Chapter 1

Tiana Jensen lay on the king bed in a hotel room, still basking in the post-coital afterglow Joseph Quill left her when she heard him promise her something.

"Give me one more month, Ana. Next month, I'll propose. I swear I'll give you the most extravagant wedding and make you the most admirable bride in the world."

This was year seven of their secret relationship.

No one in all of Jafton would believe the cool, self-possessed heir of the Quill family had been dating the Jensen family's adoptive daughter—a woman with a horrible reputation—for seven years.

Tiana had waited for this promise since she was 18 years old. She was 25 years old now. Her heart raced at his words.

Before she could say anything, her phone chimed with a special ringtone. Joseph reached for it, his voice still rough from their activities. "Which lover is this? Babe, are you really keeping some D-list pretty boy like the tabloids say?"

Tiana laughed and pushed his hand away. "It's my best friend."

She opened the WhatsApp image Irene Walker had sent her. It was of a marriage certificate, and the date indicated was that very day.

The groom was none other than Joseph Quill, the man who'd hidden his seven-year relationship with Tiana from both their families. On that very night, he had gone multiple rounds with her in bed and promised to marry her the next month.

Tiana sent a congratulatory message to Irene before turning and kissing Joseph.

He kissed well. It was tender and unending, leaving her so breathless that the lack of oxygen made her well up.

He said, "Give me a month, alright? One final month."

She said, "Okay. I'll wait."

Tiana bit his lip hard, only letting go when she tasted blood. "We've been together for seven years, Joseph. This is the last month I'll wait for you."

…

Tiana easily slipped past the paparazzi staking out the hotel and got into the car the Jensen family had sent to pick her up. Her brother, Elliot Jensen, was the one driving.

His eyes were dark with anger as he watched her stumble out the side entrance, barely steady on her feet. He growled, "Which D-lister was it this time? Isn't your reputation trashed enough already, Tiana? Do you have to drag the Jensen family's name through the mud, too?

"Look at Irene! She studies hard, plays the piano beautifully, and has a spotless reputation! When she turned 18 years old, Mr. Quill Senior personally visited the Walker residence to propose because he wanted her to marry Joseph. He wanted her as his granddaughter-in-law!"

Elliot continued, "I heard Joseph waited seven years for Irene, flying abroad every year to spend time with her while she studied there, right up until she got her PhD this year.

"The tabloids caught him proposing to her today as well as the two of them walking out of city hall. They must've registered their marriage.

"Honestly, he's pretty impatient. He couldn't even wait for the wedding. He probably wanted to get that marriage certificate first to lock it in… You and Irene came from the same orphanage, Tiana. Look at her—"

The words were barely out of Elliot's mouth when he slammed the brakes, making the black Lincoln stop dead. Then, he slapped himself hard. He didn't dare look at Tiana, who sat in the passenger seat. "Ana, I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

Tiana sat with her back straight and face pale. Her eyes were dull and hollow.

Elliot took her hand. Her fingertips were like ice. "Hit me if you want. I messed up… I shouldn't have brought that up."

After a long moment, Tiana said softly, "The photos."

Elliot blinked. "What photos?"

"The paparazzi shots." Tiana stared into the dark ahead, her gaze unfocused. "Irene and I grew up in the same orphanage, and we're best friends. Let me see whether she and the legendary Quill heir make a good match."

Elliott tossed his phone into her lap. "See for yourself."

Tiana unlocked it with her fingerprint and swiped through the images.

She saw Joseph on one knee in a lavender field, kissing Irene's ring finger. She also saw him grinning as he stood before a bridal shop window with his arm around Irene's shoulders. There was also an image of him carrying Irene bridal-style out of a castle…

All the photos had been taken abroad.

Tiana remembered all the times Joseph had told her he had to "go abroad for business" throughout their seven-year underground romance. He took 12 trips a year and would be away for two weeks each time.

It turned out his "business" was romancing Irene.

Tiana grabbed at her chest, where an indescribable pain spread from her heart and throughout her body. It hurt so much that she doubled over.

