Chapter 1

My sister-in-law was diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder. My fiancé, Silas, was the only one who could calm her down.

Everyone told me to step aside. So I did. I broke off our engagement and married Julian Croft, the heir to a massive fortune who had been secretly in love with me for years.

After five years of a blissful marriage, I thought I had finally found my happy ending.

Until I overheard him talking to his friends.

"Seraphina is a top supermodel now. Are you going to keep up this act with Rory?"

"It's been so long. Just stick with it. Besides, I have to keep an eye on Rory, make sure she doesn't ruin everything Seraphina has worked for."

That night, while he was in the shower, I checked his phone. In a locked, encrypted folder, there were ten gigabytes of photos and videos of Seraphina. In his notes, a hundred unsent love letters.

I wasn't a fool. It was time to wake up.

I bought a life-sized doll and staged an explosion.

From that day on, we were separated by death. We would never cross paths again.

After placing the order, I turned off my phone.

In three days, I would be completely gone from his life.

I turned around and was met with his loving gaze. He stood at the door, letting the winter chill dissipate before coming to me and pressing a gentle kiss to my lips.

"Still up? Waiting for me?"

His familiar scent, which used to be so comforting, now just made my heart ache.

In our five years of marriage, he had spoiled me rotten.

Everyone in our circle knew how much Julian doted on me.

He said he had fallen for me the moment he saw me, that he had been in love with me for ten years.

At our wedding, he had sworn, with tears in his eyes, to love me for the rest of his life.

He had even gone against my ex-fiancé, sabotaged my sister-in-law's career, all to get revenge for me, swearing that he would never let anyone who had hurt me get away with it.

He was such a good actor. I never saw through his lies.

I thought back on all the times, in the heat of passion, he would call me by my name, Rory, but with a strange, lilting pronunciation.

I thought it was just a habit. But now I know. He was probably calling me Seraphina.

I looked down, hiding the tears in my eyes.

He didn't seem to notice. "Your sister just landed a major magazine cover," he said. "You should probably skip the industry party tomorrow. You don't want to see her and get upset."

This wasn't the first time he had tried to keep me out of the public eye. I used to think it was because he was possessive, that he cared too much.

Now I knew. He was just clearing the way for her.

"I have a meeting with Xander tomorrow. He wants me to be the lead model for his new collection. I don't want to miss it."

"Honey, being a model is so tiring. Why don't you just stay home and let me take care of you?"

But I had told him, years ago, that walking for Xander was my lifelong dream. He had promised to support me.

I knew he hadn't forgotten. But she wanted that spot too. So my dream had to be sacrificed for hers.

Seeing my silence, he started to coax me. "It's just a party, Rory. It's not important. Don't be difficult, okay?"

"Our five-year anniversary is in two days. I have a surprise for you. Just be a good girl until then, okay?"

I just looked at him with a dead, empty smile. "Okay. And I have a special 'gift' for you too."

For our fifth anniversary, Julian, I'm giving you your freedom. Forever.