Chapter 1

The moment I won the championship, I instinctively looked for Payton.

But the VIP section was empty.

On my phone, news flashed. He'd spent millions to rent every billboard in the city. All to celebrate his first love Sophia's birthday.

Meanwhile, the trending topic was my scandal. "Extreme skydiving champion Lily is the mistress of the Payton heir."

But I was supposed to be his fiancée.

I rushed to his office to confront him. Instead, I walked in on an intimate moment.

He calmly lifted Sophia off his lap and looked at me coldly.

"Sophia's back. You can get lost now."

Seven years of being by his side meant nothing.

I looked at his smug face and laughed.

I turned and walked into the elevator, dialing his half-brother and bitter rival.

"Jace, that collaboration you mentioned before. I'm in. Let's make Payton lose everything."

Lily's POV

As I leaped from four thousand meters high, the wind roared in my ears.

I calmly pulled the ripcord. The massive main parachute exploded open above my head, violently yanking my rapidly falling body upward.

Landing, detaching the chute, unfastening the safety buckle.

My movements were fluid.

Enthusiastic cheers erupted around me.

This was my third extreme skydiving world championship this year, and also the highest-level commercial endorsement I'd secured for Payton Corporation.

After removing my goggles, I instinctively looked toward the VIP viewing area.

I scanned all around but never found the figure I'd been expecting.

Payton hadn't come after all.

My assistant Shay approached hesitantly, holding out my phone. "Lily, Payton, he..."

On the screen was a news article.

"Payton heir makes grand romantic gesture, spending millions to rent citywide billboards for Sophia's birthday!"

In the video, the usually cold and taciturn Payton was gently fastening a diamond necklace around a girl's neck.

The girl shyly nestled into his embrace like a startled fawn. Below this news article hung another glaring headline.

#Extreme skydiving champion Lily is the Payton heir's mistress#.

The netizens' mockery flooded in.

"She flies around in the sky every day and actually thinks she's a socialite?"

"Who doesn't know Lily signed with Payton Corporation for money back then? She's just a money-making tool."

"Our Sophia is afraid of heights. Mr. Payton won't even let her near the second-floor terrace. Lily skydives every day and Mr. Payton never cares about her. That's the difference between true love and a mistress!"

I calmly turned off the screen, concealing all emotion in my eyes.

"Miss Lily, are you okay?" Shay looked at me with concern.

"I'm fine. Pack up the equipment. We're going home."

During the thirteen-hour flight, I didn't sleep once. My mind was filled with the look in Payton's eyes as he fastened the necklace around Sophia's neck.

That careful, protective gaze. He used to look at me like that too.

Seven years ago, my mother was dying. I knelt in the rain outside the Payton estate, begging for money.

It was Payton who walked up to me with an umbrella and pulled me to my feet.

He paid for her treatment. He sent me to the best skydiving school.

He said, "Lily, you belong to the sky. You shouldn't be held back by this mud."

I thought it was love. But I was wrong. He was just seeing someone else in me. Someone too afraid of heights to ever fly herself.

Now, that woman had returned.

As soon as I got off the plane, I called Payton.

The phone rang for a long time before he answered. In the background was soft piano music.

"What is it?" The man's voice carried cold indifference.

"I saw the news." I gripped my phone tightly, my knuckles turning white. "Payton, we're legally married."

A slight snort came from the other end. "Lily, don't try to control me with that piece of paper. Whatever compensation you want, contact my secretary directly."

"I just won the championship." I didn't know why I said this. Perhaps I still held onto a laughable shred of hope.

"Mm, congratulations." His tone was perfunctory. "Sophia has a bit of a cold. I don't have time to listen to you report your achievements. If there's nothing important, I'm hanging up."

Beep.

The sound of the call ending pierced my eardrum. Standing in the airport, I suddenly felt that the cold at four thousand meters was nothing compared to this moment.

When I returned to the villa, it was already late at night. I opened the door and froze.

The originally minimalist living room was now filled with pink throw pillows and stuffed animals.

My favorite skydiving oil painting of the snowy mountains had been taken down and carelessly tossed in a corner, replaced by an enormous solo portrait of Sophia.

Payton sat on the sofa, playing with an exquisite music box. Hearing the noise, he looked up, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Why did you come back so suddenly?"

"This is my home. Can't I come back?" My voice was hoarse.

Payton stood up and walked over to me, looking down at me from above.

"Sophia likes this place. She doesn't sleep well and needs quiet. Your skydiving equipment takes up too much space. I've already had it moved to the apartment in East City."

His tone was flat, as if he were discussing the most ordinary matter.

"You're kicking me out?" I looked up, staring hard into his eyes.

"Just having you change where you live." Payton was somewhat impatient. "Lily, you've always been independent and strong. Sophia is timid. Don't scare her."

Looking at this man I'd loved for seven years, I suddenly felt he was completely unfamiliar.

I was independent and strong, so I deserved to be kicked out?

She was timid, so she could rightfully take over everything that belonged to someone else?

I didn't make a scene. I didn't cry.

I simply turned around calmly, dragging the suitcase I hadn't even opened yet, and walked into the night.

He didn't try to keep me.

Behind me, only the crisp music of the music box played on, as if mocking my pathetic state.