Chapter 1

For seven years, Julian was the man I loved. He quit smoking for me and kept all other women away.

Everyone said he was a changed man, completely devoted to me.

Then I heard the laughter from the private room. "Clara Sterling? I'm over her. This ring? It's for my childhood sweetheart."

That day, I was burning up with a 104-degree fever while he went horseback riding with his true love.

He left me stranded in the suburbs, forcing me to walk miles back to the city, my blood staining the path behind me.

Later, I reclaimed my identity as the Sterling heiress. I pulled our investments and cut off his company's lifeline.

At my wedding, he barged in desperately, only to be blocked and escorted out by my new husband.

My new husband gently wiped my tears. "Don't let him ruin this for you."

And there was Julian, kneeling on the shattered glass, finally understanding. He hadn't lost a replacement. He had lost the only light his world would ever have.

Clara's POV

To the world, Julian Quinn, the ultimate ladies' man, was reformed because of me.

He stopped chasing other women and reined in his wild ways.

Because I hated smoke, Julian quit.

Because I valued punctuality, he imposed a strict 10 PM curfew on himself.

He'd drive three hours to bring me my favorite dessert from that shop downtown.

He'd clear his calendar of billion-dollar deals to personally nurse me through a cold.

Everyone called him a reformed man, utterly devoted to me.

I believed it, too.

Until our seventh anniversary year, when I overheard the laughter from behind a private room door.

"Julian, Clara's been with you for so long. Are you two getting married soon?"

My hand, poised to knock on the door, froze. A surge of nervous excitement, sharp and thrilling, shot through me.

Julian and I had been together for a full seven years, from the age of twenty to twenty-seven.

It wasn't that I hadn't brought up marriage before, but each time, Julian would say we were still young, no need to rush.

His friend chuckled. "Word is, you ordered an engagement ring and hid it from Clara. Planning a surprise?"

An engagement ring?

Hope surged, warm and bright, in my chest. Then three seconds later, Julian's voice cut through it.

"That ring isn't for proposing to Clara."

It felt like a bucket of ice-cold water, suddenly dumped over my head, freezing me to the bone.

My entire body went rigid.

His friend sounded confused. "Then... what is it for?"

Julian's deep voice slowly replied, "It's for Vivian."

"Vivian? Your childhood sweetheart? Isn't she always globetrotting? What, is she coming back?"

"Yes, she said she's returning soon."

"So, you're going to propose to Vivian?"

Julian paused, then a soft, tender smile entered his voice.

"She always valued her freedom. So we agreed, while we were young, we'd both explore other people. If neither of us was married by twenty-seven, we'd get together."

"Well, Julian, that's something! Everyone thought you were head-over-heels for Clara, but it turns out you had an agreement with Ms. Vivian all along."

"Ms. Vivian is so free-spirited and vibrant. She travels to countless countries every year. Her perspective and charisma? Clara's quiet, docile personality can't even compare."

"But Clara's been with you for seven years. Will she agree to break up?"

"Ha, what if Clara doesn't agree? She's a nobody with no connections; Julian can just throw some money her way to get rid of her."

Laughter erupted from the room, each peal a sharp, burning pain piercing my chest.

I subconsciously clenched my hands, my nails digging into my palms, praying Julian would say something to deny it.

A moment passed, then his casual voice drifted out-

"Clara is too docile, almost boring. At first, her quiet, compliant nature felt refreshing, unlike other women who were loud and annoying. But after all these years, I've definitely grown tired of it."

Disbelief clawed at my throat.

Seven years of my life, seven years of companionship, reduced to his single sentence-

I was too docile, too boring, and he was tired of me.

So, he'd only been with me for seven years because Vivian had agreed to try dating other people first.

And his constant excuse that we were "still young, no need to rush into marriage"? It was because he never planned to marry me. His chosen bride was someone else entirely.

Tears welled in my eyes, blurring the world.

Suddenly, I realized these past seven years had been nothing but a cruel joke, a complete farce. Every breath was a sharp, searing pain.

I forcibly suppressed the urge to burst through the door, turning in silence.

Leaving the club, I pulled out my phone and dialed.

"Dad, pull the investment from Quinn Corporation."

My father on the other end sounded shocked.

"Years ago, when the Quinn family was in trouble, and Quinn Corporation was on the brink, you were the one who insisted Julian was promising, begging me to invest and help them. Why the sudden change of heart? Has Julian upset you?"

"Just don't ask so many questions."

My eyes burned with unshed tears as I bit my lip.

"Also, I agree. I'll come back for the arranged marriage."