The day before my wedding, my so-called friend Joel Sanford got behind the wheel and killed my dad. It wasn’t some tragic accident—he was reckless and my dad ended up paying the price.

And as if that wasn’t enough, his fiancée didn’t just stand by him; she went ahead and posted their marriage certificate online, like they had nothing to be ashamed of.

I couldn’t just let it slide. I took Joel to court and even showed up at their wedding to demand justice.

I wanted him to pay for what he had done. But instead of getting support, I was humiliated. People laughed at me like I was some crazy guy who couldn’t move on.

That was when Jasmine Greer, my childhood sweetheart, stepped in. Right there, in front of everyone, she proposed to me.

She said she would be my rock, my safe place, the person who would always stand by me. I was desperate, broken and honestly, I believed her. I said yes.

I even handed over the case to her, trusting she would make things right. She told me Joel was in prison and I believed her without question.

For the next three years, I let myself think I had finally found someone who cared about me, who wanted the same justice I did.

Then one day, everything fell apart. I overheard her talking to her lawyer.

"Ms. Greer, did you really marry Nash Schultz just to get a letter of understanding?" the lawyer asked, like he couldn’t wrap his head around it. "It’s just a car accident case. Why would you drag yourself into this mess?"

Her reply hit me like a punch to the gut. "The only way I could write the letter in Nash’s name was to marry him. That letter was Joel’s ticket to freedom. He deserves to be happy abroad. As for me… it doesn’t matter. I’ll live with it."

I stood there in shock, realizing my entire marriage was a lie. Everything she had done; marrying me, pretending to care, it was all part of her plan to free Joel. She didn’t love me. She used me.

——

Then, I saw her in her office, staring at pictures of Joel on her computer. He looked carefree, happy, living a good life somewhere far away.

Jasmine just sat there, looking at the screen, smiling faintly.

"It’s been three years," she whispered. "It’s enough to see him happy, even if I wasn’t the one to give him that happiness. And Nash… I’ve spent these years trying to make up for what I did to him. It’s over now."

One of the company lawyers burst in, furious. "Ms. Greer, do you have any idea what you’ve done? If this gets out, the entire Greer Family business could crumble. You’re risking everything over a murder case! Joel Sanford killed someone. Why are you protecting him? He doesn’t even care about you!"

Jasmine’s face was cold, her voice sharp. "I’ve told you, drop it. Joel didn’t kill anyone on purpose. It was an accident. I’ve already taken care of Owen Schultz’s funeral. That’s enough of an explanation for his family."

Her expression didn’t soften as she added, "If saving Joel means giving up the company, or even my life, then so be it. I’ll do whatever it takes."

The lawyer sighed, frustration evident. "And what about Nash? He’s going to figure this out eventually. What happens if he tries to visit Joel in prison? Everything you’ve worked for will fall apart."

He pressed further. "You used Nash’s name to save the man who killed his father. What do you think he’ll do when he finds out? You can’t keep this hidden forever."

For a moment, Jasmine stayed quiet. Then, without looking up, she clicked on a photo on her screen, enlarging it.

Joel’s face stared back, carefree and smiling, somewhere far away.

Her voice was softer now but resolute. "Then don’t let Nash find out. Ever. It’s been three years. Joel will be released soon anyway. Go make the arrangements. And make sure Nash never learns the truth."

The lawyer’s voice turned urgent. "Ms. Greer, as your lawyer, I’m warning you, this will leave a trail. You can’t erase it. You’re putting yourself, the company and Nash at risk for someone who doesn’t even care about you. If Nash finds out… it’s all over."

I couldn’t breathe. My hands trembled and tears ran freely down my face. My grip on the lunchbox faltered as my entire body shook under the weight of what I had just overheard.

Footsteps drew closer, pulling me out of my shock. I quickly ducked into the stairwell, pressing myself into the shadows, trying to muffle the sound of my ragged breathing.

