Chapter 1

After three years of marriage to Anthony Cooper, I honestly believed we were in love with each other.

That was, until I caught him holding another woman, whispering to her.

Later, someone told me she was his first love.

And me? I was just the one the Cooper family chose, someone with the right background, just right to play the role of his wife.

I didn't say a word. I just signed the divorce papers and moved out.

Word spread fast: "Kayla couldn't keep her man. Anthony's first love is back."

That fake woman came over, grinning. "Three years of marriage, huh? Still just a stand-in."

My real friends felt bad for me. "You loved him so much. Can you really just let him go?"

Everyone thought I was the one who got dumped.

Until someone witnessed it.

Anthony, who was always so reserved and distant, was spotted lowering his head to a woman, pleading in a hoarse voice.

"Kayla Pearson, can you love me again?"

*****

Anthony and I had been married for three years, and everyone in our circle thought we were the perfect couple.

He was the eldest son of the Cooper family, and I was the only daughter of the Pearson family. People always said we were the ideal pair.

Magazines even ran our photos with headlines like "High Society's Model Couple."

During interviews, they'd gush about how great our relationship was, and I'd just put on my best smile, playing the perfect wife.

It was my birthday.

Before he left that morning, he promised he'd come home early to have dinner with me.

I was over the moon. He hardly ever had time for me.

I went out and bought a cake and a special gift, getting everything ready early, my heart full of excitement.

I wasn't much of a cook, but I wanted to surprise him, so I looked up recipes online and followed along with the videos step by step.

But I ended up sitting there all night, staring at a table full of food and a cake that had melted and sagged, and he never called.

I tried calling, but his phone was off.

I sat on the couch, looking at the cake with one corner caved in, and my mind drifted to that magazine photo of us. I was smiling like I really was loved, like the perfect wife everyone thought I was.

After three years of marriage, he almost never took me to his gatherings. I could count the number of times I'd met his childhood friends on one hand.

Every time, they'd greet me with a polite yet distant "Kayla," always keeping me at arm's length, like I was never really part of their circle.

At first, I tried to fit in. I made a point to remember their birthdays, picked out gifts they'd like, and asked Anthony to pass them along. But later, I found out they'd just accept the gifts and forget who gave them.

One time at a party, I ran into William, and he called me "Sarah". He didn't even get my name right.

My phone buzzed, and I lit up as I unlocked it.

It was a post from William, Anthony's closest childhood friend.

In the photos, there was a woman standing among a group of guys. Her features striking, her smile bold and confident.

The caption read: [Welcome back, our beautiful Sarah. Still the same bright, lively girl. Nothing's changed.]

I scrolled through the photos, and the first thing I noticed was that striking figure, Anthony.

He was standing next to the woman, who looked visibly upset. Anthony's smile was gentle, his gaze tender, as if he was patiently soothing her mood.

In another shot, her arm was hooked around Anthony's, her chin resting on his shoulder. She leaned into him, and he didn't pull away, while the people around them were all smiling and laughing.

Then there was a short video William posted.

I tapped play, and the place was loud and lively. Everyone was singing along, and that woman was holding the mic, blew a kiss straight at the camera.

At the end, she laughed and snuggled up to Anthony, grabbed his hand, and called out in a bright, playful voice, "Anthony."

Someone in the comments asked, "Is Anthony there too?"

William replied, "Duh, like Anthony would ever skip this."

Another person chimed in, "Of course, now that she's back, Anthony's definitely gonna be there."

I just kept staring at those comments.

So he really spent tonight with her.

I knew about Sarah Wilson.

Before we got married, I already knew he'd had a girlfriend in college that he really cared about. Everyone got a past, and I never minded. With someone as outstanding as him, it was only natural he'd have a history.

That year, after my parents passed away, he stayed by my side, helped me handle everything, and even kept my company from falling apart.

It was during those moments that I fell completely in love with him.

When I tried calling him and his phone was switched off, I thought maybe something was wrong, or maybe he was just working late and lost track of time.

But he was spending time with her instead, and my birthday just slipped his mind.

I drew in a shaky breath, my heart aching like it was being squeezed in a vice.

I stared at William's profile picture, my finger hovering over the screen.

Everyone in our circle said we were the model couple. Should I just act like nothing happened? Should I be the bigger person?