Chapter 1

Travis Luther swirled his glass of wine, a smirk playing on his lips.

"I've been playing the devoted boyfriend part for so long. Thought it was finally ending, but turns out she's tougher to kill than I expected."

His voice dripped with impatience.

This Travis was completely unrecognizable from the man who'd prayed at my hospital bedside for my recovery.

"I wish I could trade my life for yours. Please, let's not give up, okay?"

Tears had streamed down his face uncontrollably back then.

He must have forgotten that today was my birthday.

Travis had promised he'd spend every birthday with me, without fail.

When I couldn't reach him today, my first thought was that something had happened to him.

Because until now, I'd trusted Travis completely. There was no way he would forget my birthday.

After searching for hours, someone told me they'd spotted him nearby.

One of Travis's friends poured him another drink, asking cautiously, "So what are you going to do about this engagement? Isn't Elaine Henderson the true love you're really after?"

At the mention of his "true love," Travis's eyes softened with genuine affection.

"If she had just died, problem solved. But she didn't."

Seeing the disgust on his face when he mentioned me, I felt the blood drain from my body.

If he wanted me dead, why had he begged me to stay alive when we first met?

During my breast cancer treatment—the nausea, vomiting, hair loss—when I wanted to give up, Travis held my hand and promised he'd always be by my side.

To motivate me to keep fighting, Travis had dropped to one knee and proposed.

"Sarah, if you'll have me, I want to make it official. Let's spend our lives together, never apart."

So heartfelt... but it was all an act.

The others in the private room mocked me freely, comparing me to the famous actress Elaine Henderson.

Through their sarcasm and jokes, I learned the truth.

"Travis is so dedicated—living the role of devoted boyfriend to a cancer patient just for his beloved Elaine."

"If Travis hadn't documented that woman's ugly illness moments every day, Miss Henderson wouldn't have won Best Actress so quickly."

Despite the summer heat, I felt ice in my bones.

If moments ago my heart had been ripped out, now every organ in my body felt shattered.

I covered my mouth. My legs gave way as I slid down the wall.

Inside the room, Travis spoke coldly.

"Can any of you help me figure out how to get rid of this nuisance?"

He saw me as nothing but an obstacle to his true love, desperate to be free of me.

His friends immediately offered suggestions.

Until one proposed an idea that had everyone eagerly anticipating the outcome.

"I've got the perfect plan—Travis, you fake your death at the wedding. We'll livestream it and watch her break down completely, crying her eyes out!"

After saying this, the person seemed to realize they'd gone too far and stopped talking.