Elliot panicked at her reaction and snatched the phone back. "Ana, I won't say Irene's name in front of you ever again! Don't scare me!"

He was one of the few people who knew Tiana and Irene, her so-called best friend, didn't get along at all. Though he didn't know the details, he was aware Tiana loathed hearing Irene's name.

Tiana forced a smile. "You said I should learn from Irene, right? I'll do it. Help me set it up. Send me abroad to study."

Elliot stared at her in disbelief. "Seriously?"

He didn't believe Tiana could suddenly turn over a new leaf.

She chuckled bitterly. "Seriously—but only if I haven't married myself off by next month."

Chapter 2

Elliot brought Tiana back to his private residence.

"News broke today that Irene and Joseph got married. Mom and Dad are furious," he said as he peeled fruit for her. "Stay here with me for a while."

Tiana looked at the neatly sliced fruit with toothpicks stuck in them and let out a cold laugh. "So, they regret not choosing Irene when they were picking one of us to adopt? Didn't they spend the last few years tripping over themselves to be Irene's godparents? They might as well change their surnames from Jensen to Walker."

Seeing that Tiana was about to blow up again, Elliot said nothing and retreated to his study. He knew her well—talking to her now would just make him her punching bag.

Tiana checked the time. It was 1:00 am. She called Joseph, and it took three tries before someone picked up.

His voice was icy, devoid of the warmth it had held when he'd been at the hotel with her a few hours earlier. "Didn't I tell you not to call me when I'm home? My family doesn't want to see me connected to a woman like you."

"A woman like me?" Tiana's voice shot up. "I've been your secret for seven years, Joseph! You believe those tabloid rumors? You think I'm some loose woman?"

He answered coldly, "Where there's smoke, there's fire."

Then, seemingly realizing that he'd gone too far, he quickly added, "Don't make a scene, Ana. You've been good for the past seven years."

She stared at her bare ring finger, the image of Irene's ring flashing in her mind. She asked softly, "Did you mean it when you said you'd marry me in a month?"

His tone softened a little. "When have I ever failed to deliver on a promise to you?"

"Alright."

Tiana put down her phone and glanced at the calendar. She just needed to wait 30 days. When time was up, either Joseph kept his word, or she would disappear from his world forever.

A moment later, a faint rustling came from the phone. Only then did Tiana realize she hadn't hung up. Neither had Joseph.

She heard him chatting with his friend.

"Joseph, you and Irene have finally ended up together after your seven-year pursuit of her. Mr. Quill Senior must be thrilled to see your marriage certificate, huh?"

Joseph's tone was restrained, yet it carried a hint of pride. "He's already transferred his shares to me—we're handling the paperwork now. Oh, and Irene's pregnant. What do you think I should get her? Think she'll like the manor in the west of the city?"

His friend dropped his voice. "What about Tiana, whom you've been stringing along? When are you cutting her loose?"

Joseph went quiet for a beat. Amid the surge of her own heartbeat, Tiana heard him say indifferently, "Tiana, huh? Next month."

His friend asked, "You've kept her on the hook for seven years, haven't you? Can you bear to let go of her?"

Annoyance crept into Joseph's voice as he said, "She's the Jensen family's neglected adoptive daughter. Why would I have any problems letting go? She and Irene came from the same orphanage and were both adopted, so why is Irene doing so much better than she is?"

His friend lowered his voice further. "Everyone in our circle knows she's carried your mark for seven years, and you had people smear her reputation so she hasn't had any other men around her. Now that you're bored of her, how about you let us have a taste? Let's see how wild she can get. She's only ever had you, so she's clean."

Joseph laughed. "Fine. We've been friends for so long—I won't shortchange you. I'll find a chance to let you and the other guys have a taste of my wildcat…"

The voices faded.

Only then did Tiana realize she was already in tears. She wiped them away, her face devoid of emotion. Then, she wiped the blood she'd drawn after biting her lip too hard.

Staring at her pale reflection in the mirror, she cursed herself for being pathetic. Her heart was completely broken now.

