Chapter 1

After my boyfriend refused to marry me for seven years straight, the ridicule finally broke me.

In a single day, I asked him more than a dozen times:

“When are you actually going to marry me?”

But he only sighed, ruffled my hair, and called me childish.

“A woman’s worth isn’t defined by marriage.”

“You should learn from your best friend. Build a successful career instead of thinking about nothing but marrying a man.”

I fell silent, but I still didn’t understand.

He was the one who’d promised to marry me as soon as I graduated.

How had wanting that wedding become my fault?

So I decided to go to his office and demand an answer.

I’d barely cracked the door open when I saw him pinning my best friend against the wall, kissing her hungrily.

Breathless, she asked him:

“When are you going to agree to marry Nora?”

“She’s so desperate. It breaks my heart.”

My boyfriend sounded helpless.

“We’d have to get divorced first, wouldn’t we?”

“Could you really bear to let me go?”

As I listened, the blood in my veins seemed to freeze.

During those seven years I’d spent asking him to marry me, he’d already gotten married.

Just not to me.

When the heated sounds inside the office finally died down, I calmly pushed open the door.

Chloe Parker was sitting in a chair, giggling.

Ethan Hayes was kneeling in front of her, slipping her heels onto her feet.

An ache spread through my chest.

Usually, even asking him to pass me something meant listening to a string of complaints.

“Can’t you be a little more independent?”

“What would you do without me?”

Yet here he was, tenderly putting another woman’s shoes on for her.

I cleared my throat on purpose.

They both froze when they saw me.

Chloe quickly pulled her foot out of Ethan’s hand.

“Nora, what are you doing at the office…?”

I stared at her coldly.

“If I hadn’t come, how would I have found out what you two were doing?”

“Chloe, does it break your heart when you’re screwing your best friend’s boyfriend, too?”

Chloe bit her lip, her eyes instantly reddening.

Ethan immediately stepped in front of her and frowned at me.

“Don’t be so nasty.”

His accusing tone made it sound as though I was the one who’d done something wrong.

But Chloe’s lipstick was still smeared at the corner of his mouth.

“Chloe and I were just taking care of a physical need.”

“Don’t drag us down into your filthy imagination.”

Chloe started sniffling.

Fighting the pain in my chest, I questioned him through trembling lips.

“A physical need?”

“You need your girlfriend’s best friend to take care of your physical needs?”

“You need a marriage certificate for that?”

By the last question, tears were spilling uncontrollably down my face.

Ethan went still. He finally realized how long I’d been standing outside.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose in irritation.

“That was because Chloe’s mother was in bad shape. She wanted to see her daughter married before she died.”

“I only married her to help.”

He paused.

“I just didn’t want these little problems affecting her work.”

“It’s a piece of paper. Nothing more.”

My heart pounded, and what little color remained in my face drained away.

I remembered all the times Ethan had praised Chloe’s abilities in front of me.

He would look at me and sigh.

“If only you were a little more like your best friend. Strong and independent.”

“Instead of constantly talking about getting married.”

I’d refused to accept that.

I’d shown him everything I’d earned before graduation.

My awards, my professional certifications, my scholarships.

But Ethan had only laughed.

“That’s all in the past.”

It had hurt, but I’d told myself he simply admired capable people.

Now it turned out that marriage meant endless excuses when I wanted it.

When Chloe wanted it, it was just a piece of paper.

It felt as though a thousand needles were piercing my heart.

Ethan sighed and stepped forward to hug me.

“Don’t touch me!”

The words tore out of me as I tried to escape his disgusting embrace.

Something hit the floor.

In the struggle, a document had slipped out of my pocket.

The marriage license application I’d brought to force the issue.

A crushing wave of humiliation swept over me. I bent to pick it up.

But Ethan got there first.

He held the application between his fingers and gave a mocking laugh.

“So this is why you came to my office and caused a scene?”

I spoke quietly.

“That was why I came.”

“But I don’t need it anymore.”

While he stood there stunned, I snatched the application back.

Then I turned and walked out.