Another 1 Chapter 1 Seven years into her marriage , Jessie Hale inherited a fortune worth billions . But during the final signing appointment with her attorney , she was hit with a devastating truth : Her marriage wasn't legally valid . The entire estate could be inherited by her alone . The attorney glanced at the file again and said , " Nelson Voss is legally married to someone named Lila Mercer . As far as the state is concerned , Ms. Hale ... you're single . " Everyone in Silverpine knew Jessie and Nelson were betrothed from birth . To Nelson , Jessie had always been everything his heart , his home , his entire world . When they got married , Nelson gave Jessie the wedding of the century - grand , extravagant , and impossible to forget . Standing before a crowd of guests , he took her hands and declared with pride , " I , Nelson Voss , will never betray Jessie Hale . " But the truth was , the legal marriage license he filed - with Lila's name on it - had been submitted the day after their wedding . Jessie let out a hollow , self - mocking laugh . It took her a long while to fully absorb the truth . Then her phone buzzed with a new text message . " Jessie , I picked up the latest Belle Vie limited - edition handbag you love - it just launched . The plane's landed . I'm heading to the office briefly , then coming straight home to you . I love you . " Today was the day Nelson was supposed to return from his business trip . In fact , Jessie was already outside the airport waiting for him . She stood near the terminal exit , watching as two people walked out together . Nelson ... and Lila . Her hands curled into fists . A few yards away , Nelson casually slipped his phone into the pocket of his coat . Then he wrapped an arm around the back of Lila's neck - and kissed her . It was deep , hungry - like he was utterly lost in her . Chapter 1 0.88 % Jessie stood frozen as tears streamed silently down her face . So this was who Nelson really was - a man who could text her ' I love you ' with one hand while kissing another woman with the other . She stared at him from across the parking loop , barely breathing , as memories of their past unraveled one by one . They had grown up together - next - door kids , childhood friends turned soulmates . When they were barely teenagers , her parents once considered moving the family overseas . But the moment Nelson found out , he stormed to her house and refused to leave . He camped out in the cold for a week, stubborn and desperate . On the seventh night, delirious with exhaustion , he collapsed - still clinging to her hand . " Jessie , you can't go , " he had whispered hoarsely , " You belong with me . You've always been mine . I won't let you disappear across the world . " Middle school , high school ... year after year , nothing ever changed . Everyone around them knew that Jessie was Nelson's whole world . After graduation , Nelson's family pushed him to apply to elite universities abroad . But he turned it all down because Jessie had decided to stay in Westbridge .. " Wherever Jessie is , that's where I'll be ," he told anyone who asked . " And the moment we're old enough , I'm marrying her . " And he did . The summer they both turned twenty - two , they held the wedding they'd dreamed of since they were kids . But never in her wildest dreams did she think Nelson - someone who loved her so fiercely - could have schemed against her so totally in this marriage . It was Nelson who insisted they hold off on filing the marriage paperwork until the next day . He said she deserved to rest after the ceremony - that he'd take care of everything with the lawyer first thing in the morning . She had trusted him completely . She and Nelson had known each other since the day they were born . For twenty - seven years , their lives had never drifted apart . They had grown up believing they were each other's forever . But in the end , Nelson had married another woman ... and he had done it behind her back . Chapter 1 0.88 % A WebNovel 4.3 FREE Google Play OPEN 0 It's been a while , but I'm finding my faith He had taken up every inch of her life , every year , every breath . And in that moment , Jessie made her choice . TH Even if it felt like tearing herself apart , she would erase him from her future completely . She didn't go home . Instead , she went straight to her attorney's office and signed the paperwork to finalize her inheritance . Every last asset belonging to the Hale family was now under her name - including the holdings in the Voss Group that Nelson had transferred to her before their wedding . The attorney looked at her again , cautious . " Ms. Hale , just to confirm - are you certain you want to sell off all Hale - owned assets under your name ? " Jessie didn't hesitate . " Yes . Not a single piece of Hale property stays in Silverpine . That afternoon , she signed contract after contract , selling off half the Hale property . The other half was already in motion - buyers from out of town had contacted her attorney . While they couldn't arrive immediately , they had wired deposits and promised to finalize the deals in the next few days . According to the attorney , the full liquidation would be complete in no more than seven days . Nelson , your betrayal - your damage - ends here . By the time this week is over , so are you . 5