“Miss Copeland, are you absolutely sure about joining the Bureau of Confidential Affairs? Because once you sign it, your current identity will be erased in ten days prior. And after that, you’ll be assigned to a secure location. No one will ever be able to find you—no matter how hard they try.”

The agent glanced down at the file in front of them—my name and photograph staring back at them—before looking up at me, their expression laced with disbelief.

After all, everyone in Norburgh knew about Lex Blackburn. The city’s wealthiest tycoon had spent the past ten years pursuing me, going to extraordinary lengths and sparing no expense to plan what was being hailed as the wedding of the century. And that woman—the one the whole city was talking about—was me: Tara Copeland.

I lowered my head, trying to block out the memories that had been tormenting me for weeks. Lex’s hands gripping his secretary’s waist, their bodies pressed against the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office as they moved together in a frenzied rhythm. The image was burned into my mind, no matter how hard I tried to forget.

I gave the agent a firm nod.

Erasing my identity was the only way to ensure Lex would never find me again.

——

Clutching the recruitment letter tightly, I walked out of the building. The city’s skyline was dotted with enormous LED screens, all of them displaying promotional videos for Lex and my wedding. Every screen played clips of our so-called love story, moments from the past ten years curated into a glossy narrative for the public to admire.

A pair of young female tourists stopped near me, pointing at one of the screens. “Who is that couple? Do you think they’re celebrities or influencers? I keep seeing their videos everywhere since we set foot in this city.”

A group of local elderly ladies overheard them and chuckled knowingly. “You two must not be from around here, am I right? That’s Lex Blackburn and his fiancée, Tara Copeland. They’re the golden couple of Norburgh.”

“Lex Blackburn fell in love with her when they were both seventeen and he’s been head over heels for her ever since,” one of the women explained with pride. “He built her a castle-like mansion just to prove his devotion. When she mentioned a certain restaurant she loved, he didn’t just take her there—he bought it. And every other restaurant she liked, too, just so she could always get exactly what she wanted. She’s a picky eater, you see.”

Another lady chimed in with a knowing smile. “He rented out an entire mountain to give her a private view of a meteor shower the first time she was hospitalized because of leukemia.”

The first lady nodded. “Lex donated so much bone marrow to her that it nearly killed him. That man worships her. After ten years of chasing her, he finally got her to say yes. Their wedding is in ten days and the whole city is celebrating their love story. Those videos you’ve been seeing? They’re totally his style. Mr. Blackburn’s signature move for expressing his love.”

Hearing their chatter, I bit back a bitter smile. The words stung, but I didn’t want to show it.

I glanced up just as the romantic video reached the moment from a month ago when Lex had proposed to me. The man—always decisive, always commanding in front of others—knelt before me with a diamond ring in his hand, tears streaming down his face as he poured his heart out.

Abandoned by my parents at an orphanage as a child, I had believed that no one in this world would ever truly love me. But Lex had barged into my life with a love so overwhelming, so grand, that it shattered my defenses. When I nodded, accepting his proposal, he crushed me into his arms, kissing me like he would never let me go.

“Tara, when you say ‘yes,’ you’re mine forever. I promise you, you’re the only one for me in this lifetime. And you absolutely, absolutely can’t leave me. If you do, I’m a hundred percent sure I’ll die.”

For the first time in my life, I thought I had found happiness. Lex had spent ten years proving his love and I had let myself believe it was real. But just hours after his proposal, everything shattered.

Phoebe Stokes, his secretary, called me to the rooftop of the office building. Through the one-way, floor-to-ceiling glass, I saw the truth.

Lex and Phoebe—entwined in an intimate embrace. Lex’s hands gripped her hips tightly as she smirked toward the glass—toward me.

She turned her head, brushing her lips over his ear, her voice loud enough to carry through the open window. “Mr. Blackburn, don’t you think this would be even more exciting if Tara could see us right now?”

Lex scowled, his movements growing harsher. “Shut up! Don’t you ever say her name!”

“You’re nothing but a tool. Have I been too soft with you lately? Is that why you’ve gotten bold enough to even bring up her name?”

When he was angry, Lex became relentless. He move roughly, reducing Phoebe’s pleas to nothing more than broken sobs. I clamped my hands over my mouth, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face as a tidal wave of anguish consumed me. 

The man who had vowed to the world that I was his one and only—Lex Blackburn—was nothing but a liar. I don’t even remember how I managed to leave the Lex & Tara Enterprises building that day. All I knew was that the wedding would never happen. If Lex had betrayed our love, then I would disappear from his world entirely. Let him spend the rest of his life searching, only to come up empty-handed.

A sudden gasp from the crowd around me pulled me out of my tormenting thoughts.

“What a stunning wedding gown! Mr. Blackburn is absolutely spoiling Miss Copeland.”

At the entrance of a high-end boutique, a group of workers carefully maneuvered a heavily adorned wedding gown covered in the finest diamonds onto a custom-designed truck.

Lex stood at the forefront, his gaze flicking back frequently to ensure the staff were handling the gown with care.

“Be careful with that!” he ordered sharply. “That gown was flown in from Paris. A custom-made order specifically for Tara. If it gets so much as a scratch and she gets upset, all of you will face severe consequences.”

As he turned, his eyes locked on me. In an instant, he strode over and swept me off my feet.

“Baby, what are you doing?” he scolded, his voice tinged with worry, “Walking around in flat shoes in this snow? Are you trying to get me worried sick?”

The crowd erupted into excited cheers as he carried me to the warmth of his waiting Rolls-Royce.

Inside, Lex held me close, rubbing my cold hands between his to warm them up. “I was just about to pick you up. Your wedding gown is here, the time couldn’t be more perfect. Let’s head straight to the studio and get our photos done, what do you say?”

“Okay,” I nodded. I agreed, not for any other reason, but because I imagined that after I was gone and he couldn’t find me, he would realize what he’d lost when he saw those photos.

If he truly loved me, it would drive him mad—the pain will cut deeper then.

The delivery truck arrived at the studio ahead of us. When we pulled up moments later, Lex moved to carry me out of the car, but his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his jaw tightening and let out a heavy breath.

“Baby, it’s freezing out here. Stay in the car to keep warm. Let me go in first and make sure everything’s ready, then I’ll come back for you.”

Without waiting for a reply, he strode briskly into the studio alone.

I lowered my gaze, instinctively opening my chat history with Phoebe. Since that fateful day a month ago, when she had lured me into discovering her affair with Lex, Phoebe had made it her mission to torment me every single day. Every sordid detail of their encounters landed in my inbox. Just as I was scrolling through the old messages, a new one slid in.

It was a photo of Phoebe, draped sloppily in my diamond-studded wedding gown, the zipper was way down her back, her lips curled into a suggestive pout.

“Mr. Blackburn couldn’t take his eyes off this photo and rushed right over to see me. Sorry for borrowing your gown, Miss Copeland. Hope you don’t mind.”

The message was followed by a link to a livestream.

My hands trembled as I clicked it.

On the screen, Lex yanked open the curtain of a fitting room, his face twisted in anger. “Who said you could wear it? It is Tara’s wedding gown. Take it off right now!”

Phoebe’s expression turned coy, her bare leg sliding out from beneath the gown as she leaned toward Lex.

“Don’t you think I look good in this, Mr. Blackburn? If you don’t like it, then why did you come running the second you saw that photo?”

I watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed, his gaze lingering on Phoebe’s body. The heat in his eyes betrayed his words.

Phoebe, emboldened, pressed closer, teasing him further.

In the next moment, Lex pushed her against the wall, his lips crashing onto hers with wild desperation. His hands worked quickly to free himself from his restraints.

I stared in stunned silence as they became entangled in the very fitting room where I was supposed to be trying on that gown—my wedding gown.

Lex hoisted Phoebe into his arms, their bodies locked together in a passionate release.

The shimmering diamonds and delicate lace on the wedding gown scraped against the wall with every movement, their brilliance dulled until all that remained was a lifeless shell.

I clenched my palms so hard that my nails dug into my skin, tears streaming numbly down my face only to be dried again and again by the suffocating warmth of the car heater.

Lex wasn’t coming out. He was too entangled in her, his passion relentless, leaving no space for shame or regret. Unable to bear another second, I stumbled out of the car. Snowflakes descended like a merciless storm, pelting me with icy fury. Yet no cold could rival the gaping void of anguish clawing at my chest.

I walked blindly through the snow-covered streets, my feet carrying me with no regard for direction. Hours passed—perhaps minutes; I couldn’t tell. Finally, I found myself standing before the villa Lex had built for me, a home that now felt like a stranger’s estate.

But not for long. Soon, it wouldn’t be mine anymore.

A sudden wave of dizziness swept over me and the ground rose to meet me. Before darkness claimed me entirely, I heard a man’s panicked shout behind me, sharp and desperate.

Then, silence.

Perhaps it was sheer defiance against seeing Lex again, but I fell into a fevered slumber for five days. When consciousness slowly returned, I could hear his voice cutting through the haze, thick with anger.

“What the hell are you doing? You're the best doctors in the city, right? Then why can’t you even wake a girl up? If you’re this useless, I better fire all of you and find someone who actually knows what they’re doing. Someone tell me—why hasn't my fiancée woken up yet?!"

The moment my eyes fluttered open, Lex rushed to my side as though the sight of me had pulled him back from the brink of madness.