The question that had haunted her for seven years finally had an answer. How had someone like her, who'd always kept her nose clean, woken up one day seven years ago to a flood of salacious rumors, detailed and convincing enough to turn her into Jafton's public enemy no.1?

She'd already been on thin ice with the Jensen family, and these rumors had made her fall even further out of favor. It turned out Joseph was the one who'd orchestrated everything.

Just then, a new message popped up on her phone—an invitation to a tea party hosted by Irene. It was scheduled for the following afternoon.

Chapter 3

Tiana never got invited to these tea parties where socialites and rich wives gathered. She had a bad reputation, and her family didn't favor her. In the elite social circle, she was considered socially worthless.

The next day, Tiana attended Irene's tea party. By the time she arrived, plenty of people were already there. Irene sat at the center like the star of the show, basking in all the attention.

Tiana sat in a corner and quietly helped herself to the food and drinks. The moment she heard Joseph's voice, she clenched her fist, making the pastry in her hand crumble.

Jealous chatter exploded all around.

"Irene, Mr. Quill is so busy he often skips board meetings, yet he actually made time to spend a whole afternoon at our tea party just for you?"

"When you first said you could get him to come, we thought you were joking."

"You and Mr. Quill are already married, right? When's the wedding?"

"Mr. Quill, I heard you've been scouting wedding venues lately. Any chance we could collaborate?"

Sitting outside the crowd, Tiana looked up and met Joseph's eyes from a distance. His lips were at Irene's ears, clearly whispering some sweet nothings to her.

Irene followed Joseph's line of sight, noticing Tiana. A flash of malice flitted across her eyes. She left the crowd and walked over to Tiana, looping her arm through the latter's like they were close.

Tiana dug her nails into her palms, repeating one thing to herself—one more month. She would wait for the month Joseph had promised. He'd never broken his promises to her, and they'd been together for seven years. Maybe he would follow through. Maybe he would marry her.

Just as her patience was about to run out, Irene leaned in and whispered, "Do you know how Joseph describes you to me, Tiana? He says you're the kind of tramp he doesn't even have to spend money on. All he needs to do is say a few nice words, and you'll spread your legs.

"Did he promise to marry you in a month? That's when our wedding will be. He told me he'll make a spectacle of you on that day. He'll show all of Jafton that you, the Jensen family's adoptive daughter, are good for any man who asks.

"Last night, he was the one who told me to send you our marriage certificate. He said he was in bed with you at the time and wanted to see if you'd still willingly let him…"

Irene didn't finish her sentence, but the insinuation was clear.

Then, a crisp slap echoed throughout the room, making everyone fall silent. Tiana slapped Irene so hard that she fell to the floor.

For the first time ever, Joseph lost control in public. He rushed forward to help Irene up before turning to Tiana, lifting his hand high.

She stared straight at him, tilting half her face toward his raised palm, offering it up. His hand balled into a fist in the air before slowly lowering.

"What are you doing?" he snapped, grabbing Tiana by the collar and dropping his voice. "You shouldn't even be here in the first place! Apologize to Irene now and say you lost it because you were jealous. Then, go home!"

Tiana laughed, looking stunning as she did.

"Why would I be jealous of her?" She kept her tone low enough for only the two of them to hear, her words shooting forth like bullets. "Jealous that you dated me while chasing her for seven years? Jealous that though we're both adopted, you dragged my name through the dirt while putting her on a pedestal?

"Jealous that you married her on the same day you promised you'd marry me in a month?"

She couldn't help raising her voice on that last line.

The slap Joseph didn't deliver before came crashing down in front of everyone, cutting off her final sentence. He regretted it the moment his hand moved. He only wanted her to shut up, yet his palm turned numb from the force with which he'd slapped her.

Tiana stood straight as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Joseph looked at her, his tone taking on a barely audible plea as he said, "Ana, I'm begging you—don't cause a scene in public. I promised I'd marry you in a month, and I will. Trust me, okay?"

She shut her eyes. There were 29 days left. Whether or not she believed him, he would have 29 days to go to deal all the damage he wanted.

