When I was twenty, I was forced to marry River Brown—the ruthless CEO who owned my family’s debt. I thought I was signing away my freedom. But River was gentle, thoughtful… and eventually, I fell in love with him.

For three years, I gave him everything. Until she showed up—his first love, Candice.

She made a bet. “Let’s both text him. I’ll tell him I’m back. You tell him you’re hurt. Let’s see who he runs to.”

He chose her. “As if I care about Allison. She’s convenient, that’s all. Now that you’re back, you’re my priority. I’ll just tell her I’m busy—she won’t even mind.”

Everything I believed in—every soft touch, every Paris sunset, every kind smile—meant nothing.

That night, I made one final call. “Professor Kim,” I said, my voice shaking. “I’ll take the scholarship.”

The same scholarship I once postponed—because I chose love over my dreams. Because I chose him over me.

But I was done. I was leaving—for him to realize, far too late, that he did love me. And this time, no amount of begging would be enough to bring us back.

--

When I was twenty years old, I was forced to marry River Brown.

Seven years older than me. CEO of one of the most ruthless business empires in the country. My family’s company had collapsed, buried under a mountain of debt, and River—cold, powerful, terrifyingly composed—was the one we owed it all to. His condition? Marry me.

I remembered trembling the day we signed the marriage contract. I thought I was signing away my freedom. But to my surprise… he was gentle. He never raised his voice, never touched me without care, never made me feel like a burden.

And slowly, I fell in love with him.

River brought me to Paris just to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night. He gifted me rare books when he found out I liked to read. He flew us on a private yacht to Santorini just because I said once that I dreamed of seeing the sunset from a cliff. Every time I got sick, he made sure I had fresh flowers and homemade soup. He wasn’t just kind—he was attentive. He made me feel… chosen.

So on our third wedding anniversary, I wanted to surprise him. A candlelit dinner by the sea, his favorite wine, the wind just soft enough to feel like a movie scene. I set it all up on the deck of our private villa.

And then she came.

The woman walked in like she owned the ocean. High heels clicking on the deck, her eyes locked on me like I was trash. She tossed a thick wad of cash right on the table, ruining the setup.

“Stay away from my River,” she spat, “Your job is done.”

I stared at her, stunned. “Excuse me? Who… who are you?”

She rolled her eyes like I should know. “Candice. His first love. Seven years ago, he proposed. I wasn’t ready, so I left to chase my dreams. Heard he married some poor woman—must be you.” She gave me a disgusted once-over. “I let it happen. Thought he just needed a body to warm the bed while I was gone. But I’m back now. You can leave.”

“No,” I said, my voice firmer than I expected. “I’m his wife. I love him.”

She scoffed. “Love? That’s cute.”

She didn’t know. She didn’t see how he held me when I cried. How he laughed when I made pancakes. How he stared at me like I was the only thing that mattered in a room full of diamonds.

“You really think he loves you?” she said with a smirk. “Wanna make a bet?”

“What kind of bet?”

Candice leaned closer, her perfume sharp and suffocating. “Let’s both text him. I’ll tell him I’m back. You tell him you’re hurt. Let’s see who he runs to.”

I hesitated. “What?”

Before I could react, Candice snatched a knife from the dinner table and slashed my wrist.

“What are you doing?!” I screamed as I clutched my bleeding wrist.

“Just making it look real. Now, you say you got hurt. I’ll say I’m back in town and need him. Let’s see where his heart goes.”

“You’re insane.”

“No,” she said. “I’m confident. Are you?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, still staring at the blood trailing down my wrist.

“He’s going to come to me,” I whispered. “Today is our anniversary.”

I sent the text with shaking fingers. “River, I got hurt. Please come. I need you.”

Then, I sent the photo of my bleeding wrist hoping it would be enough for him to reply.

We waited.

Five minutes.

Ten.

Then Candice’s phone lit up.

She smiled. “Oops. It’s him.”

She answered and put him on speaker.

“Candice? My love?” River’s voice rang with excitement. “Oh God, you really came back. I missed you so much. Where are you? Let me come pick you up!”

My heart dropped.

Candice raised an eyebrow. “Pick me up? I thought today was your anniversary.”

