Chapter 1

On Christmas night, I set up a magnificent fireworks display on the mountain peak for my wife.

But I waited until dawn, only to see her publicly announce her relationship with our company's junior designer.

In the video, Julian Hayes dropped to one knee, sliding an intricately designed pink diamond ring onto Evelyn's finger.

The headline screamed: "Star Designer Julian Hayes Wins the Heart of His Boss."

Oblivious colleagues flooded the comments with congratulations.

I left an expressionless like on the post, and seconds later, my phone rang. It was Evelyn.

"It's just for publicity. Who are you rolling your eyes at with that passive-aggressive like?"

"Besides, you designed that pink diamond ring for me anyway. What difference does it make who puts it on my finger?"

Before she could finish, a soft, breathless moan slipped through the receiver.

A wave of nausea hit me. I hung up immediately.

Five years together. In the end, she never deserved a single second of it.

Having stayed up all night, I dragged my exhausted body down the mountain and walked into the house, only to find Evelyn calmly eating breakfast in the dining room.

The moment she saw me, her face darkened, and she slammed her water glass onto the floor.

"Nathan Reed, you've really got some nerve staying out all night, haven't you?"

"Don't forget you're a married man. Do you have any respect for me at all?"

I kicked off my shoes in silence and stepped inside.

On the dining table lay a hotel receipt for a luxury king suite, dated yesterday.

And Evelyn was still wearing the exact same pink two-piece suit from the engagement video.

I didn't say a word. I just glanced at the receipt, then shifted my gaze to her face.

Looking slightly guilty, she pursed her lips and tossed a battered paper bag toward me.

"Julian sent this for you."

"He heard you drew the blueprints for that ring. He didn't want to steal your thunder, so he picked this out specifically to make it up to you."

A cheap red velvet box tumbled out, popping open to reveal a flimsy pinky ring.

The twisted metal band was already tarnished. I didn't even bother picking it up; I just scoffed.

"Didn't realize he had a habit of picking through dumpsters."

Evelyn, who was tucking her hair behind her ear, stiffened, her expression turning ugly.

She whipped her head around and glared at me.

"What's that supposed to mean? He was kind enough to apologize, and you're going to act like an arrogant prick?"

"Do you really think you're still hot shit? Come to the gala tonight and see for yourself—there are plenty of designers out there ten times better than you!"

I ignored her, poured myself a mug of hot water, and took a slow sip.

My silence only infuriated her more.

She grabbed a wooden hairbrush from the console and hurled it at my head.

The heavy brush struck my forehead with a dull thud. My vision swam, and I nearly lost my footing.

Shatter! The mug slipped from my fingers, smashing onto the tiles.

Evelyn seemed to realize she had crossed the line. She rushed over to catch my arm.

But the second she touched my skin, her brow furrowed. "You're burning up? Come on, I'm taking you to urgent care."

The freezing night air on the mountain must have caught up with me. My head pounded, so heavy and dizzy that I just let her lead me out the door.

We were halfway there when Julian called.

His voice sounded frantic, almost in tears.

"Evelyn, I can't find my drafts! What am I gonna do? The showcase is tonight..."

Evelyn slammed on the brakes so hard my seatbelt dug violently into my ribs. I forced my heavy eyelids open.

Panic was written all over her face as she gripped the steering wheel and pulled an illegal U-turn.

"Don't panic, Julian. I'm coming right now."

She didn't give a damn about me shivering in the passenger seat. She sped straight to Julian's apartment complex.

Before jumping out, she threw me a cold, dismissive look.

"I'm going up to help him look for the files. I'll be right back. Just wait in the car."

Without waiting for an answer, she bolted inside.

Trapped inside the locked car, I slipped in and out of consciousness. The fever roasted me from the inside out, my lungs begging for air.

In the end, I had to smash the car window from the inside just to claw my way out.

Panting on the pavement, I looked up at Julian's apartment. The curtains were drawn tightly shut.

I didn't even care to wonder what they had been doing for those two long hours behind closed doors. Looking for sketches? Or each other?

Eight years of history, burned down to ash in a single afternoon.

True love rots. Even sacred vows can't guarantee you'll grow old together.