"I believe you. 29 days from now, I'll wait for you to come to the Jensen residence to ask for my hand in marriage." She used up all her strength to say that, then turned to leave.

However, Joseph grabbed her hand tightly and yanked her back. "You haven't apologized to Irene, Ana. You can't leave. Today is her day, so you need to give her that respect."

Tiana looked at him icily. "Apologize to Irene? Over my dead body."

Joseph snapped at her stubbornness and raised his voice. "Someone, get over here!"

Chapter 4

Joseph had someone tie Tiana up as all the guests watched.

"Irene, she offended you, so you can get back at her," he said to Irene. "As long as it pleases you, anything goes. Don't worry about the consequences—I'll deal with the Jensen family."

Irene looked at him with eyes that seemed jovial and yet somehow entirely emotionless. She asked, "Anything goes?"

He nodded.

She smiled and looked at Tiana. "Ana, I'm entering an international photography competition soon, and I think you'd make the perfect model. Can you work with me and let me shoot a set today?"

A bad feeling rose in Tiana's chest.

Irene continued, "But for this set… I need a naked model. If you don't want this, you can just apologize to me, and I'll tell Joseph to let you go."

She sounded magnanimous, which was the version of her Tiana hated most.

This was always how things had been back at the orphanage. Irene, who hadn't even been five years old then, would use her good-girl appearance to lie through her teeth to the adults, saying she'd witnessed Tiana stealing cookies from the cafeteria.

Later, when they were adopted by the Walkers and Jensens, respectively, Irene would smile innocently and tell everyone that back in the orphanage, Tiana once kissed a boy just to get an egg.

Things like this had happened too many times for Tiana to count. Initially, she tried to explain, but everyone around them always seemed to believe that Irene, with her demure appearance and good grades, told nothing but the truth.

It was as if Tiana, who'd been born striking and seemed sharp, was a natural troublemaker.

Tiana lifted her chin. As everyone watched, she said, "You want me to apologize? I only regret that my slap earlier didn't kill you, Irene. If you want to see me with my clothes off, you can check your newlywed husband's album. He has plenty of—"

Joseph kicked her in the belly before she could finish. She had the air knocked out of her, and the pain made her swallow the rest of her sentence—that he had plenty of photos of her naked.

He didn't want Irene to say anything. He flicked a hand decisively. "Irene, you need a model, right? I'll have Tiana stripped. We'll stop when you've taken enough photos."

His tone was vicious. "Besides, with Ms. Jensen's reputation… Jafton has never heard a good thing about her from when she turned 18 years old until now, when she's 25. We can strip her in public today and let everyone see just how 'charming' her body is!"

Tiana tasted blood. She couldn't tell if it was from Joseph's slap or that kick. She swallowed her bloody spit and glared daggers at him, her gaze more vicious than his. "You do it, Mr. Quill. Show everyone the woman you've been sleeping with for seven years—"

Another brutal backhand cut her off, turning her head with a crack and making the words choke in her throat. Her ears buzzed from the impact, and she let out a bitter laugh.

Just last night, she'd clung to a fantasy that Joseph and Irene's marriage was just a family arrangement. She'd deluded herself into thinking she was Joseph's true love, that he would divorce Irene and keep his promise to marry her in a month.

But what happened that day made the truth painfully clear. She was nothing but Joseph's plaything. He'd toyed with her for seven years. And now, on the eve of tossing her aside, he wanted to deliver the killing blow.

Gasps rippled through the room as a huge black shadow lurched forward. Tiana looked up to see that the bookcase by the wall had lost its balance and was crashing down toward her. If it hit her squarely, she would end up crippled, even if she didn't die.

Joseph instinctively reached out toward her as she sprawled helplessly on the floor. All he had to do was grab her, and he could yank her out of death's path.

But just as his fingers brushed her collar, his hand veered. He pivoted and scooped Irene, who was some distance away from the falling bookcase, into his arms.

The last shred of hope in Tiana's eyes vanished. She shut her eyes and waited for death to take her.

Chapter 5

The pain Tiana expected never came. Someone stepped in front of her.

