Chapter 1 In the third year of her marriage to Reid Merrow, their marriage certificate was accidentally ruined by a spilled cup of coffee. Taking the soggy document, Maxine Valemont went to City Hall for a replacement. The clerk spent a long time on the computer before looking up sharply. "Ma'am, our system says you're single." Maxine froze, thinking she must have misheard. "That's impossible. My husband and I got our certifi- cate right here three years ago." The clerk checked again, looking hesitant. "The system does say you're single, but Mr. Merrow is regis- tered as married..." She paused. "His spouse is listed as Kelsey Sutter. Do you know her?" All at once, Maxine's mind exploded. And her ears started ringing. Everyone knew Maxine and Reid had grown up together. She was his first love, the one he guarded with quiet devotion and a tender heart. And Kelsey was the stand-in he'd found during the two years Maxine was overseas. He had done that because he missed Maxine too much. *** Clutching the coffee-stained, ruined marriage certificate, Maxine drifted home in a daze. The phone rang twice, and then Reid's voice rang out. "Babe, I turned down a lucrative deal just so I could be home early. I bought your favorite roses and a strawberry cake. I miss you so much. Do you miss me?" She suddenly laughed. Then tears streamed down her cheeks. For the past three years, he'd asked her that question every day, always telling her how much he loved her. But he'd already married someone else behind her back. 0.0 %. 06:30 Chapter 1 288 Vouchers Sweet memories came flooding back. When they were kids, to fetch her kite, Reid had climbed a very high tree, fallen, and broken his right arm. But as he handed her the kite, he smiled, "Don't cry, Max. It doesn't hurt." On her 15th birthday, he stood in the rain outside her building all night, just so he could be the first to wish her happy birthday when she woke up. On her 18th birthday, he booked the entire Plaza Hotel, knelt beneath the dazzling fireworks, and said, "Max, marry me when I turn twenty-two, okay?" Just before she left for college overseas, he pressed her against the wall, eyes red, voice trembling. "Two years. You only have two years. When time's up, I'll come and drag you home." During those two years, he called her almost every day. Once, she was so busy with a paper that she didn't reply for three days. And when she finally reached out, she was told he'd ended up in the hospital from drinking too much. Pitifully, he said, "Babe, I can't live without you." She'd always soothed him by saying, "I'll be home soon." 11 The day she came back, she didn't tell him-she wanted to surprise him. But when she pushed open the door to the restaurant's private room, she found him kissing another girl, lost in the moment. The girl's profile looked a lot like hers. Her bag dropped to the floor with a thud. Without hesitation, she turned and walked away. Reid chased after her, frantic with panic. When she stopped answering his calls, he had letters delivered to her every day. She refused to see him, but he still waited outside her building- rain or shine-ex- plaining again and again. "It's not what you think!" he said. "All these years, you wouldn't let me visit you. I did that because I missed you so much..... "I swear, it was just hugs and kisses, nothing else! "Max, I know I was wrong. I just love you too much-more than I know how to handle..." He remained in the rain for three days and nights, ran a high fever, and collapsed with pneumonia. But he refused to go to the hospital. So she finally relented and forgave him. 22.9 %. 06:31 288 iVouchers After that, he pampered her just as lavishly. After they got married, she noticed his assistant had been replaced by Kelsey- the "stand-in" he'd claimed was long gone. He had explained, "Her parents are sick, and she had a hard time adjusting to life away from Boston. She begged me to bring her back... "I had no idea she had applied for the assistant job. "She's actually very capable, and she was chosen through a tough process. I can't just fire her for no rea- son." So, once again, Maxine let it go. She never expected that her tolerance would turn her into the world's biggest joke. By the time Maxine's car pulled up to her home with Reid, she had cried herself dry. She took a deep breath and was about to open the door when she heard voices from the living room. Reid and his buddy were chatting. "I just got back from the hospital. Kelsey's fine. Just a few scrapes. So don't worry and stay home with Maxine." Reid lounged on the sofa, the top two buttons of his black shirt undone, legs crossed. He frowned and snuffed out his buddy's cigarette. His voice was low and cold. "How many times have I told you? No smoking in my house! Max hates the smell." "Alright, alright, you're whipped," his buddy teased with a chuckle. "But seriously, I don't get it. You love Maxine so much-why did you marry Kelsey? Is she really just a stand-in to you?" The room fell silent for a few seconds. Then Reid's deep voice rang out. "So what if she isn't? "I used to think she was just a substitute. I believed that as soon as Max came back, I wouldn't need her anymore. "But after she was sent away, I dreamed about her almost every night. "Eventually, I couldn't stand being without her, so I brought her back as my assistant. 53.9%. 06:31 79.8%. "I can't live without Max, but Kelsey... I can't let her go either. 1 "The place at my side belongs to Max. Kelsey can only stay in the shadows. Marrying her is the only way I can make it up to her." His buddy sighed. "Aren't you afraid Maxine will find out? You know how she is. If she ever learns the truth, she'll walk away, no matter what you do." Reid was silent for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Then I'll make sure she never finds out." Standing outside the door, Maxine felt like every drop of blood in her body had frozen. She thought she'd break down and cry, but all she felt was emptiness. So this was what heartbreak really felt like. It was as if a piece of her heart had been carved out, and yet it still had to keep beating. Just this morning, Reid had kissed her forehead before leaving. Whenever he came home drunk, he'd hold her close and mumble, "Babe, I can't live without you." He'd warm her cold hands against his chest and say, "This heart beats only for you." That was all a lie. All the way home, she wondered if he had his own struggles. Now she knew-he had fallen in love with two women at once. He never wanted to choose between them-he wanted to keep them both. Fine. Since he was so afraid she'd find out, she'd show him what "walking away" really meant. She left and went to get two things done. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. 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