Chapter 1

Nathaniel Reid was absent from my birthday banquet.

While everyone speculated about the grand surprise the heir of the Reid family was preparing for me, all I received was a phone call.

His tone was casual, and he said, "You know, Joanna isn't in a good mood today. She’s craving the pancakes from her childhood, so I'm helping her find that place.

"Miss Lane, aren't you the one who loves playing the role of the gentle and understanding fiancée? I assume you can spare a little kindness and patience for this, right?"

Perhaps he hadn’t expected me to have him on speaker.

There was no pretense in his words, just pure mockery.

Before I could say anything, the call was already disconnected.

It wasn't an explanation—just a notice.

Nathaniel had always been like this with me.

Because of that, he also missed his father’s furious roar.

"That brat has gone too far!"

His mother tried to console me. "Naomi, don’t be upset. I’ll drag him over to apologize to you tomorrow.

“As for that girl, Joanna, she’s just a passing fling, nothing more than a stray cat or dog. I promise you, she won’t affect your relationship with Nathaniel in any way!"

I listened quietly, forcing a faint, pale smile.

Today was my birthday.

It was also supposed to be the day our wedding date was officially announced.

But the person who once swore to spend every birthday with me was nowhere to be seen.

My parents’ faces were grim.

Yet, I knew they were already calculating how to leverage this unexpected turn of events to force the Reid family into making greater concessions in their upcoming business dealings.

So, when I brought up the idea of breaking off the engagement I was met with reprimands as expected.

Everything was unfolding exactly as it had in that dream.

“Ridiculous!”

My father frowned, his tone displeased. “Naomi, it’s perfectly normal for men to have their little indulgences outside. You need to remember that you are the one Nathaniel is going to marry. There’s no need to fuss over those insignificant nobodies.”

Even my mother, who had once thrown countless hysterical fits over my father’s affairs, urged me not to be so narrow-minded.

Was I being petty?

I lowered my gaze, a faint smirk of mockery tugging at my lips.

After a moment, as if reaching a decision, I murmured, "It didn’t have to be Nathaniel."

I thought of the distant, composed man from my dreams—the one who had always hidden his quiet, unwavering love for me.

A smile flickered across my lips as I said softly, "Didn’t he still have an uncle?"

…

Nathaniel and I grew up together, and we were a perfect match in terms of both family background and status.

It was only natural that we got engaged when we came of age.

But at some point, Nathaniel began to grow distant, his warmth toward me fading into indifference.

He despised my presence.

Even more, he resented the way I tried to restrain him as his fiancée.

To spite me, he did one outrageous thing after another.

I lost count of how many times I had to clean up his mess.

I even witnessed a friend advising him not to treat me so cruelly.

The strikingly handsome young man simply leaned against the wall, lowering his gaze.