Chapter 1

Emily Caldwell had thought she finally had William Silverstein back, and that her life could at last settle into something close to peace. Everything held steady until Aria Rayburn's wedding.

Without a moment's hesitation, William had shown up and wrecked the entire ceremony.

Not long after, Emily received a ten-minute video.

In it, William looked like a crazed man. Aria was still in her white wedding dress, pinned against a car door. William had wrapped his arm around her waist, kissing her like he couldn't bear to let her go.

He didn't stop until Aria was gasping for air, barely able to choke out a promise that she'd never marry anyone else.

Before long, William's friends crowded around him, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.

"What the hell are you doing, William? Today's your eighth anniversary with Emmy. You left her at home to crash a wedding? We barely covered for you by saying you had an emergency!"

William said nothing. He just held Aria in his arms and lit a cigarette. His refusal to speak only fed their desperation.

They pressed harder. "What's going on in your head? You used to be head over heels for Emmy. Don't tell us you're actually into Aria now!"

William finally stubbed out his cigarette and looked up, eyes rimmed red.

"I don't know. I can't live without Emmy. But the thought of Aria marrying someone else makes me so jealous it's unbearable. If you want a reason, fine. Maybe I love them both. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Without waiting for a reply, he yanked open the car door and pulled Aria inside.

His friends' eyes widened in shock. They rushed forward, trying to stop him.

"William, have you lost your mind? You're actually comparing that gold-digger to Emmy? And now you're actually taking her home? How the hell are you going to explain this to Emmy?"

"I'll handle it. Don't worry about it. I just need time to figure out who I really love. Until then, Aria stays with me."

With that, William rolled up the window and sped off with Aria.

The video ended in silence as the screen faded to black.

Emily's mind went blank, and it felt like her heart had been stabbed clean through. In disbelief, she clicked on the video again. She couldn't stop watching.

By the ninth replay, another message from Aria popped up. "Finished the video, Ms. Caldwell? You know what they say. If a man falls for two women at the same time, he'll always choose the second. What do you think?"

Emily unclenched her fist. Deep, bloody crescent shapes marked her palm where her nails had dug in. A faint smile touched her lips.

But as she smiled, the tears came uncontrollably, while a flood of memories crashed over her all at once.

Everyone in their circle knew that William—the so-called "crown prince" of Huxbury's elite—was hopelessly devoted to his childhood sweetheart, Emily. His love for her had always bordered on obsession.

They'd grown up side by side, and he had protected her like a knight guarding his queen. He'd crawl out of bed at midnight to brew chamomile tea when she had cramps. He'd spent fortunes lighting up the night sky with fireworks just for her.

Any guy who got too close? William made sure they backed off. Even his Instagram feed had been filled with nothing but her.

Emily never imagined that three months of amnesia would be enough to erase all of that. That the young man who swore at 17 he'd love her forever would disappear for good.

A relentless wave of pain crashed through her chest, tearing at her nerves. She had cried until her eyes were swollen and dry. Now, she just sat there, staring blankly at the table full of cold dishes.

William had always spoiled her. He would've rather taught himself to cook than see her lift a finger in the kitchen. For eight years straight—from when he was 17 until now, at 25—he had kept that up without fail.

So this time, Emily had wanted to surprise him. She followed the recipes carefully, making all his favorite dishes.

But now, there was nothing left to celebrate.

She staggered to her feet and swept the candlelit dinner she'd spent five hours preparing into the trash. Then, she grabbed the photos from over the years and tossed them into the fire.

The picture of them kissing and making wishes under the northern lights. The candid he'd taken while she slept. The shot that captured the nervous, hopeful look in his eyes the day he confessed his love.

One by one, the moments that had once defined the happiest years of her life curled into ash.

When the last photo burned away, Emily picked up the gift she'd carefully prepared and dumped it down the drain.

A pair of custom-made rings. One of a kind.

William had loved her unconditionally for eight years. Tonight was supposed to be the night she proposed. The night she gave herself to him completely.