River laughed on the other end. “As if I care about Allison. She’s convenient, that’s all. Now that you’re back, you’re my priority. I’ll just tell her I’m busy—she won’t even mind.”

I couldn’t breathe.

Candice gave me a smug look. “Still think he loves you?”

I stared at her. My world was spinning. “No… no, but he was good to me. He—he took me to Paris, he bought me books, he—”

“Did that for me first,” she cut in. “None of that makes you special.”

“But he chose me,” I whispered.

Candice tilted her head. “And now?”

I clenched my fists, blinking away the tears that blurred the flicker of the candlelight.

“He didn’t,” I whispered.

Candice mocked, “Well, you know what to do now. Leave him!” 

Candice walked off without another word, leaving me there—bleeding, humiliated, broken.

I looked at the table I had prepared so lovingly. The candles were still lit. The sea still shimmered behind me. But everything felt dark.

I picked up my phone. Still no reply.

My hands shook as I typed one final message to River. “Happy anniversary.”

I didn’t wait for a response.

Instead, I scrolled through my contacts and dialed a number I had almost forgotten.

“Professor Kim,” I said when he answered. “I’ve decided. I’ll accept the scholarship abroad.”

Chapter 2  

I sat still, hugging my knees to my chest as the night deepened. My phone rested beside the untouched dinner I had spent hours preparing, its screen glowing faintly.

Maybe he got delayed… Maybe he’s on his way. Maybe he would still choose me even after what I heard. 

I typed out one last message.

“I’m still here, River. I prepared all of this for us. Please come…”

No reply.

A cold breeze brushed against my skin, yet I didn't move. I called him, my fingers trembling. But this time… “The number you dialed is unreachable.”

Unreachable.

I blinked, heart sinking further. That was it, wasn’t it? All the illusions shattered. He wasn’t coming. He never intended to. I had never been important—only convenient. Just as he told Candice.

Why hadn’t I seen it sooner? Why did I let myself believe that the man who once held my hand at the Eiffel Tower, who whispered promises as we lay on the yacht beneath the stars, could have loved me?

Tears blurred my vision as I stood, slowly gathering the remnants of the dream I tried to keep alive. I drove in silence, each breath growing heavier. The roads swam in and out of focus beneath my tears, the lights of the city bleeding into one another.

I didn’t see the car until it was too late.

There was the sound of metal twisting, glass shattering—and then everything went black.

When I woke, everything hurt. My body felt like it had been torn apart and stitched back together with fire.

“Don’t move too much, Miss Brown,” a nurse said gently. “You’ve got stitches and some fractures… You’re lucky to be alive.”

Alive. The word felt ironic.

“Where…” I croaked, throat dry. “Where’s my husband? River Brown… Did he know about this?”

The nurse hesitated, adjusting the IV in my arm. “We contacted him immediately. He didn’t come. But he sent his butler to cover the hospital bills.”

My heart twisted. “Just the butler?”

She gave a small nod, then handed me a phone. “Maybe try calling him yourself.”

With trembling fingers, I dialed his number.

One ring… Two… Three… Voicemail.

I tried again.

Nothing.

I tried again.

Still, nothing.

It hit me like a second crash—I was truly alone.

As I stared at the blank wall ahead, the television in the corner changed to a news segment. At first, I didn’t pay attention… until I heard the names.

“River Brown, heir to the Brown conglomerate, was spotted at La Maison with none other than famed fashion designer Candice Lee.”

The screen showed a video of them together. Candice’s laughter echoed through the audio, her hand resting comfortably on River’s chest as he chuckled. His eyes gleamed in a way I had never seen. Alive. Soft. Joyful.

The way he never looked at me.

The reporter continued, “Sources claim the couple might be rekindling their relationship after years apart. They looked deeply connected…”

I turned away, blinking back the tears.

He hadn’t even bothered to check if I survived the crash.

The next few days passed in a fog. I lay in that hospital bed with flowers from strangers—none from him. The doctors came and went. Nurses offered smiles. But the man I married, the man I once thought loved me… was nowhere.

Instead, Candice’s Instagram flooded with updates: spa visits, beachside liquors, shopping sprees. In every photo, River was beside her—laughing, smiling, spoiling her.

And in every caption, she tagged him boldly. No care, no shame. And he never hid it.

I watched all of it with numb eyes.

