Chapter 1

As the seaside wedding of Melody and me was underway, her childhood sweetheart Levi made a comment.

"I'd like to see the groom perform a falling-in-the-water show."

Without hesitation, she pushed me into the sea to amuse her childhood sweetheart.

I struggled painfully in the water, nearly drowning to death.

It was my mother, in the late stages of lung cancer, who recklessly jumped into the sea to rescue me.

But she inhaled too much seawater and became a vegetable as a result.

That night, I returned home to pack my clothes and found Melody in her wedding dress, tangled in passionate embrace with Levi on our new bed.

I stood in the doorway, soaking wet and utterly exhausted, dialing Melody's aunt's number.

"Auntie, can I still be your lover?"

------

The phone on the other end carried a woman's voice tinged with disbelief.

"Fintan, are you serious?"

"You really want to be my lover?"

Looking at the two people moving passionately in the room, I felt a sharp pain in my heart as I spoke with a hoarse voice.

"Yes."

"But... I need a million dollars."

Asking for money made me feel ashamed.

Especially since Melody's aunt was only three years older than me.

I lowered my head, gripping my fingers tightly.

On the other end of the phone, Vivienne agreed without hesitation.

"I'll transfer three million to you. If it's not enough, just ask me for more."

"Also, I'm returning to the States in three days."

"We'll discuss the details... when I get back."

With that, Vivienne quickly hung up the phone, as if afraid I might change my mind.

A few seconds later, my phone received a text notification.

Three million dollars had been deposited.

Holding my phone, I looked up again towards the room.

Melody and Levi had moved from the bed to the desk.

The desk rattled from their movements.

Levi carelessly tossed aside the swimming trophy on the desk.

"Melody, with all these swimming trophies Fintan has, why couldn't he save your brother in the ocean back then?"

"I bet he did it on purpose!" "Today he's still struggling in the sea, how laughable!"

Levi finished speaking, picked up a golden trophy, and placed it between them with a lustful look on his face.

"What do you say we use this trophy to spice things up?"

"Fintan's first trophy, it'll feel even better!"

But Melody turned and sat on the desk, her face flushed and breathing slightly heavy as she snatched the trophy.

"His stuff?"

"I find it disgusting!"

With that, she carelessly tossed it, and the golden trophy shattered into pieces as it hit the floor.

A fragment landed near my foot, and I saw the words she had once engraved on it.

[The future Olympic champion will definitely be Fintan!]

[But Fintan belongs to Melody!]

Who would have thought that in just three years, everything would change.

I bent down to pick up the pieces, clutching them tightly in my hand.

The pain traveled from my palm straight to my heart, as if an invisible hand was squeezing my heart tightly.

Even breathing became painful.

In the room, Melody noticed me.

She pointed at the mess in the room, throwing used condoms on the floor.

"You're back?"

"Perfect timing, clean this place up for us."

I said nothing, silently walking in to retrieve my suitcase from the depths of the closet. "Fintan, did you not hear what I said?!"

"I told you to clean this place up!"

Melody stood naked before me, her body covered in love bites and the musky scent of spent passion.

My throat tightened as I bent down to gather a few pieces of clothing, intending to leave.

But Melody viciously kicked me.

It struck precisely where my left shin had been injured before.

I let out a cry.

I clutched my left shin and collapsed to the floor, my face contorted in pain.

"Fintan, stop pretending."

"You were once on the national swim team, how could you be so fragile?"

"Hurry up and clean this mess, and I might still marry you."

"Otherwise, forget about marrying me!"

Melody's haughty demeanor and that tsundere expression were once my favorite things about her.

But now my heart felt like cold ashes.

I touched my left shin and said flatly.

"Marriage?"

"No thanks."

Because I was going to become her aunt Vivienne's lover.

I thought Melody would be happy that I was finally leaving her alone.

But her face went blank, then twisted into a mocking smile.

"Fintan, what did you say?"

"You don't want to marry me?"

"Are you playing hard to get?" "Tomorrow, you'll be begging me to go to the courthouse to get our marriage license!"

Melody declared with absolute certainty.

I didn't say another word, just stood up and limped out.

Melody had no idea.

This time, I truly didn't want to get married anymore.

And I truly didn't love her anymore.