Chapter 1

Seraphina had been obsessed with me for five years.

But on our wedding night, she kicked me out of our new home.

She immediately called Sterling.

"Graham is married to me now. He won't get in the way of you and Meredith anymore. Are you at peace now?…"

"I'm willing to sacrifice anything for you. Even if it means spending my life with a man I don't love."

It turned out her carefully crafted persona of a devoted lover was all a lie.

She just wanted to ensure I wouldn't interfere with Sterling's happiness.

But Seraphina didn't know one thing about me.

I know how to hold on, and I know how to let go.

If I could move on from Meredith, I could easily walk away from her too.

1

After the call ended, Seraphina went out to the balcony alone.

We had been together for five years, but I had never seen her look so desolate.

She didn't even notice the cigarette in her hand had burnt down to the filter.

The heat finally stung her fingers, making her jump.

As she dropped the butt, she realized I had been standing behind her for a long time.

"Graham, why aren't you in bed?…"

She quickly wiped her eyes, her movements frantic and clumsy.

"Why are you crying? Is something wrong?…"

I pretended not to know anything and asked casually.

Seraphina forced a tight, artificial smile.

"Nothing! Marrying you is the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm just overwhelmed with joy."

After wiping her tears, she threw herself into my arms.

She gave me a light kiss.

But she felt like a machine following a script.

Her lips were ice-cold against mine, completely devoid of warmth.

"Meredith sent me a text. She's having an engagement party with Sterling and invited us. What do you think?…"

I tossed the question out as a test, watching her face closely.

After a moment of hesitation, she looked up at me.

Her eyes were filled with confusion.

"When?…"

"Next Monday. But I already turned it down. Aren't we supposed to be in Bora Bora for our honeymoon?…"

In that split second, I saw utter despair and heartbreak in her eyes.

Sterling obviously hadn't mentioned the engagement on the phone.

He was trying to keep her away.

Seraphina bit her lip so hard it almost bled, struggling to suppress her reaction.

She thought she could move on after handing over the man she loved to another woman.

Clearly, she was wrong.

"People might talk if we don't show up. It would look bad."

"Plus, my family has some stuff going on this week. Maybe we should push the honeymoon back? What do you think?…"

I went silent for a few seconds before nodding.

"Sure. Whatever you want."

In the middle of the night, Seraphina fell into a restless sleep.

She kept muttering in her dreams.

Most of it was just Sterling's name.

She was asking him why he never noticed her in seven years.

She was asking if he ever felt anything for her at all.

I didn't close my eyes once that night.

After three years of an exhausting, on-and-off relationship with Meredith, I had chosen to walk away.

I chose Seraphina because she had always been gentle and caring.

She was the one who confessed first, even inviting all our friends to witness it.

Coming from a scarred relationship, I had given up on true love.

Seraphina was my redemption.

She had nurtured my broken heart back to life.

I had taken step after step to be with her.

Only as I reached the finish line did I realize I was standing on the edge of another cliff.

The only ending was a total shatter.

Luckily, I've never lacked the courage to let go.

Those five years of affection? I'll just treat them as a long, fading dream.