It all fell into place. The accident that killed my father hadn’t been filed, not like Jasmine had claimed.

Joel wasn’t locked away in some cell, paying for what he had done. No, he was out there, alive and well, living a comfortable life overseas.

Jasmine had done it all. She had lied to me, used my name and betrayed my trust, all for Joel. Everything she had said, everything she had done during these three years of marriage, it wasn’t for me. It was for him.

The woman I thought was my savior, my partner, had carefully constructed this illusion of love and devotion, only to use me as a pawn.

Three years of lies. Three years of living in a cage she built around me. I thought I had found happiness, but the truth was, I had been drowning in betrayal.

I stumbled down the stairs, the world spinning around me, my heart hammering in my chest. By the time I reached the door to the company, I could barely stand.

What a cruel joke this life had become.

I waited outside for five hours.

When the last light in the building finally went out, Jasmine walked out. The moment she saw me, her face softened and she hurried over.

She grabbed my hand, her voice full of concern. "Why didn’t you come inside? How long have you been out here?"

"Not long," I said with a small smile. "I just got here. I know you’ve been busy, so I made you some food. The secretary told me you were in a meeting, so I waited outside."

She frowned and shook her head. "You shouldn’t have done that. You’re not in the best shape, you’ll make me worry."

Then, without waiting for a reply, she leaned in, wrapped her arms around me and kissed the corner of my lips.

The gesture was soft and familiar, but it didn’t feel the same. The warmth I used to feel from her was gone.

How far could someone go for someone they love?

She led me to the car, keeping her tone light as she spoke. "Oh, by the way, Joel is going to be released from prison soon. You two were close once, weren’t you? He’s paid for what happened and it’s all in the past now. Besides, the company has some new projects tied to—"

"It’s fine," I said, cutting her off. I forced a smile. "It’s over. I won’t be looking for him. Don’t worry about it."

She let out a small sigh of relief and gave me one of her soft smiles. "You’re amazing, you know that? I’m so lucky to have you."

I turned my head to look out the car window, letting her words hang in the air. Silent tears slid down my face, but I didn’t let her see them.

When we got home, she went to shower. The moment I heard the water running, I opened her laptop.

Her password was Joel’s birthday.

The wallpaper was a photo of the ocean at Milesea—the place where Joel had been living for the past three years.

I logged into her social account and my chest tightened. The header was a photo of her and Joel together, smiling like nothing else mattered.

Her follow list had one name. Just one.

I clicked it and my stomach dropped.

It was Joel’s account. Every post was of him, living his best life abroad.

The watch he was wearing? A new Greer Group release.

The suit? The latest from their endorsed line.

The place he was staying in? A Greer Group hotel. This hotel was built three years ago and it was the only project the Greer Family had overseas.

My hands shook as I clicked into her remittance records. There was only one name: Joel Sanford.

Three hundred thousand dollars. Every month. For three years.

I scrolled through the transactions, each one cutting deeper than the last. My chest felt tight, like the air had been sucked out of the room.

She hadn’t just lied to me, she had built his life, funded it, kept him happy and safe while I lived in the dark. I was the fool in her carefully crafted story.

Now I knew the truth. Three years of marriage and what did I have? Nothing.

The only photos of us were the wedding pictures hanging on the wall. I had begged her to take more, to keep memories of us together, but she always waved me off.

"We see each other every day," she would say with a laugh. "Why would we need more photos?"

But now it all made sense. It wasn’t about not needing photos. It was that I wasn’t needed.

I let out a dry, bitter laugh. There was no point looking through anything else. I already knew enough.

I grabbed my phone and booked a flight. Three days from now. Then, I started canceling all my documents.

Three days. That was all I needed to walk away from three years of lies.

I set a countdown on my phone and made it my wallpaper. A reminder of what was coming.

When Jasmine came out of the shower, I was already in bed, lying on my side. She thought I was asleep and didn’t say a word.

But I didn’t sleep. Not for a second.

When the first light crept through the curtains, I got up to wash my face.

