Chapter 1

On the day the dance troupe was choosing its new principal dancer, someone had slipped a needle into Ivanna Powell's dance shoes. Because of that injury, she'd missed the competition. By the time Ivanna came out of the hospital with her bandaged foot, she learned that Lydia Hale had already won the competition. Ivanna clenched her jaw tight. She knew there were no second chances for her. When the taxi stopped at the theater entrance, she had just stepped out when a familiar voice drifted past her ear. She stopped in her tracks and searched for the source. "Lydia, I helped you get the principal spot. Don't you think I deserve a little reward?" "But... If Ivanna finds out..." "So what? Ivanna will be my wife sooner or later. Even if she finds out it was me, what can she do? Kill me? "Come on, Lydia. Hike up your skirt. I can't wait anymore." Ivanna's hand trembled on her crutch. That voice belonged to no one else but her fiancé of six years, Adrian Cross. Step by step, Ivanna forced herself toward the side door of the theater. Then, the moment she turned the corner, she saw a luxury car rocking up and down. The car door wasn't even closed tightly. Inside, Lydia lay sprawled across the back seat while Adrian pressed down over her, kissing her hard. Their bodies were tangled so tightly that there was no mistaking what they were doing. Ivanna could even see their tongues twining together and the lower halves of their bodies grinding against each other. It was absolutely revolting. Ivanna's heart pounded so violently it felt like it might burst out of her chest. She sucked in deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. However, whether her eyes were open or shut, the scene replayed endlessly in her head. In the end, still unable to calm down, Ivanna stopped trying. She lifted her crutch and smashed it against the car. Adrian jerked up with a startled cry. However, the anger blazing in his eyes vanished the instant he met Ivanna's eyes. He fumbled to pull up his pants. "I... Ivanna? What are you doing here?" Ivanna and Adrian were childhood sweethearts. Then, on the day Ivanna turned 18, they got engaged. Ivanna remembered clearly that just three days after her mother's funeral, her father had brought Lydia and her mother, Marissa Bennett, into their home. At that time, only Adrian had stayed by her side, helping her stand against the world. But now, she had lost him too. Ivanna forcefully widened her eyes, refusing to let tears fall in front of Adrian. She questioned, "Adrian, explain yourself. What are you doing? Don't you know I'm your fiancée?" Her voice shook despite how hard she tried to sound strong. Meanwhile, Lydia knelt on the seat, deliberately holding up a torn-open condom wrapper in her hand. Yet, her expression was one of meek innocence as she said, "Please don't be angry, Ivanna. There... There's really nothing going on between me and Mr. Cross..." "That's right," Adrian quickly added, flashing his usual careless grin. "I was just trying to tease her. Nothing really happened. "We grew up together. You know I only care about you." Adrian stepped toward Ivanna to reach for her hand, but she pulled away. Then, she gave a cold laugh. "Tease her? Adrian, I hurt my foot, but I'm not blind! You were screwing her in the backseat, and you still think you can fool me?" Adrian's smile faltered. "I didn't..." Not wanting to hear another word, Ivanna turned to leave. But Adrian caught her wrist and said, "Ivanna, listen to me! No matter what you think, I didn't cheat!" He locked eyes with Ivanna despite her expression dripping with mockery. "I... I used protection! I never actually had physical intimacy with Lydia. That doesn't count as cheating." Ivanna almost laughed at the shamelessness of his words. She drew in a sharp breath. "Fine. If that's what you believe, then I have nothing more to say. But you knew exactly how important that principal spot was to me, and you still handed it to Lydia. "Is this what you mean by only caring about me? "Adrian, you've disappointed me." Ivanna shook Adrian's hand off and walked away. Only then did she finally let her tears fall. Ivanna's mother, Kimberly Powell, had once been the principal dancer of the same dance troupe, and Ivanna had worked her whole life to follow in her footsteps. Adrian had known all of this, yet he had still chosen to betray her. Ivanna cried the entire way back to her apartment. Meanwhile, Adrian had called her again and again, but she ignored every call. That night, the sky poured. Just then, Ivanna received a message from one of Adrian's friends, Samuel Lawson. "Ivanna, what's going on between you and Adrian? He's been drinking nonstop. You know he can't handle alcohol with his bad stomach. "Even if he upset you, will you really just let him hurt himself like this?" Ivanna stared at her phone. The wallpaper was a photo of her and Adrian smiling together. Maybe... Maybe she should give him another chance. After all, they'd been together for so many years. If he was willing to explain himself properly and keep his distance from Lydia, maybe she could pretend none of this ever happened. Besides, if it hadn't been for Adrian, she might not even be alive today. After making up her mind, Ivanna rushed to the club where Adrian was. By then, the rain was pouring so hard that her bandaged leg was soaked through, and the wound beneath the gauze itched from the dampness. Ivanna was just about to step inside the club when she heard her name being mentioned. "Adrian, are you sure Ivanna will come? She's a rich heiress. If she forgives you this easily, that'd be pathetic." "I know her. She'll come. Rich heiress? Without me, Ivanna is nothing." Adrian's mocking tone made Ivanna freeze. "But honestly, Lydia isn't even half as pretty as Ivanna. What do you see in her?" "She's easy. She's not like Ivanna who always acts cold and distant. I've been with her for years, and even getting a kiss depends on her mood." So, that was it. That was the reason he'd betrayed her. Ivanna had no idea how she'd walked out of that club, but the next thing she knew, she was standing outside the Hale residence. All the while, messages from Samuel kept popping up, but Ivanna simply shut her phone off in disgust. Soon, the housekeeper led her inside. There, Ivanna saw her father, Felix Hale, sprawled on the couch, tapping at his phone. He looked up at her with a disdainful frown. "What are you doing here?" "I know you don't want to see me. I don't want to see you either. I just came to tell you I'll marry Wilson Kirk."