We had been together for seven years, yet my CEO boyfriend canceled our marriage registration 99 times.

The first time, his newly hired assistant got locked in the office. He rushed back to deal with it, leaving me standing outside the County Clerk's Office until midnight.

The fifth time, we were about to sign when he heard his assistant had been harassed by a client. He left me there and ran off to "rescue" her, while I was left behind, humiliated and laughed at by others.

After that, no matter when we scheduled our registration, there was always some emergency with his assistant that needed him more.

Eventually, I gave up completely and chose to leave.

However, after I moved away from Twilight City, he spent the next five years desperately searching for me, like a man who had finally lost his mind.

For the 99th time, I was supposed to become Mrs. Stewart.

Dressed in my crisply ironed dress, I stood under the relentless sun outside the County Clerk's office, right on schedule, waiting for him.

The staff at the entrance were practically on a first-name basis with me. Spotting me, they let out a long sigh.

"This must be your 99th attempt, right? Do you think your boyfriend will ever show up?

"You've been at this for so long that couples who were newlyweds when you started have already split, and you're still not married!"

I had become such a fixture that the clerks had taken to placing bets on my chances of success. No one was putting their money on me.

Just then, a car rolled up, a beacon of hope in the distance.

My spirits soared, and I straightened up, marching toward the car with renewed purpose.

However, before I could reach the car, a pair of figures in matching outfits emerged from the back seat.

My heart sank as I watched Emmett Stewart, hand-in-hand with his assistant, walk toward the County Clerk's office.

In a daze, I blocked their path.

"What's going on here?"

Emmett looked at me as if noticing me for the first time, finally meeting my gaze.

"Oh, I forgot about our appointment to get married today.

"I'm sorry, but Natalie's family is pressuring her to tie the knot, and she needs my help.

"Don't worry. Once we've calmed her parents down, we'll get a divorce, and then it'll be our turn, okay?"

He said, attempting to sidestep me with Natalie in tow.

It was the 99th letdown.

I balled my fists, my voice tinged with desperation. "I've been waiting for you 99 times already..."

Emmett stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowing.

"Are you suggesting I should just ignore her family driving her to the brink?

"Don't be so cruel."

My hand shook, a mix of shock and disbelief coursing through me.

I caught Natalie Cooper's triumphant look and her voice, tinged with self-pity.

"Emmett, if she doesn't want us to do it, let's drop it. It's like being tied up and beaten with a stick—I can take it."

Without a backward glance, Emmett shoved past me.

"Forget about her."

Emmett was different today—sharp and dapper in his new clothes and haircut, a stark contrast to his usual self.

Maybe he had guessed we would not go through with the marriage license.

So he never prepared before our registration.

After they took a number and settled in to wait, I did not hesitate. I hailed a cab and headed straight home.

The moment I walked in, I stripped off the skirt I had ironed carefully, shredded it, and watched it burn to ashes.

I knew then, my seven-year love affair with him was meant to disappear just like that—up in smoke.

I slept fitfully after getting home, and upon waking, I found a message from my mom.

[Did everything go well? When are you bringing him home?]

Darkness had already claimed the sky.

"It's not happening," I said when I called my mom.

"Mom, I want to come home."

For years, I had fought to make it from Jubilee City to Twilight City. Then, for the first time, I felt the pull to abandon it all and return to my roots.

My mom, an international designer with a small yet renowned studio, had always been my inspiration.

She had hoped to hand down her connections to me, but then I met Emmett while studying abroad.

He was the family's hope, pouring his soul into finance.

Yet, he could not shake off the feelings of inadequacy and anxiety whenever he saw his peers from rich families.

For seven long years, I kept my past a secret from him, hoping to be by his side, to be his rock as he grew more confident with each passing day.

He had built his own company at that time, and I was happy to work there; our relationship was the envy of all who knew us.

Things were looking up. I dreamed of the day we would get married, and I could finally introduce him to my parents and my world.

However, those words would never be spoken.

"Okay, come home!

"I'll book your flight and come get you myself!" my mom said over the phone.

I hung up and flicked on the light, illuminating the stark emptiness of my bedroom.

I ordered takeout on a whim and started scrolling through videos, only to stumble upon Natalie's vlog. There she was, beaming about getting married.

The video showed them, hand-in-hand, Emmett looking nothing like the stern CEO he usually was, but tender and warm.

