The purpose of this story is purely for entertainment.

It is not intended as social commentary.

My name is Xiamen.

Today, I am going to marry the most influential man in the city — Hong Yi.

He is the number one businessman here.

And I, too, do not come from a humble background.

My father owns forty-five percent of his company’s shares. From the moment my father met Hong Yi, he liked him — not because he was handsome, but because he was rich. And because Hong Yi is the sole heir to his family’s empire, my father saw opportunity.

A future where, once I bore Hong Yi’s child, everything would belong to us.

So I was prepared for him like a doll.

Perfected in every art meant to please a man — dance, embroidery, weaving, cooking, business management. I had a master for everything: how to eat, how to sit, how to walk, how to smile.

It was difficult, yes.

But not impossible.

And yet, I did not do all this because my father asked me to.

I did it because I loved Hong Yi.

> “I loved you like an unfulfilled dream of mine.

And you stole me like a gust of wind.”

The first time I saw him, I was five years old.

My father had taken me to a party at his house. Evening had fallen — the garden shimmered with lantern light, the air heavy with the scent of blooming roses. Amid the noise and laughter, I noticed a boy sitting alone on a wooden bench.

He was seven.

Black hair fell over his forehead, and his eyes — blue as the evening sky — were deep, like the ocean itself. When he looked at me, something inside me shifted.

It was love at first sight.

I ran toward him, eager to speak, but he only glanced at me with sad eyes. Then he stood up and walked away.

I tried to stop him.

He never turned back.

It didn’t matter.

I loved him anyway — and in that moment, I decided I would become someone worthy of his stubborn heart.

Everyone in the company knew that one day, I would marry Hong Yi.

Over time, he opened up to me — or at least, he pretended to. We became something like friends. We went on picnics, shopped together, and laughed on occasion. But I always knew the truth.

He did it out of duty.

Not affection.

Sometimes, he would smile and bring me cake, and my heart would flutter. Then, without warning, he would turn cold — his expression dark, his steps distant.

I told myself things would change with time.

They didn’t.

Instead, he changed me.

And now, the wedding day has finally arrived.

The hall is beautifully decorated, filled with roses — my favorite flowers. I don’t know if he chose them for me or if someone else did.

But I allow myself to hope.

As I adjust my wedding dress, a call comes from outside. I step into the hall.

And there he is.

Hong Yi stands at the far end, tall and elegant, his expression unreadable. Golden chandelier light frames him like a portrait.

He looks stunning.

But not once does he turn to look at me.

His gaze remains fixed straight ahead — as if this marriage were not a choice…

But a duty.

A sentence.

And in that moment, my heart begins to tremble.

As if this marriage had never mattered to him.

Watching Hong Yi stand there so indifferently, I didn’t even realize when the wedding ceremony ended.

I was taken to Hong Yi’s house afterward.

The mansion was eerily deserted.

When we arrived, we learned that his father was critically ill. There were no guests, no celebrations. Every servant in the house was busy attending to his father. Only two maids came to escort me to my room, which had already been prepared.

The room was beautifully decorated.

I removed my wedding dress and went to bathe. The bathroom was exquisite — rose petals scattered everywhere, even floating in the bathtub. It felt ironic, almost mocking, how romantic everything looked.

When I finished bathing and stepped out, I realized there were no clothes prepared for me — only a nightgown.

I hesitated.

Embarrassed.

But eventually, I wore it.

I turned off the lights and sat quietly on the bed. It was already very late at night.

Then, the door opened slowly.

Hong Yi walked in.

Without much conversation, he handed me a necklace.

It was breathtaking.

The Ocean Tear.

A priceless jewel worth one hundred million — the only one of its kind in the world.

I remembered telling him about it when we were children. I had once said how much I loved Ocean Tear.

I couldn’t understand what he was thinking.

He remembered my wish.

I thanked him softly.

That night passed like a dream — blurred, distant, unreal. His gaze lingered on me in a way that stirred my heart, even though I knew it meant nothing. The clock quietly ticked past three in the morning, and the night felt endlessly long.

