Chapter 1

My fiancé looked down on me for being a divorcée, so right before our wedding, he slept with my best friend.

He claimed he wanted to date my best friend until our wedding day just so we could be "even."

He thought I would obediently walk down the aisle with him.

Little did he know, not only had I prepared their sex tapes for the big screen at the wedding, but I had also swapped out the bride.

Evelyn's POV

At a private gathering a week before our wedding, I caught my fiancé having sex with my best friend in the adjacent VIP lounge.

Julian Vance unhurriedly pulled on his clothes.

"She was wearing nothing underneath tonight. Too tempting. I couldn't help myself."

I froze in place, taking forever to find my voice.

"Why? You promised you would never let me suffer betrayal again!"

Julian showed not a shred of remorse.

"Betrayal? Evelyn, you're a divorcée. What right do you have to talk to me about betrayal?"

Tears streamed down my cheeks despite my efforts to stop them.

"You two were the people I trusted most in the world..."

My best friend, Melanie Sterling, felt no guilt whatsoever.

"Evelyn, you can't blame me for this. Blame yourself for being an idiot. Honestly, the woman who checked into a hotel with your ex-husband, Sean Miller, four years ago was also me."

Struck by lightning, I could barely stand on my feet.

Four years ago, I received photos from an unknown number showing Sean with another woman.

It was Melanie who had canceled all her celebrity engagements to drink with me, cursed Sean for being a scumbag, and adamantly pushed me to divorce him.

I had thought infidelity was primarily the man's fault, so I never dug into the identity of the woman in those pictures.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the person stabbing me in the back was my closest friend.

Melanie looked at my reaction with satisfaction, a reminiscent smirk playing on her lips.

"Then again, even though your taste in best friends is terrible, your taste in men is impeccable. I really like this one, too."

Hearing that, Julian patted her playfully.

"All right, Evelyn isn't like you. She can't handle games. Stop teasing her."

He pulled out a tissue and gently wiped my cheek, even more tenderly than before.

The night I received those cheating photos, devastated and unable to accept reality, I had walked alone through the pouring rain to the cliff where Sean and I had first declared our love.

Just as I was about to step into the abyss, Julian had appeared out of nowhere to save me.

Back then, he had dried my tears with that exact same gentleness.

He told me that not all men were as untrustworthy as Sean; I had simply had the bad luck to run into a scumbag. He promised that if I just looked back, someone truly worthy of my love was waiting for me.

Julian helped me move, found me lawyers, and handled everything on my behalf so I never had to face Sean directly.

When Sean adamantly refused to sign the divorce papers, Julian ruthlessly snatched up projects from the Miller family at any cost, forcing Sean to surrender.

The day my divorce was finalized, Julian set off fireworks across the entire state to confess his feelings to me.

He asked me to believe in love again—to believe in him.

He swore he would only ever love me in this life, and that he would never betray me.

I believed him.

Little did I know, his so-called lifetime and eternity lasted a mere four years.

The contrast between the present and the past was so cruel that for a moment, I forgot to pull away from his hand wiping my tears.

He scoffed lightly and tapped the tip of my nose.

"You can't even handle this? How are you going to survive the next week, Evelyn?"

I asked blankly,

"What?"

He explained with apparent patience,

"There's still one week left until our wedding. I've decided to be Melanie's boyfriend for this week."

My brain finally kicked back into gear, comprehending what he meant.

He actually dared to humiliate me like this!

Boundless fury flared up in my chest.

"I don't care whose boyfriend you are! Julian Vance, I'm breaking up with you!"

Julian's gaze turned razor-sharp for a split second before returning to his usual nonchalance. With a half-smile, he said,

"Evelyn, don't say things like that. I don't like hearing it."

Hearing the commotion, his buddies walked over one after another.

Chase Brooks tried to explain on Julian's behalf:

"Evelyn, men are possessive by nature. Back then, you chose Sean instead of Julian, so it's natural he feels cheated. He still loves you."

Harrison Hayes had always looked down on me:

"Evelyn, don't be ungrateful. You're damaged goods—you have no right to demand Julian stay pure for you. He's just playing boyfriend, not marrying her. You're still the one getting the better end of the deal!"

Xander Reed, who had always been closer to Melanie, chimed in:

"In terms of looks and family background, Melanie outshines you in every way. Julian's only dating her for a week—you should count your blessings! You're an orphan with no parents, and what's Julian's net worth? Him marrying you is a once-in-a-lifetime blessing for your ancestral grave!"

Their words seemed to validate Julian's inner thoughts, and he softened his tone to coax me:

"Evelyn, be a good girl. Just focus on wedding preparations this week, and in seven days, I'll come back and marry you."

Lightning flashed outside, accompanied by thunder, and rain began to fall.

Ever since that stormy night four years ago, thunderstorms had triggered my PTSD.

For four years, Julian had stayed by my side every single time it rained.

Tonight, however, he hesitated for only a second before making his decision.

"Evelyn, as Melanie's boyfriend, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to drive you home. Take a cab yourself."

As the crowd filed out, I overheard Chase asking in a low voice:

"Julian, aren't you afraid Evelyn will get genuinely furious and refuse to marry you?"

Julian chuckled disdainfully, casting a backward glance at me.

"What's there to be afraid of? Evelyn is as meek as a little lamb; a little sweet-talking will fix everything. Besides, who else could she possibly find besides me? Right, Evelyn?"

Without waiting for my answer, he walked away with absolute confidence, leading the group out.

Brushing past my shoulder, Melanie whispered lightly in my ear,

"The mattress in your master bedroom is so soft. Tossing around all night doesn't even hurt my knees."

I stood alone by the entrance as several luxury cars sped off, splashing muddy water all over me.

A deafening crack of thunder illuminated my pale, devastated face.

On a rainy night four years ago, Julian Vance had rescued me from the abyss.

Four years later, he was the one summoning the storm into my world.

Julian Vance, since you broke your original vows, I will never walk down that wedding aisle with you.

I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.

"Hello... I'm ready to listen to you. I'll leave Julian Vance and go abroad."