Chapter 2

I thought I was his one true love, but it turned out I was just Isaiah's plaything. The happy and blissful marriage I had cherished was simply a fantasy he orchestrated. Isaiah was never an orphan, and all that talk about a failed business and owing more than a million dollars was a lie because his family was actually powerful and wealthy.

Then, I heard someone else in the private room say, "By the way, I heard Regina was thrilled with the necklace you gave her last night, and she's thinking about rekindling things with you."

Another voice chimed in, "If she finds out you're married, won't that break her heart?"

Someone else added, "It serves Regina right for dumping Isaiah back then just to go abroad for her film career."

"Don't you know that Isaiah only married that country bumpkin to get back at Regina?"

My whole body trembled, and I nearly lost my balance. Not only did Isaiah not love me, but he had also turned me into a tool for his revenge against another woman. My heart was about to shatter.

Regina was his first love, and Isaiah's parents never approved of her leaving the country for her acting career. When she dumped Isaiah, he became convinced that no woman could be trusted.

As a result of that heartbreak, he entertained himself by toying with women's hearts and cycling through girlfriends. Eventually, he decided to find someone to marry just to spite Regina.

Yet, Isaiah feared a gold digger. Hence, he chose to hide his wealth and identity, targeting someone he thought would not suspect a thing. That someone was me—the fool he played so perfectly.

It was not my fault Regina betrayed him, but he trampled on my dignity and emotions like I deserved to pay for her sins. A wave of nausea hit me, and I was ready to leave.

Just then, someone inside the room asked, "Isaiah, what if Aimee finds out who you really are?"

Isaiah's response was dismissive. "She's too busy working herself to the bone to even notice. She spends her free time grocery shopping and cooking leftovers for me.

"Even if she does find out, it's not like she can touch my money. I'll make sure she leaves with nothing in the divorce—not a single penny!"

Every bit of color drained from my face. I looked up just in time to see Regina, dressed to the nines, walking into the room. The moment she arrived, everyone started gushing about how stunning she looked.

As a server came in with more dishes, the door to the private room swung open. I caught a glimpse of Regina seated right next to Isaiah, and their gazes were locked in a way that spoke volumes.

Regina lightly touched the sparkling diamond necklace around her neck and said coquettishly, "I really love this necklace, Isaiah. Thank you."

He smiled and replied, "I'm glad you like it—that's all that matters."

He was so generous to his first love that he could toss out a four-million-dollar necklace without a second thought. Yet, I was not even worth a 200-dollar bag in his eyes.

I could not bear to listen any longer. I stumbled out of the restaurant and almost fell down the steps in my haste to leave.

I sobbed uncontrollably, tears running down my face, as I walked along the street. For the past three years, I loved Isaiah with every fiber of my being.

I used to worry about him overworking himself, so I often made hearty homemade stews to keep him healthy. I stuck to cheap skincare products under 100 dollars while saving up to buy him better clothes and shoes, then pretended I got them on sale.

He would praise me for being smart. In reality, I had been a complete fool.

It was dark by the time I got back home, and I found Isaiah in the kitchen cooking dinner. He peeked his head out when he heard me come in, giving me a sheepish grin.

He greeted, "Hey, honey, you're home—dinner's ready!"

It was impossible to reconcile this man in a worn-out apron, cramped in our tiny kitchen, with the billionaire heir I had just discovered him to be.

While stirring a pan, Isaiah said, "Honey, I got a great deal on this fish today; the owner knocked off a couple of bucks for me.

"Also, I've been saving up cardboard scraps for the past two weeks and managed to make 68 dollars selling them, so after buying groceries, I still have five left over."

I closed my eyes as my heart twisted painfully. I could not believe just how far he was willing to go to keep up this charade.

Looking at the home-cooked dinner spread on the table, I could not help but feel bitter irony wash over me. In the past, I would have run over to hug him and tell him he was the greatest husband in the world.

I remembered what I had overheard in that private room earlier, and my fists tightened at my sides. It turned out Isaiah had learned to cook solely for Regina. Yet, he had told me he only started cooking after marrying me.

He also claimed that he grew up without anyone caring for him, often went hungry, was the target of bullying, and only survived thanks to kind strangers who helped him.

I used to feel so sorry for him whenever he told those stories, never suspecting that every word was a lie—including the part where he said he loved me.

The thought of his deception made me burst into tears again. When Isaiah carried a dish out of the kitchen and saw me crying, he rushed over.

He asked, "Honey, did something happen at work?"

He furrowed his brows and added, "Please, say something—who upset you? Seeing you like this breaks my heart. Once I start earning enough, you won't have to work anymore. You can stay home, and I'll take care of you."

Each "honey" that fell from his mouth, coupled with the worry on his handsome face, felt like a masterful performance now.

I trembled as I asked, "Isaiah, do you love me?"

Isaiah smiled tenderly and replied, "Of course, I love you. You're the only woman I'll ever love."

I stared into his eyes, remembering every cruel word he had spoken about me at the restaurant. Every word he had uttered behind my back was like a bullet piercing my heart. He saw me as worthless trash and just a way to kill time, or worse yet, a stepping stone to get his ex back.

Hearing him say he loved me now only made me feel nauseous. It was so fake I could hardly stand it. He reached for me, trying to pull me into his arms, but I stepped back and wiped away my tears.

I glared at him and growled, "Isaiah, your acting skills are seriously impressive."

He tried to play dumb. "Honey, what are you talking about?"

I grabbed my phone, opened the photos I had saved from the night before, and choked out, "Isaiah, are you done playing your games?"