Instead, he had chosen Aria.

After cleaning everything up, Emily called her mother on her phone. "Mom, I want to come to Fremoria to be with all of you."

Teresa Atkins didn't sound happy, just stunned. "What happened? Did William do something to you?"

Emily wasn't surprised that Teresa had guessed it so quickly.

Four years ago, when the Caldwells had moved their entire business overseas and immigrated as a family, Teresa and Emily's father, Arthur Caldwell, had wanted to take her with them.

But William had shown up at the Caldwell residence five times, pleading with Arthur and Teresa again and again. He couldn't lose Emily. He begged them to let her stay and swore he'd take care of her.

His parents, Edward Silverstein and Katie Newman, had also come to speak on his behalf. They reminded Arthur and Teresa that the Silversteins and Caldwells had been close family friends for years.

William and Emily had grown up together. It was only natural they'd end up married.

Their sincerity moved Arthur and Teresa. In the end, they agreed, but only under one condition—William had to sign an agreement.

If he ever hurt Emily and she left for Fremoria, he'd be permanently banned from ever setting foot there. From then on, they'd never see each other again, and any chance of reconciliation would be gone for good.

Chapter 2

The memories clawed at Emily's heart. Not wanting to worry Arthur and Teresa, she lied, "I just missed you all."

But Teresa heard the tremor in her voice and understood anyway. She let out a long, weary sigh. "Then start the paperwork. Once you land, you can tell your dad and me everything. Don't worry. We'll always be here for you."

Like a weary bird finally finding its nest, Emily's heart began to settle. "Okay, I'll come to you as soon as everything's taken care of."

Before she could say more, the door swung open. William walked in.

"Emmy, where are you going?"

He wore a sleek black bespoke suit, looking as handsome and refined as ever. He was still the same man who once looked at her like she was the only one in the world. But only Emily knew where he had just been.

She ended the call. "Nowhere special. Just grabbing a bite with a friend."

Without hesitation, William pulled her into his arms. "Emmy, I'm sorry. Something came up at work today, and I couldn't make it to our anniversary. I'll make it up to you next time, alright?"

Emily didn't answer. Instead, she pulled away from his arms. "You smell like a perfume I can't stand."

William froze for a second. "I'll take a shower right now."

The moment he disappeared into the bathroom, Emily grabbed his phone from the table. She unlocked it and opened WhatsApp.

Her name used to be the only one pinned to the top. Now, there was another—Aria.

She tapped the chat thread. The messages opened instantly, spilling everything before her.

William texted, "You'll stay in that apartment from now on. If you need anything, let me know. To everyone else, especially Emmy, you're just my new assistant. Don't ever tell anyone what we really are."

Aria replied, "Liam, I was so happy when you stopped my wedding today. I promise I'll be good. As long as I get to be with you, I don't care if we have to keep it a secret forever. If being your secret is what you want, then that's what I'll be."

William texted back, "Don't forget, Aria. You're the one who tricked me into thinking we were a couple. From that moment on, you were mine. Who allowed you to marry someone else? Don't ever let something like today happen again."

Emily's hands trembled harder with every message she read.

How pathetic. He wanted it both ways—swearing forever to her while keeping Aria on the side. But the kind of love she wanted didn't make room for three.

The sound of running water slowed to a trickle just as the phone buzzed in her hand.

A new message from Aria lit up the screen. "Liam, there's someone pacing outside my door. I'm scared. Please come stay with me?"

Emily set the phone back exactly where she'd found it. Then she closed her eyes.

Moments later, William stepped out of the bathroom. With his towel in one hand as he dried his hair, he picked up his phone with the other.

His voice was soft when he spoke to her. "Emmy, I washed off that perfume. Let's go to bed, yeah? It's been too long since we—"

He stopped mid-sentence, eyes flicking to the new message on his screen. His tone shifted in an instant. "I… something just came up. Get some rest, Emmy. I'll make it up to you next time."

