A Heart Eclipsed by Shadows

Chuck Bassett, heir to an Urbington East fortune in Nuvark City, has dated 42 girlfriends—all foreign, all in white dresses, every single one with a mole at the corner of her eyebrow.

People joke about his obsession, saying he'll never get over his first love, Lylith Fowler.

Then, Lorrie Scarrow shows up.

She's sharp, short-haired, hates dresses, and her eyes are clear and bright. She's nothing like the women he's dated before.

Chuck buys her a private island. When she mentions how much she loves the stars, he fills the sky above their estate with millions of drones, crafting a shimmering galaxy just for her. He even gets her initial tattooed beneath his collarbone.

Everyone is amazed. Chuck has finally moved on from the past. Even Lorrie starts to believe it.

Until she spots him in the red-light district, shelling out a fortune to book a hostess for a whole month. The woman has short hair and a button-down shirt. She looks just like Lorrie.

Chuck's friends are floored.

"Have you lost your mind? Lylith changed her look, and now you're after someone who looks even more like her? Remember how she dumped you for that wealthy foreign businessman when she thought you were broke?

"She only came crawling back after she found out you're the heir to one of the Four Great Families. You've always said there's nothing you hate more than women like that!"

Chuck knocks back the shot. "I hate her, and I love her. She pulled me out of a fire ten years ago. No one else can ever replace her in my heart."

"And what about Lorrie? You proposed to her! She gave up a career at one of the world's top design firms for you. Aren't you worried she'll walk away when she finds out?"

Chuck leans back on the couch, his expression cold. "I won't marry a traitor. Lorrie's pure, innocent—the closest thing to how Lylith used to be. So I'll still marry her. She loves me too much to walk away."

Unseen in the shadows, Lorrie stands frozen, her heart plummeting.

Turns out, she's just another her.

Lorrie Scarrow stood frozen, stunned.

Chuck Bassett, the man who swore he loved her to the bone, had never meant a single word. She was just a stand-in for Lylith Fowler, nothing more.

Heartbroken, Lorrie turned away and entered the restroom around the corner. She splashed cold water over her face, trying to steady herself. The woman in the mirror looked shattered.

Lorrie first crossed paths with Chuck during a fashion week event.

The year before, she'd spent over six months working on her collection, and it won first place. As the designers stepped forward for their final bow, she could sense Chuck's gaze lingering on her.

From then on, he pursued her with everything he had.

Lavish gifts ranging from imported flowers to a limited-edition supercar were poured into Lorrie's studio.

Whenever she dealt with a difficult client, Chuck would swoop in, smooth things