Chapter 1

1

The earthquake hit like a sledgehammer. My legs were pinned under the rubble, the bones shattered and bleeding.

My husband didn't even look back. He grabbed his first love, who had nothing more than a tiny scratch on her arm, and ran toward the safety zone.

When I finally woke up after surgery, the first thing I saw was her Instagram post.

"Who says an ex-girlfriend can't compete with a wife? Some men will always choose their first love when it counts."

Everyone in our social circle was waiting to see me break down. I was the laughingstock of the season.

I simply replied to her post: "The divorce papers are already drafted. Don't let him slip away this time."

The day after the disaster, Grayson finally remembered he had a wife.

Even through the screen, I could feel his arrogance. He was acting like a hero who had protected his true queen.

My legs throbbed with a dull, sickening pain. I ignored his notifications and closed my eyes to rest.

But Grayson was like a persistent fly. He kept calling until I finally gave in and picked up.

Before I could say a word, he started shouting.

"Elena, are you done with your little tantrum? It was an emergency. Cindy was hurt, her skin was torn. What is wrong with you?"

"I've told you a thousand times, we're just friends. Only a woman with a filthy mind would see something dirty in us."

"You always do this―ignoring my calls to get attention. Cindy would never act this way. She's mature."

His voice was so loud it made my eardrums ache. I felt a wave of coldness wash over my heart.

"I was hurt too, Grayson," I said quietly.

"Stop faking it. You're too stubborn to die. I bet the world could end and you'd still be standing there perfectly fine."

"I'm warning you, Elena. If you keep acting like this, don't expect me to come home."

He hung up before I could reply. I stared at the sterile white ceiling of the hospital room.

I knew exactly why he called. He probably did it while sitting next to Cindy, just to show her how much he disliked me.

That was always our dynamic. Grayson was the master, and I was the dog begging for scraps of affection.

It was a pathetic food chain. I was at the bottom, and Cindy was at the top.

But everyone has a breaking point. After staring death in the face, I realized how hollow this all was.

A week passed, and Grayson never showed up. It was like he had vanished from the face of the earth.

The nurses gave me pitying looks. They had never seen a patient with such severe injuries stay so long without a single visitor.

I calmly packed my things. Today was discharge day.

My legs were in heavy casts, making it impossible to walk. I bought a wheelchair and struggled to pull myself into it.

My phone rang, the shrill sound nearly making me tip over.

I answered to hear Grayson's cold, detached voice. "Where are you? Why did it take you so long to answer?"

I checked the time. He was probably checking in because he felt a tiny shred of guilt, but he was already annoyed.

"The hospital," I answered flatly. I didn't bother explaining why I was slow.

He stayed silent for a moment, then sighed as if he were doing me a huge favor. "Fine. Stay there. I'll come get you."

This was his pattern. He'd hurt me, then offer a tiny, lazy bit of compensation to make himself feel better.

I didn't argue. I just sat there, waiting to finish my paperwork.

Two hours later, I was waiting at the hospital entrance.

Grayson hadn't arrived. He didn't even call.

I wasn't surprised. I actually felt a strange sense of relief as I called an Uber.

The driver saw me struggling and helped me into the car. As I watched the city blur past the window, a wave of sadness hit me.

I had been married to Grayson for four years. I had stayed by his side through everything, but I was nothing compared to the one year he spent with Cindy.

Maybe Cindy was right. I was just an obstacle in their epic love story.

A light rain began to fall. I checked my phone and saw Cindy had updated her Instagram feed.

It was a photo of Grayson's hand. He was wearing an apron, cooking dinner for the woman he truly loved.

It was such a cozy, domestic scene. I didn't feel angry anymore. I just felt finished.