Chapter 1

Lyra Vance had always kept a place in her heart for her dead first love.

She still wore the red silk cord he had given her years ago.

Secretly, she was always looking for men who shared his face.

On her birthday, she finally found him.

The man looked exactly like her lost love, and his attentive nature won her over instantly.

At the same time, she dropped a bombshell―she was pregnant.

As I watched her belly grow over the following months, I knew our marriage had reached its expiration date.

1.

Tonight was Lyra's birthday gala.

She arrived with a young man in tow, who dutifully carried her designer handbag.

The crowd erupted in hushed whispers the moment they stepped inside.

"My god, is that Liam Quinn standing next to Lyra?"

"Liam's been dead for years. That guy is just a lookalike. I heard she spent a long time searching for someone who resembled him that closely."

"So she's still hung up on Liam? But she's been married to Caleb Sterling for five years now."

Listening to their gossip, I felt nothing. My heart was a flatline.

"Mr. Sterling, hello. I'm Lyra's new bodyguard, Gavin Rhodes."

"I'll be responsible for her safety from now on."

As he approached, the man who looked so much like Liam Quinn smiled and extended his hand for a shake.

My eyes drifted to his wrist. He was wearing a luxury watch worth over a million dollars.

I had seen the box for that exact watch on Lyra's vanity just yesterday.

At the time, I foolishly thought it was a gift for me.

"Thank you, Caleb, for throwing such a magnificent party for me."

Lyra smoothed her hair and gracefully tucked her arm through mine.

For years, she had been obsessed with Liam, hunting for his ghost in the faces of strangers.

She thought I was oblivious to her little hobby.

Because she believed I didn't know, she felt bold enough to bring her new plaything into the light, confident I wouldn't be angry.

But my heart wasn't just broken anymore; it was pulverized.

My assistant had sent me a photo this morning. It was a shot of her at the clinic for a prenatal check-up.

Gavin had his hand on her shoulder in the photo. Anyone would have mistaken them for the husband and wife.

"Sure. You should go up on stage and say a few words first."

I gently pulled my hand away from her grip.

She nodded, lifting the hem of her gown as she made her way toward the stage.

That left me alone with Gavin.

"Mr. Sterling, I noticed you looking at my watch. Don't get the wrong idea. It was just a signing bonus from Lyra."

Gavin offered an explanation, but his eyes were dancing with smugness and provocation.

As a man, I knew exactly what he was thinking.

He wanted to climb the social ladder and replace me in Lyra's bed.

But as long as I was still the husband, I wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"I'm giving you exactly two hours."

I spoke softly, my voice cold.

He blinked, clearly not catching my drift at first.

"Two hours to get out of Silver Creek. If you don't, I'll make sure you can't survive in this city."

"I belong to Lyra. I'm her person."

His face twisted with defiance.

He was essentially asking me what right I had to kick him out.

I let out a sharp, dry laugh. "Before you, there were a dozen bodyguards just like you standing by her side."

"You can choose to ignore me, but you'll have to live with the consequences."

Lyra and I had been married for five years, and to the outside world, we were the perfect couple. We never argued.

I had wanted to keep this marriage going for as long as possible.

So, I played the part of the oblivious husband while quietly getting rid of the men she brought home.

I saw Lyra stepping down from the stage.

I picked up a gift box and walked over to her.

"Happy birthday."

She gave me a radiant smile.

"Thank you, Caleb. Actually, I have a gift for you, too."

"I'm pregnant."

The room erupted in applause.

But I felt absolutely no joy.