chapter 1

Jasmine Arkwell had always thought that "cheating" was such an overused word in the industry that it shouldn't stir up any emotion in her anymore.

But the moment she heard those moans—unmistakable sounds of a man and a woman tangled in pleasure—her stomach twisted with nausea.

The man's voice was all too familiar. After all, whenever things got heated between them, he'd always whisper the same things in her ear. "Baby, you're so hot, feels so good ... can I put it in? Please ... "

Now, Ethan Gardner was repeating the exact same lines—only this time, the woman beneath him moaned even sweeter than she ever had.

Jasmine sat curled up on the bed, hugging her knees. She had no idea when the call had ended.

When Ethan returned around dawn, he leaned in close to check on her. The stench of sex clung to him, heavy and bitter. Her eyes stayed shut, but the smell was hard to ignore.

He gently brushed his fingers over her cheek and kissed her forehead like always.

Beneath the covers, Jasmine's hand balled into a tight fist. Over and over again, she told herself, "It's nothing. It doesn't matter. You don't even love him."

Soon enough, Ethan got up and headed to the bathroom.

The water started running. He seemed to be in a good mood, even humming a little tune while he showered.

Jasmine rolled over and grabbed his phone from the nightstand on his side of the bed. Aside from the constantly refreshing group chat titled "Lunaville's Hottest Rich Men," nothing else seemed suspicious.

A second later, a message popped up. "Good night."

Jasmine stared at the contact name—Winona Redmond, saved with the kind of cold, formal label you'd use for a coworker—and her lips curled into a smile.

The next morning, at seven, Jasmine was already dressed and ready. She walked over to the bed and gave the man a light shake.

"Ethan, time to get up. We've got a wedding to catch."

The moment he opened his eyes, he saw her—standing there in a pale yellow dress, breathtakingly beautiful.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her down on top of him. The moment her soft, curvy body pressed into his, he felt himself harden instantly.

"Babe, you look amazing today!" he said, kissing her.

Jasmine stopped him with a hand between their faces. "Brush your teeth first."

Her voice was soft and sweet, and Ethan didn't notice anything wrong. He just buried his face in her neck, acting all coy. "You're so mean, Babe. Still judging me after all this time."

Jasmine didn't give him a chance to keep playing. She pushed off him and stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles he'd made in her dress.

"Come on, get moving. The Langleys are pretty particular about timing—we shouldn't be late."

Today was the wedding of Ethan's close friend, Marcus Langley. The ceremony had a classic, elegant vibe and was held at Cloudshade Estate, a venue developed by the Langleys.

Ethan had insisted on arriving two days early with Jasmine, saying it was the perfect excuse for the boys to hang out and party before the big day.

And boy, did they party. Those rich kids had endless energy—going all day and night.

Jasmine couldn't keep up, so she let Ethan go have fun with his buddies. She hadn't expected that 'fun' would include someone else's bed.

Ethan had his arm around her as they stepped into the elevator. Just as the doors were about to close, they slid open again.

Quinton Greystone—perfectly put together in a sharp suit—stepped inside. Tall, broad-shouldered, every feature on his face chiseled and clean. The faint smirk playing on his lips was the only thing that didn't quite match his aloof aura.

"Damn! You're looking good today!" Ethan punched him lightly on the shoulder.

Quinton dusted off his jacket with mock seriousness. "When do I not look good?"

Then he turned to Jasmine and said politely, "You look stunning today, Jasmine."

"Thanks." Jasmine gave a small nod. She was just about to press the "close door" button when the sharp click-clack of high heels echoed toward them.

Winona stepped into the elevator in a pink cocktail dress, slightly breathless, with one hand over her chest.

"Ethan, Quinton, thank God I ran into you! I thought I was going to be late."

As she spoke, her chest heaved with each breath. That little hand did nothing to cover up anything—instead, it drew more attention.

Ethan awkwardly looked away, turning his eyes to Jasmine.

But she was staring straight at Winona.

"Babe, you hungry?" Ethan asked quickly, trying to change the subject and ease the tension.

Jasmine shifted her shoulders slightly and softly replied, "Don't call me that. There'll be a lot of people around."

Her face held a delicate, almost shy smile. Ethan just assumed she was embarrassed and pulled her closer.

"How's that a problem? If you're down, we can get that marriage license tomorrow."

Jasmine kept that faint, unreadable smile on her face. Across from her, Winona's expression started to crack.

"Wow, Ethan really treats Ms. Arkwell well. So jealous," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jasmine was about to reply, but Quinton beat her to it.

"Jealous of Jasmine? Why?" he said casually. "Sounded like you had a pretty good time last night yourself."