Emily didn't say a word. She just stood there, watching as he changed, grabbed his keys, and rushed out the door.

The room settled back into silence.

She sat alone until midnight, watching the clock hands crawl past 12 before finally heading to bed. So this was how her last anniversary with William ended—miserable and pathetic.

That night, Emily was haunted by nightmares and woke at the first light of dawn.

She got up, freshened up, had a quick breakfast, and gathered every document she needed to begin the immigration process. Then, she submitted a request to expedite the application.

The clerk told her that the fastest they could process it was 15 days.

Emily checked the calendar and booked a flight to Fremoria, set to leave exactly 15 days from now.

Chapter 3

Emily had just finished everything for the day and was about to hail a cab home when her phone rang. It was William.

"Emmy, you're not home? Where are you? I'll come pick you up."

Not wanting him to know she'd been planning to leave, Emily gave him the address of the nearest mall and said she was out shopping.

William showed up in no time and drove her straight to a hotel, saying he wanted to make up for the anniversary they'd missed.

The moment they stepped out of the car, Emily noticed a sign at the entrance with both their names printed on it.

Just beneath it, in bold letters, it read, "Celebrating Nine Years Together."

William followed her gaze, and his expression faltered as he registered the mistake. "It must've been the hotel's mistake. They probably got the year wrong. Don't be mad, Emmy."

Emily lowered her eyes and said nothing, silently continuing toward the entrance.

The hall inside was lavishly decorated, alive with guests and the unmistakable air of celebration. As soon as they stepped in, the crowd surged forward with glasses of wine, offering congratulations laced with envy.

"Mr. Silverstein, happy ninth anniversary to you and Ms. Caldwell. May today be filled with joy, and every year that follows even more so. Here's to a love that lasts a lifetime, and never drifts apart!"

"You're throwing a party just to celebrate your dating anniversary, and inviting everyone to share in the love. The bond you share is truly worth more than gold!"

Emily forced a polite smile at their flattery as she scanned the room.

Aside from the glaring mistake about it being the ninth anniversary, the cake was mango, which she was allergic to. The flowers in the baskets were already wilting, and the servers kept fumbling, bumping into guests like it was their first day on the job.

She surveyed the chaotic, carelessly arranged venue and remembered every party William had once thrown in her honor.

Back then, he had personally overseen every detail—from the floral arrangements and curated menus to the servers' manners and the seamless flow of the party. Everything had been flawless.

But this? This was supposed to be a simple anniversary party. How had it unraveled into such a disaster?

As she watched yet another guest get splattered with wine, she finally broke her silence. "Who planned this party?"

Rosie Burkhart, William's secretary, lowered her head slightly. "It was Mr. Silverstein's assistant, Aria Rayburn. She handled the planning."

At the sound of that name, Emily froze.

William noticed the shift in her expression and the fact that the party had been a mess. He quickly stepped in with an explanation. "Aria's my new assistant. It was her first time organizing a party. A few slip-ups were inevitable. Don't let it get to you, Emmy."

This was William—the man notorious for his ruthless standards and zero tolerance for error. Normally, a mistake like that would've earned someone a scathing reprimand.

And yet, here he was, brushing it off with a few gentle excuses. Why?

Emily didn't have to wonder for long. Without a word, she turned and made her way backstage to change into her evening gown.

But the moment she opened the box on the table and saw what was inside—a faded, tattered gown—her breath caught in her throat.

On the way to the hotel, William had told her that the gown and the jewelry were ready, all in her favorite style.

So what was this? A crumpled heap of fabric that looked like it came straight out of a thrift store?

Still in her original outfit, Emily walked back into the hall and spotted Aria right away.

There she was, draped in a couture gown that shimmered with pearls, and wearing a full set of diamonds that caught the chandelier light so fiercely it was almost blinding. Every head in the room had turned to look at her.

Clutching the hem of her skirt, she gave a playful twirl in front of William, her voice syrupy sweet. "Don't I look pretty, Mr. Silverstein?"

