Chapter 1 Chapter 1

In the midst of the noisy crowd, I watched as my fiance passionately kissed his assistant. I stood there like a fool and watched them make out on stage. The man up there was my fiance, Jake Stevens. The woman was his personal assistant, Chloe Xanders. The emcee, who had been standing awkwardly to the side, quickly directed the spotlight toward me when he noticed my arrival. He was trying to alert the groom. “Mr. Stevens, the bride is here.” Jake, however, did not even flinch. Instead, he pulled Chloe behind him to shield her from the prying eyes of the crowd. And there I was, standing on the stage, enduring the judgmental stares, the whispers, and the ridicule from everyone around. “I’ve said it all along. Mr. Stevens never liked Lily James. Why else would he humiliate her so openly like this?”“Lily has no shame. How could she just stand there and take it with so many people watching?”“She’s such a doormat.” … Listening to the whispers around me, my face grew pale. I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. Jake, however, did not even try to restrain himself. Instead, he took Chloe’s hand and casually played with it in his palm. I stood frozen in place while the murmurs surrounded me. I let my nails leave one hidden mark after another on my skin. When I did not react, Jake grew impatient. With one arm wrapped around Chloe, he grabbed the microphone from the emcee with his other hand. He stared at me and said with clear irritation. “Lily, are you coming over here or not? If you don’t, well then, the wedding will be canceled.” After saying that, Jake confidently turned back to chat with Chloe without sparing me another glance. He was sure I would forgive him, just like I had many times before. He thought I would walk up to him willingly, smile, and go through with the wedding without a fuss. However, not anymore. Step by step, I walked toward him with determination. I ignored the whispers and stares from the crowd. It was just like how he had walked toward me countless times in the past. Just as I was about to reach him, I refused the hand Jake extended toward me. Instead, I took the microphone and looked him straight in the eye. My voice was calm. “Jake, let’s cancel the wedding. I don’t want to marry you anymore.” As soon as the words left my mouth, the lively crowd around us fell completely silent. Jake just scoffed and looked at me with disdain. “Lily, we’ve been together for five years, and you’ve been chasing after me all this time just to finally get to this wedding. “And now you’re walking away? Do you even believe yourself?” Despite the pain tearing at me inside, when he asked that, I still nodded firmly. After all, he had long forgotten that I was not the one begging for this marriage. It was him who had asked for it. Five years ago, in the middle of a heavy snowfall, it was him who took my hand, knelt on one knee, and held up a ring. He had asked if I would spend my life with him. Back then, his eyes were filled with nothing but love for me. That was why I forgave him again and again while giving him countless chances to hurt me. However, at that moment, I suddenly realized something. No one was truly indispensable in anyone’s life. No matter who left your life, you would still survive. Under his smug gaze, I slipped the ring off my finger and held it up for everyone to see. “Jake, I’m telling you now, we’re done.” Then, I tossed the ring at him and walked away without looking back. Just as I stepped off the stage, Jake’s best man, who was standing behind him, hurriedly tried to stop me. “Wait, Ms. James! Jake was just joking. “He really does love you. You’re not really going to break up over a joke, are you?” Behind him, Jake’s face had turned livid with anger. His hand clenched tightly around the ring I had thrown at him. It was the same ring he had spent a fortune to have custom-made. Yet now, his voice was filled with coldness. “Let her go! It’s not like I can’t have this wedding without her!” Hearing that, the best man awkwardly withdrew his hand. I let out a bitter laugh and walked out of the venue without looking back.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Jake could say those words so confidently because I had compromised so much over the past five years. Every time he made a mistake, all it took was a token gift and a few half-hearted words of apology for me to forgive him without a second thought. So, of course, he would assume that this time would be no different. He was certain I would forgive him, just like always. But not this time. I had barely left the venue when my phone rang. “Ms. James, that was just a joke earlier. “Please come back. Mr. Stevens is about to marry Ms. Xanders.” I let out a bitter laugh. While sitting comfortably in my brand-new Maybach, I responded with disdain. “Let him. “He can marry whoever he wants. It has nothing to do with me anymore.” With that, I hung up without hesitation. Growing up, my parents always told me to follow the rules to fulfill my role as the eldest daughter of the James family. I was supposed to be well-behaved, obedient, and always composed. Under the weight of their pressure, they pushed me into depression. At my lowest point when I wanted to kill myself, Jake appeared in my life. He was like a savior. He pulled me out of the darkness. However, I did not need a savior anymore. I could walk out of the darkness on my own. The car sped down the road and soon arrived at our marital home. I declined the butler’s offer to park the car in the garage. I went to the room and grabbed my ID papers and other important documents before leaving. As for everything else in the house, I did not need it anymore. After returning the engagement gift Jake had given me, I replied to my professor’s message. [Professor, I’ve decided to accept the offer to study abroad.] At 10 p.m., I was sitting in the airport terminal