Chapter 1

Chapter 1

After calling off our wedding for the ninety-ninth time, Miles Crawford got down on his knees to apologize again.

"I am so sorry, baby. Chloe got into a car accident, and she had no one else by her side. I only went to help her out."

Just as my heart was about to soften, his true thoughts echoed directly in my mind.

【God, this is so annoying. Why do I have to apologize every single time? I just do not want to get married. How can she not see that?】

【The car accident was completely fake anyway. I just spent the entire day hanging out with Chloe at the amusement park.】

I froze on the spot, completely numb.

Miles reached into his pocket and pulled out a delicate bracelet I had lingered on two days ago. He put it around my wrist with eyes full of tenderness.

"I promise I will never cancel our wedding again. Please, just forgive me this one last time."

His inner voice chimed in again.

【I am already groveling like this, and she still won't tell me to stand up? Chloe is so much better. She would never make me beg on my knees.】

I pulled back my hand before helping him up and spoke in a flat, calm voice.

"Since you hate the idea of marrying me so much, let's call it off for good."

Only the two of us were left standing in the ruined, desolate wedding hall.

Miles turned pale.

"Baby, how could you think that of me?"

"Why wouldn't I want to marry you? Marrying you has always been my biggest dream in this life."

I had heard the exact same speech ninety-nine times.

Every single time, as long as he gave me a plausible excuse and bought me a gift, I would forgive him.

Then, when the next wedding date arrived, he would cancel it behind my back again, abandoning me to become the laughingstock of everyone.

I slid the engagement ring off my finger and handed it back to him.

Miles panicked, clutching my hand in a frantic attempt to slide it back on.

"Selena, what is wrong with you today?"

"Are you just in a bad mood, or did I mess up somewhere? Tell me, I can change!"

"I will do anything you want, just please don't leave me."

Behind his tearful, choked-up voice, his real thoughts were brutally ugly.

【Fuck, why is she so damn hard to please today!】

【What more does she want? Every time she throws a fit, I have to buy her expensive gifts. All she cares about is money. Even a stray dog would have learned loyalty by now!】

My face lost all its color. I bit my lip hard, fighting back the tears.

I never imagined this was how he truly viewed me.

Yet in reality, I had never once asked him for a single material thing.

On our very first date, he noticed I liked baby's breath, and ever since, he brought me a fresh bouquet every time we met.

Throughout our six years together, he always noticed every little detail about me.

He knew I liked a warm cup of milk every morning.

He knew I loved pineapple popsicles, keeping our freezer fully stocked all summer long.

He knew my favorite window seat at the upscale bistro on the west side, booking it for every anniversary.

Our entire house was decorated according to my tastes, with an entire room dedicated to the gifts he had given me over the years.

I had never asked for any of it. He was the one who gave it all willingly.

I used to believe I would never find a man who understood me better than him.

That was the only reason I wanted to marry him.

Everything changed the moment his childhood best friend, Chloe Simmons, returned to town.

The first time he canceled our wedding, he claimed her landlord was harassing her and she needed his protection.

The tenth time he canceled, he claimed a pipe burst in her apartment and he had to fix it.

Every single time he gave an excuse, I chose to trust him.

Until today, when I finally heard his real thoughts.

It turned out I had been lying to myself all along.

As the CEO of a multi-million-dollar corporation, Miles treasured his time above everything else.

Where a man spends his time is where his heart truly lies.