“Mr. Caldwell, were you serious when you said we’d get the marriage certificate next week?” Callie Dodson’s voice was steady, but her fingers tightened around her phone.

“Of course,” came the reply from the other end, after a brief pause. “But Miss Dodson, don’t you have a boyfriend that’s deeply in love with you? Even though this is an arranged marriage, your personal relationship—”

Callie’s gaze remained fixed on the incriminating video playing on her laptop screen. Her boyfriend of eight years, Reid Matthews, entwined with another woman. Her voice grew colder. “Don’t worry. I’ll stick to the agreement. A week from now, I’ll break up with him. Sever all ties.”

——

The moment Callie ended the call, Reid walked through the door, loosening his tie as he stepped into the living room. His ears perked up at her last few words.

“What agreement? Who are you cutting ties with?” Reid leaned in, the faint scent of a woman’s perfume clinging to his clothes as he hovered close to her neck.

Callie recoiled instinctively, her brow furrowing at the unfamiliar scent. “Nothing important,” she replied, her tone indifferent. “Just work. I’m tired, Reid. I need to rest.”

Reid froze, his hand move to rest on her waist. His brows knitted together in confusion. Normally, Callie would greet him with warmth and affection, eager to cuddle and chat about her day. But tonight something was off. Unease pricked at him as he instinctively checked his appearance for anything out of place. Finding nothing amiss, he chalked it up to her workload.

“If work’s wearing you out, why not quit? Let me take care of you,” Reid offered casually.

“You will take care of me…” her voice laced with sarcasm, “like taking care of a mistress, hiding her in pension?”

Reid’s face drained of color, panic flashing in his eyes. “What? Have you heard people gossiping? It’s not what you think, I mean—”

Callie cut him off with a laugh, though there was no humor in it. “Relax, I’m just messing with you.”

Her fingers cupped his face as she studied him intently. She studied him intently, searching for any flicker of remorse, any sign that he might admit the truth. But Reid only looked back at her with wide, desperate eyes, his facade of innocence crumbling under the weight of her scrutiny. How could the man she’d loved for eight years deceive her so flawlessly?

Reid exhaled in relief, leaning in to press a kiss to her forehead. “You’re my world. I swear on my life, I will love you and only you. Don’t believe what people say, okay? I love you, Callie Dodson. More than anything.”

Her heart clenched painfully, but she shoved the feeling down. Love. It had been love once.

Reid used to be the kind of man who would cancel million-dollar meetings just to hold her when she had cramps. He’d orchestrate elaborate surprises for every anniversary, making her feel like the most cherished woman on earth.

He’d even gone so far as to replace all his female assistants and drivers with men, just to ease her insecurities. Back then, he would call her from business dinners if there was so much as a woman at the table, reassuring her with a transparency that had felt unshakable.

And when she’d needed a liver transplant, Reid hadn’t hesitated for a second. He’d undergone compatibility tests and given her a part of himself, quite literally.

That wasn’t just love—it was devotion.

But now? Now, all of it felt like a lie.

Callie’s faith had shattered the moment she received the message. The woman Reid had been seeing wasn’t just anyone—it was a young intern he’d been hiding for three years. Three years of deception so flawless she hadn’t seen a single crack in his façade.

For all his grand gestures, for all his claims of undying love, Reid had been leading a double life with the skill of an award-winning actor.

Callie’s gaze hardened as she locked eyes with him. “Reid,” she said slowly, her voice steady and deliberate, “if you’re lying to me, I’ll marry someone else. I will never look back and you will never have a chance to fix it.”

A flicker of unease crossed Reid’s face, but he pulled her tightly into his arms. “You know it won’t happen. I’ve talked to your parents about the proposal. What if we tie the rope, get married? 

Callie’s lips curved into a bitter smile. The moment Reid betrayed her, she’d accepted her family’s proposal for an arranged marriage. While Reid had been tangled up with Geneva Vega, Callie had met her prospective fiancé—a reserved and distant man. Perhaps in her next life, living for nothing but mutual benefits might not be so bad. At the very least, she wouldn’t have to endure the soul-crushing pain of betrayal.

“Reid,” Callie said softly, her tone calm but unreadable. “Would you like to go to a wedding next week?”

She deliberately withheld the rest of her words: “To my wedding.”

She wanted to keep him in the dark so that, when the time came, he would understand how it felt to be betrayed.

“Of course!” Reid replied enthusiastically, his face lighting up with excitement. “Why don’t we go to a bridal shop tomorrow and pick out a wedding dress for you?”

Callie slipped out of Reid’s embrace, lying down and turning her back to him. Exhaustion laced her voice as she said, “Let’s talk about it tomorrow. I’m tired.”

Reid carefully tucked the blanket around her, his movements tender. When her breathing evened out, he silenced his phone and began furiously typing away on its screen.

Callie wasn’t asleep. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Reid lost himself in his messages. One notification caught her attention:

“Reid, you promised to take me stargazing and make a wish. Why aren’t you here yet?”

“Sorry, something came up. I’ll come get you now, babe. Don’t forget to wear that outfit I bought you.”

“Got it, Reid. Stop being  such a flirt!”

Before leaving, Reid meticulously prepared everything—he soaked the wheat in the pot and scheduled it to cook into porridge for the next morning.

Once he was gone, Callie stood in the quiet kitchen, staring at the pre-set cooker. A bitter smile tugged at her lips.

