My marriage was a sham. A cruel, twisted joke. And now, my husband... he's married to someone else. On our fifth wedding anniversary, I was heading to a government records office to get some personal documents for an international design competition I was participating in. I took the form from the window, reviewed it, and corrected, "Excuse me, my marital status is wrong. I'm married, not divorced." My husband, Julian Thorne, was known throughout the city's most powerful circles as the 'mad scion!' His possessiveness was legendary; if I ever wanted to leave, he'd never allow it. But the clerk, after double-checking multiple times, stated with absolute certainty , "No, it's correct. You and Mr. Julian Thorne finalized your divorce exactly three years ago today. And on that very same day, he remarried. His new wife's name is Valerie Hayes. Do you know her?" I froze, my entire body going numb, as if plunged into an ice bath. Recognize her? That was the understatement of the century! Valérie Hayes was Julian Thorne's most obsessive stalker. Five years ago, she crashed our wedding, creating a massive scene, and it took twenty bodyguards to drag her out. Four years ago, she was found stark naked on Julian's office desk. He called the police himself, and she wasn't released from custody for twenty days. Three years ago-my personal hell year-Valerie, after another failed attempt to win Julian's affection, stormed into my art studio and *severed my right hand* in a fit of rage. When Julian found out, his eyes were bloodshot with fury. He vowed to kill Valerie. It was *me* who had to physically restrain him, to drag him back from the brink of murder. To punish Valerie, he imprisoned her. 12:35 pm P DDD < He subjected her to daily lashings and torture, swearing that anyone who dared harm his 'greatest love' would endure a pain a thousand, a *million* times worse than any prison sentence. But now, I was being told that my husband, on the very *same day* Valerie had severed my hand, had married *her*? How was that even remotely possible? In my shock, a message from Julian Blackwood popped up. "Summer, it's our fifth anniversary today. I'll be back to celebrate with you after I'm done with that woman. Love you." I stared blankly at the screen. For five years, every message he sent included "Love you." His love had always been passionate and fervent. Back then, I was just a budding designer from an ordinary background. He, a billionaire magnate, fell for me at first sight and pursued me relentlessly. City-wide fireworks displays, rare roses flown in from across the globe, exorbitant jewelry... every day, a new, over-the-top declaration of love. But what truly moved me was when I had a stomachache, and he flew back overnight from abroad just to cook me porridge with his own hands. When I was upset, he'd pause a meeting in front of a room full of executives, just to tell me a corny joke. When a jealous colleague attacked me with acid, he shielded me frantically. His back was a mangled mess, yet he whispered softly, "Don't be scared." He was cold and almost brutal to everyone else; his tenderness and love were reserved solely for Could such a Julian Blackwood truly betray our love? Driven by a gut feeling, I hailed a cab to the hilltop mansion. That was where Julian Blackwood supposedly kept Serena Vance imprisoned. Faint sobs drifted from the garden. 12:35 pm PDDD. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!