Chapter 1

On the eve of my wedding, I finally received my late grandmother’s only heirloom.

It was a delicate, hand-carved jade bangle passed down through generations.

Yet in the short time it took me to take a shower, the bangle vanished.

I searched everywhere in tears until I opened my fiancé’s childhood bestie’s social media page.

In her latest post, her little dog was wearing a dazzling new pendant around its neck. The intricate butterfly carving on the jade was unmistakable.

Her caption read: “Still thinking about me right before getting married. Truly best bros for life.”

My fiancé had even commented underneath: “You are the only one in my heart.”

Colton had taken my grandmother’s priceless heirloom, ground it down into a pendant, and hung it around his bestie’s dog’s neck.

A wave of intense disgust washed over me. I was completely done with this man.

I turned around and dialed his older brother’s number.

“I’m calling off the wedding,” I said coldly. “Do you want to marry me instead?”

...

Colton didn’t come home until past two in the morning.

By then, I was packing my bags while waiting for a reply from his brother, Declan Reed.

Because I was so focused, I didn’t even notice Colton lingering in the doorway.

He reeked of alcohol, his shirt was rumpled, and a faint trace of women’s perfume clung to his collar.

After a long silence, he finally rapped his knuckles against the doorframe.

I didn’t rush over to welcome him with warm tea like I used to.

I merely glanced at him once before returning to my packing.

He pulled an ornate velvet box from his pocket and shoved it into my hands, sounding slightly uneasy.

“I accidentally lost your bangle,” he muttered. “Here, I bought you a much more expensive gold one.”

Accidentally lost it?

Even a toddler wouldn’t buy such a pathetic lie.

I didn’t take it. The box slipped through my fingers, hitting the hardwood floor and spilling out a chunky solid gold bracelet.

I picked up the box and examined it closely.

The gold was top quality, and the price tag must have been hefty.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

Colton was the illegitimate son of the Reed family, constantly overlooked and insecure.

Throughout our relationship, all the gifts he gave me were cheap trinkets, yet I always pretended to adore them just to protect his fragile ego.

In the past, if he had bought me something this expensive, I would have been overjoyed.

I would have treasured a gift that cost him his entire savings.

Now that I had made up my mind to leave, he suddenly spent a fortune on me.

Too bad I no longer cared for any of it.

I snapped the box shut and tossed it onto the vanity table.

After doing a final check of my belongings, I zipped up my suitcase.

Only then did Colton notice my packed bags, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“Why are you packing your stuff?”

I looked him straight in the eyes and enunciated every single word.

“Colton, I’ve already canceled the wedding.”

“I’m not marrying you anymore. We’re done.”