Chapter 1

That day marked the 52nd wedding ceremony between Damien Thornwell and me. This time, I invited no one—only our families gathered to witness it. Although I was suffering from a fever, I forced myself to go over the final arrangements with the wedding planner, who barely spared me a glance. In the groom's dressing room, Damien was busy massaging Astrid Monroe's leg. She was an intern who had rushed over after spraining her ankle. My parents shook their heads at the scene before them, clearly heartbroken for me. "After everything you've endured, has he ever once shown that he truly cares about you?" Everyone knew how much this day meant to me and how badly I wanted it to be perfect. Yet, just moments before the ceremony was to begin, Damien called it off once again. I hurried to leave, but he grabbed me firmly, halting me in my tracks. He said, "Astrid's leg isn't improving. I need to take her to the hospital. "Looks like today's ceremony will have to be called off again. Next time, I promise I won't back out at the last minute." Without waiting for my reply, he stepped back and helped Astrid into the front seat of his car. After five years together, this was the 52nd time Damien had called off our wedding because of Astrid. The old me would have caused a scene, desperate to understand why he kept walking away every time. But now, I simply stood to the side, a smile on my face. "It's okay. Astrid's injury can't be ignored," I said. Damien paused, surprised by how quickly I agreed. "It's good that you understand. I'll bring you that strawberry cake you love tonight," he said. "Okay," I replied. But as soon as he rolled up the window and drove away, the smile I'd been holding on to vanished completely. He had forgotten that I hated strawberries and had never cared for cake. The person who loved strawberry cake simply wasn't me. Once, he bought me a strawberry cake to lift my spirits. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, I forced myself to take a bite, even though it made me feel sick. It wasn't until later that I finally confessed how much I truly disliked strawberries and cake. When Damien heard this, he quickly pulled out his phone and jotted it down, promising he would never forget. But less than a year later, that promise was nothing but a distant memory. The scorching sun beat down on me, making my skin burn, but my heart remained frozen. A bitter laugh escaped me. After announcing the wedding's cancellation, I ripped apart the wedding dress I had worn 52 times. It was time to finally let go of the love I had held onto for five years.