Chapter 2

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• The Echo of a Broken Vow   Chapter 13

  He simply took a document from his briefcase and handed it to me."This is the inheritance agreement. Look it over, and if everything’s fine, sign it."…Pierse left everything to me.Not just the company, his savings, the house, and the car—but even his old family home in our hometown.In June, during my vacation, I took some time to go back.Over the years, the town had been transformed into a tourist destination, rebranded as a picturesque heritage village.Even the old houses on our street were sold off, repurposed for commercial use, all except for his.It had remained empty—never sold and always vacant.Since I had no desire to see my mother, Pierse and I hadn’t returned here in years.The journey was long and bumpy, and by the time I arrived, the sun was already setting.I unlocked the heavy bronze lock and pushed open the worn wooden door.Dust rose in the air.The courtyard was overgrown with weeds, and the stone pathway was covered in a thick layer of moss.Next door, where m

• The Echo of a Broken Vow   Chapter 12

  "I came by a few times during the renovations. The security guards recognize me." "Oh." My response was flat, indifferent. "I’ll talk to them later and let them know we have nothing to do with each other anymore. They won’t let you in next time."Also, don’t come here again. We’re not kids, Pierse. We both know this kind of thing is just self-indulgent sentimentality."You could stand here for a thousand days, and it still wouldn’t change anything. We can’t go back." Pierse looked at me with something close to despair. After a long silence, he forced out a smile—one that looked more painful than tears. "I know… I just came to tell you—" He pulled his hand from his pocket and opened his palm in front of me. Resting there were two slender platinum rings, dulled with age, their surfaces scratched and worn. They were our wedding rings. Inside the bands, our initials were still engraved. The one that was mine—I never even bothered to take it when I moved out. Dolly h

• The Echo of a Broken Vow   Chapter 11

  I had believed every promise he made, no matter how fragile the idea of forever truly was.As long as he said the words, I believed them.But now, the vows faded, the promises turned to dust, and the person I once loved was gone.I carved Pierse out of my life—a slow, excruciating process, like cutting away flesh and bone.And yet, he still left behind cracks that could never be filled.…When Dolly stormed up to confront me outside my office building, I had just wrapped up a major project.The company gave me a hefty bonus and approved my request for a two-week vacation.I was just opening my car door when someone suddenly shoved into me from the side, knocking me back a step.Regaining my balance, I finally got a good look at her.It was Dolly.She looked thinner, paler—hollowed out.But the fire in her eyes was still there, burning with resentment."You promised Pierse that as long as the settlement was fair, you wouldn’t come after me!" I raised an eyebrow."Correction—I agreed no

• The Echo of a Broken Vow   Chapter 10

  "I don’t want to lose you."Pierse’s voice was hoarse, thick with emotion, almost on the verge of breaking."Eva, I love you. I really do."Years ago, when we were both eighteen, he said those exact words to me.He stood beneath the cascading wisteria outside our school, confessing his love.Not a single word different.Back then, we were young. It was summer, the sky was clear, and the breeze was warm.My ears had burned, my heart had pounded.Now, I only gave him a faint, indifferent smile."If you love me that much, then why don’t you give me a little more in the divorce settlement?"…Because of Pierse’s injuries, the divorce process dragged on for two months before it was finalized.We split our assets—seventy-thirty in my favor. The company shares were divided evenly, but I took my portion in cash.I kept the newly renovated villa we purchased six months ago.As for the place we were living in now, the chandelier’s collapse had damaged the entire living room—it would need major r

• The Echo of a Broken Vow   Chapter 9

  Pierse never understood.I never wanted diamonds. I never cared about the rings.All I ever wanted was a love that wouldn’t change.And he failed me.A draft of cool night air slipped through the window, whistling softly as it filled the silence.I clutched the blanket tighter, and before I knew it, tears began to fall.…Three days later, I was discharged from the hospital.With my lawyer by my side, I met with Pierse to finalize the divorce agreement.His fractures were still wrapped in bandages and casts, and he looked exhausted, worn down.I glanced at him and said evenly, “So, you’ve finally made up your mind. In the end, this is still a fair deal—you were the one at fault in this marriage. “Giving up a portion of your assets in exchange for Dolly’s future staying intact? Seems like a trade worth making.”I had always been patient with him—an understanding and forgiving wife who never pushed too hard.But today, standing before him, I was distant, pragmatic, leaving no room for

• The Echo of a Broken Vow   Chapter 8

  I thought my heart had long since gone numb and turned into nothing more than a lifeless pool of still water. But it could still hurt. The same Pierse who risked his life to save me in the earthquake was now using that very act as leverage, bargaining for his mistress. The harsh white hospital lights illuminated his face with brutal clarity, leaving nothing hidden. For the first time in a long time, I lifted my head and truly looked at him. I studied him as if I were seeing him for the very first time. "I can drop the charges. But as the one at fault in this marriage, you should make concessions in the division of assets. That shouldn’t be a problem, should it, Pierse?" He froze. It took him a long moment to find his voice. "What… what do you mean, Eva?" I met his gaze, steady and unhurried. And finally, I said the words I hadn’t been able to say that night before the earthquake. "Pierse, let’s get a divorce." The color drained from his face. For a fleeting s