Chapter 1

On the day of our engagement party, my fiancée ditched me after taking a single phone call from a male client.

She sent me a fifty-two-dollar transfer on PayPal, telling me I was the only one in her heart and begging me not to be mad.

That night, I saw the client’s SnapChat story.

It was a screenshot of Bella sending him fifty-two thousand dollars, along with a sickeningly sweet love confession.

This time, I didn't bother arguing or asking questions. I quietly called off the wedding.

"If that client is so important to you, you can spend the rest of your life taking care of him."

Yet, the moment I chose to let go, she was the one who regretted it.

Later on, I heard that my fiancée, who had always catered to this client's every whim, actually sued him.

The charge? Fraud.

Bella didn’t come home all night. I didn’t see her until she showed up at work the next morning.

Before I could push her office door open, I heard her coworkers teasing her.

"Bella, you're incredible! You actually landed Julian? He's known as the toughest client our firm has ever dealt with."

"Come on, when Bella turns on the charm, what man could resist? A multi-million-dollar contract is basically a walk in the park for her."

A wave of suggestive laughter rippled through the room.

My fiancée didn't bother denying it. Instead, she just waved them off with a coy smile.

"Stop it, guys. Keep it between us. If word gets out, people might get the wrong idea."

"It’s just a shame our time was so limited last night. I only got Julian to sign this one deal. I completely forgot to push for a five-year extension."

The office was practically buzzing with gossip.

The girl beside Bella nudged her shoulder, her voice dripping with jealousy.

"Oh, give me a break! You didn't leave a single scrap for the rest of us! Besides, you two already got so up close and personal last night. Five years? Ten years? You'll have plenty of chances to lock that down later, right?"

Through the cracked door, I saw Bella’s cheeks flush crimson.

The smile playing at the corners of her lips stabbed straight into my eyes.

Yesterday was supposed to be our engagement party. The moment our family and friends arrived, she took off.

She claimed an important client had just flown into town and that she had to seize this golden opportunity to close the deal.

I felt bad that she was working so hard. I even packed dinner from the party to bring home, wanting to make sure she had a warm meal when she returned.

Instead, I sat in that empty apartment, waiting for her all night long.

This morning, despite my dark circles, I had gotten up early to cook her a hot breakfast and bring it to her office.

Now, standing outside her door, it felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over my head.

I was nothing more than a joke.

The lunchbox slipped from my hands, hitting the floor with a loud thud.

"Who's out there?"

Everyone turned toward the door.

I didn't bother running. I simply pushed the door open and walked in.

Surprise flickered across Bella’s face before she walked over to me. "Ethan, what are you doing here?"

A female colleague chuckled. "Aw, Bella, your brother brought you breakfast again!"

I didn't say a word, my gaze locked on Bella.

The first time I came here with breakfast, Bella had introduced me to everyone as her "brother."

When I confronted her about it later, she answered with total indifference.

"Don't you take care of me like an older brother anyway? What those people think doesn't change our relationship. Don't take it to heart."

Yet that single word—"brother"—felt like it had severed any real connection between us.

Bella grabbed my arm, pulling me out into the hallway while whispering under her breath.

"Didn't I tell you? You really didn't need to make the trip."

Once we were out of the office, she pulled a small, elegant box from her purse and held it out.

"I know yesterday was my fault. But you know I'm at an age where competition at work is brutal. If I don't hustle, those younger girls will walk all over me."

"I bought this gift especially for you. Please don't be mad anymore, okay?"

She tugged at my hand, batting her big, watery eyes at me.

My face remained cold. The words I had just overheard kept replaying in my mind like a broken record.

Silently, I opened the box.

It was completely empty.

Pressed against the bottom of the box was a slightly crumpled, heart-shaped sticky note.

It read: *To the most handsome man in the world.*

Signed: *From Bella, who quietly adores you. Here's to a wonderful partnership!*

Since when did she and I need a "partnership"?

It hit me almost instantly—this had been intended for Julian.

As for where the gift inside went, the answer was obvious.

Bella caught sight of the note, and her expression froze. She snatched it out of my hands.

"I must have grabbed the wrong box. Ethan, don't overthink it. I'll go buy you another one later."

"Save it."