Chapter 1

During the three years I dated Ronan Sullivan, all my friends were slowly walking down the aisle.

With their encouragement, I finally prepared to propose to him.

But when I went to the venue to set up the decorations, I caught him flirting with another woman.

"Sutton, I bought the villa next to mine just to keep you there as my secret little queen. How does that sound？"

Sutton Joy pouted playfully. "If Rainie ever found out, she would tear me apart."

Ronan snorted with disdain. "Her belly has been silent for three years. Who knows if her oven is even working？"

"You, on the other hand, are amazing. It only took a few times for you to carry my spark."

I left quietly. That same night, I called my brother and accepted his proposal for an arranged marriage.

1.

"Miss Sterling, do you... still want us to decorate the main hall？"

The wedding planner held bundles of ribbons and flowers, looking at me with pure awkwardness.

I turned to her with a faint, bitter smile. "No need. I am sorry you had to come all this way for nothing."

The worker glanced quickly at the two people in the hall, who were currently locked in a passionate kiss.

She asked me one more time in a low voice. I shook my head, making it clear I was done.

"Miss Sterling, about the twenty-thousand-dollar cancellation fee..."

Serendipity Designs was the top wedding agency in Chicago.

Their setups had won several national awards, but their only downside was the extreme price.

When I signed the contract, the clauses about cancellation and labor fees were highlighted in bold red.

To give Ronan a grand and unforgettable proposal, I hadn't even blinked before signing it.

Now, looking back, I was just a fool living in a fantasy.

"Do you have the card reader？ I will pay you right now."

After settling the fee, I walked downstairs with the agency staff.

In the elevator, the young girl wanted to comfort me several times.

I gave her a small smile and spoke calmly.

"I am fine. A unicorn is hard to find, but men with two legs are everywhere."

Even though I said that, my eyes turned red as soon as they drove away.

Standing alone on the street, I pulled out my phone and called my brother, Landon Sterling.

"Landon, I agree to the marriage alliance. Help me prepare the wedding. The sooner, the better."

My brother didn't rush to speak or ask questions.

But hearing his steady breathing made my tears fall uncontrollably.

"Landon, I was wrong. I should not have been so stubborn."

"It is good that you realized it. Come home. I will handle everything for you."

He waited for me to stop crying before speaking again.

"Rainie, they say swallowing your pride is a blessing, but a daughter of the Sterling family doesn't need that kind of blessing."

It sounded like a simple sentence, but I understood the weight behind it.

The Sterling family was a powerhouse in New York, and Landon was the definition of a protective brother.

I could have lived a life of luxury and ease.

Instead, I chose to be blind and fall for a man who had a handsome face but a hollow soul.

Landon was telling me that if I wanted, the person who bullied me would pay a bloody price.

"No, Landon. This is just the cost of growing up. I see things clearly now."