The day I was discharged, I received a message from my professor.

“Your scholarship is confirmed. Your flight leaves in 10 days. Please prepare.”

I marked it on my calendar the moment I got home.

Only… it didn’t feel like home anymore.

When I walked into the house, something felt off. The lights were bright, the sound of laughter drifted from the backyard. Curious, I followed the noise, limping slightly.

And then I saw it.

A party. Music. Drinks. River in the center with his friends, looking as if nothing had happened—as if his wife hadn’t just nearly died. As if I didn’t exist.

No one even noticed I had returned.

I was about to head to my room when I heard one of his friends—Ethan, I think—laughing.

“So how are you gonna dispose of that pathetic loser Allison now that Candice is back?”

Chapter 3 

I should have walked away. I should have gone to my room, locked the door, and never looked back. But my legs wouldn’t move.

I stood in the dark hallway like a ghost, frozen by the voices spilling from the backyard. Their laughter felt like knives, each one sharper than the last. But the voice that gutted me most was his—River’s.

“Well, I’m not sure,” he said, casually, as though deciding what to do with some object he no longer found interesting. “Maybe I’ll send her somewhere far away… or, I don’t know, she’s convenient. Always like a dog, following me around. So maybe I’ll keep her.”

Laughter erupted.

My breath caught in my throat. A part of me wanted to cover my ears, to scream, but I couldn’t. My feet stayed rooted, and the rest of me shattered piece by piece.

Then another voice, probably his best friend, scoffed. “Wouldn’t that provoke Candice, though? Come on, man. You waited for her for seven years. You even flew to London every month just to catch a glimpse of her—and now you’re just gonna let Allison stick around like this? You’re spoiling Allison, and she probably thinks you actually love her now.”

I held my breath.

Then River spoke again—laughing.

“Love her? Oh, no. She’s nothing. Just someone who warms my bed at night.” His voice grew even colder. “Candice… Candice is the love of my life. I plan to marry her soon. Give her everything she deserves.”

The crack in my chest widened. I felt it rupture—sharp, ugly, silent.

I had been a fool.

“Where is Allison, by the way?” another voice chimed in. “Didn’t she get into some car accident? Weren’t you supposed to take care of her?”

River chuckled. “Oh, that? The butler handled it. I had this party to plan for my Candice.”

I think my soul left my body for a moment.

And then Candice arrived, her heels clacking on the patio tiles like the drumbeat of a final sentence. Her voice was honeyed as she approached him. “Thank you for the party… but I think I want some time alone with you. What do you think?”

River laughed again—so carefree, so charmed. “You know I’d never say no to you.”

He stood, took her hand, and disappeared with her inside.

I stumbled backward, tears already streaming down my face, my mouth open in a silent scream.

I rushed to my room and locked the door behind me. But even from there, the hallway filled with the sounds of their pleasure.

The soft whimpers. The harsh breaths. The sounds of a shared intimacy—one I had foolishly believed was mine.

And all I could do was cry.

The night dragged on. The morning sun was already bleeding through the curtains when the door to my room slammed open.

Ice-cold water splashed against my face, shocking me awake.

I winced, coughing, drenched and trembling. “What the heck?!”

Candice stood at the foot of my bed, smirking in silk. “Didn’t I tell you to leave?” she said, tossing the now-empty glass onto the floor like it was trash. “What on earth are you still doing here?”

I wiped the cold water from my face, struggling to calm my shaking hands. “I didn’t mean to stay,” I said quietly. “I just came here to get my things. That’s all. I already booked my ticket. I swear—I’ll be gone in ten days.”

Candice crossed her arms, tilting her head like she’d just heard the most amusing joke. “Ten days?” she scoffed. “So you’re still planning to attend on his birthday?”

I looked away. “That’s just when my flight is. I don’t have anywhere else to stay until then… And if I suddenly vanish, River will get suspicious.”

She stepped closer, the scent of her perfume suffocating. “Right, because we wouldn’t want that, would we? You still care what he thinks. You think he’ll come running after you? Please.” Her voice dipped lower, sharper. 

“I know you don’t want me telling him that you’re the one who forced me to leave.”

“What are you trying to say? That it’s my fault you’re leaving when you clearly know you have no place after I came back?”

