Chapter 1

"Stop sulking. I promise you're the one who's going to be the son-in-law of the Solomon family."

Jessica Solomon's sweet voice echoed through the bedroom.

She patted my shoulder through the blanket while trying to soothe me.

I kept my eyes shut and forced my breathing to remain steady. I didn't allow even the slightest tremor to escape.

Her footsteps gradually faded.

The bedroom door clicked shut. Silence settled over the room.

I opened my eyes and looked past the edge of the bed toward the floor. Strips of shredded fabric were scattered everywhere.

That suit had taken two years to create. I'd personally traveled to Paragonia to finalize every detail. It carried all the hopes I'd had for our ten-year relationship.

Now it lay trampled across the carpet.

I threw back the blanket and climbed out of bed. My bare feet touched the cold floor.

There was a glass on the nightstand with a thin layer of milk residue at the bottom.

Two hours earlier, Jessica had watched me drink from that very glass.

"Zac, you've been exhausted planning the wedding. Have some warm milk and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow you'll be the most handsome groom ever."

Her voice sounded so loving then. Now the bitter scent lingering in the glass felt like a cruel joke.

I didn't cry. My eyes didn't even sting. I just felt sick to my stomach.

The medication had originally been prescribed by a doctor to help with my pre-wedding insomnia.

Yet she'd used my complete trust and defenseless sleep as an excuse to let her childhood friend do whatever he wanted.

She knew perfectly well how much Chris Johnson hated me. Even so, she let him walk into our bedroom and destroy my wedding suit.

I crouched down and gathered the strips of fabric.

Without a second thought, I tossed them into the trash can in the corner.

After doing that, I picked up my phone from the nightstand and opened my contacts.

I kept scrolling down until it stopped on a black profile picture that had been blocked for three years.

The note beneath it contained only a single word.

[Everton.]

Three years ago, while Jessica and I were preparing for our engagement party, she worked herself to exhaustion and ended up in the ICU with a stomach hemorrhage.

I cried outside her ward for hours.

That same day, I blocked Katie Everton, the woman who had always loved me and had even been willing to give up everything for me.

At the time, I thought Jessica was willing to risk her life for me. How could I possibly betray someone like that?

Now it all felt like a ridiculous joke. I stared at Katie's profile picture for a long time.

Laughter drifted in from the hallway.

"Jessica, you were so mean earlier. You actually yelled at me over an outsider." Chris's voice slipped through the crack beneath the door.

"Enough is enough, Chris. I can let you get away with destroying a suit, but don't push Zac past his limits. The position of my husband belongs to him and him alone."

"What if I still want to cause trouble tomorrow?"

"I already told you. He's going to be my husband. If you pull something like this again, I won't forgive you."

"Hmph. I just can't stand that proper, perfect act he puts on. Besides, he stole you from me."

I smirked. Jessica had exposed her true nature completely.

She was so certain I would marry her that she'd grown comfortable sacrificing my dignity whenever Chris made unreasonable demands.

I opened my blocked contacts and removed Katie's profile.

The last message in our conversation was still there from three years ago.

[Zac, if you ever decide to come back, I'll be here.]

I placed the phone facedown on the table.

I then walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Water poured over my head.

I wanted to wash away the lingering scent of Jessica's perfume.

Tomorrow was the wedding. Since Jessica was so determined to have everything she wanted, I'd give her exactly that.

After my shower, I changed into clean pajamas.

I sat down in front of the vanity and studied the man in the mirror. My face was pale, but my eyes were determined.

The bedroom door opened again. Jessica walked in with a glass of warm water.

When she saw me sitting there, she visibly froze. Her gaze instinctively shifted toward the corner where my suit had been.

Nothing remained there except for a glimpse of gold embroidery sticking out of the trash can.

"Zac, you're awake?" She hurried over and put the glass down.

"Yeah. I was thirsty." I picked up the glass and took a sip.

Jessica wrapped her arms around my shoulders from behind and rested her chin against my neck.

"Why don't you sleep a while longer? Did I wake you when I came in earlier?"

The concern in her voice sounded so genuine. It was as if the sleeping pills and the humiliating livestream had never happened.

"No. I slept great." I looked at her reflection in the mirror. My voice was completely flat.

Jessica seemed relieved. She leaned forward and planted a kiss on my cheek.

"The replacement suit is already on its way from Paragonia. It's the one you looked at a little longer than the others.

"Tomorrow, be a good groom and marry me. Don't throw a tantrum over someone who doesn't matter, okay?"