Chapter 1

Melanie Lloyd walked out of the city hall like a shell of herself, dazed and unsteady. It wasn't until she collapsed into the back seat of a cab that the tears she had been holding in finally fell. Four years ago, her half-sister, Yasmin Lloyd, ran off on her wedding day. To preserve the Lloyds' and the Fullers' reputations, Melanie had married Zachary Fuller in place of Yasmin. At first, Zachary had been cold and distant toward Melanie. Yet, she never once complained. Instead, she managed every part of his life with meticulous care. Little by little, her steady presence chipped away at his defenses. Zachary began to let Melanie rearrange his schedule. He'd also listen to her awful puns with great patience and even let her organize confidential work documents. As time went on, he only treated her better. He gave her a black card with no spending limit and took her to every award-winning restaurant in town. Even if she had a craving for peanut brittle late at night, Zachary would drive halfway across the city just to get it for her. Then, he'd hand it over, pinch her cheek, and say with a helpless smile, "You really are the greediest little thing." Melanie had thought she'd finally won him over. However, Yasmin returned to the country two months ago with a terminal cancer diagnosis. That night, their father, Charles Lloyd, called a family meeting. With a grave expression, he said to Melanie, "Yasmin's cancer is in the late stages. She has at most six months left to live. Her biggest regret is not marrying Zachary. So for now, you'll step aside. Once the wedding is over and Yasmin is gone, he'll still be yours." "Yasmin's your sister. Please just give in this once," Melanie's stepmother, Susan Jakeman, pleaded. Yasmin, too, sobbed uncontrollably. "This is my only wish before I die. Please let me have him." Melanie could hardly believe her ears. In the next instant, her eyes burned with unshed tears. "Back then, you forced me into this marriage like a puppet, and now you want him to marry Yasmin? What do you people take me for? I won't agree to this!" she snapped, each word laced with fury and pain. But Charles ignored Melanie's protests. He locked her in her room and said she wouldn't be allowed out until she relented. On the third day of her confinement, she heard that Zachary had smashed a glass in front of Charles, furious. On the 13th day, a news alert popped up on her phone. It read, "Zachary Fuller Declares That His Wife Can Only Ever Be Melanie Lloyd." On the 28th day, Zachary pulled the plug on every business partnership he had with the Lloyds. It was his way of forcing them to return Melanie. A month later, the locked door finally opened. Melanie's eyes filled with tears as she thought about everything Zachary had done for her lately. Without even stopping to put on her shoes, she stumbled straight into his arms. But the next second, she heard his hoarse voice. "Mel, I'm sorry. Your parents were adamant. They even begged me. For the sake of both our families, I have no choice but to go through with this charade with Yasmin. "But don't worry. It's only a fake marriage. You'll always be the woman I call my wife." Almost immediately, Melanie felt her heart plummet into an endless abyss, and her chest ached with each intake of breath. She froze for a moment before reaching up to gently cup his hollowed face. Blinking back tears, she reassured him, "You've already done more than enough." Later, Melanie stood by and watched as Zachary slipped a diamond ring onto Yasmin's finger in front of a crowd. He even threw her an extravagant wedding. After that, he treated Melanie just as kindly as before. However, he began spending more and more time with Yasmin. It started with occasional visits. Then, he stopped coming home for days at a time. When Melanie got upset, Zachary explained patiently, "I don't love her. I just want to be there for her through the end as a friend." She believed him, but the truth blindsided her. … By the time the car pulled up outside Fuller Group, Melanie had composed herself. She clutched the fake marriage certificate tightly in her hand. As soon as she reached the top floor, she came face-to-face with Zachary's assistant, Kevin Stone. He looked visibly uneasy the moment he saw her. "Mrs. Fuller, what brings you here?" asked Kevin. "I need to see Zachary." Kevin replied, "Mr. Fuller is in a meeting at the moment. He's not—" But Melanie simply brushed past him and headed straight for Zachary's office. Just as she reached for the door handle, she heard Yasmin's voice from inside. "Zachary, look me in the eyes and tell me the truth," she said, one hand tugging at his tie while the other was pressed to his chest. "Have you ever truly gotten over me?" Zachary's Adam's apple bobbed, and her touch made his breath hitch. Still, his voice was cold as he answered, "You're imagining things." "Am I?" Yasmin chuckled. "Didn't you fake a marriage with Melanie just to wait for me? Now that I've returned, you rushed to register our marriage. "And those things you wrote in your journal… You said the only reason you let Melanie marry you in my place was to force me to come ba—" Before she could finish, Zachary suddenly grabbed the back of her neck, silencing her with a kiss that bordered on violence. His gaze was searing, and every word came through clenched teeth. "Yes, I never got over you. So tell me, Yasmin. How do you plan to repay what you owe me?" Just outside the door, Melanie stood frozen to the ground. It was as if she had been doused in ice water, leaving her body numb. She remembered how, just days ago, Zachary had pulled her into his arms, kissed the top of her head, and whispered, "Yasmin's nothing but a distant past. You're the only one who matters to me now." What a cruel joke. As it turned out, his love was nothing but a well-polished lie. Their marriage had been a farce from the very beginning. Melanie closed her eyes slowly, refusing to let the tears fall. If this was the choice Zachary came to, then so be it. She would let him go and allow him to fly free with the woman he truly loved.