Chapter 1

The smile on Matthew Zackman's face froze. He propped up the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose bridge, his tone still gentle. "Ms. Linsworth, do we have a misunderstanding here? We can take our time getting to know each other. No need to come to that conclusion so quickly."

The matchmaker, Miriam Winston, also got anxious and grabbed my hand. "Oh, Jamie, you silly girl! It's hard to find a fine man like Mr. Zackman, even if you search high and low! Don't be foolish!"

I gently withdrew my hand as my gaze calmly fell upon Matthew. In my previous life, it was his gentle and refined appearance that deceived me for an entire lifetime.

I had thought he would not be poor forever and that his character made him one of a kind, so I took out all my savings, gave up the opportunity to further my studies at an art academy, and stayed with him in that small town. I took care of the house for him, entertained his superiors for him, and gradually paved the way to a bright future for him.

However, what happened in the end? After achieving success and fame, the first thing he did was to kick me away.

I smiled slightly. "Mr. Zackman, it's not a misunderstanding. You're great. It's just that I'm not good enough for you." Having said that, I stood up, took my bag, and turned around to leave.

"Jamie!" Matthew grabbed my wrist at once.

I turned around and looked at him icily.

He seemed to realize he had lost his composure and loosened his grip. "Ms. Linsworth, I just find it a pity. I promised my mother I'd find a wife as gentle and virtuous as you. I—"

I interrupted him and forcefully shook off his hand. "Then keep looking, Mr. Zackman. Stop following me. It's unsightly."

I walked out of the noisy café without looking back.

The early summer breeze brushed against my face with a hint of warmth, and I let out a long sigh of relief, thinking how great it was. It was not too late to change things.

Just then, my best friend, Rosalie Beck, called.

I swiped to answer the call, and her soft, concerned voice immediately came through. "Jamie, how did the blind date go? Ms. Winston said Mr. Zackman is a really nice guy. Did you meet him?"

I leaned against a sycamore tree by the roadside. Watching the mottled shadows cast from the tree, I chuckled softly. "Yes."

"That's great! What's he like? Is he as Ms. Winston said?"

"Yeah, he's got potential," I answered flatly.

Rosalie, on the other end of the line, seemed relieved. Her voice was full of joy. "I knew it! Jamie, you have to seize the opportunity! For a woman, marrying a good man is more important than anything else! Don't worry. I'll treat Mr. Zackman like a brother after you marry him!"

She had said the same thing in my past life.

Then, while I was overwhelmed with caring for my mother-in-law, she wore the dress I bought to comfort Matthew. While I was begging for funding for his research project, she accompanied him to various academic conferences as his confidante. In the end, she held my husband's arm as she told me, "Jamie, I'm sorry. Love is uncontrollable."

I closed my eyes, suppressing the simmering hatred within me. "Rosalie, why don't I give him to you if you think he's a good man?"

On the other end of the line, Rosalie's breath hitched.