Chapter 1

Liam married me in a fit of pique with his ex-girlfriend.

Five years into our marriage, they unexpectedly ran into each other at a college reunion.

They embraced, a long, lingering hug, overflowing with a passion that had never truly faded.

Seeing them, everyone started whispering, saying I was nothing more than their pitiable backup.

I didn't get mad at the gossip. I just smiled, calmly covering up their awkwardness.

But then, when I accidentally got pregnant, I made a silent, solitary decision to get rid of the baby without telling him.

When he found out the truth, he blew up, demanding to know why I was so ruthless.

I kept my smile, my voice soft. "Because… I don’t love you anymore."

Everyone knew it. Liam married me only because Stella, his first love, had already married someone else.

In the messy fallout of their breakup, Stella, in a fit of rage, chose another man. Liam didn't try to stop her. Instead, he proposed to me.

I put on that wedding dress, one that wasn't meant for me, and walked down the aisle with the man I’d secretly loved for ten years.

The rumors never stopped. Everyone said if Stella ever came back, Liam would kick me out in a heartbeat.

But over our five years of marriage, I started to feel Liam’s heart softening towards me.

He drove me to work every morning, made me warm breakfast, and sometimes, he’d even get a little soft with me.

Our nights were filled with sweetness and passion.

Our life was simple and happy, just like countless other ordinary couples.

One day, he whispered, "Audrey, let's start a family."

I didn't hesitate. "Okay." I could never say no to him. After a lot of trying, I finally got pregnant.

But just as I was filled with joy, ready to share the news, I walked in on him and Stella tangled up together.

In that instant, I knew. There was no going back for us.

Stella and Liam’s reunion happened the day she divorced her husband. I heard her marriage had been hell, filled with his abuse and insults.

That day, Liam was holding my hand as we left the office for lunch when we saw Stella and her ex-husband walking out of the family court.

Stella’s ex was threatening her, saying he'd take drastic action if she didn't hand over half a million dollars within a week.

Stella was trembling with fear but nodded helplessly. When her eyes met Liam’s, a complicated flicker crossed her face, then she hurried away, tears in her eyes.

Liam squeezed my hand so hard it hurt. I cried out. He quickly let go, looking at me with a flicker of apology in his eyes.

I tried to hide the ache of jealousy. "Let's go check on Stella," I suggested. "She might be in trouble."

He looked at me, a hint of a playful smirk on his face.

"Audrey, aren't you jealous?" How could I not be? I’d loved him for ten years, and he and Stella had been tangled up for just as long. My heart felt heavy, but he just chuckled. "Babe, I was just kidding. I only love you now."

Our colleagues came out, hearing his words, and started cheering, saying how lucky I was. They had no idea I'd made him a special packed lunch, which I never got to give him because Stella showed up.

I raised my hand, gently cupping his face. "I trust you," I said softly. "Let's go see Stella together."

Stella hadn't gone far. She was sitting around the corner, tears welling up. "I'm so sorry," she choked out. "I really didn't expect to run into you both."

Before she could finish, the tears spilled over. She buried her face in her knees, accidentally revealing a stark knife wound on her wrist, a chilling reminder of a suicide attempt.