Chapter 1
While I was having an asthma attack, my boyfriend, Zachary Montgomery, was in the middle of the grand ballroom, dancing intimately with his executive assistant.
Even as I gasped for breath, foaming at the mouth, slipping into unconsciousness, the man held her close, whispering in her ear, laughing and chatting like nothing was wrong.
On the way home, still shaken, I sat in the front passenger seat. That’s when my hand brushed against something cold inside the glove compartment a diamond ring.
Before I could say anything, Zachary frowned, snatched it away, and said coldly, “This’s not for you.”
I nodded quietly and pointed toward a bridal boutique at the next intersection. “Please pull over.”
That custom-made wedding dress I had ordered, maybe it was time to cancel it.
No sooner had I stepped into the boutique than Zachary got out and caught up with me.
He threw a woman’s coat right at my face. “Lily, stop being so careless.”
Zachary was obsessive about cleanliness and order; he never allowed anything of mine to be left in the car.
Glancing down at the coat on the floor, I said calmly, “That’s not mine.”
At those words, his expression softened. Without hesitation, he picked up the coat, folded it neatly.
I knew the coat belonged to Madison Hayes-his executive assistant.
Every time Madison “accidentally” left something behind, it triggered a brutal argument between Zachary and me.
But this time, I said nothing.
I just turned around and gave the clerk my phone number.
The clerk smiled warmly, “You two came just in time. Your custom wedding dress and suit are ready for fittings.”
Before I could refuse, the man who’d just snapped at me strode past and disappeared into the fitting room, face cold as ice.
Ten minutes later, I stood in front of Zachary, wearing the wedding dress.
He tugged the corner of his mouth in disdain. “Tacky.”
I didn’t argue. Instead, I asked the clerk to take a photo of me.
Hearing this, Zachary’s impatience showed – assuming I wanted a photo of the two of us, he stepped forward to pull me closer.
At that moment, his phone rang.
It was Madison’s distinctive ringtone.
She was whining that her favorite coat was missing and promised she’d owe whoever found and returned it big time forever.
–
maybe
He hung up without even changing clothes and stormed out.
Listening to the SUV pull away, I picked up a pair of scissors and cut the wedding dress to shreds without hesitation.
Chapter 1
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It was already 1:30 a.m. by the time I finished packing my things.
Then, my phone buzzed with a new message from Zachary: [Out drinking.]
After eight years together, it was rare for him to voluntarily update me on his whereabouts.
I glanced at the rubber cleaning gloves on my hands but didn’t reply.
After tidying up the trash, I took a hot shower, then collapsed into bed.
The next day when Zachary came home, he happened to catch me taking out the garbage.
He looked at me oddly. “Is your phone broken?”
I shook my head, and he furrowed his brow instinctively.
I knew why he asked.
In the past, whenever he stayed out late, I’d nag him with texts and calls.
But last night, his phone was suspiciously quiet.
As I was about to leave the house, Zachary asked again, “Lily, what happened to the framed photo of us on the wall?”
I glanced down at the trash bag, about to tell the truth, when his phone vibrated.
He pushed past me, hitting the voice button and speaking as he walked back inside, “Don’t worry, babe. I’ll get it to you as soo as it’s ready.”
Hearing the water running in the bathroom, I went downstairs to finish taking out the trash.
Afterwards, as I headed back upstairs, my blood sugar dropped.
Sweating and shaking, I rushed home and grabbed the egg and cheese sandwich from the table.
Just as I took a bite, Zachary’s voice full of blame cut through the silence, “Lily, are you some kind of starving ghost?”
I watched as he grabbed the half-eaten sandwich
–
plate and all
—
and tossed it into the trash.
Chapter 1
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