Chapter 1

When the county clerk's office called our number, Sophia, standing beside me, suddenly stopped.

"Actually, the person I really love is Owen."

"Last month, while you were away on business, I took him to the Maldives for a vacation. We'd already slept together by then."

"Last night he cried and begged me for one last time, said he'd never come between us again after that, but I just couldn't bear to hurt him."

"Owen is still young, he's too innocent, he can't live without me. I can't let him down."

I stared at Owen beside me in disbelief.

Just moments ago he'd been crying with gratitude for all my years of support, calling me his own brother.

But now his eyes were rimmed red. "I'm sorry, Evan, but love doesn't care who came first..."

Sophia glanced at the household register in her hand, her tone offhand.

"Evan, I don't want to keep it from you anymore."

"Don't worry, the place of my husband is still yours. Owen just needs to stay by my side."

"Whether you go in and sign the license or not is up to you."

...

I stared hard at Sophia, then slowly shifted my gaze to Owen standing next to her.

This was the fiancée I had loved for seven years.

This was the poor student I had funded for five years.

They had been rolling around in bed together in the Maldives behind my back, and they'd still been carrying on the day before we were supposed to sign the marriage license.

I tore the queue ticket to shreds.

Scraps of paper drifted down across the floor of the county clerk's office.

Sophia's face darkened instantly.

"Evan, what the hell has gotten into you?"

"This is the county clerk's office. Watch how you behave."

I ignored her and turned my gaze to Owen.

"I funded you for five whole years."

"I put you through college, bought your clothes, paid your tuition, even covered your mother's medical bills."

"Is this how you repay me? By sleeping with your benefactor's fiancée?"

Owen shuddered, and mumbled out an explanation:

"No... Evan, you come from a good family, you're talented. Even if you never marry, you'll live well."

"But all I have is Sophia. If you... if you can't accept it, I might as well go smash my head against the pillar in front of the county clerk's office right now!"

Crying, he backed away, and actually made as if to throw himself at the pillar beside him.

Sophia caught him just in time, then turned and glared at me.

"Enough, Evan!"

"It's bad enough that you act so high and mighty all the time."

"Don't you know Owen has severe depression? Are you happy only once you've driven someone to their death?!"

Depression?

I let out a cold laugh.

"He wasn't depressed when he was spending my money on things."

"He wasn't depressed on vacation in the Maldives."

"Now that he's been exposed in public as the other man, suddenly he's depressed?"

A flicker of panic crossed Sophia's eyes, then she raised her voice, righteous.

"I'm the one who took him there!"

"He's usually under too much pressure, he needed to relax."

"Can you please stop being so aggressive all the time?"

Looking at the woman I'd been with for seven years, I felt she was a complete stranger.

I gave up my chance to go abroad for her, stayed by her side from having nothing all the way to taking her company public, and she treated everything I'd given as her due.

Owen timidly cut in:

"Evan, please don't blame Sophia."

"It's all my fault. I couldn't help falling in love with her."

His shameless words made me laugh with rage, and I raised my hand to slap him.

But Sophia stepped in front of Owen.

"Evan, haven't you made enough of a scene?"

"I already told you, the place of my husband is still yours. What more do you want?"

"Do you really have to make things this ugly?"