Leng Zhuo likes Cheng Wenyu, but due to special circumstances, he cannot respond to her feelings. Later, when they reach the age of being pressured to marry, Leng Zhuo and her childhood friend, who is also heartbroken, create a fake marriage certificate. On Leng Zhuo's birthday, her childhood friend's first love returns, and Cheng Wenyu also approaches her, seemingly aware of her secret and even confessing his feelings. Little does he know, Leng Zhuo has been pursuing Cheng Wenyu all these years, gradually unraveling the secrets surrounding him. A scheme has quietly been set in motion, waiting for the sins to surface, and they will become each other's salvation.
Chapter 1
Under the pressure from our families constantly urging us to marry, my childhood friend Jeremy Kirk and I forged a fake marriage certificate.
Beneath the fireworks, he was passionately embracing his idealized love.
Meanwhile, I found myself cornered by Jason Wheeler.
"Interested in swapping husbands?" he asked.
I lowered my gaze, hiding the smile in my eyes.
He took the bait!
1
"On such an important holiday like Christmas, you're not going to stand me up again, are you?"
I stared at the message that vanished into thin air, then at the dishes on the table that had already gone cold.
A sense of melancholy washed over me.
Today was actually my birthday.
Jeremy had promised confidently in the morning that he'd be back early.
Looking at the empty house, I hesitated for a few seconds before deciding to call him.
But my best friend's Arya video call came through first.
"Maria, is Jeremy not home?"
My heart tightened suddenly.
"How do you know that? Is something wrong?"
Arya on the video seemed hesitant, then turned the camera around.
"Look at that person. Is that your husband?"
In the video, fireworks lit up the night, and in the central square, a couple was embracing passionately.
The tall, handsome man was wearing the down jacket I had picked out for him.
Opposite him was a petite, sweet woman, wearing a scarf I recognized.
It was the one I bought, a festive bright red, one for each of us.
I felt a bit disoriented.
Had Jeremy's dream girl, Corynn Dixon returned?
2
Jeremy and I grew up together.
When we reached an age at which our families began to put intense pressure on us to get married, we made the decision to pose as a couple.
To be honest, I was a witness to Jeremy's romance.
I never expected that someone like Jeremy, who was more interested in figuring out how to make instant noodles taste better during class, would actually start paying attention and listening in class, all because of Corynn, who looked down on every underachiever equally.
For me, the change meant no more morning walks to school together, no one to help me with meals, and finally some peace and quiet.
Later, Jeremy really did get into the same university as Corynn.
Their relationship blossomed but never bore fruit.
When the Dixon family faced trouble, Corynn broke up with him.
I still remembered that day vividly. Jeremy cried like a lost child, begging over the phone not to break up, repeatedly saying he could wait.
But Corynn still went abroad.
I was the one who stayed by Jeremy's side, accompanying him drink one after another.
Later, when my stomach problems flared up, he carried me to the hospital and stayed with me all night.
After that, he seemed to revert to the childhood friend I knew.
But I wasn't blind or foolish.
On his ring finger, he had Corynn's initials tattooed.
His safe was filled with things related to Corynn.
Even in his sleep, he would choke up calling her name.
And now, I stood on the street, watching him smile like he owned the world, grinning like a fool.
I sighed with a laugh, not stepping forward to interrupt.
As I turned away, I met a pair of eyes filled with playful scrutiny.
Jason, dressed in a suit with a dark knee-length cashmere coat, exuded an air of elegance.
Yet his words were outrageously bold.
"Need me to help you get back at him?" he asked.