Her lashes trembled as she opened her eyes. The moment she saw that face, the tears she'd been holding back all afternoon finally fell.

"Elliot…" Her voice shook. She didn't know if it was because she felt wronged or because she'd been scared half to death.

Her gaze moved past Elliot's shoulder to Joseph and Irene, who weren't far from her. Irene looked shaken to the core, and Joseph half-knelt before her, his fingers gently stroking her belly as he whispered something to calm her.

Elliot didn't ask a single question. He took out a handkerchief, wiped Tiana's face clean, and took her hand, leading her away.

As they brushed past Joseph, he stood up and lightly caught Tiana's wrist, trying to pull her away from Elliot. "Ana, it's not that I didn't want to save you just now. Irene is pregnant… You can understand that, right?"

Tiana let out a numb smile. Joseph bent down slightly, his tone pleading as he said, "I just need a month, Tiana. I know you may have heard some rumors lately, but believe me, none of them are true.

"I'm already planning our wedding. There are only 29 days to go, and everything I promised you will come true! For now, be good, okay? Don't listen to anything people are saying out there. Don't believe them, alright?"

Tiana nodded, feeling drained. No matter how much it hurt and how devastating all of this was, it would only be for a few more days. She would wait and see how Joseph planned to wrap up their seven-year relationship, which would never see the light of day.

…

Elliot took Tiana home. He waited until she'd calmed down before he spoke, "Want to tell me anything? For instance, whatever's between you and Joseph?"

She shook her head, not saying a word.

He patted her head. "It's fine if you don't want to talk. You mentioned studying abroad yesterday, and I'm already on it. There's just one thing—do you want me to wipe your identity clean before sending you off? The Quills might be powerful in Jafton, but I'm still capable of hiding one person."

Tiana nodded.

"I'll be away on a business trip for a week." Elliot grabbed his suitcase. "You need to stay put at home during this time. Don't go anywhere. You don't stand a chance against the Quill family, and you can't handle Irene's schemes. As for our parents… Well, they've never liked you."

He added, "No matter how much you suffer, hold it in until I get back."

…

Tiana was obedient. She used to be obnoxious in Jafton and dared to go around causing trouble because she could rely on Joseph to back her up.

Back then, he was just her secret lover. But now, he wasn't anymore.

So, once Elliot left, Tiana stayed home like she'd been told.

Then, one day, Joseph called her. "Ana, you should be calm by now. Can we meet? I'll explain everything that's happened lately to you in person."

He sounded gentle and tender on the other end of the line. Tiana pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the unruly, momentarily frantic heartbeat that she couldn't suppress.

"Okay."

Joseph sounded delighted. "I'll pick you up!"

"Okay."

He soon arrived. He acted as if nothing had happened as he took Tiana's hand and led her into the car, carefully leaning over to buckle her seatbelt. When he straightened, he pressed a kiss to her temple.

She felt drowsy the moment she got in, and after taking a few sips of the drink he gave her, she soon drifted into a heavy sleep.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in pitch-black darkness. She had a fear of the dark and let out a piercing scream. "What the hell are you doing, Joseph? Let me out! Turn on the light!"

Her hands were tied behind her back, and she'd been tossed onto the floor. She couldn't move. As she stared into the deep, endless dark, she felt her fear rise, along with her nausea.

"Joseph, turn on the light! Please, I'm begging you!" she cried.

Joseph's voice rang out not far away. It was cold, detached, and inhumane. "Ana, I know you're afraid of the dark. This is the most 'gentle' punishment I can think of for you not listening to me. Why did you hide Irene? Didn't I tell you I'd marry you next month? Why didn't you listen? Why did you do these things without thinking?

"Irene is pregnant with my family's descendant. This isn't a joke, so stop stirring up trouble. Tell me where Irene is, or you'll regret this, Ana."

Tears streamed down Tiana's face as she stared into the boundless darkness. "I already regret it, Joseph. I'm begging you—let me go, please. I don't want you to marry me anymore. I don't want to wait anymore. I brought the past seven years onto myself. Let me go, and we'll be strangers from now on!"