Chapter 1

I spent seven years in a relationship with a renowned celebrity photographer.

She was my direct boss and my secret girlfriend.

I gave up my entire former life for her, working tirelessly as her humble personal assistant.

At the press conference where she won the prestigious International Lens Award, she held the microphone with a radiant smile and announced her engagement.

Just as I stood up, filled with hope and ready to walk onto the stage, another man was already standing by her side.

Vanessa took his hand, smiled tenderly at him, and said into the microphone:

"Liam, thank you for supporting my career all these years. Half of this trophy belongs to you."

After the press conference, she sent me a message on SnapChat:

[Julian, Liam doesn't mind you staying. You can continue working as my assistant and remain by my side.]

This time, I swallowed the bitter lump in my throat. I pulled out my phone and texted my family back in New York, agreeing to return home and take over our family empire.

Yet when she finally discovered who I truly was, she went utterly insane trying to marry me.

"Mom, I’m flying home tomorrow. Tell Dad not to be angry anymore. I was young, stubborn, and stupid."

After sending the text, I tossed my phone onto the bed and lit a cigarette.

Smoke curled into the air, catching the faint, warm amber beam of the lamp cutting through the dark bedroom.

I tried to force myself to forget everything I had endured over the past seven years. But the harder I tried to erase it, the clearer every painful memory became.

Beneath the dim light, I turned around and stared at the framed portraits of Vanessa Vance covering the wall.

Only then did I realize that throughout our entire seven years together, we didn't have a single photo of us as a couple.

My screen lit up. Another SnapChat notification popped up from Vanessa.

[Julian, come over to the studio. There’s an upcoming strategy meeting. I need to brief you on the schedule.]

My finger hovered over the power button to shut the phone down. But the habit of devoting myself entirely to her for seven straight years kept me from pressing it.

I let out a long sigh, grabbed my coat, and walked out the door.

The Miami night was cold and damp. The studio was only a few blocks from my apartment, positioned so I could rush to her whenever she snapped her fingers.

I was the one who had handled the entire renovation of this studio to match her exact taste. I had reached out to top-tier designers, supervising every single detail on-site, terrified that the slightest flaw might disappoint her.

Inside, Vanessa sat with flawless makeup, wearing an exclusive custom designer piece that I had personally commissioned for her.

When she saw me walk in, she frowned. "Julian, why are you so slow today?"

I didn't answer. I just pressed my lips together in cold silence.

Seeing my lack of response, her voice grew sharper.

"And didn't I tell you never to smoke? How many times do I have to repeat myself before you listen?"

"And look at what you're wearing. Can't you dress a little more maturely? What did I say to you before? Why can't you learn from Li—"

She stopped mid-sentence. Realizing that the look in my eyes wasn't the usual devoted gaze, her voice trailed off.

She stood up, stepped forward, and wrapped her arms around me, patting my back gently as if pacifying a petulant child.

"Julian, you know everything I say is for your own good. I criticize you because I love you."

Right. In the past, whenever she was unhappy, she would lash out at me with fury, only to apologize later claiming it was solely because she loved me too intensely to control her temper.

And every single time, I had believed her lies.

Looking back now, I had simply become numb to her gaslighting. If someone never truly loved you, how could they ever care about your feelings?

I instinctively pulled away from her grip, unwilling to let her stand so close.

She stared at me, bewildered. Usually, two sweet words from her were enough to wrap me around her finger.

"Julian, I—"

Before she could finish, the smart lock at the studio entrance beeped and clicked open.

Liam Sterling stood in the doorway holding a lavish bouquet of roses, smiling at Vanessa.

"I came to take you home, babe. I guessed the studio passcode, and I couldn't believe it was actually my birthday."

0523. May 23rd.

She had set this code six years ago. Back then, I never understood its significance. Now, the cruel truth made perfect sense.

Liam shifted his gaze toward me, his eyes brimming with amusement and thinly veiled condescension.

"So you must be Vanessa’s photography assistant. Thanks for looking after her while I was completing my master's degree abroad."

Liam was dressed sharply in an immaculate three-piece suit, his hair slicked back with polished elegance.

So this was the mature style Vanessa had spent seven years forcing me to imitate...

Liam’s eyes narrowed slightly with warning.

"An assistant should know his place and focus on his duties. Don’t reach for things beyond your reach, or you’ll end up walking away with nothing at all."

I clenched my fists in my pockets, repeatedly commanding myself to remain composed.

Vanessa leaned in affectionately, slipping her arm through Liam’s. "Julian, this is my fiancé, Liam Sterling, heir to Navigator Media."

Navigator Media?

Wait—wasn't that just a minor subsidiary owned by my father’s conglomerate?