A Broken Heart Is a Dead Heart

I decided to call off this fake wedding."Lucas, I know you're about to get married, but this opportunity to further your studies is really rare. You need to decide whether to prioritize your future or your family...""I'm willing to take this opportunity," I decisively interrupted my advisor before he could finish. Clearly surprised by my quick decision, Joseph Franklin broke into a relieved smile."You're willing to go? That's amazing! I'm sure you'll do really well."I swiftly scanned the flight details."Yes, I can complete the enrollment procedures by next week."After hanging up, I booked the ticket immediately.In exactly seven days, Sophia Bennett and I would have our wedding. Today, we were supposed to select our reception menu together. Sophia sent me a message saying she had to personally handle an important client."You can decide. I completely trust your judgment," she said.It had been less than an hour since she left when the explosive news appeared on social me

"It's normal to unwind a bit before bed. The guest room is always kept tidy, so I'm sure Mr. Cole won't mind spreading a bedsheet himself, right?" I said indifferently.Adrian immediately put on a gentle expression. "Don't be angry, Soph. It's perfectly normal for men to smoke. I'm the one who interrupted your evening."Sophia glared at me, then guided Adrian toward the guest room, whispering something into his ear as they walked. Occasionally, flirtatious laughter drifted from inside the room as she busily moved in and out.I didn't care enough to get involved. Instead, I wondered whether to open another bottle of whiskey to enjoy with my fresh stash of cigars. Deciding it was worth it, I headed to the study to retrieve another treasured bottle.Just as I was immersed in choosing my whiskey, a sudden scream pierced the silence from the master bedroom.Curious, I walked over to see what was going on. But the moment I reached the doorway, Sophia shoved me hard."Lucas, were you ra

Thinking back to five years ago, when I first met Sophia, she'd been entirely different from most young women who were fresh out of college—rather than lively and cheerful, she'd always worn a cold, distant expression that kept people away.The first time I saw her, I'd found myself inexplicably drawn to her aloofness.After a full year of pursuit, I thought I had finally won her heart. Little did I know that what I saw as love was just her calculated decision to go along with things.On the flight, I drifted into a dream. I dreamed of what should've been my own wedding, except it was another man standing beside Sophia....Dressed impeccably in a suit, Adrian asked cautiously, "Soph, Mr. Young hasn't arrived yet. Could something have happened? Are we doing the right thing?"Sophia's eyes flickered briefly, but she quickly regained her composure. "What could possibly happen to him? He's probably just sulking, waiting for me to beg him to come. Once he sees you taking his place, h

I stared at her expressionlessly. "I let you in for a reason.""You're willing to give me another chance?" she asked hopefully.A cold smile appeared on my face. "No, Sophia. It's to end things completely. You've made me question myself, question our past, and doubt if any of it was ever real...""No, it's not like that!" she interrupted desperately, insisting that our time together was her most cherished memory."You're lying even now."I pulled up the video from that online post and showed it to her.Sophia's face turned pale, and she was left speechless. Eventually, she lowered her head and turned to leave, but then she stopped at the door."Would you believe me if I told you that I never understood how much you meant to me until I lost you?""It doesn't matter anymore, Sophia. Whatever I felt for you is already gone."Just after I closed the door, the noise came from outside my bedroom. Samantha Carter poked her head out, hair tousled and eyes sleepy. "I can smell the food

"Watch out behind you!" Samantha shouted.I spun around and saw Adrian charging at me with a pocket knife, less than three feet away, shouting hysterically, "You bastard! Go to hell!"Samantha pulled me into her arms. At that moment, I heard a low groan. Afraid she'd been hurt, I quickly checked her over, only to hear Adrian screaming in rage."Why? Why would you save him? You loved me the most. He rejected you! Why are you still protecting him?"It was then that I noticed Sophia had collapsed on the ground, the knife embedded in her chest. She ignored Adrian's desperate cries, her eyes fixed solely on me."Lucas..." Sophia was rushed to the hospital, while Adrian was taken away by the police.I later learned Adrian had broken up with Sophia earlier because he'd found a wealthy woman, believing he'd marry into riches. Instead, she'd taken him to a remote rural area, where he'd struggled until he finally escaped.Desperate for a comeback, Adrian had tried reconnecting with Sophia