Chapter 1

I used the inheritance my parents left me to support my fiancé’s studies abroad for three years. During those three years, I tirelessly cared for his sick mother and young family members, using my inheritance to cover their living expenses. But when he returned, he brought another woman with him. He declared that he wanted to break off our engagement and marry her instead. I sat perfectly still on the luxurious leather couch, my fingers lightly folded in my lap, my custom designer dress doing little to shield me from the ice running through my veins. Across from me stood Adrian Warren the man I had spent three years waiting for. His tailored suit still held the faint creases of travel, and though exhaustion clung to his features, it did nothing to dull his commanding presence. His face was set in a mixture of determination and… something else. Regret? "Cassandra," he began, his voice steady, "I wanted to tell you myself. Vivian and I are getting married. She will be my wife. There’s no discussion to be had." A sharp, ice-cold chill settled in my bones, spreading through my limbs like poison. I had rehearsed every possible scenario in my mind, yet nothing could have prepared me for the sheer brutality of his words. He said it like it meant nothing, like I meant nothing to him. My fingers curled slightly into my lap, gripping onto the fabric of my dress as if it could hold me together. I let out a quiet breath, my expression unreadable. "The tabloids call her the ideal modern woman brilliant, powerful, the type to shatter glass ceilings. But tell me, Adrian does a woman like that settle for being someone’s second choice?" His jaw tightened. "She won’t be a second choice. She’ll be my wife. You and I were only engaged, Cassandra. It was never a permanent bond." I let out a soft laugh, one that held no warmth. "You can dress it up however you like, but ultimately, she’s just a replacement." His irritation flickered. "Does it matter? Vivian and I fell in love. We earned this. I don’t need your approval." I tilted my head slightly, studying him. "Earned it? Interesting." Silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken history. "Tell me, Adrian do you remember what you said to me before you left for that business trip three years ago?" I saw the slight shift in his expression, the hesitation that he quickly buried. Three years ago, before he left for what was supposed to be a temporary expansion trip, Adrian had held my hands, looked me in the eyes, and sworn, "Cassandra Sinclair, you are the only woman I will ever love. I will never betray you." Now, he turned away slightly, his fingers adjusting the cuff of his watch. "Forget what I said. When we got engaged, I didn’t understand love. I thought you were a good match a suitable wife and a business partner who was a perfect fit for me. But then I met Rory." A memory flickered through my mind his hands cupping my face, his lips brushing against my forehead as he whispered, "I will never betray you." The man who once spoke those words now stood before me, effortlessly tearing apart every vow, every dream, every piece of the future we had built. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t falter. He simply discarded me like an old contract that no longer served its purpose. Rory. His voice softened at her name, his entire demeanor shifting his eyes warming with genuine affection in a way they never had for me. "She’s unlike any woman I’ve ever met," he murmured. "I love her deeply. And I hope you’ll support this decision." A slow, sharp pain coiled in my chest, but I refused to let it show. Despite the sheer disgust curling in my stomach, I forced my voice to remain neutral. "What about your parents? Do they approve?" Adrian barely hesitated. "They do. It was their decision as well. Besides, Vivian is intelligent, charismatic, and confident. She visited my mother earlier." My fingers tightened around the armrest. They agreed? Hah. Everything I had done for this family over the past year worthless. "Is she here now?" I asked, arching a brow. His expression softened. "Yes. She’s with my mother. They get along well, and honestly… my mother hasn’t looked this happy in a long time. Even her health has improved." I let out a quiet breath. "Improved?" A whirlwind of emotions crashed through me, but I kept my face unreadable. "When you left for that business expansion deal," I said evenly, "your mother was critically ill. I hired the best specialists. I personally managed the household finances to afford her treatments. I stayed up for nights, monitoring her condition. It was because of my efforts that she started to recover." I wasn’t looking for praise. I was stating facts. "And yet," Adrian continued as if he hadn’t heard me, "seeing Vivian has made my mother feel even better. I know this isn’t easy for you, but for the bigger picture, I hope you’ll support us." "Maybe you helped," he said with a shrug, "but Vivian’s presence gave me something you never could happiness." My nails dug into the armrest, the sharp sting grounding me.three year of sleepless nights, endless hospital visits, and careful monitoring reduced to ‘maybe you helped.’ I pressed my lips together, forcing the sting behind my eyes to disappear. My gaze sharpened. "Invite Vivian over," I said smoothly. "I have a few things to ask her." Adrian's response was immediate. "That’s unnecessary. Cassandra, she’s different from the women you know. She’s not the type to engage in petty household conflicts. She wouldn’t even want to meet you." "Unlike you, she doesn’t waste time clinging to things that are already over." My heart clenched, but I forced myself to smile, even as something inside me shattered beyond repair. I let out a soft laugh cold and cutting. "The women I know?" I repeated. "Tell me, Adrian, what kind of woman do you think I am?" Silence. "Have you forgotten?" I asked, my voice dangerously soft. "I am from a prestigous family, I built my own name before our engagement. I handled high-profile accounts, expanded my family’s company’s international presence, and secured deals that others only dreamed of." "That was different," Adrian said flatly. "You’re better suited for boardrooms and charity galas. Vivian doesn’t respect women like that. She’s bold, ruthless. If you meet her, she might say things you won’t like. Why put yourself through that?" I met his gaze, tilting my head slightly. In the soft glow of the chandelier, the beauty mark under my eye stood out more prominently. "It’s fine," I murmured. "If she says anything unpleasant, I’ll ignore it. After all, understanding the bigger picture and acting with dignity those are essential virtues for any woman in my position. Don't you trust me?" For the first time that night, Adrian hesitated. He thought I would crumble. That I was just a woman whose only worth was tied to marriage. But Adrian Warren had not realised something crucial. I was not the woman he left behind. I was Cassandra Sinclair, the woman who had silently built an empire while he was gone.