Chapter 1

After five years abroad, I never expected the first familiar face I would see upon returning home to be Ivy Lancaster's.

She had lost a lot of weight since I last saw her five years ago.

Her black dress looked too big for her.

"Are you here to visit someone's grave too?"

I tried to break the awkward silence by making conversation for the sake of it.

The shop assistant chimed in.

"She sure is! Her husband, Casper, is buried in this cemetery. She comes here every week to buy red roses for him. She's so devoted!"

"Casper?"

I repeated the name in disbelief.

Five years ago, my name was still Casper Kennedy.

Ivy's husband, Jack Kennedy, who used to be my stepbrother, was Dad's illegitimate son.

Five years ago, after Jack was diagnosed with depression, everyone secretly arranged his wedding behind my back.

His bride was none other than my girlfriend of eight years.

How could I possibly be her husband?

I smirked and looked at her. I was expecting her to quickly deny the claim.

But when my eyes met hers, I froze.

I hadn't seen her in five years.

Why had her eyes turned so red?

I paid for my flowers and walked out of the floral boutique.

I headed to Mom's grave.

Ivy followed me at some point with the red roses in hand. Her voice was filled with the anger of someone who had been deceived.

"Casper, aren't you going to explain? Do you feel happy knowing I've been living with guilt every single day for the past five years?

"How can you be so heartless? You didn't even leave me a single message!"

I kept walking while brushing her off.

"Didn't you tell me to stop bothering you?"

Five years ago, when I received the news that she was marrying Jack, I got blackout drunk at the villa.

I suffered alcohol poisoning and a perforated stomach. I then lay curled up on the sofa and was barely clinging to life.

I called her and begged her to come save me, but she was busy putting a boutonniere on Jack. Her phone rang again and again.

She didn't answer until the very last call.

"Can you stop making a scene? Jack has already had such a hard life as an illegitimate child. Can't you just let him have this wedding?

"Even if you're suffering from alcohol poisoning, or even if you're going to die, don't bother me!

"I'm marrying Jack no matter what!"

Ivy and I had met when we were seven, fallen in love at eighteen, and gotten engaged at twenty-three.

At twenty-five, she chose to marry my father's illegitimate son and told me I should die and leave her alone.

That was the moment I decided I would never bother her again for the rest of my life.

Hearing my words now, she awkwardly smiled.

"I was just joking with you. You didn't have to take it seriously."

Before I could respond, she held out the red roses to me.