Chapter 1

1.

The day we were supposed to sign our marriage license, my boyfriend stood me up.

I waited in front of the courthouse for an entire day, only to receive a photo from his secretary.

In the picture, the little secretary was straddling my boyfriend's lap, her arms hooked around his neck, as they shared a deep, passionate kiss.

"I am so sorry, Seraphina. Silas insisted on coming over to comfort my broken heart. You won't mind, right?"

I confronted Silas, but he only looked at me with pure impatience.

"She donated blood for me once. What is wrong with me staying with her for one night? Can't you just be a bit more open-minded?"

My heart went cold. I turned around and dialed Silas's older brother's number.

"Xavier, are you still willing to marry me?"

...

On the other end of the line, Xavier Sterling remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely," I said, my voice steady.

"I just don't know if you still want me."

"I am currently in London. Give me―no, give me two weeks. I'll be back, and we will get married immediately."

"Fine. I'll wait for you."

I hung up and looked at the photo on my phone one last time before darkening the screen.

Five years of devotion ultimately couldn't compete with the thrill of something new.

...

Silas didn't get home until the early hours of the morning.

I didn't greet him. I just quietly packed my bags.

Even if I only had two weeks left here, I didn't want to waste another second on him.

"Go get me a glass of water, and then lay out my pajamas."

Silas's voice was full of arrogance, and he didn't even bother to look at me.

He always treated me like a servant.

And getting his pajamas ready was his way of rewarding me.

In his mind, it meant he was willing to sleep in the same bed as me tonight.

In the past, I might have looked forward to it.

But now, there wasn't a single spark left in my heart as I continued packing my clothes and personal items.

A moment later, Silas stepped out of the bathroom. Seeing me unmoved, he furrowed his brow, his voice dripping with annoyance.

"Why haven't you moved yet?"

"Didn't you hear me?"

"I'm going back to my family's place for a while."

I calmly zipped up my suitcase.

I didn't mention a word about marrying his brother.

Seeing the suitcase, Silas seemed to realize something. His frown deepened, and he let out a long, heavy sigh.

"Can you stop making a scene?"

His tone was flat, as if he were talking about a minor inconvenience.

"Jade saved my life by giving me that blood. In a way, she's my savior. She only has one birthday a year―what's the big deal if I spend it with her? So what if we didn't sign the papers yesterday? Isn't it a bit much to get this jealous over a small thing?"

A small thing?

I couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating laugh.

So, in his eyes, our marriage was just a small thing.

It wasn't even as important as some outsider's birthday.

It seems I've loved him so humbly for so many years that he thinks he can walk all over me without consequences.

Maybe he truly believed that my entire world revolved around him.

But now, I'm exhausted.

I don't need a love that requires me to crawl in the dirt.

Seeing my silence, he walked over and wrapped his arms around my waist, his voice softening.

"Alright, don't run away over such a trifle. We can get the license whenever. It's just a piece of paper, why are you so obsessed with it?"

My brain felt like it was going to explode.

Was he really trying to act like he was doing me a favor?

"A piece of paper?!" I couldn't suppress my anger any longer.

"To you, our marriage license is less important than Jade's birthday, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah!"

Silas glared at me, answering without a hint of hesitation.

The words I wanted to scream got stuck in my throat.

I looked at him, completely incredulous.

How could he say that with such a righteous face?

But looking at his indifferent expression, I suddenly felt a sense of relief.

It was as if a massive weight had finally dropped from my chest.

"If that's the case, then that piece of paper isn't worth signing at all."

I turned and walked into the guest bedroom, slamming the door behind me.

The loud bang echoed through the hallway, matching the sound of my heart shattering into pieces.

"Seraphina, don't talk crazy. When did I say I wouldn't marry you?"

Silas grumbled impatiently from outside the door.

"We've been together for years. Don't you have any trust in me at all?"

"Can't you just see things from my perspective for once?"

When I didn't answer, he kicked the door in frustration and stormed off.

I wasn't surprised.

In the past, I was always the one to back down first. Even when he was wrong, I was the one who gave him a way out.

The fact that he even stayed to argue was a miracle in itself.

He would never beg for forgiveness the way I once did.