Chapter 1

1

I chased Harrison Thorne for ten years, but he stood me up for Janie Sinclair every single time.

After the ninety-ninth time he abandoned me, I finally decided to let him go.

I joined the Human Genome Modification Initiative. I was going to disappear from his world forever.

But then his eyes turned red with regret, and he searched the whole world for me like a madman.

"Kinsley Vance, please give me one more chance, okay?"

Too bad. In this world, the Kinsley who loved him no longer existed.

……

"Kinsley, are you truly certain? The Reconstruction Project is a medical experiment that defies human cognition. No one can guarantee you will leave that table alive."

I nodded without hesitation. "I have nothing left to hold onto. It is my honor to make a small contribution to medical science."

"Even if you become a completely different person after the reconstruction? You won't regret it?"

"I won't. I have no regrets."

In the eyes of the review board, I was a prestigious university graduate with a bright future. I was supposed to be starting a brilliant new chapter of my life.

Instead, at twenty-two, I chose to join a secret national experiment that almost no one knew about.

They didn't understand. Once you are completely disappointed in someone, nothing in this world can trap you anymore.

No matter the outcome, I wouldn't look back.

Seeing my determined expression, the interviewer and the evaluator patted my shoulder. They spoke with deep emotion. "On behalf of humanity, we thank you for your decision today!"

Soon, we signed the non-disclosure agreements and the experiment consent forms.

The forms stated the experiment would begin in one month. I needed to fulfill all my wishes and say my goodbyes to the world within thirty days.

But honestly, I didn't need that much time at all.

"Send me your location. I'll have my driver pick you up."

A mindless text popped up on my notification bar. I didn't even have to guess to know it was from Harrison. This was his usual style.

We hadn't contacted each other in a long time.

Even though he was my fiancé, everyone knew he didn't love me.

It wasn't just him. The entire Thorne family disliked me.

To them, I was just a girl who used a "pity play" to climb her way into their social circle.

When we were kids, Harrison was a loner who didn't like talking to people.

One day after school, he was cornered by some local thugs. He was stubborn and refused to give them money, so they started beating him up.

I happened to stumble upon them. I threw myself in front of him without thinking, and my forehead took a heavy blow from a lead pipe.

That injury affected my brain's development for years.

My parents cried and complained to Harrison's parents every day. They demanded that their son take responsibility for the rest of my life.

That was how I became Harrison Thorne's fiancée.

But our relationship didn't get better. Instead, he became colder and more distant.

Harrison never reached out to me first. He didn't even allow me to visit his architectural firm whenever I wanted.

I opened the notes on my phone. I saw it immediately. Today was the first anniversary of Thorne Design Studio.

No wonder he actually sent me a message. But his firm's name had nothing to do with me. What was the point of me going?

I grabbed my car keys from the foyer and headed downstairs. I took the gift I had already prepared and went to the garage.

Since I had chosen to stop chasing him, I had to learn to stop following his arrangements.

When I pulled up to the studio in a modest sedan, Harrison's expression shifted. He looked annoyed for a second before returning to his usual cold indifference.

I walked toward him through the biting winter wind.

Guests greeted him as they entered the building. He nodded politely, responding to everyone with a light smile.

He was always elegant and composed. Even just standing there, he radiated a mature, untouchable vibe.

He truly was the untouchable ice king of the design world. My heart skipped a beat, but only out of habit.

Sensing my gaze, Harrison glanced at me from a distance. His brows furrowed slightly.

"Don't make your own decisions next time."

He took the gift bag from my hand and handed it to an assistant without a second thought.

I knew he hated it when I showed any sign of infatuation. He hated it even more when I didn't follow his orders.

It was fine. I was already giving up on him. Even if he remained cold only to me, I wouldn't feel disappointed anymore.