Her hand lifted suddenly, ready to strike me across the face—

But the sound of approaching footsteps made her freeze.

River appeared in the doorway, hair tousled, shirt half-buttoned, eyes narrowing at the scene before him. “What’s happening here?”

Candice turned around in an instant, smile blooming like a flower in sunlight. “Oh, nothing,” she purred, linking her arm through his. “I just wanted to get to know your wife better. Since I’ll be staying here, I thought we could become friends.”

My heart stopped.

“She’s going to stay here?” I echoed, voice cracking.

River didn’t even look at me. “Yes,” he said casually. “Candice is a special friend. So I expect you to treat her right. Be respectful. Serve her.”

I stared at him, stunned into silence.

Candice leaned her head on his shoulder and yawned dramatically. “Speaking of serving… how about you cook breakfast for us? I’m starving.”

They turned to leave, and just before they disappeared down the hallway, River glanced back. “Don’t keep us waiting, Allison.”

And just like that, they were gone. Laughing. Whispering.

Leaving me soaked, humiliated, and shaking.

I sat down slowly on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the water pooling on the floor.

Ten days.

Just ten more days.

Chapter 4 

The next day, Candice played her role flawlessly.

She acted as if she cared—offering me coffee I didn’t ask for, giving me fake compliments about my “simple but sweet” dress, even laughing at nothing in particular when River was around, like we were just two girls getting along. But I could see through her sugar-coated words. Every smile was laced with venom, every soft voice was an act of dominance.

So I played my part too. I faked indifference. I smiled back. I nodded. I even thanked her for the coffee I never drank.

But beneath the mask, I was unraveling.

River had changed.

He was no longer the man who used to hold me in the dark, whispering that I was his everything. No longer the man who promised me forever.

Now he only had eyes for Candice.

That afternoon, he announced with a tone too cheerful to be real, “We’re going shopping.”

“We?” I had asked, though I already knew the answer.

“Yes,” he said, grabbing Candice’s hand with a smile. “You’ll come with us, won’t you? Help Candice pick things out.”

I didn’t realize help meant carrying her bags, following them like a servant while she twirled in designer stores and modeled dresses like a goddess on a runway.

When shop assistants asked if she was Mrs. Brown, River didn’t correct them.

He just smiled. They even commented on how beautiful his wife was, how lucky he must be.

Still, he said nothing.

He let them believe. And I stood there, holding shopping bags that weren’t mine, watching the man who once told me I was his world now pretend I didn’t exist.

In that moment, I finally saw it—how River had never gone public with our marriage.

At first, I thought it was for privacy. He hated press. I respected that.

But now… I understood. He never wanted the world to know I existed. Because maybe, deep down, he had always been waiting for Candice to come back. And when she did, he wanted things to slide perfectly into place.

I was just… in the way.

When we got home, Candice flopped onto the couch like a spoiled child after a long day at the carnival. “I love shopping with you,” she purred, kissing River’s cheek.

He smiled at her, not at me. Never at me anymore.

That night, while they laughed over wine and talked about things I wasn’t part of, I quietly got dressed and slipped out.

I didn’t tell anyone. I just needed air.

I needed to feel something that wasn’t suffocating.

It was a small graduation celebration. Familiar faces. Loud music. Cheap drinks. Nothing fancy, but it was real. My college friends cheered when they saw me, pulling me into hugs. For a while, I forgot. I danced. I laughed. I drank.

Too much. Far too much. The lights were spinning, or maybe I was. Someone handed me another shot, and I took it without thinking.

That’s when I heard the whispers.

"Isn’t that Candice? River Brown’s girl?” someone said, pointing across the bar.

And there she was. Candice. Laughing with her own circle of friends, dressed like the queen of the night, owning the room.

“She must be his wife now,” someone added, loud enough for me to hear.

Then came the laughter.

“Oh no, poor Allison. Remember how she used to say she was River’s wife?”

“Delusional much?”

“They only share a last name. Coincidence.”

I turned my back. I didn’t want to cry—not here. Let them laugh. It didn’t matter anymore. I’d be gone in days.

I returned to the dance floor, more unsteady than before. My world swayed like a sinking ship.

And then Denver appeared. He has been my friend since college. 

“Allison,” he said gently, placing his hands on my arms. “Hey, you’re drunk. You should go home.”

