Chapter 1

"Hello, I'd like to reapply for the overseas assignment."

On the other end of the line, the HR officer hesitated, caught off guard by the unexpected request.

"Didn't you turn it down before because of your upcoming wedding? It's a three-year commitment. Your fiance is completely devoted to you. Can he really bear to see you go?"

"He's fine with it," Maude Ellington replied, her voice steady despite the ache beneath her words.

Everyone could see just how deeply Orson Winfield cared for her.

Each day, he made sure to prepare three different meals for her, always careful to accommodate her sensitive stomach.

No matter the weather, he was always on time to pick her up from work.

Whenever she caught even a slight cold, he stayed faithfully by her side, watching over her tirelessly around the clock.

He never missed a single holiday or anniversary, always delighting her with heartfelt gifts.

So when Maude heard that Orson's childhood sweetheart was returning to town, she felt no trace of jealousy or fear.

However, she soon realized how mistaken she was.

The very day Imogen Fenwick returned, Orson dropped to one knee and proposed to Maude in front of everyone.

Overwhelmed with happiness, Maude burst into tears.

That same night, she received an anonymous message.

It contained a screenshot of a private chat conversation.

Orson had texted, "Maude's been with me for five years. I have to marry her out of obligation."

"But Immy," he added, "you've always been the one I wanted to marry."

When Maude saw the messages, a chill ran through her.

She wanted to confront Orson with the screenshot, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

She was scared.

Scared that everything from the past five years was a lie.

Scared that she had been nothing but a joke.

For the next two weeks, Orson's affection for her remained unwavering.

At times, Maude even wondered if that message was nothing more than a cruel prank.

To her surprise, a new set of photos came through.

In every shot, Orson smiled gently as he accompanied Imogen while she tried on wedding dresses.

To make matters worse, the dress he picked out for Maude today was the exact one that flattered Imogen most.

"What's wrong, honey?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Maude glanced over at Orson in the driver's seat.

"Your eyes are red. Don't you like this dress? I can turn the car around and we'll try another one, okay?"

"It's fine," she whispered.

Orson pulled the car to the side of the road and looked at her with concern. "If I've done something wrong, just tell me. I'll fix it, I promise. You know I hate seeing you like this."

Maude felt her chest tighten, as if an invisible hand was squeezing her heart. The words refused to leave her throat.

What a hypocrite.

Orson never meant to marry her, yet he carried on as if he were the most devoted lover.

All of a sudden, Orson's phone rang, and his face hardened in an instant.

He said into the phone, "Please don't cry. I'm on my way."

Turning to Maude, he said, "Hey, honey, can you get home by yourself? Something urgent came up with Immy. I have to go."

Just as Maude quietly got out of the car, she noticed it had started raining.

She turned to grab an umbrella, but before she could speak, the car sped away, splattering mud all over her.

Frozen in place, she watched the taillights fade into the distance. Suddenly, all the questions she'd wanted to ask felt empty and pointless.

Asking them now would only leave her feeling more humiliated.

Soaked from the rain, Maude made her way home.

Just as she stepped inside, a message from the HR officer lit up her phone.

"Your flight is confirmed. Please proceed with the necessary preparations."

Her departure date was two weeks away.

It was on the day that should have been both her anniversary with Orson and their wedding day.

Maude's eyes drifted to the calendar on the table. At the top was a note she'd written long ago.

"In the best years of my life, I will marry the person who loves me the most."

She had deceived herself.

Tears fell onto the page, blurring the words until they bled into one another.

She and Orson had been college sweethearts. After graduation, she stayed in this city for him, turning down a better job far away.

Now, Maude wanted nothing more than to leave this place because of him.

Orson's so-called "obligation" felt like a cruel slap in the face.

She didn't want him anymore.