“Miss Copeland, are you absolutely sure about joining the Bureau of Confidential Affairs? Because once you sign it, your current identity will be erased in ten days prior. And after that, you’ll be assigned to a secure location. No one will ever be able to find you—no matter how hard they try.”
The agent glanced down at the file in front of them—my name and photograph staring back at them—before looking up at me, their expression laced with disbelief.
After all, everyone in Norburgh knew about Lex Blackburn. The city’s wealthiest tycoon had spent the past ten years pursuing me, going to extraordinary lengths and sparing no expense to plan what was being hailed as the wedding of the century. And that woman—the one the whole city was talking about—was me: Tara Copeland.
I lowered my head, trying to block out the memories that had been tormenting me for weeks. Lex’s hands gripping his secretary’s waist, their bodies pressed against the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office as they moved together in a frenzied rhythm. The image was burned into my mind, no matter how hard I tried to forget.
I gave the agent a firm nod.
Erasing my identity was the only way to ensure Lex would never find me again.
——
Clutching the recruitment letter tightly, I walked out of the building. The city’s skyline was dotted with enormous LED screens, all of them displaying promotional videos for Lex and my wedding. Every screen played clips of our so-called love story, moments from the past ten years curated into a glossy narrative for the public to admire.
A pair of young female tourists stopped near me, pointing at one of the screens. “Who is that couple? Do you think they’re celebrities or influencers? I keep seeing their videos everywhere since we set foot in this city.”
A group of local elderly ladies overheard them and chuckled knowingly. “You two must not be from around here, am I right? That’s Lex Blackburn and his fiancée, Tara Copeland. They’re the golden couple of Norburgh.”
“Lex Blackburn fell in love with her when they were both seventeen and he’s been head over heels for her ever since,” one of the women explained with pride. “He built her a castle-like mansion just to prove his devotion. When she mentioned a certain restaurant she loved, he didn’t just take her there—he bought it. And every other restaurant she liked, too, just so she could always get exactly what she wanted. She’s a picky eater, you see.”
Another lady chimed in with a knowing smile. “He rented out an entire mountain to give her a private view of a meteor shower the first time she was hospitalized because of leukemia.”
The first lady nodded. “Lex donated so much bone marrow to her that it nearly killed him. That man worships her. After ten years of chasing her, he finally got her to say yes. Their wedding is in ten days and the whole city is celebrating their love story. Those videos you’ve been seeing? They’re totally his style. Mr. Blackburn’s signature move for expressing his love.”
Hearing their chatter, I bit back a bitter smile. The words stung, but I didn’t want to show it.
I glanced up just as the romantic video reached the moment from a month ago when Lex had proposed to me. The man—always decisive, always commanding in front of others—knelt before me with a diamond ring in his hand, tears streaming down his face as he poured his heart out.
Abandoned by my parents at an orphanage as a child, I had believed that no one in this world would ever truly love me. But Lex had barged into my life with a love so overwhelming, so grand, that it shattered my defenses. When I nodded, accepting his proposal, he crushed me into his arms, kissing me like he would never let me go.
“Tara, when you say ‘yes,’ you’re mine forever. I promise you, you’re the only one for me in this lifetime. And you absolutely, absolutely can’t leave me. If you do, I’m a hundred percent sure I’ll die.”
For the first time in my life, I thought I had found happiness. Lex had spent ten years proving his love and I had let myself believe it was real. But just hours after his proposal, everything shattered.
Phoebe Stokes, his secretary, called me to the rooftop of the office building. Through the one-way, floor-to-ceiling glass, I saw the truth.
Lex and Phoebe—entwined in an intimate embrace. Lex’s hands gripped her hips tightly as she smirked toward the glass—toward me.
She turned her head, brushing her lips over his ear, her voice loud enough to carry through the open window. “Mr. Blackburn, don’t you think this would be even more exciting if Tara could see us right now?”
Lex scowled, his movements growing harsher. “Shut up! Don’t you ever say her name!”
“You’re nothing but a tool. Have I been too soft with you lately? Is that why you’ve gotten bold enough to even bring up her name?”