and waiting for my flight. I knew that my decision would undoubtedly displease my family. However, I did not want to keep living the life they had mapped out for me. I needed to live for myself. Two days later, I landed at the airport in Fensia. I had always wanted to further my studies, but my parents and Jake did not approve. I had always cared too much about what they thought. But not anymore. At the airport entrance, Olivia Green, my best friend, was waiting for me with someone to help. As soon as we met, she pushed a guy toward me. “Lily, your luggage is way too heavy. I couldn’t carry it, so I brought Zane to help you.” I glanced in surprise at his six-foot frame and muscular biceps. I was about to say something, but my friend did not give me a chance to refuse. She pulled me straight into the car. Her eyes filled with concern as she looked at me. “Jake Stevens is such a jerk. If I had known how awful he was, I never would’ve let you marry him!” I could not help but smile at her. I handed her a pack of snacks that I brought from home, which she has been craving. As she gasped in delight, I smiled softly and said, “Olivia, I’m okay.” She put down the snacks and pointed out the window at the guy helping with my luggage. “Exactly, there’s no point getting angry over a jerk. As the saying goes, the best way to get over one relationship is to start another.” I did not respond as I thought she was just joking. I did not expect Olivia to bring me to a shooting range the very next day. The reason she came up with was… “Since you’re here, you’ve got to experience the thrill of shooting!” I wanted to decline, but the Gatling gun firing inside sounded too tempting. I could not resist it. As soon as I walked in, I saw Zane Stone standing by the entrance. Olivia beamed and gave me a little push inside. Before leaving, she could not resist dropping a reminder. “Have fun, Lily!”

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Despite the awkwardness, I had no choice but to follow Zane inside. For the entire day, it was just the two of us in the shooting range. He stood close. His body was pressed against mine. “Hold it with both hands, spread your arms, and focus on the target ahead. “Relax your breathing, keep your eyes forward. “Relax.” Zane’s hands gripped mine. His chest was pressed tightly against my back. His warm breath brushed against my ear. “Focus, or you’ll miss the target.” Maybe it was because we were standing so close, I actually started having thoughts I should not be having. Yet, there was an odd sense of familiarity that made it hard for me to place who Zane really was. I cursed myself in my mind. Just because he was good-looking did not mean I should feel this sense of deja vu. People did not even use such cliche pickup lines anymore. Before I could focus again, Zane had already guided my hands. The gun fired. Bang. The bullet hit the bullseye. I looked up. There was excitement in my eyes as I met his deep gaze. He looked down at me. Suddenly, the atmosphere between us turned into something more intimate. Maybe it was the dizzying atmosphere, or maybe he was far too irresistible. I lost control for a moment. I grabbed Zane’s collar and pulled him down toward me. Then, I pressed my lips against his. I had only intended for a brief touch. However, Zane’s gaze turned intense. He gripped my waist and deepened the kiss. Lost in the heat of the moment, Zane lifted me into his arms and carried me toward the nearby lounge. In the shower room, the sound of water echoed around us. He had me pressed against the wall. The heat between us was rising with every moment. His kisses were possessive. They left marks like blooming flowers across my skin. I could barely handle it. My only option was to wrap my arms around his neck to catch my breath. However, that small action seemed to excite him even more. He lifted me up, quickly dried us with a towel, and carried me to the bed. Just when things were at their most intense, he stopped. His voice was husky as she asked me, “Are you sure about this? Once you’re with me, we will never be apart again.” Panting and barely able to think straight, I nodded. “Okay, we will never be apart.” He nodded with satisfaction. His eyes were burning with affection, a fiery passion that seemed to engulf me. “Good girl.” He lowered his head and captured my lips with his. His touch became rougher. I could barely handle it. I gripped the bedsheets helplessly as I called his name. “Oh, Zane…” He brought his lips to my ear. There was a satisfied smile on his face. His voice was low, almost a whisper. “This time, we’ll never be apart again.” I was so lost in his kisses that my mind was slipping into a haze. All my focus seemed to center on one spot, so I could not fully comprehend what he said. Outside, I did not even notice when the rain began to fall. The sound of the rain pattered against the window had blended with the noises in the room. Zane held my hands tightly. My senses became heightened until everything built up to the peak. During my month abroad, one member of my family after another came to try to convince me to return and reconcile with Jake. I refused them all. Then came the phone calls, one after another. I blocked every single one. Until tonight, at 9 p.m. Normally, I would not be asleep that early, but after an hour of intense “workout,” I was so exhausted I could barely lift a finger. I clutched my pillow and quickly fell into a deep sleep. It was then that a message popped up on my phone. [Ms. James, where are you? What was said that day was just a joke. Please come back. Mr. Stevens has been looking for you.] Zane saw the message on my phone. Without hesitation, he sent a reply. [Lily James is dead. She jumped off the Eiffel Tower. Her body is in pieces now. You might want to hurry if you want to find her. [Better be quick, or you might not even find all the parts.]