Chapter 1

My husband is a perfectionist. To cater to his aesthetic preferences, I've undergone plastic surgery, breast augmentation, and leg lengthening surgery.

By the time my husband complained about my lack of a high forehead, I had already had 19 plastic surgeries.

For my 20th plastic surgery, I went in for forehead augmentation.

After the surgery, I overheard his conversation with the doctor.

"CEO, Miss Winters has already had 20 surgeries. Every part of her body has been altered. Any more surgeries could be life-threatening!"

"But she still doesn't compare to Melody. Natural beauty is still the best."

My husband's cold words extinguished my romantic fantasies.

It turns out it wasn't that I wasn't beautiful enough, but that I didn't look like his true love.

For my 21st surgery, I had all the implants removed.

I changed my name and started my life over.

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1

In the familiar operating room, with its familiar ceiling, I underwent my 20th plastic surgery procedure.

Married for five years, my husband claimed to be a perfectionist.

He said my nose wasn't attractive, so I had plastic surgery to raise my nose bridge.

He said I was too short and unappealing, so I went abroad for leg lengthening surgery.

He said I didn't have a high forehead, so I had surgery to inject cement under my scalp to create one.

After twenty plastic surgeries, I realized it wasn't that I wasn't beautiful.

It was that I didn't look like his pure love.

Just out of the operating room, I overheard my husband talking to the doctor in the hallway.

After a long while, I heard Dashiell's voice.

"Money is no object. Use the best medicine and the best equipment for her surgeries."

He sent me to etiquette class, teaching me to smile without showing my teeth.

He enrolled me in cooking class, so I could learn to make Beef Wellington.Originally, from beginning to end, inside and out, I was always Melody's stand-in.

I raised my hand to wipe away tears, but accidentally pulled at my wound, causing me to curl up in sudden pain.

The noise I made alerted them, and Dashiell walked over.

He looked at me with a gentle and dazed expression.

"Melody, you're back?" he murmured softly.

Melody? His first love.

I smiled sarcastically, and his gaze cleared as he seemed to realize I wasn't Melody.

His face turned pale, his eyes filled with guilt and nervousness.

"Aria, when did you get here?"

I forced a smile, watching his clumsy attempt at probing, suddenly feeling it all so pointless.

"Just arrived."

I coldly watched as he breathed a sigh of relief.

He strode over, and upon seeing my bandage soaked with blood, his expression became panicked.

"What happened? You're bleeding a lot. Doctor Carlisle, come over here quickly and take a look."

Dashiell picked me up as if handling a precious jewel, the concern on his face so genuine.

"Why are you crying? Is it too painful? Don't be afraid, I'll have them give you anesthesia right away!"I leaned against Dashiell's chest, listening to his heartbeat, and slowly shook my head.

Was Dashiell's concern for me, or for this face that looked identical to Melody's?

He placed me on the hospital bed, thoughtfully tucking me in, and even called the housekeeper to prepare some nourishing herbal dishes to be sent over.

After doing all this, he looked at me and smiled gently.

"For tomorrow's wedding anniversary, I—"

But his words were cut off by an urgent ringtone.

It was the emergency ringtone he had set specifically for Pure Love, I knew.

The first time this ringtone sounded, he left me at the wedding venue to take Melody to the airport.

The second time this ringtone rang, he abandoned me at the mountain temple during a memorial service to spend Christmas with Melody.

And now, this ringtone was blaring for the third time.