Chapter 1 

I have been with my boyfriend for seven years. The day I was supposed to try on wedding dresses with him. I arrived at the bridal shop brimming with excitement–only to overhear a 

conversation that shattered everything. 

“I can’t believe you went to the church with Elise and got the marriage yesterday, and today you’re here trying on wedding dresses with Solene. Aren’t you afraid she’ll find out and freak out?” 

Lucian sighed and replied hoarsely, “My brother died in a car accident. Elise is pregnant with his child. If I don’t take responsibility and marry her, how will she and the baby survive?” 

“I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to Solene. Just keep your mouth shut. She must 

never find out about this.” 

In that moment, all the joy I’d felt from receiving my pregnancy report vanished like snow 

under a blazing sun. 

I had gone to the hospital early that morning to get the results, planning to surprise Lucian with the good news in person at the bridal shop. I never expected that he’d hit me with such a 

cruel truth first. 

If he had already married someone else, why go through with a wedding ceremony with me? 

Before I could come up with an answer, the wedding dress designer approached me. “Miss Rayner, Mr. Vale had this wedding gown custom–made just for you. You can try it on now.” 

Her words snapped me out of my daze. 

Lucian had poured his heart into this wedding. The rings and the gown had all been designed under his personal supervision, tailored exactly to my tastes. 

He even had a phrase engraved inside the ring: Bound by love, faithful forever. 

He’d insisted on doing everything himself, refusing to hire a wedding designer despite my suggestions. “Doing it myself makes it more meaningful,” he’d said. “I want you to think of me every time you see these things.” 

When people heard the news, they couldn’t stop praising him, saying he was husband material and that I was blessed to have found him. 

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Yet no one could have guessed how hollow his love would become. 

I took a steadying breath and walked toward the bridal fitting room–only to freeze at the sight of a silhouette I knew too well.. 

Elise turned her head at the sound of the staff guiding me and smiled warmly. “Solene, you’re finally here! Come look–your wedding dress is absolutely stunning.” 

She spoke so naturally, so sweetly, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. 

Back when Lucian’s elder brother was still alive, the four of us would occasionally meet for meals. Elise and I crossed paths quite often in those days. 

At the time, seeing her as my future sister–in–law, I made a point of sharing nice things with her, using little gestures to foster goodwill for our future relationship. 

If I hadn’t overheard that conversation between Lucian and his friend, I never would’ve 

imagined that Elise would become the insurmountable wedge between us. 

Recalling their words, my eyes instinctively drifted to her belly–it was still flat—but a wave of bitterness rose in my heart. 

No matter what happened, she had someone support her, someone to lean on. 

But what about me and my baby? We had no one. 

Forcing down the ache in my heart, I glanced at the exquisite gown. “It really is beautiful. Do you want to try it on?” 

The moment I said that, a voice full of disbelief rang out behind me. 

“Solene, what are you saying? This is your wedding dress. How could you let someone else try 

it on?” 

Lucian strode over, visibly displeased, his eyes filled with disapproval. 

I kept my expression calm and composed. “That’s okay. I heard Elise didn’t get to wear a wedding dress when she married your brother. Let her try it on now–it might make that regret.” 

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Chapter 1