"After three years of loving Emmett, we're officially tying the knot."

People were gushing, asking when they would get to see them being lovey-dovey.

Natalie coyly replied with a blushing emoji. [I wouldn't tell you even if there was any.]

My appetite vanished, and I tossed the untouched food straight into the bin.

Come morning, I was ready to pass my duties to a talented designer.

However, as I opened my mouth to speak, there was Emmett, stepping out of the elevator with that familiar smile and a coat too small for him, the scent of citrus in the air.

I tried to shrink into the background, but it was too late. Chloe Harris, the designer taking over, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears, blurted out, "Ms. Patel, are you leaving us?"

I wanted to silence her, but Emmett's eyes were already on me, questioning.

"You're quitting?"

I inhaled deeply and, with a steady hand, clicked on the Send button on the resignation email right in front of him.

"Yes, if you could just sign off on that, please."

Emmett did not hesitate, opening his email and promptly hitting the Decline button.

"I can't approve this.

"A marriage license is just a piece of paper. Is it really that crucial?" he asked.

My voice was calm, detached as I said, "I agree, it's not. I'm resigning because I'm exhausted and need a break."

Emmett's brow creased with concern.

"Take a few days off, then. Everyone just found out about Natalie and me yesterday. If you quit now, it'll stir up gossip about her."

He forgot that I had already used up all my vacation days on every single trip to get our marriage certificates.

However, his world was filled with Natalie, and only Natalie.

My eyes drifted to the coat he was holding.

Before I could say a word, Emmett jumped in with an explanation.

"We got a little wild last night, and I grabbed the wrong coat, that's all. Don't read into it."

Yet, he clutched the coat closer, not even trying to set it aside to avoid any doubt.

"Oh, and the sports car I promised you last night—it's parked at the house.

"The bracelet you wanted is in there too, waiting for you to open it."

It was his pattern.

Whenever he did something he should not have done, he would try to make up for it with lavish gifts.

Seeing I had not pushed back, Emmett figured I had cooled off and pressed the car keys into my palm.

"Let's not make a big deal out of this, okay? It's just a little girl's drama.

"My dad's birthday dinner is tonight. I'll pick you up after work."

He leaned in for a kiss on the cheek, but before his lips could land, someone shouted, "Emmett!"

That familiar voice cut through the air.

Emmett stopped in his tracks, let go of my hand, and turned to Natalie, who had come rushing in.

Natalie gave me an apologetic smile.

"Sorry to interrupt, but there's an urgent file that needs Emmett's review. I didn't mean to get in the way..."

Emmett did not even glance back as he smoothly took the papers from her hand.

Natalie's lips twisted into a sly grin as she wrapped her arms around his, making a show of it for the entire office to see.

"Oh, and Emmett's under the weather today, so if you need anything, come to me, okay?" she said, as if she were laying claim to the throne.

Heads popped up from behind cubicles, eyes full of pity aimed my way.

Then, in a heartbeat, my engagement ring slipped from my finger.

I scrambled to pick it up, but it just would not fit anymore.

Emmett had that ring made just for me, claiming it was one of a kind, meant for the one he truly loved —a token of our lifelong happiness.

I handed the ring to Natalie.

Emmett's brow creased in confusion as he looked at me.

"It's yours now. I can't wear this ring any longer," I murmured.

Without a word, Emmett caught the ring, gave it a flick, and tossed it into the trash.

"If you don't want it, then it's garbage," he said calmly before walking away, Natalie at his heels.

As the office door clicked shut, Natalie flashed a ring at me, one that outshone mine in every way.

"Like I'd ever want your junk," she sneered.

Chloe, who had witnessed the whole scene, was fuming. Her cheeks flushed with anger, but she held her tongue and only asked, "You're really leaving?"

I nodded, gathered the project files for Emmett's review, and headed to his office.

The moment I stepped in, I caught Natalie in Emmett's embrace.

She spotted me and started to babble excuses, only to be pulled in closer.

"It was just a fall. Nothing's going on!" she said.

Emmett was busy fixing his rumpled collar.

In all our seven years together, he would never let me get too close in the office.

However, staring at the red marks on his neck, all I could feel was a sting in my eyes.

He was in such a hurry that he could not even wait to clock out.

I nodded and said, weakly, "It's fine."

I then passed the papers to Emmett, who had not bothered to fix his clothes.

Emmett snapped at me out of anger.

