Chapter 1

My husband's secret lover, a low-tier actress he had been pampering like a prize, finally ran off with his money.

She left behind nothing but a positive pregnancy test and a note: "I'm done with a love that has no legal title."

It only took two years for her to go from his golden bird to a runaway mother-to-be.

I figured Silas would never stand for it. I expected him to tear the city apart within three days to find her.

But this time, Silas didn't move a muscle.

"She was just a toy," he sneered. "She actually thought she was someone important."

Then came the news of the plane crash. Aria was dead.

Suddenly, Silas couldn't stay composed anymore.

1.

I hadn't even processed the news of Aria's death when the bedroom door was kicked open.

Silas burst in with bloodshot eyes, lunging at me to grab my shoulders.

"Why wasn't it you who died? Elena, are you happy now?"

"Why didn't you show up that day? Why didn't you show up!"

I winced in pain, trembling at the sheer hatred in his gaze.

"That day..."

Before I could explain, he shoved me away with brutal force.

A sharp, burning pain instantly spread across my chest as I hit the floor.

"You still dare to make excuses?! Elena, don't think I don't know what you were plotting!"

"You just wanted to force me to bow to you. You wanted me to beg you to stay. Now Aria is dead. Are you satisfied?"

He screamed at me. My vision went dark, and a deafening ring filled my ears.

I wanted to tell him it wasn't on purpose.

That day, we had an appointment to finalize our divorce. But my father had locked me up.

The reason was simple: I refused to help my father trick Silas into signing a contract that favored the Pierce family.

I wasn't let out by the servants until the following day.

I rushed to Silas's villa immediately, only to find the place deserted.

Over the phone, his voice was like ice, devoid of any warmth.

"Elena, are you happy? Aria is gone. She's never coming back!"

Only later did I find out what happened.

Aria had left in a fit of rage because Silas was taking too long to divorce me.

In Silas's eyes, her death was fifty percent my fault.

If I hadn't missed that appointment, Aria wouldn't have fled.