Chapter 1

My fiancé fell in love with a charity student he sponsored.

Without a second thought, he ditched our wedding and fled abroad to marry her.

I sank into deep depression, drowning myself in work just to numb the pain.

Three years later, rumors spread that they had returned.

By then, I had moved on, busy planning my own engagement.

Yet at a college reunion, Justin Cole—the man who once treated Lily Frost like she was his entire world—violently shoved her aside.

Staring at the ring on my amputated finger, his voice trembled. "Put the ring I gave you back on, please... I’m begging you..."

I pushed open the door to the private dining room.

Instantly, the chatter stopped, replaced by cheerful cheers welcoming me inside.

And there, sitting in the crowd, was Justin Cole.

Three years ago, Justin fell head over heels for Lily Frost, a girl from an impoverished background he was personally sponsoring.

Arrogant and reckless back then, he had sneered at me with utter contempt. "A stray dog crawling on the street is more interesting than you! Why the hell should I marry a cripple with a missing finger?"

On our wedding day, he left me stranded in my white gown, rushing Lily off to Las Vegas to tie the knot behind my back.

From that day on, I became the biggest joke in our social circle.

I locked myself in my room, crying until my tears ran dry.

Justin’s parents came to see me, placing their heirloom emerald ring onto my scarred, amputated finger. They swore that in their eyes, I would always be the only true daughter-in-law of the Cole family.

They pleaded with me over and over, begging me to give him another chance to come to his senses.

Stupidly, I waited. But Justin never returned—only an official clinical diagnosis of severe depression did.

My parents, who had cherished me my entire life, deeply regretted ever agreeing to an arranged childhood match with the Coles.

Furious and heartbroken, they severed every tie with his family.

To heal my wounds, I threw myself into round-the-clock work.

Through sheer grit and dedication, I made a name for myself as a featured pianist on a major TV network, flooded with invitations and concert requests.

Tonight, if our former class president—now a TV producer at the network—hadn’t personally insisted on inviting me, I wouldn’t have bothered coming to this reunion at all.

Three years apart had changed Justin immensely.

He used to be domineering, cocky, and full of restless swagger.

Now, he seemed quiet and composed, calm as still water. His sharp jawline and deep, ocean-like eyes carried a presence impossible to ignore.

Sitting beside him, Lily froze in complete shock the moment she saw me.

Her grip on his arm tightened instinctively.

Raising his wine glass, the class president cut through the awkward silence. "Clara Shen! We’ve been waiting forever for our resident superstar! It just so happens Justin and Lily recently came back from abroad too. With our whole class finally gathered, let me kick things off with a toast!"

I smiled politely and took a seat next to my close friend, Yvaine.

A flicker of gentleness flashed in Justin’s eyes. Interrupting the class president with easy confidence, he said, "Tonight's dinner is on me. Over the past few years while I was away, I truly appreciate everyone taking such good care of Clara."

He naturally passed me a glass of juice, acting as if nothing had ever broken between us.

The entire room exchanged awkward, loaded glances.

I calmly pulled an insulated tumbler from my purse with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I don't drink cold beverages right now. My boyfriend packed some warm herbal tea for me."

Raising my tea in lieu of wine, I teased him with complete composure: "Friends look out for each other—it's second nature, and I'll thank them myself. But as for you, nobody here ever got to attend your wedding back then. A free dinner is the least you and your wife owe us."

The glass slipped from Justin’s hand, shattering loudly against the floor.