William let out a noncommittal hum, the corner of his mouth lifting in amusement as he instinctively leaned in to kiss her. But then his eyes landed on Emily, standing just a few steps away.

He straightened at once, the tension in his voice betraying a flicker of unease. "Emmy, why aren't you changed? Anyway, this is my assistant, Aria Rayburn."

Chapter 4

Even though Emily had expected William to use this excuse to keep Aria close, hearing him lie so shamelessly still made her chest tighten with anger.

Her hands curled into fists as she fought to keep the rising storm of emotions at bay. Her voice was taut, barely holding steady. "Looks like Aria's wearing the gown you gave me."

William hesitated, then turned on Aria with a scowl. "Why are you wearing Emmy's dress? Take it off!"

Aria's eyes brimmed with tears as she kept her head bowed in apology. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Silverstein. I also ordered a dress online, and I must've grabbed the wrong one while I was changing. I'll take it off right now."

As she spoke, her hands moved to the zipper, ready to strip the dress off right there in front of everyone.

William's face darkened. He grabbed her wrist without hesitation. "Who told you to change here? Go backstage!"

Emily watched the scene unfold, a flicker of bitter self-deprecation crossing her eyes. "Don't bother. I don't wear hand-me-downs. Consider the gown and the jewelry a gift to Ms. Rayburn."

Without another word, she turned and walked off alone toward the lounge.

William quickly caught up to her, his tone softening. "Emmy, this was my fault. I had Rosie order a new gown for you. It should be here any minute. This is our make-up anniversary. Just try to enjoy it, okay?"

The gentler he was, the more uneasy Emily felt. Something about it felt wrong, like the quiet before a storm.

And yet, everything else went off without a hitch.

William led her to the center of the stage, hand in hand, and began telling the story of their love. Every detail he shared, the tenderness in his eyes, and the devotion in his voice were so heartfelt that it moved everyone in the hall.

By the time he finished, many guests were misty-eyed, holding their partners a little tighter.

But Emily—the woman meant to be at the heart of this moment—stood motionless. Her face was devoid of emotion, her heart like a frozen lake.

Because she could see Aria just offstage, her expression glowing with smug satisfaction.

Because she knew clearly that every vow William spoke was empty. He'd already given half his heart to someone else.

At the height of the emotion in the hall, Aria suddenly rose with a theatrical gasp, pretending she'd twisted her ankle.

The spell broke. Every head turned toward her, eyes narrowing with irritation and contempt.

"Who does she think she is? Interrupting Mr. Silverstein's speech like that? Talk about having zero self-awareness!"

"That gown is way too exquisite for someone so desperate for attention!"

"Exactly. All that expensive jewelry still can't cover up how cheap she comes across. She's making a complete fool of herself."

Aria's tears fell in quick drops as each biting remark landed. Choking back a sob, she hurried onto the stage. "I'm sorry, Ms. Caldwell. This is all my fault…"

When Aria started apologizing out of nowhere on the stage, Emily was completely baffled. What on earth was she trying to pull this time?

But as Emily straightened up and caught the sly glint in Aria's eyes, a cold shiver raced down her spine.

A heartbeat later, the chandelier above them tore free, plummeting straight toward their heads. A shadow loomed over them.

Emily looked up, her eyes widening in shock. Beside her, Aria let out a scream so sharp it felt like it split the air in two.

Without thinking, Emily threw her arms over her head just as William lunged forward, grabbed Aria, and yanked her out of the way.

The massive chandelier crashed down on Emily. Blood gushed from her wounds, pooling beneath her as she lay there, her body writhing in pain.

It felt like her flesh was being torn apart, white-hot agony ripping through every nerve.

Her mind was slipping, but she forced her eyes open just in time to see William sprinting toward her, frantic and wild-eyed.

And behind him stood Aria, unharmed and untouched. She wore that smug, triumphant smile again, the expression of someone who knew the game was already hers.

That was the last thing Emily saw before the darkness claimed her.

