001.

MILLY. The candle had melted halfway down before I finally accepted that Isaac wasn’t coming home early. I stared at the small birthday cake sitting in the middle of the dining table, the pink frosting beginning to sink under the heat of the untouched candles. Twenty-five. What a pathetic way to spend it. The house was silent except for the ticking clock on the wall and the faint hum of the air conditioner. It was too big, too cold and too empty for a place that was supposed to belong to a married couple. My phone screen lit up for the hundredth time that night. 11:47 PM. No calls. No text. Not even a careless “happy birthday.” I let out a slow breath and reached for the glass of wine beside me, but the sound of a car pulling into the driveway froze my hand midair. Headlights flashed through the curtains. Finally, my chest froze with something dangerously close to hope as I stood up too quickly, smoothing invisible wrinkles from my dress. The black satin hugged my wais

Dernière mise à jour : 2026-05-05

002.

MILLY.The bruise had already started forming. I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, fingers hovering just above the purple mark staining the side of my cheek. Even under layers of concealer, it still showed faintly.Like my marriage. No matter how hard I tried to cover it, the damage always found its way through.I looked away from the mirror and gripped the edge of the sink instead. My eyes burned from lack of sleep. Isaac never came back home last night. Not that I expected him to.The memory of the door slamming in my face replayed inside my head like a curse. “The woman I was with tonight actually knows how to keep me happy.”My stomach twisted violently.I reached for my wedding ring on instinct before stopping myself halfway. The diamond glittered mockingly under the bathroom light.Five years.Five whole years wearing this thing like it meant something sacred.I slid it back onto my finger anyway.A bitter laugh escaped me as I grabbed my handbag from the counte

Dernière mise à jour : 2026-05-05

003.

MILLY.The music was loud enough to drown thoughts. The reason why I kept drinking. Flashing lights spilled across the crowded club, painting bodies in shades of blue and red while laughter echoed through the massive space. The air smelled like alcohol, expensive perfume, and bad decisions. Exactly what I needed.Nancy grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the dance floor again.“Stop thinking and move your body!” she yelled over the music.A laugh escaped me despite myself as she started dancing recklessly in front of me. Her silver dress glittered under the lights, drawing attention instantly.Unlike me, Nancy never cared who watched her.Maybe that was why I envied her sometimes.“You’re smiling,” she gasped dramatically. “Oh my God. Miracles are real.”“Shut up.”She cackled and spun around again, nearly crashing into a waiter carrying drinks.For the first time in days, the pressure sitting on my chest loosened slightly. Maybe Nancy was right.Maybe I needed one night away fro

Dernière mise à jour : 2026-05-05

004.

DECLAN. “I said no.” My grandfather’s jaw tightened across the video call screen. “You’re twenty-nine years old, Declan.” “And?” “And acting like a damn teenager.” I leaned back against the leather chair inside my penthouse office, loosening the tie around my neck slowly. The city lights outside the floor-to-ceiling windows blurred against the rain. It had already been a long day before he called. Now it was unbearable. “You finished your master’s degree two years ago,” he continued sharply. “You’re already running half the company's operations. It’s time you settled down.” A humorless laugh escaped me. There it was. The real topic. Marriage. Again. “I’m not marrying some stranger to satisfy your obsession with legacy.” “You’ll do exactly what needs to be done.” I rubbed my jaw tiredly. “You mean exactly what you want.” My grandfather’s expression darkened immediately. Richard Laurent didn’t like being challenged. Not by politicians. Not by billionaires. And cert

Dernière mise à jour : 2026-05-05

Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 4

001.

002.

003.

004.