Chapter 1
“Mom, I want to call off the wedding.”
Asteria Mitchell’s voice trembled as she spoke, the weight of her decision pressing down on her. The call reached her mother, far away overseas.
Isabelle was silent for a moment before her voice came through, steady but with an undertone of acceptance. “Alright. I’m growing older, and my health isn’t what it once was. This family business will soon fall into your hands. The sooner you return, the sooner you can adjust.”
Asteria’s voice cracked, her attempt at feigned lightness falling short as a small sob escaped.
Her mother didn’t ask any more.
questions, only letting out a long, heavy
เส
sigh. “I thought that child was different, but
in the end… he still walked the same path your father and I did.”
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Asteria stayed silent; her heart weighed.
down with sorrow.
Before tonight, she had truly believed Primo Chromos was different. They had grown up together as childhood
sweethearts, their bond sealed at eighteen,
a promise they both thought would last forever.
Primo was a rare gem in their social circle, standing as a beacon of virtue.
As the heir to the Chromos family, he was a far cry from the usual picture of indulgence and arrogance. Instead, he was known for his discipline, courtesy, and unwavering integrity.
Over their ten years together, Primo had never once been involved in any scandals, nor had he ever raised his voice in an argument with Asteria.
It was commonly said that, despite Primo‘ s quiet nature, his love for Asteria was unwavering, his devotion apparent in
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every unspoken gesture.
Yet, that night, the engagement party tore apart Asteria’s ten–year–long fantasy and laid bare the reality she hadn’t wanted to
face.
Primo had made the fateful decision to invite the one person Asteria wished to avoid–her stepsister, Yesha Foster.
The moment Asteria saw Yesha, a flood of painful memories swept over her.
She remembered the day Yesha and her mother came, seeking to provoke them, her own mother breaking down in tears on the sofa, then leaving without a second glance.
Those two had slowly stripped away everything from her–humiliating and bullying her, day after day.
Overcome by a tidal wave of emotions, Asteria’s hand trembled, causing her wine glass to shatter. In a rush of instinct, she sought refuge behind Primo.
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But this time, Primo shoved her aside, his voice cold and sharp as he reprimanded her, “Asteria, look at yourself! Apologize to Yesha right now!”
Asteria stood frozen, her mind reeling.
Following Primo’s gaze, she noticed the faint stain of wine on Yesha’s shoes.
The sight was more than Asteria could. bear. With a sharp command, she called for security to drag Yesha out.
But Primo, his temper flaring for all to see, accused her of being drunk and losing control. He declared her unfit to be the future Mrs. Chromos.
In front of everyone, he left her standing there, humiliated, and walked away with Yesha.
Whether it was the alcohol or the sting of public humiliation, Asteria’s face burned
with shame.
Unable to endure the mocking gazes and
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cruel whispers, she fled the engagement party, her heart heavy with disgrace.
She wandered aimlessly through the streets for over three hours, the biting wind seeping deep into her bones and her head pounding with every step. Finally, she found her way back to Willowcrest Manor.
If anyone else had appeared today, Asterial might have thought it was all just a misunderstanding.
She might have even been willing to give Primo another chance, to spend another decade or two at his side without expecting a thing in return.
But it had to be Yesha.
Yesha, the one who had stolen everything from her. Yesha, the person she despised more than anyone else in the world.
As Asteria made her way home, she struggled with the decision of whether to end the relationship.
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When she reached the bottom of the stairs, two familiar figures caught her eye through
the window.
There, in her bridal chamber, was Primo, holding the woman she hated most in a tight embrace.
Her heart pounded in disbelief as Asterial pulled up the surveillance footage on her phone, revealing a sight that would haunt her forever.
