Chapter 1

"Don't touch me. You make me sick."

The moment he drove that knife into my chest for another woman, I knew our five years together had come to an end.

Alexander Sterling—the man who had deceived me with a fake marriage certificate for three whole years—was now holding his first love after her suicide attempt, screaming at me.

"Emily! Will you only be satisfied after you drive her to her death?"

The wail of police sirens grew louder outside.

I touched the bleeding cut along my neck and smiled.

So, in his eyes, I wasn't even worth believing over a liar.

What a pity he had forgotten one thing.

I was never the kind of woman who stayed behind, waiting for someone to turn back.

Since you refuse to believe me, then I'll make sure you never find me again.

Emily's POV

The espresso machine let out a long, low hiss as the rich, dark aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the cozy space behind the counter.

I kept my eyes down, carefully pouring the steamed milk into the cup. With a gentle flick of my wrist, a perfect tulip patterned in the foam.

"Wow, Emily. Your hands are so steady," Amy, our college-student part-timer, said with pure envy in her voice.

I set the cup on the counter, grabbed a clean towel to wipe my hands, and said nothing.

My hands were steady.

Even half an hour ago, when the clerk at the County Clerk's Office looked at me with pity and said those words, my hands hadn't shaken once.

"Ms. Carter, we've searched the county's marriage database. There is no record of a marriage registration between you and Mr. Alexander Sterling."

"In fact, public records show that Mr. Sterling legally married a Ms. Sophia Delaney just twenty days ago."

Five years.

I had been with Alexander for five whole years.

Just three days ago, when he handed me that beautiful, fancy-printed marriage certificate, the warmth in his eyes was enough to drown me.

He had whispered, "Emily, you're finally Mrs. Sterling."

Then, he immediately took the certificate back, saying he'd keep it safe until they could get a certified copy made.

If I hadn't needed the original certified copy to apply for my visa for the barista exchange program in France, I might have gone my entire life without knowing the truth.

The chime above the door cut through my thoughts.

Alexander Sterling walked in, bathed in the warm afternoon sunlight. He was wearing a perfectly tailored dark gray suit.

He was tall, handsome, and carried himself with the effortless confidence of old money. The moment he stepped inside, half the customers in the shop turned to look at him.

I stared at his familiar face, trying to find a single crack, a single hint of guilt.

Nothing. He was still the same, composed, rational, and radiating that subtle, upper-class aloofness.

"How did the visa application go?" Alexander walked up to the counter, naturally reaching out to cup my cheek.

I tilted my head slightly, dodging his hand.

His hand froze in mid-air, and his brows furrowed slightly. "What's wrong? Is the shop too busy? Are you tired?"

"I couldn't apply," I said, looking straight into his eyes. My voice was completely flat. "The clerk at the County Clerk's Office said our marriage certificate doesn't exist in their system."

Alexander's pupils contracted instantly. But in a split second, he let out a soft laugh and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"It must be a database glitch. You know how slow and buggy government systems are. I'll have my assistant look into it tomorrow. Let me take care of the paperwork from now on so you don't lose anything."

He lied without even blinking.

The very last spark of hope in my heart died quietly in the face of his casual cover-up.

"Alexander," I said his name softly. "Have you been really tired lately?"

"It's the end of the fiscal year. The firm has a lot of loose ends to tie up. So yeah, a little," he replied casually, his eyes already drifting toward the window.

Right then, a white Porsche pulled up right in front of the cafe.

The door opened, and a woman in a soft white knit dress stepped out. She looked delicate, fragile, and utterly elegant.

She walked straight in, came up to Alexander, and naturally wrapped her arm around his.

"Alexander, is this the cafe your girlfriend owns?" She smiled at me, but her eyes held a cold, patronizing judgment. "Hi, I'm Sophia Delaney. Alexander talks about you all the time."

I looked at her hand resting on his arm.

Sophia Delaney.

The first love Alexander had chased for three years, only for her to run off to the UK and marry someone else the day after they officially started dating.

Twenty days ago, Sophia returned to the country, and Alexander legally married her.

Three days ago, Alexander handed me a fake marriage certificate.

How pathetic.

Amy stood there, completely dazed. She stammered, "Mr. Sterling? Who is..."

Alexander quietly pulled his arm out of Sophia's grasp. His voice was completely calm. "She's just an old friend. She's going through a tough time, and I'm helping her out."

Sophia didn't seem mad at all. Instead, her smile grew sweeter.

She leaned against the counter, staring at the nametag on my apron. "Emily, since I'm a close friend of Alexander's, do I get a discount on my coffee today?"