Chapter 1

Chapter 1

To cure the fake heiress‘ depression, my childhood sweetheart and fiancé, Ethan Graham, secretly married her despite his vows that he’d marry no one but me.

So, I agreed to a family–arranged marriage with Asher Whitman, the heir to a powerful family in the capital, who had secretly loved me for years.

For seven years after our wedding, Asher treated me like I was his whole world. His affection was overwhelming, almost suffocating, as if he couldn’t go a moment without touching me. If I wanted the stars in the sky, he’d find a way to bring them down for me.

I thought I had finally found happiness. But then, one night after we were together, I overheard him talking to his close friend.

“Serena’s now an international superstar. When are you going to break things off with Lila?”

“It doesn’t matter who I’m with when she is not the one I love. Besides, I have to keep an eye on Lila to make sure she doesn’t ruin Serena’s hard–earned happiness.”

I opened his study computer and found a hidden folder. It was packed with over a hundred thousand photos of Serena and a hundred unsent love letters.

I’d be a fool if I still couldn’t see the truth. I bought a synthetic body and began again.

I turned off the screen after I placed the order for everything I needed. All I had to do was wait three days to vanish from Asher’s life forever.

When I turned around, Asher was smiling at me. He had gotten rid of the scent of nicotine outside and warmed his body before daring to hug me from behind. He asked, “Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

The warmth of his embrace should’ve been my haven, the safest place in the world. But now, it only left a bitter ache in my heart. Seven years of marriage, and he had knew that Asher doted on his wife, keeping me hidden like precious.

He told me he had fallen for me at first sight when we were kids, secretly loving me for 14 years. At our wedding, with tears in his eyes, he swore that marrying me felt like a dream.

He knew all about my past, and when my childhood sweetheart turned his back on me, Asher used his family’s power to create a rift between them. He went so far as to sabotage Serena’s career to get back at those who had wronged me.

He harbored hatred for anyone who betrayed me. His performance was so convincing that even I, an actress, couldn’t spot a flaw. He took her name in moments of passion, but the way he said it always sounded a little off.

I thought it was just a quirk of his, but now I realized he had probably been calling me “Rina” the whole time.

I lowered my head and wiped my tears, but he didn’t notice. Instead, he said, “Serena won the Best Actress award. There’s an industry gathering tomorrow, so stay home with me. I don’t want you to be upset when you see her.”

I silently counted in my mind. This was at least the hundredth time Asher’d used such excuses to keep me from showing up in public. At first, I thought it was just his possessiveness, which I reluctantly tolerated.

Now, I realized it was all just to make way for Serena.

I said, “I’m meeting with Anthony Pearce tomorrow. He wants me to star as the lead in his next film. I can’t skip it.”

Asher said, “It’s fine. We don’t have to go. I’ll support you. Even if you never work again, I can take care of everything.”

But fame and fortune never mattered to me. I had told him once that starring in an Anthony’s film was my dream, which I wanted to achieve with my talent. Back then, he had promised to support me in that.

He hadn’t forgotten. But Serena also the lead role, so my dream was doomed to be trampled for her benefit.

Seeing I was silent, he gently coaxed me, “Lila, don’t be upset, okay? We can go to the party anytime, but our time together is more precious, right? The day after tomorrow marks our first seven–year itch. I promise I’ll give you an unforgettable surprise. Deal?”

I forced a smile and said, “Okay, and I’ll give you my biggest gift in return.”

What I didn’t say was, “Asher, we couldn’t overcome the seven–year itch. From now on, you’ll be alone. Only you. I’m letting you go.”