Then suddenly—

A voice outside the door.

A maid rang the bell, her voice trembling as she spoke.

“Master… your father has passed away.”

My body stiffened.

Hong Yi immediately told her to be quiet.

“My wife has just fallen asleep,” he said calmly.

I lay still, pretending to sleep, listening to everything.

Hong Yi sat alone on the sofa.

And then, he cried.

It was the first time I had ever seen his sadness — raw and unguarded. My heart tightened, but I didn’t dare move.

After a while, he left the room.

When morning came, he was already dressed neatly, sitting across from me with a calm expression.

“You’re awake,” he said.

“I’m giving you a divorce.”

I didn’t react.

“You’re free now,” he continued. “You don’t need to be your father’s puppet anymore. I know you were forced to marry me. And I know… you don’t love me either.”

I was surprised — but deep down, I had always known this would happen.

I composed myself and replied calmly,

“You’re right. I don’t love you either. And I accept the divorce.”

Then I added quietly,

“My father only wanted property. He would use any means to get it.”

Hong Yi already knew that.

He placed a pill on the table.

“Take this,” he said. “You won’t have any problems. If you ever need anything, you can contact me.”

“There’s no need,” I replied.

With trembling hands, I picked up the pill and swallowed it in front of him.

Maybe… this really was the right thing.

He turned and left without looking back.

I packed my belongings shortly after and returned to my father’s house.

And just like that—

My marriage ended

before it ever truly began.

I returned home in tears.

The moment my father saw me, his face changed in shock.

“Why are you here at this hour?” he demanded.

I swallowed my sobs and said quietly,

“Hong Yi divorced me.”

My father froze.

“…Divorced?” he repeated sharply. “Why would he divorce you?”

“He doesn’t love me,” I replied. “So he divorced me.”

My father’s face darkened with fury.

“And you just came back?” he shouted. “Are you crazy? Marriage is not a game! Do you know how much effort I put into getting you married?”

“I know,” I said softly. “But Father, you also know where forced relationships lead.”

“You fool!” he roared. “Do you want to destroy years of my hard work? I won’t allow this. If you don’t go back right now, I will throw you out of this house.”

I looked at him calmly.

“Alright, Father. If that’s what you want… then I’ll leave.”

My mother had passed away when I was very young.

I had only one brother — someone I was extremely close to — and a maid named Anna, who had taken care of me since childhood. She was more like a friend than a servant.

When Anna heard what was happening, she burst into tears.

“I’ll go with you, Madam,” she cried. “What will I do if you leave? I have no one in this world. This house means nothing to me without you.”

I held her hands gently.

“Anna, I know you care about me,” I said, my voice trembling. “But I can’t take you with me.”

Since I had nowhere to go, I opened my drawer, took out some jewelry, and placed it in her hands.

“Sell these,” I said. “You don’t need to work here anymore. Leave and live well. If fate allows… we’ll meet again.”

Anna cried as she left.

I gathered my essentials and prepared to go. Just then, my brother called out to me.

“Xiamen, have you lost your mind? Where are you going? You can’t leave this house. Why won’t you listen to Father? Where will you go?”

I pulled my hand away gently.

“Brother, let me go. This has nothing to do with you anymore. If you still consider me your sister, don’t try to stop me.”

He was silent for a moment.

“…Fine,” he said at last. “If you want to go, I won’t stop you. But if you ever need anything—”

He paused.

“Remember me. I’ll fulfill my duty as your brother.”

I smiled faintly.

“Okay.”

Then I left.

My brother is two years older than me, but he fears our father deeply.

After our mother passed away, Father forced him to join Hong Yi’s company. His true intention was to extract company secrets through my brother.

But my brother refused.

So Father cut him off.

“If you won’t obey me,” Father said coldly, “then you’ll achieve nothing on your own.”

He sent my brother to an office in Shanghai, forcing him to work there alone. My brother comes home occasionally, but he never dares to speak against Father.

He only listens.

And follows his plans