Chapter 1

The wind was biting at the entrance of the courthouse. Savannah Johnson had just stepped outside when she saw Hendrick Cook slip into his black Maybach without turning his head or so much as cast a glance in her direction. She walked down the sidewalk, the cold wind slicing into her heart like a thousand paper cuts. A sharp screech sounded behind her. Before she could react, she felt a great impact propelling her to the ground, sizzling pain crawling across her kneecaps and palms. When Savannah looked up, she saw one of Hendrick's close friends alight from the car. "Shit! We ran into her!" "Who cares?" someone from behind answered, poking him. "They're practically divorced, and it doesn't look like Ricky will back out this time." Savannah pressed a hand to the ground, trying to stand, but her knees gave out beneath her. Through her messy strands of hair falling over her face, she saw the rear window of the Maybach roll halfway down. Hendrick's cold, sculpted profile flickered in and out of the shadows. "Ricky!" someone called out, running over. "Should we send Savannah to the hospital or head straight to the gathering?" The air stilled at that moment, and Savannah fixed her gaze on that window. For some reason, even breathing hurt. "To the gathering." Hendrick's unfeeling response flowed out the window, then to her heart, prickling it without mercy. The Maybach sped off, its exhaust blowing straight into her face. Savannah gritted her teeth and slowly pulled herself up, limping as she made her way home. Every step sent a sharp, stabbing pain through her knees, but it was nothing compared to the gaping, bloodied hole in her chest. Once she finally limped through the door, the first thing she did was start packing. She dug out every piece of proof that showed she had ever loved him. The jewelry he casually tossed at her without a second thought; the lighter he used, which she had secretly kept; the 999 paper stars she folded for him by hand… One by one, she threw them all into the trash. Until, buried deep in the back of a drawer, she found a brown envelope. This wasn't the first time Savannah had seen it, but her fingers still trembled as she opened it again. It was a pile of love letters from Hendrick to her. "I see you've brought me breakfast again this morning. I bet you didn't know I got up at 5:00 am just to watch from my window how you sneakily place the lunchbox." "Your handwriting in those love letters is horrible, by the way, but I've kept them. When our 50th wedding anniversary comes around, let's have a good laugh about it." "You looked gorgeous in that red dress today. I wish no one else could see how beautiful you are." "This is the third year you've been chasing after me. Frankly, I almost said 'yes' to you. But then… I realized I should wait a little longer. To be honest, I love the feeling of you pursuing me." Every single word stabbed Savannah's heart painfully. If she hadn't accidentally come across these love letters just a few days ago, she never would've believed that Hendrick, the man who had been so cold and indifferent to her all these years, had actually liked her all along. The first time she met him was at the university entrance ceremony. Speaking as the student representative, he was as noble as the moon in the sky. She fell hard for him at just one glance. Many people tried to pursue Hendrick, but Savannah was the most persistent among all. She brought him breakfast, even though he never ate it. She memorized his entire class schedule and pretended to run into him by chance. She had even climbed over the dormitory gate after curfew to buy medicine for him when he got injured playing basketball. In the end, she broke her wrist. For four years—1460 days—she followed him like she was his shadow, until she finally reached for that moon. Even after they got together, he remained cold and distant, never once offering the warmth or enthusiasm she craved. In fact, she was the one who had initiated the marriage. Despite all, she accepted it all willingly, savoring every bittersweet moment in their relationship. However, just three years into their marriage, he had filed for divorce 99 times. The first time was because her cooking was too salty. He had said, "You can't even get such a simple thing right." The second time was because she wore a dress he disliked. … The 98th time was because Savannah had accidentally sent Hendrick an extra goodnight text, breaking his rule that she could only message him ten times a day. Every time, she would beg him desperately not to go through with the divorce. The 99th time, she had knelt on the study floor all night before he finally agreed not to file a divorce petition. That night, she accidentally discovered a brown envelope locked away in the safe. Inside were love letters, all of them written by Hendrick, starting from the very first year she had begun pursuing him. So, he had liked her all along. All those times he brought up divorce were just to watch her cry and beg him to stay. He enjoyed being loved, but he treated her sincerity like a toy for his amusement. The next morning, he brought up divorce for the 100th time. His reason? She ate a cookie in his car and left a few crumbs. Savannah looked at the man she had loved for years and suddenly felt as if he were a stranger. This time, she didn't want to be a pawn in his game anymore. This time, she wouldn't give him what he wanted. There would be no more begging or tears. This time, they were truly over. Savannah wiped away her tears and continued packing. Halfway through, though, she realized her mother's necklace was missing. It was a worn silver chain, old and simple, but it was the only thing her mother had left her. Savannah tore through the entire walk-in closet and even checked under the bed, but the silver necklace had vanished. Sitting on the floor, she subconsciously clenched the hem of her shirt. Aside from her, the only person who had been in the study was Hendrick. Then, she remembered what she had overheard outside the courthouse earlier—the location of tonight's gathering. She bit her lip, grabbed her coat, and walked out the door. Outside the private lounge of the club, laughter could already be heard through the thick door. "I bet five days! Savannah won't last five before she comes crawling back, begging Ricky to take her back!" "You're being generous. Everyone knows Savannah can't live without Ricky. My bet is three days!" "Mine's 24 hours, then! Didn't she beg Ricky all night on his study floor last time?" "What's your bet, Ricky?" The private lounge fell silent. Hendrick sat at the center of it all, his long fingers wrapped around a glass of whiskey, his gaze unreadable. Just as he was about to speak, the door burst open. Savannah strode in. "I bet a lifetime," she said, each word clear and sharp.