Chapter 1

"All these years, I stayed by Marianne's side… only to atone for my sins."

Cameron Mitchell's voice was as warm and gentle as ever, yet his words sent a chill through my entire body.

So what I'd mistaken for redemption… was nothing but charity.

In his heart, there had only ever been one woman—Lucy Wendell.

Fine. I would step aside and give them my blessing.

…

The archive room door stood slightly ajar. Cameron's voice drifted out, thick with remorse.

"I had no choice. I already hurt Lucy once—I couldn't let anything happen to her mother, too. As for Marianne… I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to her."

The deputy director's voice dropped, but the anger beneath was unmistakable.

"But that surgery seven years ago—you could've saved them both! You ripped out Marianne's mother's kidney just to give it to Lucy's mom! If this gets out, you won't just lose your license—you'll go to prison! All for a woman who never loved you back. Was it worth it?"

Not even a second of hesitation.

Cameron's reply struck like lightning through my chest. "Worth it."

His words exploded in my skull, leaving a deafening roar in their wake.

"Then keep this buried. Don't let her find out. Don't forget—Marianne's been a journalist for years. You ruined yourself over Lucy… but have you ever stopped to think? You destroyed Marianne, too."

"Let her find out if she wants. If it comes to that, I'll take the fall. At least I've saved enough to ensure she'll live a rich life."

His tone was disturbingly calm, as if discussing the forecast.

"Cameron, I just don't get you. Whatever—there's no reasoning with you…"

Their voices faded.

Footsteps approached—the sharp click of leather shoes against tile.

Panicked, I turned to leave—but my skirt snagged on the shelf.

The scalding coffee in my hand sloshed over my white dress, seeping through the fabric and burning my skin.

The pain was sharp, but it was nothing compared to the raw, jagged hole splitting open in my chest.

So this was my marriage. Built on lies and sacrifice.

My mother hadn't died from some tragic complication. She'd been murdered—sacrificed for my husband's precious first love.

Seven years ago, my ex-fiancé Nicholas Martin's betrayal made me the laughingstock of the city.

And Cameron's proposal? It had been bought with my mother's life.

Every tender word, every gentle touch—none of it had been love. Just guilt. Atonement.

Now, it all made sense.

Why the hospital's best ward was always reserved for Lucy's charity cases. Why he personally escorted her whenever she visited. Even our wedding rings were custom-designed in her favorite style.

I was the fool. Parading around in this hollow marriage, flaunting a love that was never real. Just another one of Cameron's pity projects.

Did Lucy laugh every time she saw me?

Did she struggle to keep a straight face, watching me play the oblivious clown?