a mistake choosing me," he said.

Later, he became the legendary businessman, feared and respected by everyone. He loved nothing more than making a splash for me at auctions.

But now, he said he couldn't live without Mia.

All those memories I once treated like precious gems now felt like blunt knives, slicing my heart over and over.

I lowered my gaze to my palm. The gash was deep, and blood splattered onto the floor, drop by drop.

Oddly, I couldn't feel any pain at all.

"Charlotte!" Andrew called out.

He was home. The moment he saw the blood on my hand, his face went ghostly pale. He strode toward me at once.

The panic and heartbreak in his eyes were so raw and genuine that it was impossible to think he was faking it.

For a moment, I was almost convinced he still loved me.

Andrew grabbed my wrist, his hand shaking with the force, but his fingertips were careful, avoiding the wound with painstaking gentleness.

"What happened? Why weren't you more careful?" Andrew blurted out, his voice full of worry.

Before I could pull my hand away, a gentle voice drifted in from the doorway.

Mia walked in gracefully, carrying a white bowl, her eyes crinkling with a gentle smile as she gave me a warm look.

"Charlotte, Andrew's been struggling with insomnia lately. I especially made this soup for him. It'll help," Mia said.

She handed the bowl to Andrew, her eyes full of concern.

Andrew took the bowl, his brow furrowed as he kept his eyes on my hand. He turned to Mia and said, "That's really thoughtful of you."

Mia rested her hand on his arm, giving it a gentle pat, her tone warm and intimate. "Drink it while it's still warm. It won't work as well if it gets cold. Your health comes first."

Just then, Andrew's assistant Ben came rushing in, arms loaded with paperwork.

He didn't really catch what was happening. He only saw Mia giving Andrew that lovey-dovey look.

Ben was quick on his feet, always good at reading the room and buttering people up. He immediately broke into a big grin.

"Hey, Mr. Shepherd, no wonder you're all smiles today. The new Mrs. Shepherd is here," Ben teased.

The room froze.

But Ben was totally clueless, just kept rambling on. "Mrs. Shepherd is so thoughtful, bringing you soup herself. The whole office has been buzzing about you keeping a secret beauty, and we didn't believe it at first.

"You two are really enjoying your honeymoon, huh? So, when's the big wedding, Mr. Shepherd? We'll need to get our gifts ready..."

The second Ben spotted me, he stopped dead.

His face instantly drained of color, and he stood there frozen, not knowing what to say or do.

I looked at Ben, then at Andrew, whose face froze, and then at Mia, who was on the verge of tears. Suddenly, I almost laughed at the absurdity.

Turned out, everyone else already knew. Except me, the real Mrs. Shepherd. I was the only one left in the dark, like a fool.