There was a time when she’d been moved to tears by Reid’s thoughtful gestures, like making her breakfast every morning. Now, she saw these actions for what they really were: a convenient cover for his lies.

Picking up her phone, she dialed her parents. “Mom, Dad, I’ll be coming home next week. Everything’s been arranged with Tommy Caldwell. We’ll have the wedding as soon as I get back.”

“Cal, are you sure about this?” Her mother’s voice trembled with excitement. “Your father and I have been so worried Reid would waste your best years. You’re thirty now. How many more eight-year relationships can you afford to gamble on?”

Tears welled up in Callie’s eyes. She used to believe that as long as two people loved each other, a piece of paper didn’t matter. Eight years with Reid and no proposal later, she had convinced herself it wasn’t important.

Now, she felt nothing but relief that she’d never married him. At least there was still room to turn things around.

Her parents were aging and all they wanted was for her to find happiness. They hoped for someone who could help her take over the family business. It was time for her to let go of her romantic illusions and return to reality.

“Yeah, I’m sure about this,” she said. “From now on, I’ll listen to whatever you and Dad say.”

After hanging up, Callie began packing. Eight years’ worth of memories with Reid filled every corner of the apartment and sorting through it all would take time.

She decided to pack only what she needed, stuffing her ID, essentials and clothes for the next two days into a suitcase. Then she called a professional cleaning service to handle the rest. Over ten workers arrived to box up everything—clothes, handbags and jewelry—all destined for donation to charity.

As they worked, one of the staff hesitated, holding up a sparkling necklace. “Miss Dodson, this piece is made of fine diamonds. Are you sure you want to donate it?”

Callie glanced at it. It was the necklace Reid had won at an auction for an exorbitant sum, all because she’d once casually remarked how beautiful it was. He’d spent two million dollars on it without a second thought.

“Yes,” she said firmly.

“How about this?” Another worker held up a rare, limited-edition Hermès bag. “This is one of the latest models.”

“Donate it,” Callie said without missing a beat.

“You’re donating this bracelet too? I’ve seen this bracelet before,” someone else asked hesitantly. “It’s worth millions. Are you sure you want to give it away?”

Callie didn’t even look. Instead, she slipped off the handmade ring Reid had crafted for her and tossed it into the donation pile. “Put everything in this box. Every item in this pile is going to donation. Got it?” she said coolly. The housekeeping staff exchanged uneasy glances, murmuring amongst themselves. However, they carefully packed up all the items as instructed, their reverence evident in the way they handled the expensive belongings.

By the time Reid returned, the cleaning service had already cleared out everything.

That night, Callie curled up on the sofa, her phone buzzing incessantly with messages.

It was from Geneva.

She was bragging about her time with Reid.

“Callie, the meteor shower was stunning tonight. Reid booked an entire venue just for us. He made a wish under the stars—he said he’ll love me forever.”

“Do you know what else he said? He said you’ll turn thirty this year and marrying you doesn’t seem worth it anymore. Honestly, I agree. What man doesn’t prefer a younger, more energetic woman? Someone who can bring new excitement into his life?”

“We even did it under the stars tonight. Reid was amazing. Tell me, has it been a while since you’ve been with him like that?”

Every word felt like a slap, leaving Callie trembling as she read.

The texts kept coming, but Callie had seen enough. She switched off her phone and hugged a pillow tightly, retreating to the guest room for the night. She suddenly felt that the bedroom she had once shared with Reid felt disgusting and refuse to sleep in it. 

***

At dawn, Callie was awakened by the sharp ring of her phone. Before she could answer it, Reid burst through the door, pulling her into his arms. His heartbeat hammering against her.

“Callie, you scared me! I thought you were gone. If I hadn’t heard your phone I would…” His voice wavered, betraying his anxiety. “Why are you sleeping in here?”

Callie pushed him away, forcing herself to stay calm and keep last night’s messages out of her mind. She gave him a faint smile. “I must’ve sleepwalked. I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t find you. Where were you?”

Reid ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his expression instantly smoothing out as if he’d rehearsed his response. “There was an emergency at the office. I had to step out for a bit, but I came back as soon as I could.”

Callie nodded, her lips curling into a faint smile. She could almost admire how seamlessly he lied. His explanation was polished, like he’d rehearsed it over and over. To back up his story, he casually placed a folder next to her, making sure she could see the documents inside.

What a performance. 

Callie’s fingers grazed his cheek as she looked up at him, her eyes brimming with a mix of bitterness and resolve. “You work so hard, Reid.”

“For you, it’s worth it,” he murmured, kissing her forehead. “Callie, I finally feel like I’m in a position to give you the life you deserve. I’ve even set up a meeting with the designer. Let’s go look at wedding dresses after breakfast, okay?”

“Okay.” She nodded, playing along. If Reid wanted a show, she’d give him one. She wondered if he’d applaud her acting when the truth finally came out.

At the bridal shop, Reid asked the designer to bring out their most expensive gowns for Callie to try on. His enthusiasm seemed genuine, but every time she went to change, his phone buzzed nonstop.

By the time she walked out in the final dress, Reid didn’t even notice her. His eyes were glued to his phone, a grin plastered across his face.

That smile—Callie knew it well.

It was the same look Reid used to give her when they were deeply in love, back when she’d wear something special just for him.