Chapter 1

When my fiancé, Felix Smith, pinned me against the floor-to-ceiling window, my face burned so hot I thought it might catch fire.

Below us was the busiest commercial street in the city.

If anyone looked up right now, they’d see a half-naked woman leaning against the glass, flustered and mortified, caught between shame and a trembling sweetness.

"Don’t… It’s glass. People outside will see…" I shoved at him in a panic.

Felix chuckled low and, instead of stopping, gave my hip a playful pinch.

"Don’t be scared. Next month at the wedding, everyone will know you’re my bride."

The word "wedding" sounded like a spell.

My taut body finally relaxed. As his movements turned more intense, I let myself melt and meet him fully and helplessly.

Then a shrill ringtone tore through the moment.

Felix froze. He frowned and glanced at the screen.

It was Alex, his younger brother.

He clearly didn’t want to answer. He lowered his head, trying to kiss me again.

But the phone kept ringing, stubborn and insistent.

"Pick up," I murmured. "What if it’s something urgent?"

He let out a soft sigh, finally let me go just a little as he answered.

On the other end, Alex’s voice came rushing out, sharp, incredulous. "Are you insane?! You’re marrying Serena?"

My mind went blank for a beat.

Serena, my half-sister. She was back?

Wasn’t she the one who broke off the engagement and left the country the moment Felix became paralyzed?

"In German," Felix cut in quickly, switching languages without hesitation.

Alex sucked in a breath and changed to German too, fury vibrating through his words.

"Have you forgotten how she abandoned you back then?!"

My body stiffened so slightly I might’ve been the only one who could feel it.

Felix didn’t know that during the years he couldn’t walk, I’d already learned German.

Felix, however, didn't notice anything unusual about me at all and answered in German calmly.

"She has cancer. She doesn’t have much time left. I’m just fulfilling her last wish."

"Then what about Elena?!" Alex practically shouted. "When you were paralyzed, she stayed with you. She took care of you for five whole years! And now you’re lying to her like this?"

Felix fell silent for a few seconds.

"A perfect wedding will be enough to fool her," he said at last. "She’ll never find out."

"You can hide it for the rest of your life? She’s been dreaming about marrying—"

"Enough." Felix’s voice cooled. "Do what I told you. I’ll handle the rest."

The call ended.

Felix tossed his phone onto the desk like it was nothing, leaned back over me, and continued what we hadn’t finished.

I felt cold all the way to my bones. I took his rhythm in numb silence, my mind wiped clean.

When it was over, I wanted to question him, to demand the truth. Yet I couldn’t force out a single word.

Just then, the phone he’d thrown on the desk lit up again.

A new message slid onto the screen.

My gaze drifted there against my will.

Sender: Serena.

The preview was only a few words: [Darling, I’m here, at our old place…]

Felix saw it, too.

His expression didn’t change. He simply loosed his grip on me as if it were the most natural thing in the world, then tapped the screen dark.

"Alex says there’s a last-minute meeting," he said smoothly. "I’ll have the driver take you home first, okay?"

He picked up the suit jacket draped over the chair back.

I nodded without a sound.

I let him take my hand, let him walk me to the car.

And as I watched his tall, straight back disappear, tears finally spilled down my face in silence.

Five years. Even when things were at their worst, I’d never once thought of leaving.

But now… I truly didn’t want this anymore.

I called Mrs. Smith.

"Sixty million, and a new identity," I said, straight to the point. "I’m willing to end the engagement."