Chapter 1

The moment I had to use a wheelchair, my boyfriend dumped me.

Due to complications from a surgery a decade ago, my legs had flared up, leaving me temporarily bound to a wheelchair.

At the exact same time, my billionaire CEO boyfriend, Tristan Hayes, changed his phone wallpaper from a picture of me to one of his unforgettable first love, Bella Vance.

After helping me assemble a newly bought storage shelf, he handed me a check. "This will be more than enough to cover your living expenses from now on. Let's break up."

I didn't cry or throw a fit. I just watched him walk away in silence.

The next day, I followed my doctor's advice and checked into the hospital.

At the same time, I made a phone call to someone else:

"There's an opening for a boyfriend. Interested?"

When I returned from the clinic, Tristan was holding a screwdriver, putting together a shelving unit I had recently ordered.

I was just about to compliment him on how handy he was, but before I could, he spoke up without looking back. "Chloe, you'll have to assemble things like this on your own from now on. Just follow the instruction manual step by step. It's not that hard."

His words hit me like a bucket of ice water poured straight over my head.

What was he talking about?

Before I could even process it, he continued, "You can keep this penthouse. We're done."

The hand holding my medical report froze in midair.

Noticing my sudden stillness, Tristan leaned over and glanced at the paper in my hand.

When his eyes caught the line—*Wheelchair recommended; surgery advised as soon as possible*—this prominent, high-society heir hesitated. For a moment, he seemed at a loss for how to handle the situation.

I had been complaining about leg pain for weeks, but he had been far too busy taking Bella out on dates to pay me any mind.

Now, ditching a girlfriend who was about to be wheelchair-bound was bound to stir up gossip. It might tarnish the spotless reputation of the great heir to the Hayes Group.

He knitted his brows, tearing his gaze away from the medical slip. Finally, he spoke up again. "Tell you what. I'll write you a check for another three hundred thousand dollars. You can use it to hire a full-time caregiver."

With that, he slipped a check into my hand, quickly turning toward the door as if terrified I might cling to his pant leg and beg him to stay.

At the threshold, he stopped and turned his head slightly, as if remembering something else. "If you really need help with anything, call my office. But only during business hours. Outside of work, I don't want Bella getting the wrong idea."

The door slammed shut behind him with a dull thud.

He truly was a high-powered billionaire playboy. Tristan Hayes was nothing if not ruthless and decisive in romance.

Seven years of history, sliced through in less than seven minutes.

Impressively fast.

Standing in the vast, empty penthouse, my thoughts swirled in chaos. It felt as though an essential piece of my soul was being torn away.

I kept repeating to myself: *Chloe Brooks, don't cry! A man who stomps all over your loyalty isn't worth a single tear!*

Yet tears still spilled over, streaming down my cheeks like a broken dam.

Through my blurred vision, I could almost see the Tristan from seven years ago walking toward me.

Back then, a sudden, horrific fire had taken the lives of both my parents.

My entire world had gone pitch-black.

After forcing myself through their funerals, utterly broken and desperate, I had run out onto a suburban bridge on a pouring, stormy night. Staring down at the raging river below, I had prepared to jump.

It was Tristan who had sprinted through the storm and grabbed my arm. "Chloe Brooks! I'm in love with you! Stay alive for me, please?"

The rain had chilled me to the bone, but Tristan's embrace had carried warmth.

When he learned about my tragedy, he had stroked my hair gently. "Chloe, even if the whole world abandons you, you still have me. From now on, I'm your family."

Just like that, he brought me home.

I had truly believed that God took pity on me, blessing me with Tristan Hayes.