Fireworks Fade, Lovers Depart

During her university years, to fill the financial void left by her father—who had embezzled company funds and vanished—Carolyn accepted the arrangement Peter proposed. It bound her to him in exchange for security.

Rumour had it Peter had no interest in women.

Yet Carolyn became the first to appear publicly at his side.

He was good to her. So good that, for the first time, she felt the warmth of a passionate romance.

Once, she sighed over a rare, out-of-print poetry anthology, lamenting she’d missed the chance to own a signed copy. On her birthday, Peter flew in just to celebrate with her—and inside the cover of the latest novel she adored, he had inscribed a poem dedicated to her.

When an unexpected allergic shock sent her to the hospital, he halted the company’s year-end review to stay by her side, caring for her through the night.

The day she was accepted into her master’s program, she received the deed to a sprawling themed estate. At dawn, with dew still fresh on the grass, he carried her up the spiral staircase. The usually inarticulate man stumbled through several revised drafts of a love letter, reciting it to her step by step.

She believed it was all real.

Until tonight. Peter returned from abroad. Following the routine of their arrangement, she went to the bedroom—only to be handed a Termination Agreement.

Carolyn stood frozen, her hands trembling so badly it took her a long moment to open the document.

“Peter, come help me with this necklace! I can’t get it off!”

A sweet, girlish voice rang out. Without knocking, a woman breezed into his room.

She paused upon seeing Carolyn, then smiled and extended a hand. “You must be… Carolyn, right?”

“Hello, I’m Amanda. I’m Peter’s~ closest person.”

She carried herself with all the poise of the lady of the house.

Clutching the agreement, Carolyn’s face turned ashen.

She studied business. In that world, Peter was a legend—and the latest twist in his story was the rumour of a fiancée.

It seemed, now, that must be Amanda.

She looked down at the stark white paper in her hands, and everything clicked.

No wonder he needed to dispose of the old mistress.

To avoid dirtying his fiancée’s eyes.

Carolyn glanced at Peter from the corner of her eye. His expression was calm, his gaze fixed on Amanda with helpless affection and indulgence.

Stiff as a board, she watched as Peter chided Amanda softly, teasing that she was the clumsy one trying to blame him.

Amanda stuck out her tongue, basking in the intimacy, and snuggled into his arms.

“Hey, you’re wrinkling my tie.”

Carolyn instinctively took a step forward—only to see Amanda twist around and deftly reach up to remove it for him.

That used to be *her* duty.

Her eyes went empty as she watched Peter bend slightly to make it easier for Amanda.

A knife twisted in her heart. Tears she hadn’t even felt coming streamed down her face, dampening