Chapter 1

My husband's childhood best friend made a critical error during a search and rescue mission, which cost a young college girl her life.

To protect his precious darling, Wesley Gallagher―the captain of our search and rescue unit―demanded that I take the fall for her crime.

I refused on the spot.

Furious, he yelled in my face.

"Kendra is up for a promotion! Do you really want to ruin her entire future? How old are you, acting so petty and throwing tantrums like a child?"

Without my consent, Wesley logged into my social media account and posted a full public confession under my name.

That very night, the victim's enraged family tracked me down and took their revenge.

They attacked me brutally, and I lost both of my legs.

My mother-in-law rushed to the hospital room, begging me to forgive her son.

I simply looked at her with hollow eyes and said, "I have repaid every ounce of kindness the Gallagher family ever gave me. Tell him to sign the divorce papers."

In the sterile hospital room, my mother-in-law stared at my empty pant legs.

Her eyes were filled with guilt and pity.

"Laurel, Wesley never wanted things to turn out like this," she sobbed. "He was just confused and blinded for a moment. Please, give him one more chance, okay?"

I had grown completely numb to this speech.

Every time Wesley wronged me over the years, his mother always made excuses for him and pleaded for my forgiveness.

This time, my heart was stone cold.

I firmly pressed the divorce agreement into her trembling hands.

"I kept him safe and protected his career for ten years," I said evenly. "In return, he cost me my legs. From now on, I only want to live my own life."

Before she could speak again, a news notification chimed on her phone.

It was a live broadcast of the search and rescue commendation ceremony.

On the screen, Kendra was wearing a bright corsage, grinning from ear to ear as she accepted the certificate of honor directly from Wesley.

Wesley looked at her with a proud, doting gaze―a warmth I had never once received in our entire marriage.

The crowd in the video began to cheer, "Come on, Kendra, give him a hug!"

Kendra looked up at Wesley with longing eyes, seeking his approval.

Wesley blushed, nodding with tender affection.

Immediately, Kendra threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight while beaming at the cameras.

Watching the two of them look so sweet together, my heart didn't break anymore.

To please his first love, Wesley had drained every bit of value from me without remorse.

During that tragic rescue, I had fought with everything I had to save ten people.

At the final moment, Kendra defied my direct orders, acting recklessly on her own and causing that innocent student's death.