Chapter 1
The tenth year of being with Alexander Adams had become a string of sacrifices,
but this one cut the deepest.
My mother was gravely ill, her frail body battling time itself. Her only wish was to see me married and personally oversee the ceremony that would seal my happiness.
For this dream, I humbled myself, pleading with Alexander 99 times before he finally agreed to a wedding. His reluctance, though sharp, was overshadowed by my mother‘ s joy.
Despite her failing strength, she climbed Everwood Summit, step by agonizing step, and prayed to God to safeguard our future. Desperate for guidance, she turned to a mystic to divine the perfect moment to act, trusting that timing held the key to our
salvation.
She spent countless sleepless nights, her
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hands trembling, embroidering a love knot symbolizing eternal devotion.
But just three days before the wedding, Alexander shattered everything.
He stood before me, unyielding, his tone devoid of warmth. “Madeline‘ s birthday happens to fall on the same day. We‘ 11 have to postpone the wedding.
I collapsed to my knees, my voice trembling with desperation. “This date was chosen by someone my mother trusted. She’s holding on with all her strength just to see this day. Her birthday will come again next year, but my mom doesn‘ t have that kind of time.”
He barely spared me a glance, his attention. consumed by choosing the perfect cake for Madeline Landers.
“What does it matter to me if your mom lives or dies?” he said coldly. “Even if she’s truly at death‘ s door, she can wait until Madeline finishes celebrating her
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birthday.”
After delivering those cruel words, Alexander walked away with his childhood sweetheart, leaving without a backward glance.
Left in despair, I resolved to move on, choosing a partner who truly deserved to stand by my side in marriage.
On the day of her birthday, Alexander s paranoia got the better of him. He seemed convinced I would cause some sort of disruption and made sure his assistant kept a vigilant eye on me.
The assistant convinced him, “Sir, you don’t need to worry. Miss Carter is getting married today; there’s no way she has time to cause any trouble…”
***
In the dimly lit hospital room, my mother sat on the edge of the bed, clutching the embroidered love knot in her frail hands. Her trembling fingers repeatedly moved.
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over the stitches, searching for flaws she could no longer see.
The cancer had cruelly spread to her brain, stealing her vision bit by bit. Each misstep in her stitching forced her to undo and redo her work, her determination unbroken by the pain wracking her fragile body.
Despite endless sleepless nights caused by the agony, she always smiled when she reached out to touch my head. “It’s such a blessing to see my baby so happy,” she whispered. “I can leave this world without regret.”
Her words struck a chord deep within me, and the tears I had held back for so long threatened to spill. Before they betrayed me, I hurried out of the room, feigning an
excuse.
Once outside, I unlocked my phone, my hands shaking. The screen lit up with a message from Alexander. His words were cold and curt, informing me that the
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wedding was postponed.
Gripping the phone like a lifeline, I sank to the ground, biting into my hand to stifle the sobs that surged from my chest. Hot tears streamed down my face as the muffled groans of my mother’s pain seeped through the thin hospital door.
Wiping my face with trembling hands, I stood up, my resolve hardening. Without hesitation, I called Alexander.
***
Standing at the doorway of the private room, the soft melody of a love song floated to my ears. I didn’t need to peek inside to know Alexander and Madeline were singing together.
Summoning every ounce of courage, I pushed open the door. The room fell silent as heads turned toward me, the weight of their stares sharp and unforgiving. These weren’t strangers; they were Alexander and Madeline‘ s mutual friends, a tight-
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knit circle I had never truly been a part of.
From the moment Madeline had left Alexander to pursue her dreams abroad, I had stepped into the void she left behind. To them, I was an intruder, a placeholder for someone irreplaceable. Their cold hostility had been a constant shadow, their contempt an unspoken verdict.
Once, their disdain would have sent me retreating into the safety of silence, but not tonight. Tonight, I walked forward, each step deliberated, each breath steady, until I stood before Alexander at the centre of the
crowd.
Madeline’s gaze met mine, her lips.
curling into a mocking smile. She moved ast if to step away, but Alexander stopped her with ease. His arm tightened around her waist, pulling her back into his embrace. His hand was possessive and unyielding, drawing a soft, playful laugh from her lips.
The sound was like shards of glass piercing through the fragile armor around my heart.
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Pain surged through me, sharp and unrelenting, as though a thousand needles. had carved their mark deep within my
chest.
But I couldn’t afford to let my emotions. consume me now. Pushing aside their intimate gestures, I found my voice and spoke clearly. “Alexander, no matter how you feel about me now, I’ve loved you with all my heart for ten years. If you don‘ t postpone the wedding, I promise to walk away after it’s over and never bother you again.”
For a decade, I had given him my everything, hoping that my love had carved even the smallest space in his heart.
People whispered that I was nothing more than a stand–in for Madeline, a placeholder for the woman who had always been his first choice. But I had clung to the belief that I was more than that, that I mattered to him, even if she had returned.
