Chapter 1

A sudden tremor hit our office building. I rushed into my girlfriend’s office, only to find it completely empty.

I held my head, panic-stricken, desperately calling Chloe’s phone.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm and dragged me out through the emergency exit.

I looked up. It was Chloe. Her blouse was ripped open, and she was wearing a men’s designer blazer over her shoulders.

Looking at her flushed cheeks and her trembling legs, my eyes burned. "Where were you just now?" I asked.

In the crowded street outside, I immediately spotted a guy who was also shirtless. He was holding the custom scarf I had bought for Chloe.

I recognized him. He was Tyler, the new intern at our company.

It turned out that even the woman who claimed to love me to death could cheat.

I quietly called my best friend, Marcus.

"I’m in. Let’s go abroad and start that business together."

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"Are you sure you want to cancel this wedding dress, Logan?"

"You spent five months customizing and designing this yourself."

The boutique assistant asked me in confusion, looking past me toward Chloe, who was sitting on the sofa near the entrance.

Our wedding was set six months ago.

I was so invested that I even customized the dress myself, refining every detail.

Chloe used to accompany me patiently to every fitting. She would even massage my shoulders when I was tired.

Because of this, the staff here viewed us as the perfect couple.

But thinking back to yesterday’s tremor, this wedding dress now felt like an eyesore.

Chloe had explained to me that she was only mentoring Tyler because he was new.

She claimed that during the earthquake panic, someone had accidentally ripped her blouse, so Tyler lent her his blazer.

But I knew it was a lie.

We used to love each other deeply. But now, her heart had drifted.

And I could only pretend not to notice.

As I hesitated, Chloe suddenly walked over.

She wrapped her arm around mine and said sweetly, "Logan, I think it already looks perfect. You don't need to stress over the tiny details. Don't exhaust yourself."

Seeing the assistant hesitate, I said flatly, "Let’s keep it as it is. No more changes."

After finalizing the design, we left the bridal boutique.

I was about to head to the bakery to pick up a cake, but Chloe suddenly held me back.

"Logan, something came up at the office and I have to head back for some overtime."

"I'll make it up to you tonight for your birthday, okay?"

This was the first time she would miss my birthday.

We used to have a rule: save two days of paid leave every year just to celebrate each other's birthdays.

I caught a glimpse of her phone screen. It was a message from Tyler.

They had a reservation for a candlelit dinner at a high-end French restaurant.

I knew Chloe’s heart was completely gone.

Seeing me silent, she leaned against my chest, acting cute just like she used to.

In the past, I would have gently ruffled her hair and smiled, telling her it was fine.

But now, I couldn’t even force a smile.

I forced a stiff grin and said quietly, "Okay."

It was midnight when Chloe finally came home.

She handed me an elegant box, her eyes sparkling. "I worked so hard to finish early. Look at your gift! Do you like it?"

I untied the ribbon and opened the box. A silk tie lay inside.

It was my favorite deep blue.

But compared to the luxury box, the tie inside looked cheap.

Normally, I would have hugged her tightly in excitement.

But last night, I had found two tie boxes in her bag.

One was a designer piece worth ten thousand dollars. The other was the cheap one in my hand.

She had simply swapped the boxes.

I had to admit, she put a lot of effort into lying to me.

Chloe took the tie out and put it around my neck.

"It looks great on you. It was totally worth the ten thousand dollars I spent."

Then, she kissed my cheek.

This sweet gesture only made me feel sick to my stomach.

I gently pushed her away and lied, "Really? Let me check the mirror in the bedroom."

Once in the bedroom, I called the bridal boutique.

"I don't want the wedding dress anymore. No need to refund the deposit."

The assistant was shocked and quickly asked if there was an issue with the design.

I replied flatly, "The dress is perfect. The person just doesn't deserve it anymore."

Rather than burying my life in a lie, I chose to wake up and set myself free.

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