When I was eighteen, I walked in on my sister lifting Declan's shirt, tracing the lines of his abs. The boy stood there, shirt loose, letting her do whatever she wanted. At twenty-two, Declan listened to his family and married me instead. But everyone knew the truth. Even with a ring on my finger, he never got over the sister he loved so fiercely. Later, I asked for a divorce. He stayed silent for a long time before signing the papers. "If you ever need help, just ask." At twenty-eight, I returned to attend Declan and my sister’s wedding. He looked darkly at the man standing beside me. "You were in such a rush to divorce me back then. Was it for him?" 1 "I heard Elena is back." "I remember, she was the one who filed for divorce, right?" "Now that Declan is the CEO of the Sterling Group, I wonder if she regrets it." "What’s there to regret? She stole her sister's engagement in the first place. She just returned what didn't belong to her." ... I had just reached the door of the private room when I heard them gossiping about me. For three years, the rumors never stopped. They said I was playing hard to get. Even my parents thought so. The day of the divorce, my mother specifically warned me: "Since you're divorced, cut all ties. Your sister hurt her leg and she needs Declan right now. Don't go upsetting her." When I lowered my head in silence, she added: "This marriage belonged to your sister anyway. If she hadn't gone abroad to study, you never would have had a chance." My sister, Serena, and Declan were the golden couple of our elite circle. But on the eve of the wedding, Serena became a runaway bride. The merger between our families had already been announced. Facing public pressure, the elders of the Sterling family decided to swap the bride. They chose me. I don't know how they convinced him, but Declan eventually agreed to marry me. For three years, we looked like a normal couple. But everyone knew he hadn't moved on from Serena. He never let me into his study. Once, he forgot to close the door. I looked through the crack and felt my blood run cold. The walls were covered in photos of him and Serena. I had never seen that look on Declan's face. Vibrant, doting, focused. His heart and eyes were full of her. That was when the thought of divorce took root. The day I finally decided to end it, I overheard him on the phone. His voice was gentle, coaxing the person on the other end: "Yeah, don't be scared. I'll be there in ten minutes... You can't walk on that leg. Wait for me. Be good." When he turned around, he saw me. I spoke calmly. "Dinner is ready. Eat before you go." He paused briefly, then continued walking toward the door. "You eat. Don't wait for me." Just as he reached the entryway, I called out to him one last time. He looked impatient. "What is it?" "Declan," I said. "Let's get a divorce." 2 By the time the news reached my parents, we had already signed the papers. Declan didn't cheat me; he gave me half his assets. My parents summoned me home overnight. They interrogated me like a criminal, asking why I was so cruel as to take half of Declan's money. "Elena, is this how I raised you? Did you only marry him for the money?" Serena stood nearby, leaning on a crutch, wiping away tears. "Elena, do you blame me? Do you blame me for stealing Declan the moment I came back..." Her sentence was cut short by my parents. "Declan was supposed to be your husband. If you hadn't been so willful and run away, your children would be in preschool by now." Serena loved Declan, but she loved ballet more. Shortly after accepting Declan's proposal, she received an offer from a prestigious dance company in Europe. She abandoned Declan without hesitation. For three years, she barely contacted him. Until that night, when Declan received an international call. He was resting his head on my shoulder, catching his breath after intimacy. He answered the phone right in front of me. Because we were so close, I clearly heard a woman's sobbing voice on the other end. Declan froze. One second... five seconds... ten seconds... It took thirty seconds for him to react. He grabbed a robe and stormed out. Declan didn't come back that night. The next day, I learned from my parents that Serena had an accident while dancing and broke her leg. Declan personally flew her back. Although she lived with my parents, Declan handled everything concerning her. My parents even tried to brainwash me about it. "Don't take it to heart. Your sister can't dance anymore. She's devastated, and only Declan can comfort her." My parents had always favored Serena. She was beautiful, smart, and talented. I was just the bookworm. Boring. Unskilled at charming people. Everyone revolved around the injured Serena. Including my husband. He lost patience with me. One evening, he promised to pick me up, but left me waiting in the rain for two hours. I got sick with a high fever. Declan was forced to leave Serena to visit me in the hospital. My mother saw this as a manipulative tactic. She screamed at me hysterically: "Because you called Declan away, your sister tried to kill herself last night!" "You're healthy! Why do you have to compete with a disabled person?" I looked at her in disbelief. "But Declan is my husband..." "So what? This marriage belonged to her. You stole her husband!" But years ago, she was the one who begged me to marry him. Before Serena left the country, she cornered me, trying to convince me to take her place. "Elena, I know you like him. This is a good opportunity, isn't it?" "We can't let the assets go to an outsider. You don't want Declan with some random woman, do you?" I kept my head down, silent. Serena got anxious. "Are you going to watch our family go bankrupt?" "I'm begging you, Elena. Or are you worried I'll come back and fight you for him?" My expression shifted. She sighed in relief. "Don't worry. Once I leave, I won't contact him again. I swear!" She kept that promise for three years. But in the end, she forgot her vow. 3 After getting the divorce decree, I moved south, cutting contact with my family for three years. Recently, they reached out to tell me Declan and Serena were getting married. Serena made the call. "Elena, please come to my wedding. If you're there, I won't feel like I owe you anything." I was silent for a long time. "Okay." The day I arrived home, the weather was beautiful. As soon as I walked in with my suitcase, Serena flew out of her room. "Elena!" Her steps were light. In the chill of late autumn, she wore only a thin nightgown. Behind her, Declan chased after her holding slippers and a jacket. "Why can't you remember to wear shoes? Next time, I'm going to..." His voice stopped abruptly. He saw me. It was the first time we'd