“I’m fine,” I mumbled, even as I leaned into his chest, too dizzy to stand on my own.

“No, you’re not.” He looked worried. “Come on. I’ll take you.”

I didn’t resist when he helped me outside. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around him. I didn’t say anything. I just held on—because at that moment, he felt like the only steady thing in my collapsing world.

Chapter 5 

I got sober after a while. The air outside the bar had been cold, grounding. Denver didn’t say much, just drove me home while I stared out the window, my thoughts numb and blurry.

When we reached the house, I murmured, “Thanks, Denver. For everything.”

He gave me a soft smile. “Anytime, Al.”

But as I stepped out of the car, I froze.

River was waiting at the door. Arms crossed. Jaw clenched. His first words sliced through the night like a blade.

“Are you cheating on me?”

I blinked. For a moment, I thought I’d imagined it. Then I laughed. Not out of amusement, but disbelief.

“The nerve,” I muttered, stepping closer. “What are you even talking about?”

River didn’t hesitate. He held up his phone and pressed play.

A video. A photo. Me, slumped against Denver, arms around his neck. Laughing. Drunk.

The hug. The one I needed to stay on my feet. Of course, it must be Candice. 

“Who is this guy?” River demanded, his voice tight. “Why are you flirting with him?”

“You know him,” I said through clenched teeth. “That’s Denver. My close friend. You’ve met him before.”

“So?” River snapped. “Didn’t I tell you? Stay away from your friends.”

“I went to a graduation celebration,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “A goodbye party.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t think you cared anymore, River,” I said quietly. “If you’d excuse me… I’d like to sleep now.”

But he stepped in front of me. “No. I’m not done talking to you.”

I stared at him, tired. “What do you want from me?”

“I’m asking if you’re cheating.”

“No,” I said flatly. “I’m not.”

River’s eyes narrowed. “If I ever find out you’re lying, Allison, you know this will ruin my reputation.”

I looked at him. Really looked at him. “How?” I asked. “No one even knows I’m your wife. The public? They think you’re single. Or that Candice is the one you love. Only a few of your closest friends even remember my name.”

“That’s not the point,” he snapped. “When you married me, you weren’t allowed to make friends. Or flirt. I am your husband. So act like a wife.”

I swallowed hard. The silence between us cracked like glass.

“Due to this,” he continued coldly, “you’re not allowed to leave the house for days. Understood?”

I didn’t respond. I didn’t cry. I just… sighed. No energy left to argue.

I turned and walked inside, not even looking back. Why was he acting this way? Was it his ego? His pride? Or something else entirely?

I would never know. But that night, while the rest of the house slept, I stayed up and made a quiet phone call.

To a divorce lawyer.

“I’d like to file for divorce,” I said softly.

And with that, the countdown truly began.

The next few days blurred together.

I stayed quiet. A shadow. Candice moved through the house like a queen preparing for a coronation—arranging every detail for River’s birthday celebration.

And I? I simply existed. Watched. Waited. Packed in silence.

The night before the party, I stood in my room, suitcase by the door. My entire life in a single bag.

Candice appeared in the doorway, arms crossed, lips painted in victory.

“Make sure you never come back,” she said, her voice sweet and sharp. “Understood?”

I met her gaze without blinking. “I would never come back. You don’t have to worry. Feel free to be with him for the rest of your life.”

And I meant every word.

Before I left, I walked to the bedside table and placed everything that once tied me to this place.

The signed divorce papers. My wedding ring. A gift I’d saved up for over months: a vintage watch I knew he’d admired once in passing. And a small box of memories. Photos. Notes. A dried rose from our first date.

Maybe he’d throw it all away. Maybe he wouldn’t even notice.

Didn’t matter anymore. I was done.

The next morning, I arrived at the airport early. The sun hadn’t even risen. I watched planes take off, one after another, their engines roaring toward freedom.

Then, I pulled out my phone to send him one last message.

“Sorry, I can’t come to your birthday party. I’m going to have an artist affair.”

I typed quickly, hit send, and shut off my phone as the plane began to move—only realizing later that I had accidentally deleted the word “artist” before sending.

The second I switched my phone back on, a wave of missed calls and frantic notifications crashed over the screen, all from River—freezing me in place.