Chapter 1

I’d been by Julian’s side for thirteen years.

He had a never-ending parade of women by his side, while I lived in a desolate, lonely bubble for years.

Everyone said I, a new-money nobody, was out of my mind to even *think* about an old-money dynasty like his.

I never uttered a single word in response to their gossip.

Until, suddenly, a woman who looked exactly like me appeared by his side – she was about to become his fiancée.

A strange calm washed over me. And finally, I blurted out the words I’d held back from Julian for so long:

“I want to get married.”

He was silent for a moment. “What are you talking about, Harper?” he said.

Swallowing the bitter ache in my chest, I looked straight into his eyes. My voice was icy, devoid of any affection.

“Not to you.”

A cup of lukewarm water hit my face, but it chilled me to the bone.

The elegant, high-class woman across from me looked down, watching me. The teacup clattered against the table.

“Julian is about to get engaged to Isabella Zhao, the only daughter of the Zhao family. I don’t want anything to jeopardize their wedding.”

“I can overlook all the one-sided things you’ve done in the past, but I expect you, from now on…”

“Know what’s good for you, and stay far away from him.”

…

Her words still sliced through me, sharp and clear, echoing in my mind.

I jolted awake from my dream, my phone vibrating wildly on the nightstand.

I squinted, grabbed my phone without checking the caller ID, and hit the answer button.

The other end was incredibly noisy, a mix of music and voices, but the caller said nothing.

“Hello?”

Still silence.

I was so tired, I was about to hang up.

Then Julian’s deep voice cut through the clamor, hitting my eardrums directly.

“You’re back from your vacation?”

His voice was a little hoarse, like he’d just woken up.

Three months ago, I’d finally decided to quit my job, but Julian strongly objected. Still, my mind was made up. He ended up taking a roundabout approach, giving me three months off instead.

But I was using a roundabout approach too. I’d planned to simply never come back after those three months were up.

“…Come find me.”

Over the phone, he said that so casually, yet I could sense the simmering emotion underneath.

It made my ear tingle.

He probably had no idea why I suddenly wanted to quit or why I was drawing a line between us.