Chapter 1

As I was rushed to the hospital, disbelief overwhelmed me—my husband and my best friend had betrayed me.

I was supposed to marry Daniel Lewis tomorrow.

On our way back to the capital for the big day, the highway gave way beneath us.

Juliet Ellis, my so-called best friend, and I plummeted into a gaping chasm.

Daniel, following in the car behind, ignored my severe head injury and rushed to Juliet's minor scrapes. "Don't worry, Juliet, I'm here," he said to assure her, leaving me in the soon-to-explode car.

A masked stranger pulled me from the wreckage at the last second.

Boom.

That was when I woke from the nightmare, only to learn that Daniel and Juliet were safe, partying it up at the Lewis estate.

It was as if my absence meant nothing.

Still feverish, I yanked out my IV and taxied to the Lewis estate.

Stepping into the banquet hall, I saw Daniel and Juliet dancing intimately under the soft glow of crystal chandeliers, looking every bit the evening's main attraction.

Post-dance, they cozied up in the lounge area.

"You two are perfect for each other. Why don't you just marry Juliet?" Daniel's buddy, John Canfield, teased.

"Teresa already had her shot at marriage, always so prim and proper, like a frigid puppet. Juliet's been into you since middle school, heart and soul."

Juliet smirked and said, "Well, we can't be too hard on Teresa. Her first husband was off on duty on their wedding day. She might still be untouched."

John raised an eyebrow. "How can you be so sure she's never been with anyone? Times have changed."

Juliet gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "That can't be true. She seems so traditional, and a woman's virtue is still the greatest gift she can bring to a marriage."

John let out a derisive snort. "For all we know, her prim and proper act could just be a ploy to jack up her price. Poor Daniel's become the laughingstock for taking Kenny's sloppy seconds."

Before his mysterious disappearance, Kenny Gibson had been Daniel's notorious rival.

Daniel, visibly annoyed, pulled out a cigarette and lit it with a flick of his lighter.

He took a drag, his voice dripping with disdain as he said, "I lost interest in her ages ago. Twelve years of chasing, and all our families' intertwined business... I've been disgusted by her for a long time, and yet she still parades around like some paragon of virtue."

A sharp ache throbbed in my heart, tears threatening to spill from my eyes. I bit down on my wrist, the pain keeping a scream of anguish at bay.

My legs felt like lead as I forced myself to walk on.

John stood up, clearly uncomfortable. "Teresa, you've arrived."

I faced Daniel, my voice breaking as I said, "If you think I'm so tainted, why do you want to marry me?"

Today marked four years since my arranged marriage to Kenny.

However, he vanished on our wedding day, and the whispers in the city declared him dead.

I honored his memory for four years.

The Gibsons had orchestrated my second chance, pushing me to marry Daniel, my childhood friend who had stood by me.

Yet the stories of loyal lovers were just that—stories.

Daniel did not love me; he even called me filthy.

Panic flickered across Daniel's face for a moment, but a frosty sneer quickly replaced it. "Teresa, all those years I spent pursuing you were just to show I could outdo Kenny."

He pulled Juliet close, his eyes raking over me before he let out a scornful laugh.

"Maybe you should get a check-up at the hospital. If you're still pure, I won't mind going through with the wedding."

Darkness closed in on me, and I had to grip the back of the couch to keep from passing out right there.

Daniel's words cut through me like a knife, shredding my heart to pieces.

I inhaled deeply, summoning all my strength to stand tall, refusing to let the dignity of a lady from a distinguished family crumble.

I slid the ring off my finger and set it on the coffee table.

If he could be so heartless, then the wedding was off.

"Daniel, we don't need to have a wedding tomorrow."

I turned to Juliet and said, "Or maybe you can find yourself a new bride."

As I spun on my heel to leave, Juliet grabbed me. "Teresa, don't act so rashly. Daniel's been after you for 12 years. If you bail on the wedding, what about his reputation?"

Her grip was painful, and I instinctively shook her off, sending her tumbling to the floor.

I froze, shocked. I had not pushed hard, especially not in my feverish state, barely strong enough to fend off an adult.

However, Daniel shoved me away, my back slamming against the icy wall, the throbbing pain almost bringing me to my knees.

Yet there he was, helping Juliet up, glaring at me with a mix of blame and fury. "Teresa, if you're going, then go now. Don't lay a hand on Juliet, and don't stick around here making things worse."

He took Juliet's hand, eyes locked on me, but his words were meant for everyone there.

"The wedding's off tomorrow."

Sorrow overwhelmed me, and I fought back the acrid taste of tears as I headed for the door.

John's voice followed my exit. "Daniel, you sure this won't cause trouble?"

"What trouble? She's been married before. She still thinks she's some untainted flower of high society? Pfft! Who'd want her after me? Just watch; she'll come crawling back tomorrow."