Chapter 1

How long does it take to give up on a man you've loved for ten years?

It takes me 3 seconds.

The first second, I signed my name on the contract to become the chief designer of a renowned studio in Paris.

The second second, I lock away ten years of my youth in my heart.

The third second, I completely prepare to leave Levi's world.

My fiancé Levi is the heir of the Smith Group, the absolute aristocracy.

For others, he is untouchable.

But for me, he's the childhood sweetheart who, with a crooked paper ring he made himself for the first time in his hand, told me, "You're the only girl I'll ever marry, even if I have to wait a hundred years."

From that moment on, the only person I wanted to marry was Levi, and I never doubted that I would eventually marry Levi.

But on the day of our engagement, he disappeared.

I waited for a whole year, waiting for a message, a phone call, or a knock on the door, but nothing came.

Later, he finally appeared.

He stood next to a red Ferrari, holding flowers, and said that he still loved me, that he wasn't ready before, and begged me to give him another chance.

I almost believed him.

But at the same time, I received a provocative message from Levi's first love, Ruby:

[Aren't you curious where he went during the time he eloped from your engagement? I'm already pregnant with Levi's child, and he loves kissing my pregnant belly the most.]

I wiped away my tears, turned around, and applied to study in the Sorbonne University Faculty of Medicine, leaving only one sentence: "Levi, we're breaking up."

Learning that I was leaving, Levi went crazy.

He braved the heavy rain and blocked the entrance to my new place, his eyes red, asking me:

"Stella, if I make Ruby abort the child, can you come back to me?"

...

Sitting in an office at the Smith Group, I looked at Frank, my direct supervisor, sitting across from me.

“Frank, I've decided to resign.”

Frank almost spilled his coffee, unable to believe his ears.

He stared at me with wide, surprised eyes, "You're quitting? You've got to be kidding me, Stella. Does Levi know? You know the Smith Group's design department can't function without you. Are you sure you won't reconsider?"

Unlike Frank and his surprising tone, my tone is very calm.

"Frank, I've thought it over carefully. A new environment might be a good thing for a designer."

My calm demeanor surprised Frank, but it also made him realize I wasn't joking.

"It's a real shame. Losing you is a loss for the Smith Group, but as a friend, I hope you go after what you want."

“Thank you, Frank.”

After walking out of the CEO's office, I subconsciously took out my phone and opened my interface with Levi.

The interface was full of messages from me, none of which Levi had ever replied to.

Until yesterday, when I sent a message: [Levi, I've already talked to my family, our engagement can be delayed.]

Levi, who hadn't contacted me since the two families proposed the engagement, replied almost instantly this time.

[Okay, I'll come find you tomorrow.]

I looked at that message, feeling a little helpless.

Since the two families decided to get Levi engaged to me a year ago, Levi had avoided me for a whole year.

It took me a year to go from being hysterical at first to being calm and composed now.

I took a deep breath and walked outside.

On the way back to my apartment, my thoughts were jumbled.

I thought of the first time I met Levi.

I was eight years old then.

In the huge banquet hall, Levi immediately noticed me, shyly hiding in the corner.

He argued with his family to take me home, and wouldn't let go of my hand after the party.

He said to my dad, "Uncle, this little girl is so cute, I want to take her home, and she can be my bride when she grows up."

My dad smiled and patted his head, taking it as childish nonsense.

Unexpectedly, he really came to my house whenever he had free time, telling everyone that I was his future wife.

Over the next ten years, our families interacted frequently, and Levi came to be with me every day.

Even though the school he was at wasn't on the way to my school, he insisted on taking me to and from school.

Because I complimented his clothes, Levi ordered many sets of the same outfit, saying he wanted me to be happy seeing them every day.

Over time, I couldn't help but be moved. I always thought Levi liked me.

If he didn't like me, how could Levi have taken such meticulous care of me for fifteen years?

But reality hit me hard.

A year ago, when our two families were discussing our engagement, Levi suddenly changed his attitude.

Since then, Levi disappeared from my world.

No matter how I looked, I couldn't find him.

After 365 days, I finally understood that Levi had no intention of marrying me.

"Stella!"

A magnetic and steady voice interrupted my thoughts.

I subconsciously looked up and saw a handsome young man leaning against a fiery red Ferrari.

Levi's eyes burst with suppressed longing, and he was so excited that the flowers he was holding were trembling.

He walked towards me, his tone sincere, even slightly trembling.

"Stella, in this past year, I've been thinking of you every moment, but I didn't dare to come and find you."

"I was afraid I would impulsively marry you but not be able to give you the best marriage."

"Stella, I'm sorry, I wasn't ready. Can you forgive me?"

He was as gentle as ever, and it pierced my heart.

The easy explanation “I wasn't ready” from him made me a laughingstock in high society and embarrassed my parents.

Seeing that I didn't speak, Levi became flustered, and he hurriedly took my hand.

"It was wrong to run away from the engagement. I will compensate your family for all efforts."

"Please trust me, the person I deeply love is only you from beginning to end."

"And my wife will only be you."

Levi seemed genuinely panicked. He grabbed my hand, led me to the car, and opened the door.

"For the past year, I've been thinking about you every moment. Every time I think of you, I prepare a gift for you."

"Stella, you can hit me, you can yell at me, but please don't ignore me."

"I'll never leave you again, please forgive me just this once, okay?"

So, he's also afraid that I'll ignore him?

He also knows that the feeling of being ignored isn't pleasant?

But he ignored me for a whole year.

Thinking about this, I feel even more sad.

The car full of expensive jewelry didn't stir up even a ripple in my heart.

Feeling the growing crowd gathering around, I could only say, "Okay, you’d better hurry back to the company."

Levi is five years older than I, and he is the current CEO of the Smith Group. He's busy every day.

Levi suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, kissing me on the face:

"I knew my wife was the best!"

I recoiled slightly, resisting.

With that one step back, I saw, on the side of the passenger seat filled with gifts, a ripped pair of black stockings lying quietly.