Chapter 1

Amid the crowd's blessings, Nadine Zeigler took Connor Garrett's hand.

Her gaze passed over the crowd and landed directly on me. One corner of her lips curled into a victorious smirk.

From the shape of her moving mouth, I could read the taunting words she directed at me. "You lost."

I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was white with age, while Nadine was young and radiant, like a blooming flower.

I turned around and shuffled away from the scene of the proposal.

I had wanted to quickly pack up and leave the Garrett residence, but my old body simply couldn't keep up.

After finally managing to pack everything, I stepped out the door, only to find that Connor had already returned. His car pulled up right in front of me.

Upon seeing me carrying bags of all sizes, he frowned and asked, "Where are you going?"

I held my bags and kept some distance from him. "I'm leaving."

"What? Are you throwing a tantrum again because you heard that I was going to marry Nadine?" Connor let out a soft laugh, his eyes full of mockery.

Then, he went on, "Alright, stop making a scene. You're nothing but a shriveled old woman now, Willow Sterling. Do you really think I would marry you?"

The hand holding my bags began to tremble as a wave of overwhelming grievance surged up within me.

"Fine. Connor, you're the one who begged me to come down the mountain back then. Now we're even," I said.

Hearing my words, he froze for a moment before frowning again. "Haven't I given you everything you wanted? I gave you all the wealth and luxury in the world. You have more riches than you could spend in several lifetimes. Nadie has nothing. Why are you being so petty?

"Fine. If you want to leave, I'll go with you."

With that, he got out of the car and snatched my luggage. Then he shoved me inside his car brusquely.

The fragrance in the car was his favorite cedar scent. Back then, I would stay up all night blending perfumes for him. Now, all I felt was a sharp cramp in my stomach.

I bit my lip hard, trying to stop my tears from falling.

Connor turned and saw my upset expression.

His tone softened as he comforted me. "Alright, Willow. In my heart, you'll always be first. It's just a title. Nadie is childish. Just let her be."

I was just about to refuse when his phone suddenly rang.

From the other end came the voice of Nadine's friend. "Mr. Garrett, Nadie is drunk and insisting that you come pick her up."

Connor looked anxious. He asked me to get out of the car and drove off without looking back.

Not long after, my phone suddenly vibrated. Nadine had posted a new Instagram update. In the photo, she wore a vivid green emerald necklace while leaning into Connor's arms. On his face was a gentle expression I hadn't seen in a long time.

The caption was simple. She wrote, "Finally, someone came to take me home too."

I stared at that necklace for a moment and let out a self-deprecating smile.

At last month's auction, I had fallen in love with that emerald necklace at first sight. I had asked Connor for it three times during the auction.

But he said, "Sorry, that necklace has already been purchased by someone else."

So it turned out that he had bought it for Nadine.

Thinking of this, I let out a bitter laugh.

Then, I dialed a number I hadn't called in a long time. "Kieran, I want… to come home."

On the other end, Kieran Evans was overjoyed. "That's fantastic! We've all missed you so much. Get things ready over the next few days. I'll send someone to pick you up."