Chapter 1

The hotel doors slammed shut with a bang.

Owen, the guy I'd been with for ten years, had ditched me at the altar for the 99th time. He had taken off to comfort Monica, who was threatening to jump because of her depression.

The guests below the altar began fidgeting and whispering to one another.

I shoved down the flood of shame and despair welling up in my chest, grabbed the mic from the officiant, and raised my voice. "Settle down, everyone. The wedding's still happening. The groom bailed, so I'm putting out a call for a new husband. So, who wants to marry me?"

All hell broke loose in the crowd.

"This is unbelievable. Has she lost her mind?"

"Anderson Group is one of the top business empires in the world. Who'd be crazy enough to steal Mr. Owen's fiancee?"

"Let's be real. Owen's been sleeping with her for ten years. Who's still going to want her?"

Every word stabbed straight through my chest.

After a long silence, I took a deep breath, trying to find a way out of this mess with a shred of dignity. That was when someone stepped out of the crowd.

"I'll marry you."

My eyes shot wide open in disbelief.

It was Chris, Owen's older brother and the eldest son of the Anderson family.

Flashes of him ran through my mind all at once. I'd only ever seen him a handful of times.

One of them was during a heavy storm. Owen had sent me out to get cold medicine for Monica. I ran all over Amethyst City and got myself completely drenched before I finally found a pharmacy that was still open.

Later, I happened to run into Chris, and he offered to drive me home.

I came down with a fever that lasted an entire week, but Owen never showed up. He was too busy looking after Monica. But Chris had quietly left a glass of water and some fever medicine by my bed.

There was another time. Owen had made a bet with his buddies and left me stranded in the middle of nowhere, just to see how long it'd take me to find my way back.

I ended up getting lost in the mountains for three days and nights, and the wolves almost got me. Chris was the one who found me and saved my life.

But every time I tried to thank him, he'd just turn away in silence, never sparing me a glance.

And now, that same man was walking toward me. His tall frame cast a long shadow over me.

"I, Chris Anderson, am stepping up to the plate. I'll take Owen's spot and marry you."

I stared up at him. After a long beat, all I could manage was a single word. "Sure."

And so, under the stunned and confused stares of the crowd, I married Chris.

The second the marriage certificate landed in my hands, it hit me that my ten years with Owen had been nothing but a joke. I had poured every last drop of love I had into him, only to be abandoned time and time again whenever Monica called.

Even when we were just one step away from getting married, all it took was one phone call from her, and he'd drop everything to run to her.

But now? I could finally leave him behind too.

I stared at my phone screen, reading Monica's latest post on social media.

"Thank you for dropping everything to be with me. You are my light when everything feels hopeless."

The photo showed two hands tightly clasped. In the comments, people were celebrating as if the couple had just gotten married today.

I gave the post a like. A few seconds later, Monica messaged me.

"Don't get me wrong, Mia. I was just feeling lonely. Next time you and Owen tie the knot, I promise I'll be there to send my blessings."

She said that every time, then she'd turn around and steal Owen from me all over again. But now, reading her latest jab, I didn't even flinch.

"Forget it. There won't be a next time."