Chapter 1
Angelica’s POV
“You may now exchange rings,” the priest said.
My heart was racing. I looked at Adrian, eyes brimming with love. He took my hand and pulled me closer.
I thought he was going to kiss me.
I could feel his warm breath against my ear, but what he actually whispered was, “Wanna know where I was last night?”
“I was fucking Misty. Right on these pews.”
I froze. In that exact same second, the priest declared us husband and wife.
Adrian pulled back, a sadistic smirk plastered on his face. He seemed to love my reaction.
“She’s a screamer. I couldn’t help myself, we went at it a few times.”
I gasped, covering my mouth as the tears hit.
Adrian studied me, savoring my agony like a spectator.
“Now I finally get why Matthew did it. She’s a hell of a lot better in bed than you are.”
“Any man would choose her over you.”
It took a lifetime for me to find my voice.
“Why… why are you doing this to me?” I stammered.
Why the romantic drone proposal? Why the elaborate surprise? Why lure me into this church and make me believe this was a fresh start? Just to rip the rug out from under me at the most important moment of my life?
Adrian rolled his eyes and let out a bark of laughter.
“Okay, fine. You win, babe.”
I stared at him, lost. “Who the hell are you talking to?”
A woman’s voice—lazy and smug—floated from his phone.
“You lost, Adrian. Tonight, I’m the one on top.”
I looked at the screen, my blood turning to ice.
“Misty and I had a bet,” Adrian said, tossing the phone onto the dash as he casually gripped the steering wheel.
“I thought you’d go ballistic—maybe punch me or try to sue me for everything. But she called it. She knew you’d just stand there like a moron and ask why.”
“I’m cheating on you and you don’t even have the guts to get mad? You’re so fucking boring, Angelica.”
“You’re a goddamn buzzkill.”
My vision blurred. I lunged at him, shaking his shoulder.
“You’re lying… Adrian, tell me you’re lying! The drones, the proposal… it was all real, right? Tell me this is just a sick joke! Please!”
“Say something! This is a prank, right?! Say it!”
Misty’s laughter erupted from the phone, mocking my stupidity.
“Five years later and you’re still this pathetic? At least you have decent taste in men. Adrian’s mine now.”
That taunting laugh made my skin crawl.
Five years ago… it felt like a past life.
I thought I’d buried those memories for good.
Back then, I was still with Matthew. I’d come home early from a business trip to surprise him for his birthday.
I walked in to find a trail of clothes stretching from the front door all the way to the living room.
My black lace bra—the one Matthew had just bought me for Valentine’s Day—was dangling off the bedroom doorknob.
The muffled moans drifting out made my head throb.
Through the sheer white curtains, I saw two bodies tangled together against the window.
When Matthew realized I was there, he went pale.
He scrambled for his pants, screaming, “What the fuck, Angelica? Are you trying to give me a fucking heart attack?! You couldn’t call first?”
Misty just sat there, casually lighting a cigarette.
“Don’t look at me like that, Angie. You have to admit, he’s fucking hot.”
I remember asking them “why.”
Their mouths were moving, answering me, but I couldn’t hear a word.
Then I felt something wet. I thought I’d lost control of my bladder. I looked down.
My white dress was soaked in red. Blood was dripping onto the carpet, drop by drop.
I looked up, dazed, watching them scream and rush toward me as I blacked out.
I spent a month in the ICU.
That day, I lost the three most important things in my life: my best friend, my husband of one year, and my three-month-old baby.
“Enough,” Adrian’s voice snapped me back from the humiliation.
“I’ll deal with her later. I’m dropping her off first.”
“The ticket to San Francisco is booked. I’m taking you to the airport now, so behave.”
He spoke like nothing had happened, like I was the one being a crazy person.
I stared blankly at the ring on my finger.
“You promised,” I whispered, the tears falling silently. “You promised you’d never hurt me like Matthew did.”
He didn’t wipe them away this time. He just looked at me with pure contempt.
“If you’d chosen me back then, maybe I would’ve actually loved you. But you picked that loser Matthew. Why the hell should I be loyal to you now?”
“This is payback.”
I looked at him like he was a stranger.
All those years… he had been holding a grudge the whole time.