“Tara!” he exclaimed, dropping to his knees beside the bed and wrapping his arms around me with the desperation of a man grasping at salvation. “Tara, you’re awake. Oh thank God, I thought I’d lost you. You scared me to death!”

His face was unshaven, his eyes bloodshot and the dark circles under them betrayed his sleepless nights.

As he leaned down to kiss me, I recalled the memory of him in the fitting room and a wave of nausea churned in my stomach. I shifted just enough to avoid him, feigning indifference.

His was baffled froze, hurt flickering across his features. “What’s wrong, baby? Are you hurt somewhere? Dizzy? Hard to breathe?”

I stared at him intensely. My voice cold and steady as I asked, “Where’s my wedding gown?”

A flicker of guilt flashed in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“Look, baby,” he began, his tone soft, almost pleading, “an accident happened at the studio. Unfortunately, your gown got damaged. That’s why I kept you waiting so long, I was trying sorting it out.”

He reached for my hand, his voice laced with coaxing sweetness. “But don’t worry, I’ll just call the designer to make you a new one. Better than before. It’ll perfectly fits you. Just focus on getting better for now, alright?”

I wanted to tell him not to bother. After all, I had no intention of ever wearing that dress. But before I could speak, Phoebe barged into the room with a stack of papers in her hands. She stopped short when she saw me awake, a hint of annoyance flashing in her eyes before she plastered on a sweet smile.

“I'm glad to see you're awake, Miss Copeland,” she said to me, all fake sweetness, before turning to Lex. “Mr. Blackburn, I have some documents here that require your signature.”

Lex's face instantly darkened. “Phoebe, I assume you are aware that Tara will soon be my wife? If you do, then I want you to start addressing her by the right call from now on!” His voice grew sharper as he continued, “And why are you bringing all these documents here? Business should be handled at the office. You can't just waltz in and out of my private mansion like it's a theme park. Tara needs her rest. I don’t want to see you disturbing her again—understood?”

Phoebe’s eyes welled up, her voice quivering with contrived innocence. “I understand, Mr. Blackburn. I’ll wait for you outside.”

Watching the two of them was almost comical. The pretense of formality between them was laughable, given how intimately entangled their lives already were.

Phoebe fled the room, her steps deliberately hesitant, as if she needed to ensure Lex noticed her distress. True to form, his gaze followed her retreating figure, concern flickering in his eyes before he caught himself and turned back to me.

“Baby,” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from my face, “I’ll go handle this quickly and be right back, okay? Stay here and rest.”

Before I could respond, he strode out of the room, his urgency betraying his eagerness.

Quietly, I slipped out of bed, following him on silent feet. From the shadowed corner of the staircase, I watched as Lex caught up to Phoebe, pulling her into a secluded corner of the garden.

“How many times have I told you to stay away from Tara? Why don’t you ever listen?” he hissed, his frustration barely contained.

Phoebe pouted, turning her face away in a show of petulance.

Lex’s tone softened immediately, his voice tinged with a tenderness that turned my stomach. “What is it now? Don’t tell me you cry because I scolded you,” He reached out to touch her cheek, his thumb grazing her skin in a gesture far too intimate for my liking. “Come on, stop crying. You know I can’t stand it when you cry. Am I being too harsh?”

“You need to be good and listen for now. Go back first and I promise to give you whatever you want later, okay?”

Phoebe pouted, her lips curving into a mischievous smirk. “Then I want you to kiss me right here! If you kiss me, I’ll behave and leave.”

Lex hesitated, clearly torn between refusal and compliance. After a moment, his expression softened into one of indulgent helplessness. Cupping Phoebe’s face in his hands, he kissed her—starting with her eyes, trailing down to her nose and finally landing tenderly on her lips, the gesture both intimate and deliberate.

Tears burned down my cheeks as I watched from the shadows. The pain that I thought had dulled long ago stabbed at my heart anew. So this was what he meant when he claimed Phoebe was “just a physical outlet.” Lex had lied to me, lied to himself and buried himself in that delusion.

How could he not see that love and physical connection are inseparable? His body, his heart—everything about him was irredeemably tainted.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I forced myself to retreat quietly back to the bedroom. My phone buzzed on the nightstand and the sight of a new message sent a chill through my veins.

Phoebe: [Miss Copeland, did you know that during the days you were unconscious, Mr. Blackburn and I were cuddling and kissing right beside your bed every day?

Sometimes, when he couldn’t resist anymore, he’d take me to the storage room next to your bedroom. The walls aren’t soundproof, you know. If you’d been awake, you might’ve heard some... rhythmic noises through the wall.

Oh, by the way, I don’t think the trash in the storage room has been taken out yet. If you’re feeling up to it, you should check it out. You might find a little surprise.]

A cold shiver clawed up my spine, but my feet moved on their own, carrying me toward the storage room.