A Heart Misplaced, A Love Bone-Deep

Julian Laurent was known as the most notorious playboy in Rivermont, changing girlfriends as often as he changed his clothes and treating marriage like a joke.

Clara Sterling, on the other hand, had always been the most quiet and obedient daughter of the Sterling family. Raised as the heir since childhood, she had been flawless in every word and every gesture.

A family-arranged marriage forced these two complete opposites into the same life.

On their wedding night, Julian found Clara unbearably dull and openly made out with a young model at a nightclub. Clara stormed in, slapped him across the face, and forced out one word through clenched teeth, "Divorce."

After that, they divorced twice and remarried twice, trapped in an endless cycle of breaking apart and pulling back together.

By the time they remarried for the last time, everyone said Julian had finally settled down. Even Clara believed it.

That belief shattered the moment she overheard him in a hospital hallway saying to another woman, "I never loved her. You're the only one I've ever loved."

So all his tenderness had been nothing but an act.

This time, she didn't look back.

And the man who had once cast her aside like she meant nothing only realized after she was gone that he had already drowned in her quiet love, with no way out.

......

Everyone in Rivermont's elite circle knew there were two extremes.

One was Clara, the eldest daughter of the Sterling family, poised and proper, every move measured like the perfect socialite.

The other was Julian, heir to the Laurent family, bold and reckless, changing girlfriends faster than clothes, his reputation as a playboy echoing through the entire circle.

And somehow, these two ended up in an arranged marriage.

Everyone waited for the drama, and the two of them didn't disappoint.

On their wedding night, Julian got bored of Clara and went straight to a nightclub looking for excitement.

When Clara found him, he was holding a model in his arms, kissing her passionately, not even sparing Clara a glance.

That night, for the first time in her life, Clara broke her rules. She slapped Julian across the face.

Gritting her teeth, she forced out one word, "Divorce."

The divorce was finalized in the morning. By the afternoon, their families had already forced them back into remarriage.

This time, on that very night, Julian seemed like a different person. Instead of going out, he stayed and apologized to Clara.

"Clara, I was reckless before. I hurt you. Thank you for giving me another chance. This time, we'll make it work."

Seeing the sincerity and guilt in his eyes, Clara found herself believing him against her better judgment.

For the next month, Julian cut off all ties with his flings and treated Clara with unexpected care and gentleness.

Just when Clara thought he had truly changed, a single photo shattered every illusion she had.

In the photo, Julian was leaning down, pressing a soft kiss to a