Chapter 1

On the eve of our wedding, my fiancé suddenly broke off our engagement and vanished completely from the world.

Sometimes, I even wondered if this perfect fiancé of mine was merely a figment of my imagination.

While I was drowning in despair, Samuel Glendale, the infamous scion of Croydon, began to passionately pursue me. Not long after, he proposed to me, and I thought it was heaven's way of compensating me for my pain.

Not long after that, I married Samuel and settled into the role of a full-time housewife, devoting myself entirely to caring for my husband.

Just as I thought my life was finally improving, I overheard Samuel speaking in his study. "Don't worry. Once she gives birth, we'll get a divorce."

It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head. My entire body froze like a rusted machine, unable to move.

"The child will definitely look like you, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and those little freckles… I swear you're the only one I love."

In just a few sentences, my perfect life shattered. It turned out I was nothing more than his surrogate.

It turned out that all the tenderness and affection had been a lie.

When Samuel came back, it was already 2:00 am. He moved quietly, not wanting to wake me up. When he saw my wide-open eyes, he nearly yelped in surprise.

"Lily, why are you awake?"

I forced myself to swallow the fury and resentment burning inside me. I replied indifferently, "I had some coffee tonight, and now I can't sleep."

He gently brushed a strand of hair from my face, his warm breath falling on my skin as he spoke, "Silly girl, why are you drinking coffee at night? Go to sleep now. Staying up late is bad for your health."

Samuel tucked the blanket around me, holding me tightly in his arms as he fell asleep.

Once I was certain he was sound asleep, I picked up his phone.

This was the first time I had ever checked his phone since our marriage.

Samuel wasn't very skilled at hiding things, or perhaps he had never imagined I would check his phone. After all, he had always treated me so well.

The person he had been on the phone with earlier was saved in his contacts as "Harp".

In his hidden photo album, I found intimate pictures of him and Harper.

I had met Harper before at a family gathering. Samuel had introduced her as his cousin. Her eyes had been full of thinly veiled malice, leaving a deep impression on me. I finally understood why she hated me so much.

Digging further into the chat history, I uncovered the truth. Harper was infertile, but she wanted a child. That was why I had been chosen.

They had paid my ex-fiancé a large sum of money to break up with me. He hadn't disappointed them and had abandoned me without hesitation.

Harper didn't want to miss out on the Glendale family gatherings, so she joined as "the cousin". Behind closed doors, however, she was recognized by the family as the true Mrs. Glendale. I had been the only one kept in the dark.

My dream marriage was nothing more than a clown's performance in a circus.