seen each other since the divorce. Out of politeness, I should have said hello. I turned and gave him a faint nod. Three years hadn't changed him much. He just looked less cold, more tender. He nodded back, then looked away, draping the jacket over Serena. "You two talk. I have work to handle." Serena walked up to me, linking her arm through mine affectionately. "I was so afraid you wouldn't come. We're trying on dresses tomorrow. Come with me?" I pulled my arm away, expressionless. "I'm busy tomorrow." Serena pouted. "Is it important?" "Yes. Very." She thought for a moment. "Then let's change it to the day after. Come back early tomorrow after you're done..." "I'm not staying here," I interrupted. "Tell Mom and Dad I'm busy these few days and won't be sleeping at the house." I grabbed my suitcase and walked out without looking back. I hadn't gone far when a car pulled up slowly beside me. The window rolled down, revealing Declan's handsome face. "Get in. I'll drive you." I refused distantly. "No thanks." He was stubborn. When I didn't get in, he drove alongside me at walking speed. "It's hard to get a cab here. Get in." Looking at the endless road ahead, I compromised. Once inside, I gave him an address. He frowned. "Why aren't you staying at the Bayside Condo?" "I don't like it." That was the property I got in the divorce settlement. He didn't know I had already sold it. Declan's eyes darkened, but he didn't ask further. When we arrived, I got out, and so did he. He grabbed my luggage, refusing to hand it over. "Let's go." "I can take it up myself." I tried to grab the handle, but he wouldn't let go. He looked around the neighborhood. It was several tiers below the luxury he was used to. "Financial trouble?" "No." He ignored me and dragged the suitcase toward the entrance. "Which building? Which floor?" Declan is a stubborn man; no one can change his mind once he decides something. I didn't argue. I walked silently in front. We took the elevator up. Standing at my door, I took the suitcase. "Thanks. It's not a good time, so I won't invite you in." "Wait." I turned back. "Have you... been happy these past years?" Looking at his sincere gaze, I felt a moment of disorientation. I couldn't remember him ever speaking to me in that tone. Just as I was about to speak, the door opened from the inside. A tall, handsome man appeared before us without warning. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, radiating charisma. He stretched out a long arm and pulled me into his embrace. "What took you so long, hm?" He leaned in to kiss me. Just as his lips brushed mine, Declan’s angry voice rang out behind me. "What are you doing?!" But the man didn't stop. He deepened the kiss, taking his time before wrapping his arm around me and looking lazily at Declan. He spoke to me, though. "I've only been gone a little while, and you already found a replacement? You really keep me on my toes." I nudged him, but he didn't budge. I looked at Declan. "We'll talk another time." Declan's hands clenched into fists at his sides, his thin lips pressed into a tight line. It was the prelude to his rage. But before he could explode, I was pulled inside. The door clicked shut. The man cornered me against the wall, his presence dangerous. "If I remember correctly, your flight landed at 11:00. It's 2:00 PM. Three hours, and you've already met up with your ex-husband?" I poked his firm waist lightly. "Jax..." He caught my hand immediately. His voice was low. "Don't try to distract me." I gripped the hem of his shirt, lowering my eyes. His large hand lifted my chin. The moment our eyes met, Jax laughed in disbelief. "I haven't even started punishing you yet. Why are you crying?" I sniffled. "I missed you so much..." 4 After the divorce, I moved south to a small coastal town and opened a boutique inn. The town was warm in winter and cool in summer, the locals simple and welcoming. My mood improved significantly. Within a year, my inn gained a good reputation, and business picked up. Jax was the most reclusive guest I’d ever had. He spent most of his time in his room. He only appeared on the terrace when no one else was around. At first, I worried he might do something drastic, so I kept an eye on him. Until one day, I was sunbathing in the courtyard, and he walked up to me, smiling faintly. "Do I really look suicidal to you?" I looked up in surprise. He lay down on the lounge chair next to me, relaxed and lazy. "I heard your phone call." I was instantly embarrassed. The night before, I had told a friend, "That guy is really handsome. It'd be a pity if he offed himself." I didn't realize he had heard. Breaking the awkwardness, Jax asked, "You don't look like a local. Why open an inn here?" I made something up. "Too much money, too much free time." A low laugh escaped his throat. It was a beautiful sound. I couldn't help but look at him. It was a pleasant view—a man resting his head on his arms, looking at the horizon. His jawline was sharp, his profile sculpted. Declan was handsome, but Jax was on another level. Sensing my gaze, he turned. We locked eyes. I don't remember who looked away first, but from that day on, the atmosphere between us shifted. We crossed the line on a day we went hiking. On the way down, the weather turned, and we got caught in a downpour. We returned to the inn soaked. That night, I developed a high fever. I tried to get up for medicine and shattered a glass. Jax kicked the door open. Maybe it was a hallucination from the fever, but I saw terror on his face when he burst in. And obvious relief when he saw I was just sick. I was bedridden for five days, and Jax took care of me for five days. He moved his instruments into my room, and I learned he was a singer. "Are you ready to leave at any moment?" I asked, holding a cup of hot water. He countered, "Do you want me to leave?" I stayed silent. He took the cup from my hand and suddenly kissed me. His burning breath scorched my senses. I clutched his shirt, my heart pounding out of my chest. After that, Jax became the unofficial master of the inn. Changing bulbs, fixing chairs—he did it all. Guests would tease him: "You're so domestic. The pretty boss lady should marry you." Whenever that happened, he'd ask me: "When are you going to make an honest man out of me?" I always laughed it off. He acted like he didn't care, but in private, he would punish me for it, refusing to go easy on me no matter how much I begged. I thought days like that would last forever. But then, Jax vanished. I asked the locals. They said: "Where else could he go? With a face like that, and being in that industry... probably ran off with a sugar mama."
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