Chapter 1

Henry's POV

In that instant, every word on that banner cut right into me.

I then heard someone nearby scoff under their breath. "Didn't Henry just pack up and walk away back when Stella's funding collapsed, and things hit rock bottom?

"He talked about how rare the overseas assignment was, but he was clearly just afraid her failing business would drag him down. She wouldn't be where she is today if Michael hadn't scraped together the money to save her."

They thought I went abroad just to build up my resume, completely unaware that I had taken on the most dangerous projects back in Maldoria because it paid the highest.

I kept just enough to cover my living expenses during the first few years and sent the rest to Stella Leach, my girlfriend, to help her get her startup off the ground. I was worried she wouldn't take the money from me, so I had to send it through Michael Soden, my childhood friend.

I felt a crushing pain in my chest at that thought and instinctively curled up.

Michael interrupted them a moment later, furrowing his brow. "That's enough. I know Henry better than any of you do, so don't say that about him."

Stella walked over and adjusted the coat covering me. "We should just let it go and keep him in the dark for now. We can figure out the rest later."

Michael was my best friend, while Stella was the woman I had loved for seven years. They both treated me with the same familiar care and tenderness.

I had my eyes closed throughout the whole thing, barely able to process whether what I just heard was real.

"It's already getting so late, and we have rehearsal at 9:00 am tomorrow. Let's call it a night and go back to our rooms."

Just as they were getting up to leave, I opened my eyes, feigning drunkenness. "W-Who's getting married?"

In that instant, everyone in the private room fell silent.

Stella froze for a moment before quickly trying to smooth it over. "You must have misheard us, Henry—no one is getting married."

I didn't press her, using my drunkenness as an excuse to dodge her touch. I then got up, reached over to the couch across from me, and hooked the white banner hiding under it. It slid out across the floor for everyone to see. "Happy First Wedding Anniversary, Stella & Michael!"

Stella's face changed drastically. She instinctively stepped in front of the banner to block my sight and said, "Please hear me out, Henry."

Michael glanced at her and shook his head. "You don't have to block it anymore, Stella. Henry already saw it."

He then took a deep breath and met my gaze head-on. "Stella and I actually registered our marriage a year ago, and our wedding is the day after tomorrow, Henry."

"Michael!" Stella snapped, cutting him off.

I looked at all the familiar faces in the private room, and a few of them looked away, unable to meet my gaze out of guilt.

There were some who muttered under their breath, saying, "You already left for Maldoria, so there's no point in coming back. Michael was even nice enough to throw you a welcome-back party. He was already giving you more courtesy than you deserved, Henry."

Then, someone else pretended to act like the voice of reason with feigned concern. "Stella had a tough time too, Henry. You get that, right? They're already legally married anyway, so you wouldn't go out of your way to be the homewrecker, right?"

Stella's expression hardened as she instinctively shielded me. "You guys better stop this instant. You don't get to talk about him like that."

I stared at her back, finding the whole thing absurd. "What about you, Stella? Do you think I shouldn't have come back either?"

"That's not—" Stella stopped herself short after seeing the hurt expression on Michael's face. "Everyone, leave us for a minute."

Michael took a long, hard look at her, then walked away without causing a scene.

I still noticed them briefly holding hands as Michael walked past Stella, as if silently telling each other not to worry.

Stella walked closer to me once everyone had left. "Nicole was diagnosed with a brain tumor a year ago and took a turn for the worse recently. Michael and I only got married and held the wedding to give her peace of mind, Henry."

I stood there in shock. I was raised by the Soden family, my next-door neighbors, after Mom and Dad passed away when I was seven years old. I had always thought of Nicole Duncan, Michael's mother, as my own mother, yet she had been sick for a whole year, and I hadn't known a single thing about it.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Stella wiped away my tears. "It's because Nicole didn't want to get in the way of your work. I'll divorce Michael once the surgery is over, and we can go right back to how things used to be, Henry."

I felt the tightness in my chest ease slightly. "I'm exhausted… I'd like to go home now…"

Stella hesitated slightly. "I haven't cleaned the place in a while, so let's just stay at the hotel tonight. I'll stay by your side, Henry."