Chapter 1

If you marry above your station, you'll have to swallow the pain it brings.

The hospital smelled like antiseptic.

Shirley Carter sat on the edge of the bed while the nurse dabbed iodine on her scraped-up leg. Nothing was broken, but the skin was peeled raw, covered with grit and little rocks from the road.

The sting made her suck in a sharp breath.

Her phone buzzed. The caller ID showed "Hubby."

"Where are you?" Matthew Ray's voice was clipped and impatient. "Don't tell me you forgot what day it is!"

Shirley lowered her voice, her chest tight. "I got in a car accident."

He let out a laugh, sharp and cold. "Really? Is this your excuse now? Yesterday you said you didn't wanna go to the wedding. Today, you got in a car accident. I bet you'll miraculously heal in five minutes!"

Her lips trembled. "I'm not joking."

His reply was ice. "Shirley, I know you and Astrid don't get along, but this is her wedding day. If you don't wanna go, then don't. But don't pull this stunt."

The line went dead.

Shirley's leg throbbed harder, as if Matthew's words had amplified the pain. Tears slipped down before she could stop them.

In her mind, she replayed what happened. A car had come out of nowhere, running the red light, barreling straight at her on the sidewalk. She had tried to run, but the car clipped her and sent her flying onto the grass.

If it hadn't smashed into the utility pole, she wouldn't even be alive.

The driver had died. Strangers called an ambulance and brought her here.

But who would believe her? To everyone else, she was the difficult one—the one who clashed with sweet, perfect Astrid Dittman.

Even her own husband thought she was lying about getting into an accident on the way to Astrid's wedding.

Shirley's heart turned to ice. It felt as if the whole world had already given up on her.

The nurse, who had overheard a little, glanced at her carefully. "If you want, I can explain for you."

Shirley forced a tiny smile. "No, thanks."

She inhaled deeply, then called her best friend, Noelle Martin, to come pick her up.

When the nurse left, the silence pressed in.

Shirley sat there drained, tears spilling without her permission. But she stayed quiet and determined. She didn't call Matthew again.

She didn't want to hear his voice. Not now.

A few minutes later, Noelle showed up, wearing sunglasses and a mask, scanning her up and down before letting out a sigh. "Okay, good. You're not dead. I was preparing myself on the way here. Even if you lost an arm or a leg, I'd still stick by you."

Shirley wiped at her face. "Thanks."

Noelle frowned. "So, where's Matthew? Don't tell me you didn't call him."

Shirley gave a tired laugh. "I did. He didn't believe me. Today is Tony's wedding, remember?"

Noelle smacked her forehead. "Oh, right! Tony's marrying Astrid! But what the hell is Matthew even doing there? Showing up at his ex-girlfriend's wedding—is he trying to sabotage it?"

"Not really." Shirley's voice was faint. "He wouldn't stand a chance against Tony, anyway."

Noelle snorted. "True. But seriously, both brothers falling for the same girl? Astrid must be some kind of succubus."

Shirley stared out the window at the bright sunlight. It had been this sunny too when she had caught Matthew secretly meeting Astrid.

Realizing she had gone too far, Noelle quickly tried to amend her words.

"But hey, he wised up. He married you. You're Mrs. Ray now. Your husband's family name is in every Forbes article out there, and you're practically swimming in money! You've got status people would kill for."

Shirley bent down to slip on her shoes. The hem of her dress fell over the ugly bruise on her leg. It throbbed when she stood up, but luckily, she hadn't broken any bones. It was still bearable.

Noelle jumped to help her walk, but Shirley's voice was quiet and steady.

"Everything I eat, every dime I spend—it's all mine. He's never given me a penny. Before the wedding, I signed a prenup. His money's not mine."

Noelle's eyes widened. "Wait. You've been married for three years, and he hasn't given you anything?!"

Shirley shook her head. Back then, she had agreed to the family's terms to prove she loved Matthew, not his family's fortune.

He didn't give her a credit card or pocket money. Just the occasional holiday gift, or him paying when they went out shopping. And Shirley had been grateful for even that.

She had her own job as a college professor, and she earned decent pay.

Noelle groaned. "Didn't he just splurge on some diamond jewelry at an auction the other week? Wasn't it for you?"

Shirley's stomach sank. Her mind jumped back to that day at the coffee shop window, when she saw Matthew with Astrid together. Astrid was laughing, her neck glittering with a jewelry set that caught the light like fire.

She remembered the way Astrid looked at him, full of adoration.

It burned.

Shirley and Matthew had grown up together. They had been each other's first loves back in high school, but college separated them. During those four years, he and Astrid had started dating.

They broke up after graduation, then Shirley came back into his life and pursued him hard. To secure her place, she suggested a marriage, signing every condition the Rays threw her way.

But Astrid was the thorn in her side. The thorn Matthew himself had placed there.

At the coffee shop, Shirley had wanted to storm in, scream, and drag him out.

And yet, she had stayed frozen on the sidewalk. She told herself that Astrid was about to get married, and they had probably just run into each other.

Matthew had always said, "Shirley, a marriage needs trust."

Now, looking back, Shirley didn't believe it for a second. Still, she couldn't figure out why she hadn't confronted him at the coffee shop.

Maybe her disappointment had been growing for a long time.

Noelle scolded her all the way home and called her spineless, saying she was letting herself get played. Shirley didn't argue—deep down, she knew Noelle wasn't wrong.

She had chased what she thought was true love for 25 years, only to be slapped in the face by reality.

It stung.

After sending Shirley home, Noell left. Shirley changed clothes, sat on the couch, and quietly looked around the room at the flowers she'd arranged, the curtains she'd picked, the mural they painted together, and the wedding photo on the wall.

Outside, the sun went down.

The door opened.

Matthew stood there, tall and sharp, his whole presence like a storm. His lips were pressed thin, his expression cold—until his eyes landed on her watery gaze and pale face.

The edge softened just a little, but his voice still carried a hint of amusement.

"Didn't you say you got in a car accident? Looks more like a bad dream to me. Let me see where you got hit."

Shirley looked at him, silent. His face still held traces of the boy she had once loved, the one she had pursued like crazy.

But she couldn't remember why she had ever loved him so much.

"Get out," she said flatly.

His eyes darkened, his anger barely under control.

"Are you really gonna pull this today? The Rays are all at that wedding, waiting, and I came here for you. You should be grateful!"