Chapter 1

The heavy glass door of the city clerk' s office swung shut behind Ethan Miller, the sound echoing the finality he felt in his gut. Today was supposed to be perfect, it was his third wedding anniversary with Olivia Reed. He had planned to surprise her by getting a certified copy of their marriage certificate, a simple, sentimental piece of paper he wanted to frame as a gift.

He clutched the small, official-looking envelope in his hand. The clerk, a tired-looking woman with glasses perched on her nose, had stared at him with a mixture of pity and confusion.

"Sir, I' ve checked the records for that date, and the years before and after," she had said, her voice flat. "There is no marriage certificate on file for an Ethan Miller and an Olivia Reed."

Ethan had insisted, his voice calm at first, then tight with frustration, "There must be a mistake, we were married right here, three years ago today."

The clerk had sighed and typed again, her nails clicking against the keyboard. "I can find an Olivia Reed, yes, but her legal spouse is listed as Alex Thorne, married two and a half years ago."

Alex Thorne. The name hit Ethan like a physical blow. His protégé, the talented young architect he had mentored, the man who had filled in for him on a major project when Ethan had to go overseas for six months. The man Olivia had once complained about, calling him too ambitious, too eager to please.

The city air felt cold against his skin as he walked, the envelope suddenly feeling heavy, like a stone. He thought he was married to the love of his life, but he was a ghost in his own story, his marriage a phantom, a lie. Olivia wasn't his wife, she was legally married to someone else. To Alex.

His mind reeled, a flood of memories washing over him, each one now tainted, poisoned by this new reality. He remembered their first meeting at a gala, Olivia in a stunning red dress, her laughter bright and captivating. He remembered their first date, talking for hours until the cafe closed around them. He remembered the day he proposed, on a windsweोरेंट bluff overlooking the ocean, her eyes filled with what he thought were tears of joy.

Every memory was a lie.

He remembered the arguments, too, small cracks in the foundation he had ignored. He' d come back from his six-month overseas assignment to find Olivia distant. She' d complained that he was gone too long, that she was lonely. She had mentioned Alex a lot during that time, how helpful he was, how he was always there.

"He' s just a replacement, Ethan," she had said one night, her voice sharp. "A temporary stand-in until the real star came back."

He had believed her. He had been so consumed by his love for her, so blinded by the perfect life he thought they were building, that he had accepted her explanation without question. He was the star, Alex was just the understudy.

Now, the word "replacement" echoed in his mind with a sickening new meaning.

He reached their apartment, the home he had designed himself, a monument to their supposed love. He let himself in quietly, his key turning silently in the lock. The lights were off, but he could hear her voice drifting from the bedroom. She was on the phone.

He froze in the hallway, his back pressed against the cool wall, listening.

"Of course, I miss you, Alex," Olivia' s voice was a low, intimate murmur, a tone she only used with him, or so he had thought. "No, Ethan doesn't know anything, he' s as clueless as ever." A soft laugh followed. "You know I can' t leave him, not yet. He' s too useful, his name still carries weight in this city, but you' re the one I' m married to, you' re the one I truly need."

The words struck him with the force of a physical assault, knocking the air from his lungs. It wasn't a mistake, it wasn't a misunderstanding. It was a calculated, manipulative betrayal. She needed Alex, but she was using Ethan. He was a tool, a stepping stone, a convenient brand name for her to leverage. Their entire life together was a sham, a meticulously crafted performance.

A cold, hard clarity settled over him, replacing the shock and heartbreak. The love he felt for her died in that hallway, replaced by something icy and sharp. He wouldn't confront her, he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of a fight. He would do what she had never expected.

He would disappear. He would erase Ethan Miller from her life so completely that it would be as if he never existed. And then, when she was comfortable and secure in her world built on his back, he would return and take everything from her.

He backed away from the bedroom door silently, his movements precise and controlled. He walked out of the apartment, closing the door behind him without a sound. The decision was made, the path was clear. His life with Olivia Reed was over. His new life had just begun.