Chapter 1

Once the exposé went live, it exploded across the internet, shooting straight to the top of the trending topics.

"Evermont Group CEO Caught Cheating on Her Wedding Day!"

"CEO Mia Lawson Runs Off With the Groom's Brother! Steamy Car Video Leaked!"

Back in the reception hall, I could feel mocking glances following me from every direction.

I ignored them and kept my eyes on my phone, waiting for my fiancee, Mia Lawson, to call and explain why she'd abandoned our wedding.

A moment later, my phone finally rang. The second I answered, her furious shout came through the speaker.

"Adrian Sterling! What the hell have you done? Did you leak that video to the paparazzi? With the preparations for the IPO, this is a critical period for the company!

"Do you have any idea how much damage this could do to Evermont Group? People are already doxxing Ethan and calling him just to curse him out! Get that video taken down—now!"

I let out a cold laugh.

"So you do understand that this could hurt the company. Then why didn't you think about that before you ran off with Ethan?"

And she actually had the nerve to use that ridiculous excuse about being too nervous about getting married and needing Ethan to "calm her nerves".

What kind of "calming down" required getting physical with another man?

"Mia, consider this a warning. Come back and complete the wedding ceremony within half an hour, and I'll pretend none of this ever happened. Otherwise, you'll have to deal with the consequences yourself."

Her scream nearly made my eardrums burst.

"You think you can lecture me now? Adrian Sterling, you're the one who begged me to marry you in the first place! Ethan is being viciously harassed because of you! I can't leave his side when his life could be in danger!"

"So you're refusing to take the video down?

"Fine! You forced me into this!"

The call ended.

She hadn't even bothered to explain why she'd run away from her own wedding in the first place.

Everyone in Kingsley knew that my biggest rival was my stepbrother, Ethan Sterling. We'd been competing against each other our whole lives—for our father's attention, control of the family business, and even the loyalty of our business partners.

Anything I had, Ethan seemed determined to get his hands on.

For years, I'd felt like I was losing to him at everything. But there was one thing I never thought he'd take from me—Mia and the five years we'd spent building what I believed was love.

I was wrong, so very wrong.

Half an hour later, instead of an apology from Mia, I received a video from Ethan.

He'd taken her to our new home. The footage was clearly meant to taunt me. Mia was pinned beneath him, with her torn stockings scattered across the floor.

"Adrian, Mia says she's still too nervous. She just wants to stay with me."

His voice was almost unbearably casual.

"Explain things to the guests. Tell them Mia needs one last night to let loose."

Then he laughed softly.

"Don't worry. By tomorrow, we'll just be two strangers who know each other best."

My heart felt like it had been cut wide open.

I was about to announce to the guests that the wedding was canceled when I noticed a crowd gathering around me. One by one, they turned their eyes toward me, their expressions filled with undisguised contempt.

My secretary, Claire Morgan, approached hesitantly and held out her phone.

"Mr. Sterling, Mia just posted a statement."

I took the phone and read it.

"Ethan and I are completely innocent. We're not having an affair. I ran away with him because he couldn't stand watching Adrian beat and abuse me for years!

"These are the bruises Adrian left on me. I gave him chance after chance, but I never imagined he'd stoop so low as to manipulate public opinion and destroy my reputation!"

Attached were several photos of Mia's body covered in bruises.

I knew exactly where those bruises had come from. They were the result of her reckless encounter with Ethan.

But to everyone else, they looked like evidence of years of abuse.

Then Mia left one final, seemingly heartfelt message in the comments.

"Adrian, if you're willing to change, we can still go through with our wedding."

The internet fell for her story almost instantly.

People praised her as a "devoted woman" and claimed she was blinded by love. Meanwhile, I was branded a despicable man who wasn't worthy of being her fiance. Some even started urging Mia and Ethan to get together.

It was exactly what Mia wanted.

She was using me as a shield, turning the public's attention away from Ethan and making herself look like the victim.

And this wasn't the first time she'd done it.

For years, I'd quietly swallowed the humiliation and let her use me as a scapegoat, all for the sake of the company and for the five-year relationship I'd poured my heart and everything I had into.