Chapter 1

When Caiden Fowler had only seven days left to live, he begged Alexandra Clayton to give him a chance to make up for his regrets.

"Alexandra, the truth is, I've always loved Leyla," he said. "Now, at this point, I don't want to settle anymore. Can you sign the divorce papers and let me be with her?"

Yet, he was the one who had abandoned his wife and child, and now he was the one crying for reconciliation.

...

At Willow Haven Manor, a whip cracked through the air, striking the man kneeling in the courtyard.

Blood mixed with rainwater, pooling beneath Caiden's knees.

After what felt like an eternity, the sound of the whip finally stopped.

Caiden's body swayed as he slowly lifted his pale, bloodless face.

He looked toward the figure standing in the shadows under the corridor. "Alexandra, let these hundred lashes settle the debt of the eight years I deceived you," he said. "For the time I have left, I hope you won't disturb Leyla and me."

With that, he struggled to his feet and walked toward the gate.

Alexandra clenched her fists tightly upon hearing his words.

She never imagined that her husband of seven years would leave her like this.

"Caiden!" She took two steps after him, her voice heavy. "Aren't you afraid of losing everything, of your reputation crumbling?"

Caiden paused, then turned to meet her gaze, his voice calm. "Given how things are now, what do I have left to fear?"

Without another word, he walked away, leaving no trace of hesitation.

The gate opened and closed.

Alexandra tasted blood in her mouth, unsure if the wetness on her face was rain or tears.

After a moment, she called her lawyer. "Draft a divorce agreement," she said.

Then she instructed the household staff, "Pack up all of Mr. Fowler's belongings and move them to storage."

After finishing these tasks, Alexandra went upstairs.

She took down their wedding photo and tossed it into the fire.

The image of them, once so close, twisted and blurred in the flames.

Her vision blurred as well.

Caiden and Alexandra had been married for seven years, deeply in love.

Or so she thought, until that day, when she realized it was all a lie.

Three months earlier, Caiden went abroad on business and was kidnapped.

Though he escaped, he had been injected with a new, unknown toxin.

They tried everything to find an antidote, even funding a dedicated research lab.

But no matter what they did, there was no progress.

Despair crept into both their hearts.

Until that day, when the lab confirmed Caiden's body could only hold out for one more week.

That was when he came to Alexandra, begging for a chance to right his regrets.

"Alexandra, my heart has always belonged to someone else," he said. "With so little time left, I don't want to keep pretending. I hope you can let me go."

Only then did Alexandra realize she had always been his compromise.

The door clicked open.

Her assistant strode in with a stack of documents. "Ms. Clayton, we've gathered information on Leyla Morrison and her past with Mr. Fowler."

Alexandra flipped through the files.

Leyla and Caiden had once been lovers.

Leyla came from a humble background, while Caiden was the heir to a wealthy family.

Their love had faced fierce opposition from his family.

In the end, Caiden chose his family over Leyla, abandoning her.

Now, for Leyla, he was abandoning Alexandra.

Her assistant held out her phone. "Ms. Clayton, look at this."

Just half an hour earlier, Caiden had rented every LED billboard in the city to confess his love for Leyla.

"Leyla Morrison, I love you."

Those words burned Alexandra's eyes.

Once, Caiden had gone to similar lengths to profess his love for Alexandra.

He had said, "In this world, you're the only one worth this kind of effort."

Back then, everyone envied Alexandra for choosing the right man.

She gave a bitter smile.

"Ms. Clayton!" her assistant exclaimed suddenly, her voice bright. "The lab just sent word. They've decoded the toxin's molecular structure. With this, they'll likely develop an antidote soon. Mr. Fowler can be saved!"

Alexandra's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively dialed Caiden's number.

Before she could speak, a woman's low, sharp scream came through the phone.

Then Caiden's voice, slightly breathless, answered. "What is it?"

Alexandra gripped the phone tightly, her voice cold. "Caiden, what are you doing?"

There was a pause on the other end. "Alexandra, I told you not to bother me anymore," he said.

The call ended.

The mechanical busy tone filled her ears. She took a deep breath and redialed.

But then she realized he had blocked her.

Alexandra put the phone down.

From Caiden and Leyla's history, it was clear.

Caiden was a cold, calculating man.

Now, facing death, he was willing to throw everything away.

Alexandra wiped away the tears that had fallen unnoticed and gave a hollow laugh, her gaze settling on the man in her phone's wallpaper.

Caiden Fowler.

If he found out he wasn't going to die, would he still be so reckless?

She would wait and see.