…

Emily had no idea how much time had passed when a familiar voice cut through the darkness and jolted her awake.

She blinked her eyes open, groggy and disoriented, and saw William with her phone in hand. There was a deep crease between his brows.

"What? A seat upgrade? No, thanks. My girlfriend's not traveling anytime soon. You've got the wrong number!"

Chapter 5

At those words, something inside Emily snapped. The haze clouding her mind cleared in an instant.

She didn't know where the surge of strength came from, but she pushed herself upright and snatched her phone out of William's hand.

He was caught off guard by how fast she moved. For a long moment, he could only stare at her, dazed and silent.

Then, he finally spoke, voice laced with suspicion. "What's going on with you, Emmy?"

Emily dropped her gaze. "Nothing. I just don't like other people answering my calls."

A tense stillness settled over William as his eyes darkened with something unreadable. "What did you just say? Other people? Is that what I am to you now?"

Just as he was about to press her for more, his phone suddenly rang. The second he checked the screen, he shot to his feet.

"Get some rest. I'll be right back. Just need to take this call," he said quickly before hurrying out of the room.

Emily had barely breathed a sigh of relief when her own phone chimed twice. She tapped the screen and saw a message from Aria.

"Do you like my anniversary gift? When it came down to life and death, Liam chose to save me. And now, with just one call, he comes running. Still wondering who matters more to him? You or me?"

It turned out the call William had just answered was from Aria. No wonder he'd rushed out so suddenly.

As the door eased shut behind him, Emily felt her heart drop. Weak as she was, she pushed herself to her feet and followed him silently.

At the stairwell, she saw Aria throw herself into William's arms, tears welling in her eyes.

"Liam, you haven't come to see me at all lately. Are you still mad at me? You stayed with me that whole night, so I told you I'd take care of the party.

"I just wanted to give you a break, take some of the pressure off. But I ended up screwing everything up, and now Ms. Caldwell's hurt. This is my fault. If you're going to blame someone, blame me."

The moment William saw how fragile she looked, something in his chest gave way. "Emmy's injury was an accident. No one could've known the chandelier would fall. It wasn't your fault."

"I'm just relieved you don't hold it against me. These past few days, I've kept replaying that moment in my head, wondering what would've happened if that chandelier had fallen on me instead. Luckily, you saved me without hesitation.

"You always said you didn't know who your heart really belonged to, but when it came down to it, in that one terrifying moment, you chose me. Doesn't that mean, deep down, I matter more to you than Ms. Caldwell?"

Aria bit her lip and looked up at him, her eyes full of longing, desperate for a straight answer.

But after hearing her out, William fell silent. Seconds passed as Aria clung to his waist, her face wet with tears.

"I don't care. You saved me, so doesn't that mean I'm the most important person to you? I'm not trying to take Ms. Caldwell's spot. I just feel so insecure, and I need to know that I matter to you.

"If you can't even give me that much, then let me go. I won't stay by your side, and I won't keep humiliating myself as the one you hide away anymore!"

The moment he heard she was leaving, William gave in without a fight and tried to soothe her. "You're the most important person in my life. Please stop crying. And never talk about leaving again. I can't stand it."

Upon hearing him say that, Aria's face lit up, the tears vanishing from her eyes. "Then I won't. This was my fault, and I'll accept whatever punishment you give me."

William arched an eyebrow and gently brushed the tip of her nose, his eyes soft with affection. "And how should I punish you?"

"Same as always, okay?"

Though it sounded like a question, Aria was already rising onto her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressing her lips to his.

William pulled her in by the waist and deepened the kiss.

Emily watched the two of them locked in a passionate kiss, the color draining from her face.

A knot of pain settled deep in her chest, thick and suffocating. Each sharp pang sliced through her like broken glass. She clenched her jaw, but it did nothing to stop the bitter rush of emotion crashing through her.

In the end, all she could do was lower her gaze and turn away, her steps unsteady as she forced herself to walk off.