Chapter 1

With the wedding approaching, Logan Bradshaw's childhood friends threw him a bachelor party.

Everyone in Logan's close circle knew how much he adored me. If he didn't bring me along, he'd undoubtedly rush home before 10:00 pm, regardless of whether the others enjoyed themselves.

So this time, they warmly invited me as well.

However, the moment I stepped inside, I sensed something was off.

Everyone greeted me enthusiastically, yet I caught them subtly exchanging glances with Logan. I had no idea what was going on.

Once everyone was seated, a short-haired woman arrived fashionably late.

"Sorry, I'm late! Traffic was terrible!"

She was tall and slender, and her voice was crisp and confident.

Beside me, Logan instantly tensed up. For the first time in my life, I saw what it looked like when someone's heart skipped a beat.

The woman beamed at me and extended her hand.

"You must be the bride-to-be. Nice to meet you! I'm Leah Powell."

The second I heard her name, everything clicked into place. Leah was Logan's first love—the girl he had adored for five years.

From what I was told, Logan wasn't as composed back then as he was now. He pursued her relentlessly, be it by filling the street outside her home with roses or lighting up fireworks just for her. The years of his youth revolved around her.

But three years ago, Leah decisively left to study abroad with another guy.

That was when I met Logan. He walked toward me through the hazy glow of the lights at a party. I just had half a drink, yet I was already drunk because of him.

I immediately pestered my friends for information about him, and when they pushed me toward him, I was so nervous that my tongue tripped over itself.

"I'm Tara Cruz… May I get your name?"

Laughter erupted around us. The frown Logan wore for months finally eased into a smile.

After we got together, he poured all his tenderness into our relationship.

He remembered every little thing I liked and disliked. No matter how late I worked, he insisted on picking me up himself. Every holiday, he prepared gifts with such care and thoughtfulness.

He posted about me on his social media and introduced me to every single one of his friends and family. Even his friends couldn't help but tease me.

"Logan spent years chasing the hardest girl to get, and now he's a master at relationships. You're reaping all the benefits, Tara!"

I never let those words get to me. After all, people said Leah and I were nothing alike, neither in looks nor personality. I was never a replacement.

And most importantly, I could feel that Logan loved me.

After three years together, he proposed with unwavering certainty.

I thought our love was about to bloom into something beautiful. Nevertheless, just when everything seemed perfect, reality struck me like a crushing blow.

Leah plopped down beside me and pulled a perfume bottle from her handbag, handing it to me.

"This is a wedding gift for you. This scent is really sophisticated. I've been using it for almost eight years now and never switched."

She smiled, her eyes crinkling slightly.

I had to admit, she carried herself with grace and had a naturally likable personality. Even the wedding gift was prepared for me, not Logan.

I accepted it and thanked her.

Then, she took out her phone and added my number to her contacts.