My phone buzzed. Her voice came through the line, sharp and questioning. "Nash, what documents did you cancel?"

I held the phone away for a second, steadying myself before answering. "Nothing serious. My ID expired, so I set up an appointment to renew it. That’s all. Aren’t you supposed to be discussing the project today? Go on, get to work."

She hesitated, then let out a relieved sigh. Wrapping her arms around me, she rested her head against my chest.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Having a husband as understanding as you is the biggest blessing of my life."

I smiled faintly, looking down at her, but I didn’t say a word.

"As a reward, I’ll give you a big gift today, okay?" she said.

"Alright, I’ll wait for you at home," I replied.

Jasmine really was going all out to keep me from causing any more trouble for Joel. It was time to end this whole three-year mess.

The moment she left, I went to cancel the marriage. Filled out the paperwork and then headed straight to the lawyer’s office.

When I asked about the letter of understanding, the lawyer just told me that the family’s letter of understanding was legally solid. It had been put in place and couldn’t be undone.

I didn’t press further. I just told him to print out two divorce agreements for me.

With the documents in hand, I went over to Jasmine’s company.

As soon as I walked in, I overheard some employees chatting. "That’s Ms. Greer’s husband, right? I heard he just got back from abroad. With his style and presence, no wonder she’s all about him. Even I can’t resist!"

"It’s gotta be him. That watch on his wrist is a limited edition Patek Philippe. Only ten in the world. I saw Ms. Greer picking one out in her office, so I’m guessing she bought it for him. So sweet."

"The hotel abroad, that was built for him, wasn’t it? I heard they’ve been childhood sweethearts. Even the dramas wouldn’t be this dramatic!"

I was standing outside her office on the top floor when I overheard a familiar voice. "How’ve you been these past three years?"

Then I heard a guy answer, "Yeah, it’s been good. I wake up every day to the sea view and the air’s just full of freedom. I haven’t even properly thanked you yet. If it wasn’t for you, I would've—"

"Don’t bring it up. It’s all in the past. I’m helping you for my own reasons," Jasmine said.

Joel laughed softly. "You’re still the same after all these years. If Nash knew you were helping me out like this, he’d probably lose it.

"This watch is way too much. I can’t take it. You should give it to Nash instead. If I take it, he’ll probably sue me again."

Joel was always like this; taking all the advantages, playing the victim and then acting like the bigger person, as if forgiving me was some great act of generosity.

Three years ago, at the wedding, I exposed him in front of everyone, calling him out as a murderer and shattering his image.

He and Loren Spencer—his fiancée back then—turned on me instantly. The guests didn’t hesitate to follow their lead. I was torn apart, humiliated, left to be the punchline of their gossip.

Jasmine had been the only one to reach out, my only lifeline in that chaos.

But now, she was the one dragging me down.

I was still standing there when her secretary suddenly rushed by, bursting into the office with a contract in hand. Jasmine’s eyes widened when she saw me.

"Nash? What are you doing here? Don’t get the wrong idea, Joel just stopped by to catch up. That’s it," she said quickly, her voice a little too eager.

Joel stood up then, flashing his usual self-assured smile. "Nash, long time no see."

He looked like he had just walked out of a magazine ad, wearing a brand-new suit from the Greer Family line.

His face was glowing, his body fit—there wasn’t a single trace of the struggles he supposedly faced in prison.

I gave him a tight smile and said, "No worries, I was just passing through. Since you’re busy, I’ll head out."

Jasmine must’ve thought I was upset because she hurried after me, trying to explain. "Hey, come on, don’t act like this. I was just asking him how things were for him in prison. It’s been three years. Can’t we just let it go already? You said yourself it’s in the past."

I looked at her, my smile faint but steady. She had thrown our marriage away to save Joel and now that he was doing perfectly fine, who was she even trying to convince?

"Relax," I said calmly. "What’s done is done. I’m not upset. Like I said, I’m a man of my word."