I was married to Caden Thorne for three years. He hated me the entire time. When I was kidnapped, I begged him for help. His response was a cold refusal. "She's just a replacement. Do whatever you want with her." His "first love" laughed along. "If she hadn't forced him into marriage, we would have been together years ago." "Let her suffer a bit. It's the price she pays for what she did." That night, broken by torture and despair, I fell from the rooftop. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the eve of our engagement. At that moment, he received a text from his "first love" inviting him to meet. He flew from New York to LA overnight. As soon as he left, I bought a plane ticket too. "Going to LA to catch him cheating?" my friend asked. "No." I shook my head, smiling at her shocked expression. "I'm going back to Boston." This time. He went west to be with his beauty. And I went north, to chase my dreams. 1 The last memory of my previous life was dragging my broken, decaying body to the edge of the roof and falling. The pain of broken ribs piercing my lungs and blood choking me was still vivid. Then, time rewound. I opened my eyes to a steamy bathroom. A group of rich, spoiled trust fund kids surrounded me, their tones mocking. "Sister, if there's no mirror at home, surely you have piss to look into?" "Look at this pathetic sight. You think you're worthy of being Caden's fiancée?" "Keep dreaming. Come on, let's help wake her up." The leader sneered and sprayed freezing water directly into my face. The icy water dripped down my hair, making me shiver. Through my blurred vision, I saw a younger Caden Thorne leaning against the door frame, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He flicked his lighter. Click. The flame danced. "Sarah." He called my name, his brow gentle. But his words were like unmelted winter ice. "Since you came looking for me, I might as well be clear." "The engagement arranged by our elders doesn't count." "Do you understand?" He tore the gold-stamped engagement contract I had treasured for years into shreds. The pieces fell like endless snow. I pressed my lips together, saying nothing. My gaze moved past him to the open bottle of whiskey on the table. Only then did I realize. This wasn't the bloody scene of my death after the kidnapping. It was— Three years ago, the night before Caden and I were supposed to get our marriage license. 2 The thin paper fragments seemed to fold into frames of a movie, pulling me into a distant yet clear memory. It was ridiculous, really. This torn engagement contract came about when Caden accompanied his grandfather to Boston for medical treatment. They heard my uncle was a brilliant doctor and moved in next door. Caden coaxed me into signing it. At first, no one supported this relationship. The Sterling family had been doctors for generations, detached from the pursuit of wealth and fame. The Thorne family, however, ruled the New York business world. The gap in our status was too wide. Grandfather Thorne thought it was just puppy love and didn't take it seriously. But Caden was so serious, begging both families to agree. He knelt on the ground, swearing to treat me well forever. Moved by his sincerity, I held his hand firmly, standing by his side. The tug-of-war lasted six months. Grandfather Thorne couldn't say no to him and finally agreed to the engagement. We had a brief, happy time. "Sarah, I like you." "The kind of like where I want to marry you and spend my life with you." The boy stared at me, his eyes shining. He solemnly framed the paper, writing our names in gold ink. Later, Grandfather Thorne recovered and prepared to return to New York. Before leaving, Caden hugged me so tight it felt like he wanted to merge me into his bones. "Wait for me." "I'll come back for you." But unfortunately, he broke his promise. From seventeen to twenty-seven, we were long-distance for ten years. When I finally went to New York full of hope to find Caden and fulfill our promise, he gave me only one sentence. "The engagement arranged by our elders doesn't count." I sat in the dark stairwell crying. I couldn't understand what went wrong. Even if he wanted to break up, there should be a reason. After everyone left the room, I pushed open the door again. But I was pulled into a drunken embrace and pressed against the window. "Selena, you're back?" Hot breath landed on my neck. Before I could speak, my lips were sealed by a lingering kiss. ...... 3 The next morning, the doorbell rang. I rubbed my sore waist and went to open it, thinking it was the maid, but it was Grandfather Thorne visiting his grandson. We were caught in the act. Even though Caden was reluctant, he married me. On the wedding day, during the toast. A girl who looked seventy or eighty percent like me sat in the audience, red-eyed, raising her glass. "Congratulations." "Wishing you a happy marriage and a long life together." Caden didn't respond. His hand clenched at his side, veins popping, knuckles white. After a long while, he snatched the glass, drank from where her lips had touched, and downed it in one gulp. His voice was strained. "Thanks, Selena." In that moment, I realized. That night, when he called "Selena," he meant Selena Quinn. And I was just a substitute for his white moonlight. Before she returned to the country, he intended to break it off with me completely, but in his drunken state, he mistook me for her. Creating a lifelong regret. For three years of marriage, Caden hated me. He never looked me in the eye. Even accidental touches were shaken off like I was filth. On our anniversary, I was kidnapped by his business rival to force him to give up a piece of land worth billions in Manhattan. In the abandoned factory, I trembled as I called him for help. Only to receive a cold refusal. "Heh, where does Mr. Chen get the confidence that she's worth that much?" "She's just a replacement. Do whatever you want." "Even if you break her, I won't feel a thing." Selena Quinn laughed along. "She deserves it." "If she hadn't forced the marriage, we would have been together long ago." "Letting her suffer is just the price for her mistake." The sudden hang-up made the kidnappers look at me with even more anger. What followed was a night of humiliation and torture. Until dawn broke. I curled up in the corner, clothes torn, like a broken doll, trying to escape to call the police. But my mind broke, and I fell from the roof. The second before consciousness faded. I thought of nothing but this— If there is a next life, I will love the mountains, I will love the water. But I will never, ever love Caden Thorne again. Absolutely not. Fortunately, heaven had mercy. It gave me a chance to start over. 4 My thoughts returned. The old memories receded like the tide. But the accumulated grievances and bitterness from my past life lingered. I bit my lip, unable to hold back a tear. "Woah, crying already?" "She really loves Caden." "What a pathetic simp." The crowd laughed, convinced I loved Caden too much to leave. Even Caden thought so. He raised an eyebrow, impatient. "Save the cheap tears." "Think crying will make me soft?" The crystal chandelier light hit his face. Those amber eyes were dazzling, features sharp and handsome, but his gaze was cold. "Sarah, have some self-awareness." "We are worlds apart. It was your blessing that I lowered myself to play with you for a few years." "Be smart and stop pestering me." "We're even." I wiped my tears and spoke my first words since rebirth. "Breaking the engagement is fine." "But—" Caden froze. He hadn't expected me to agree so calmly. In the moment he was stunned, I grabbed the whiskey bottle from the table and unscrewed the cap as fast as I could. The sherry-brown liquid splashed out. The rich kids who mocked me were now covered in alcohol, looking pathetic. Including Caden. He looked down, lashes trembling, his expensive shirt and watch ruined. I wrung out my dripping hair and met his disbelieving gaze. Word by word, I said: "Now we're even." Amidst the gasps. I didn't stay a second longer, turning and leaving decisively.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "388975", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel