His Perfect Love Was a Secret

"Ms. Willow Lane, this is the fake-death service you've scheduled with us. The staged death is set for five days from now during your wedding ceremony. Cause of death: drowning at sea. Subject: yourself. Please sign here." My face was pale as I checked the documents over and over. As my eyes fell at the very bottom of the page, I signed my name. When Adrian Ashford was pursuing me, I once warned him that I would vanish from his world entirely and ensure he would regret it for the rest of his life if he ever betrayed what we shared. My decision to sign this agreement was just me keeping my promise to leave him forever. On my way home, I looked up and saw a giant billboard playing the promotional teaser for Adrian and my upcoming beach wedding. In the video, the handsome man stood in a white suit and smiled genuinely into the camera as he shared our love story—from school days to wedding vows, through hardships to finally achieving our happy ending. People on the street sig

The other man laughed even harder. "Three years with the same woman? Don't you want something new?" Adrian's voice stayed calm. "It's fine. I'm not tired of her yet." Then, his tone turned sharp. "This must never be exposed, and Willow can never find out. If she does, you're done. Understand?" I was rooted to the spot. Only then did I truly believe Evelyn. My heart felt as if it had been torn open. I gave a broken smile and thought, 'So… It's all true. Adrian kept another woman for three years, and it isn't just anyone. It's Evelyn who hurt me most. Why? Why her?' At one moment, the cake slipped from my hands and shattered on the floor. It was beyond saving, just like us. Adrian didn't come home that night. I spent the night alone on the couch, watching the sky shift from sunset to sunrise. ... There were now three days until the wedding. When Adrian finally arrived home, he saw me gazing out the window with red, swollen eyes. He immediately rushed over and embr

The fake-death agency called me one last time. "Ms. Lane, all of your identity records in this country have been erased. Your new ID, new phone number, and flight ticket have all been prepared." The representative's voice was calm and professional. "During the wedding vows, you'll jump into the ocean as planned. Our team will be on standby to extract you." I answered quietly, "When the time comes, make sure my old phone is delivered to my fiancé." The representative replied, "Of course." After a brief pause, he added, "We wish you a brand-new life." The call had barely ended when Adrian came home. He didn't notice how many things were missing from the house. His attention was entirely on coaxing me. "Willow, let's use the ring I bought you instead." He took my hand, kissed the back of it, and looked at me with affection. "That's the ring I used to propose to you. It means more to me than something crafted by another designer, doesn't it?" Then, he smiled and said, "We'r

Tears streamed down Adrian's face. The crushing weight of his regret seemed too much for anyone to bear. He covered his face with both hands and broke into uncontrollable sobs. The wedding that had been broadcast nationwide as the wedding of the century had become the funeral of the century. Not long after, the professional recovery team brought up my "body." Adrian tried to rush over, but others stopped him. All he could do was watch as they gradually carried my "body" toward him. The representative said, "Mr. Ashford, please accept our condolences." However, Adrian appeared to have lost his mind. He refused to accept that I was gone, lunging at the man in black and grabbing him by the collar. "Who the hell are you?" His voice cracked. "What kind of sick nonsense are you talking about?" He shoved the man aside and staggered toward where my "body" was lying. Then, he saw the face inside. Suddenly, all his strength drained away. He collapsed to his knees with a heavy t

Now, the woman sobbing so pitifully in front of him was the one he blamed for killing the only person he had ever loved. Evelyn cried as she grabbed the hem of his shirt. "You loved me too, didn't you? Otherwise, why would you keep me by your side for three whole years?” Adrian's face contorted with disgust. "At first, I only sought revenge. Later, I found it amusing to keep you as a toy, so I did. What makes you believe you could ever match Willow? How could you ever consider yourself a worthy replacement?” Adrian looked at Evelyn for a long moment. The woman who once brought him excitement, novelty, and temptation now appeared ugly and revolting in his eyes. He suddenly crouched down and grabbed her chin hard. "You want forgiveness?” Evelyn's crying ceased, and hope lit up her eyes. 'He still loves me. He has to. If he didn't, why else would he have kept me by his side for three years? Now, Willow is dead. How could a dead woman ever compete with me?' However, she had cel