"Josephine, ever heard of knocking?

"And can't you see I'm in the middle of something? Did you have to bring the files now, on purpose?"

I kept my voice even.

"You've got it wrong. I just came to drop off a project proposal for you to check."

Emmett studied my face for a long moment.

"You better be."

Then, he tossed the folder to Natalie. "It's a big deal for our next quarter."

It was my creation, a project I had poured my soul into.

"Natalie's eyes are as good as mine."

He gave me a dismissive glance.

Natalie smirked at me, flipped through the proposal nonchalantly, and then threw it back with a sneer.

"This is subpar, Ms. Patel. Do it again."

I inhaled deeply, picked up the proposal from the floor, and left the office without a second thought.

Chloe was at the door, having listened in. She could not hold back her outrage.

"She's never even studied design, how could she understand anything?!"

I knew Natalie was gunning for me.

I handed the proposal to Chloe.

"Fix it up and hand it in after I'm gone.

"Nothing else matters now."

They were the real married couple, after all.

By the end of the day, I had wrapped up all my work.

If he would not accept my resignation, I would leave on my own terms.

When Emmett came to fetch me, he did not even notice my desk was bare.

Walking with him to the garage, I saw Natalie already smug in the shotgun seat.

After Emmett arrived, she intentionally knocked me to the side as Emmett slid into the driver's seat.

I nearly lost my balance from the shove, and Emmett looked over, his brow furrowed in disapproval.

"Enough with the dirty tricks."

I massaged my shoulder, kept quiet, and settled into the back seat.

We arrived at the hotel, where Emmett's father, Marvin Stewart, was hosting his birthday party. Marvin came out to welcome us, beaming when he saw Natalie.

"Wow, is this my fantastic daughter-in-law?"

Natalie greeted him with a warm, friendly hug and a smile.

I handed the gift I had picked out with care.

Marvin, who had once treated me pretty well, accepted it with a sneer.

"After mooching off my son for seven years, you come bearing these trinkets? I don't want them!"

I watched the landscape painting, a piece renowned for its beauty, get discarded carelessly. I quietly retrieved it.

I had intended to celebrate with them, to show gratitude for his past kindness.

If he did not appreciate it, that was his loss.

Emmett's face grew serious, and he chastised me quietly.

"You know my dad doesn't get art. Were you trying to fob him off with these paintings?"

I was at a loss for words.

"You're reading too much into it."

It was a piece of painting I had grabbed from my collection.

Yet, in their eyes, I was still just a nobody, unworthy of such treasures.

After Emmett warned me to keep in line, he went inside with Marvin and Natalie.

I followed, and as soon as I stepped through the door, I was forcefully ushered to stand before Marvin.

"Having been under my son's roof for so long, sharing a drink with me isn't asking too much, is it?"

I resisted instinctively.

"I've never relied on him."

I might have shared his space, but I paid my own way.

Emmett, standing off to the side, let out a sigh and did not bother to clarify.

"My dad's never been fond of you. Couldn't you at least try to win him over?

"What did he even say that was wrong?"

The waiter thrust the piping hot water into my hands.

My fingers reddened with the burn.

Determined not to miss my next flight, I gritted my teeth against the heat and passed the cup to him in full view of the crowd.

"Mr. Stewart, enjoy your drink."

Marvin gave a satisfied grunt, took a sip, and then, without warning, doused me with it.

"Consider yourself lucky I'm even doing this for you," he sneered.

Natalie snickered from the sidelines, smugly watching the scene unfold.

I was pushed to the side, soaked to the bone, unable to dry myself off.

My fingers shook uncontrollably.

Up front, Emmett was busy toasting with Natalie, cozying up to Marvin.

They stood together, the mood light and easy.

I shut my eyes.

Emmett, oblivious to my distress, casually texted me.

[I just wanted to take Natalie out to eat. Didn't expect this mess.]

[You were great today. I'll smooth things over with Natalie's parents early, and then we can get married, okay?]

That was his idea of making things right.

However, it meant nothing to me then.

I watched them on the stage, kissing to the cheers of the older folks.

Seizing a moment when no one was looking, I wiped my tears and made a beeline for the airport with my suitcase in tow.

On the plane, I converted all the gifts Emmett had given me over the years into cash and paid him back, even though I had never used any of them.

Emmett noticed my absence, and his eyes darted to my seat, his panic setting in.

"Where's Josephine?"