Chapter 1

If I knew the man I had loved was trying to get me drunk and make me a toy for him and his buddies—

If I knew his brother who would rush in to save me without a second thought…

but already had a stand‑in before I showed up in his life…

I would’ve stayed as far from these two brothers as possible.

I’d had a crush on Joe Johnson for years. It wasn’t until I overheard that he was considering a family arranged marriage that I finally worked up the courage to confess.

But right outside the private room at the bar, I accidentally knew his little scheme.

“Later I’ll pretend to accept Ashley’s confession. Brothers, as long as you get her drunk,

you can all take turns tonight. She’s been pursuing me for so long—getting a taste once isn’t too much, right?”

Joe’s voice carried a lazy, mocking lilt.

My mind went completely blank at that moment.

It felt like my whole body short‑circuited; I’d lost control of everything.

Until a figure that brought a blast of icy air suddenly appeared.

Joe’s elder brother, David Johnson.

The heir to the most powerful mafia family in the city, a man who’d spent years

knee‑deep in underground business.

His expression was dark and dangerous.

Joe sobered up instantly, terror flashing across his face.

The other guys were crushed by David’s presence, plastering themselves against the walls as they scrambled to escape the room.

When David looked at me, the corners of his eyes were faintly red, filled with a fragile obsession I’d never seen on his face before.

He opened his arms and pulled me into his chest—

his movements forceful, but still careful, like he was afraid I’d break.

“Ashley,” his voice shook, “all these years… why Joe? Why not me?”

I just stared at him, stunned, completely forgetting to struggle.

From that night on, the mafia heir who was cold‑blooded and ruthless in underground world gave every ounce of gentleness he had to me.

He gifted me an estate specially built for me, a private mansion with my name on it.

He held me in his arms and kissed me until my tears welled up from lack of oxygen.

“I really want to lock you up,” he murmured in a low, intoxicating voice,

“so you’ll belong only to me.”

I truly believed David was the man who loved me for real.

So, when he dropped to one knee in front of me,

holding up a diamond ring and asking me to marry him,

I agreed without hesitation.

The moment the ring slid onto my finger, his phone suddenly rang.

The urgent voice on the other end of the call drilled clearly into my ears:

“David, your stand‑in lover Ann just came back to the States—and she brought a boy with her who looks like you!”

I clearly saw panic and shock flash through David’s eyes,

a look I’d never seen on him before.

He hurriedly told the person on the phone to keep an eye on her, practically rushed to the door—then he suddenly remembered I existed.

He turned around, forcing a gentle smile,

his voice soft and soothing as he tried to comfort me.

“Ashley, wait for me to come back. I’ll explain everything to you, I promise.”

He didn’t even have time to say more before he strode away, and I was left standing there alone.

It was like he’d forgotten the vows he’d just made to me.

Forgot that he’d picked a remote private winery for the proposal that was only for two of us.

Forgot he’d sent all the staff away for this “special moment”.

My heart felt like it was being torn apart, piece by piece.

I never thought this love would be so short‑lived.

I couldn’t feel time passing at all.

Only when the sunset faded and night fell did I finally snap out of it.

Depending on muscle memory, I slowly made my way back to the villa in the city.

I walked all the way into the deep of night before I finally limped my way up to the front door.

Just as I was about to lift my face for the facial recognition system, a woman who looked seventy percent like me stepped in front of me and blocked my way.

She wore a perfectly tailored dress and held a little boy in her arms—

a blond, blue‑eyed boy.

And the kid’s features… really did look like David’s.

The woman looked me up and down, her gaze full of hostility and disdain.

“Ms. Ashley,” she said sharply, “please keep an eye on your husband.

Don’t let him come disturb my son and me again.”

I couldn’t help it—I laughed.

But when I raised a hand to my face, I realized tears had already slipped down my cheeks.

The truth was, I had known about Ann’s existence for a long time.

She was David’s lover and looked extremely similar to me.

I’d once questioned David about photos of them two.

Back then his eyes had been full of pain.

He’d even lifted a knife and pressed it to his own neck.

“Ashley, your heart used to be full of Joe,” he said hoarsely.

“You never even saw me. I love you so much it’s driving me insane,

but you never had me in your eyes at all."

"Ann looks like you. I could only use her face to ease my miss for you…”"

I’d watched the beads of blood ooze from the skin of his throat,

and in the end, I chose to forgive him.