Chapter 1

The night before our wedding, I received photos of my fiancée in lingerie.

Hazel, the woman everyone called the pure-hearted sweetheart of the industry, was posing provocatively for another man.

Her agent called me, his voice trembling as he told me not to be angry.

"Silas, I'm sorry. Hazel only did this for work. Don't get the wrong idea."

On the other end of the line, I heard Hazel scoff.

"He's just a loser who lives off my money," she whispered. "What right does he have to be angry?"

I hung up, called a divorce lawyer, and walked away.

1 The moment Hazel pushed the door open, I was helping the movers carry the last boxes.

She stood in the foyer, scanning the empty space before looking at me with pure disdain.

"Silas, you're thirty, not three," she snapped.

"Are you really throwing a tantrum and moving out because of a single photo?"

She started lecturing me the second she stepped in. There wasn't a single word of explanation.

I spent millions to turn her into a top-tier model.

In return, she called me a loser.

I stopped what I was doing and looked at her quietly. I pointed to the papers on the table.

"Perfect timing. I've already signed the divorce papers. Let's head to the courthouse tomorrow."

Hazel grabbed her designer bag and slammed it against my chest. She didn't even look at the papers before tearing them to shreds.

"Silas, I've been with you for five years! How many five-year periods does a girl get?"

"I didn't care when you had nothing. I took those photos for work! How am I supposed to support you if I don't work?"

"Do you expect me to stay home and live on your pathetic three-thousand-dollar salary?"

"Do you have any idea? I canceled tonight's runway show for the Evergreen Group just because you're acting out!"

The Evergreen Group was Hazel's main client.

She never missed their events because the manager there was extremely close to her.

When I didn't respond, Hazel stepped closer and poked a finger into my shoulder.

"It's not like this is your first day knowing what I do for a living. Why bring up a breakup after five years? Do you have someone else?"

I had been secretly pulling strings and providing resources for her since she started modeling.

When did her job ever require her to take such filth?

During all our years together, she played the innocent, harmless girl. The most we ever did was hold hands or hug.

I could count the number of times we'd kissed on one hand.

Because I loved her, I respected her boundaries.

But now, she was being so wild in front of another man. Those black lace scraps barely covered the essentials.

And she had the nerve to tell me it was a professional job.

What kind of man could stomach that?

"You really think I'm that kind of person?"

Everyone around me for the last five years knew I'd give Hazel the moon if she asked for it.

But in her eyes, I was still a nobody.

I didn't feel like explaining anymore. "Just sign it. I won't care what you photograph from now on."

She let out a short laugh, ignoring my words. "You never had the right to care anyway."

"Cody will be at the wedding tomorrow. Apologize to him, and I'll pretend this never happened."

"Why should I apologize?" I sneered. "What is he? He's nothing. Why would I bow to a piece of trash like him?"

"You scared him so much he cried! Don't you think you owe him an apology? I'm warning you, if you keep acting up, I'll…"

"You'll what? Divorce me? Kick me out of the Vance family?"

The boxes were almost all in the truck. I signaled the movers to take them down.

"Don't bother. I've already packed. If Cody is going to the wedding tomorrow, why don't you just marry him instead?"

"It'll save him the trip. I wish you two a long and happy life."

Seeing that I was actually leaving, Hazel blocked the doorway.

"Silas, stop it. This isn't funny anymore."

"If you dare step out of this door today, you're dead to the Vance family!"

Hazel was convinced that I survived solely on her charity. She thought I'd never give up such a comfortable life.

But the truth was, I never cared about money or status. I only ever cared about her.

I remember how she looked when she actually loved me. Now that she didn't, the change was painfully obvious.

Her heart wasn't mine anymore. Why would I want a marriage that was just an empty shell?

I pushed her hand away and walked out without looking back.