Chapter 1
“Ms. Sandoval, you’ve successfully purchased the deserted island. It’s completely isolated from the rest of the world. Once you step in, no one will be able to find you.
“Also, the customized family service you requested is all set. The staff have been professionally trained to provide you with unconditional love.” The staff’s respectful voice came through the phone.
Norah Sandoval hummed in response. “I’ll move in after 30 days once I wrap things up here.”
When the call ended, Norah glanced up at her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing a pure white wedding dress, studded with countless large diamonds. It was clear that the dress held extraordinary value.
“Are you done, Ms. Sandoval? Mr. Emerson has been waiting outside to see it.” The soft voice of the salesperson snapped her back to the present.
After a pause, Norah replied, “I’m done.”
Upon hearing that, the salesperson drew the curtain back.
Norah turned at just the right moment and locked eyes with her fiancé, Antonio Emerson, who had been waiting outside. As their gazes met, she clearly saw a flash of admiration in his eyes.
“Norah, you look beautiful.” He froze for a moment, then stepped forward to pull her into a tight embrace. His voice cracked with emotion. “It’s been seven years. I’m finally going to marry you.”
How much must one love someone to be overwhelmed to the point of tears at the thought of marrying them?
As Norah’s thoughts drifted off, the salesperson eagerly spoke again, “Ms. Sandoval, Mr. Emerson was involved in designing this dress. He personally sourced all the diamonds on it. Each one is so valuable, it could fetch a fortune at auction. And this gown features 99 of them!
“Normally, the men who accompany their fiancées to try on wedding dresses get impatient after a while. But Mr. Emerson took care of every detail without a single complaint. He truly loves you, Ms. Sandoval.”
Listening to the salesperson list off Antonio’s efforts, Norah couldn’t help but glance at him.
When he looked at her, his eyes were filled with nothing but love and tenderness. It was completely different from the cold, aloof, almost untouchable image of the Swinford scion the media portrayed.
That was why everyone, including Norah, had been deceived into thinking he truly loved her.
After Norah tried on the dress, they stepped out of the bridal shop. Antonio, ever the gentleman, opened the car door for her and put his hand above her head to ensure she didn’t hit her head while getting into the car. Once she had settled in, he carefully shut the door before getting in himself.
As the car slowly started moving, his assistant, Greyson Lynch, began briefing him. “Mr. Emerson, the woman who tried to make a move on you has been dealt with. She won’t appear in Swinford anymore.”
Antonio’s voice grew cold as he scolded Greyson. “Tell me these things privately. Don’t bother Norah with them.”
Then, he quickly grabbed her hand with care. “Don’t be upset, Norah. That woman never touched me. Her perfume got on me, but I washed it off ten times before coming back. I’m all clean. You know I’ve only loved you all these years.”
Norah knew he wasn’t lying. With his status, there must have been hundreds, if not thousands, of women throwing themselves at him. Yet he always dealt with them without crossing any lines.
But right now, she couldn’t bring herself to feel happy. She forced a faint smile. “I know.”
Antonio didn’t notice her change in mood. Gently holding her hand, he took out his phone to handle some work.
Suddenly, his face changed slightly, as if he saw something unexpected. “Stop the car!”
The car screeched to a halt, and the tires screeched loudly. Before Norah could ask what was going on, Antonio had already opened the door and gotten out of the car.
“Norah, I have something urgent to handle. Let Greyson take you home, okay?”
It wasn’t really a question since he didn’t give her any other option. With that, he rushed away, leaving her behind.
Norah silently watched him walk away, then pulled out her phone to check her sister, Isabella Sandoval’s Instagram account.
She had uploaded a new post one minute ago. It showed a picture of a swollen ankle with the caption, “Twisted my ankle. It hurts so much.”
Seeing that post and recalling Antonio’s anxious expression earlier, Norah couldn’t stop her eyes from filling with tears.
She couldn’t understand why everyone around her always seemed to prefer Isabella.
This was already her second failed engagement.
The first was to Sheldon Warner, the heir of Warner Corporation. The two families had arranged their marriage when they had been children.
Norah had fallen for him at first sight and had been following him around, but Sheldon only had eyes for Isabella and hated Norah with a passion.
She had spent seven long years enduring his cold indifference until, finally, she had given up. It had been then that she had seen Antonio, who had always quietly watched over her.
All these years, she had chased after Sheldon, only to be hurt time and time again. Antonio had always been there to wipe away her tears.
He had shown up in front of her with deep affection, quietly caring for her without expecting anything in return. As long as she turned around, he would always be there.
So, she had cleared her heart and let Antonio in.
She had thought she had finally chosen the right person.
But recently, with their wedding coming up soon, she had overheard a conversation between Antonio and his friend, Hayden Elliott.
“You never liked Norah. Are you really going to marry her?”
Antonio’s voice had been low, tinged with the haze of alcohol. “Yeah, it’s the only way Isa can be happy.”
Hayden had sighed. “I swear, you’re truly a rare kind of fool. You’ve silently loved Isabella for all these years. As if that wasn’t enough, after finding out she liked Sheldon, you went and pursued Sheldon’s fiancée just to make sure Isabella could become Mrs. Warner.
“Now you’ve done it. Norah’s finally stepped aside, but do you realize the cost of this? You’re throwing away your own life for Isabella.”
Antonio’s voice had been barely above a whisper, but it was full of unspoken depth. “I’ll do anything as long as Isa can be happy.”
Norah had stood frozen outside the door, feeling as though she had been struck by a thunderbolt.
At that moment, she realized that Antonio’s seven years of love and devotion had all been lies. His real love had always been Isabella.
He was so noble, willing to sacrifice his own life for Isabella’s happiness.
He had deceived her so well that she had never suspected the sincerity of his feelings was just an act. He had been after her only to make sure she made room for Isabella.
That night, she had stood in the rain, crying her heart out.
Ever since she had been a child, her parents had always favored Isabella and never given her much affection. When she had grown up, her fiancé had fallen for Isabella and had never once returned her feelings.
And now it turned out that even Antonio, the one person who had seemed to care for her, had only ever loved Isabella.
Everyone loved Isabella. No one loved Norah.
That day, she had made a decision.
Since no one in Swinford cared for her, she would escape to a deserted island, where she could pay for a fake family and a fake boyfriend. She would leave this place behind and live the rest of her life in peace.
Though the family and boyfriend she would have were only paid actors, their companionship would be enough.
From this moment on, her parents, Sheldon, and Antonio would no longer be part of her life.
