Chapter 1

There are two dogs who will forever revolve around Leonardo Zeller.

The first one is his pet dog. The second one is me, his devoted lapdog.

But I've successfully risen to the ranks as his fiancee.

On the day before our wedding, Leonardo gets into an accident from car racing for the sake of his first love, Renee White.

I rush over to the hospital immediately, but I don't see the scar that's supposed to adorn his chest.

My complexion goes insanely pale out of panic. "Where did the scar from his heart surgery go?"

"Hey! Don't you dare jinx my son! Since when did he go through such a cursed surgery?"

Suddenly, I realize that I've gotten the wrong person this whole time for three years.

On the day Leonardo gets discharged, he tells me that he regrets proposing to me and that he wants to call off the wedding just to be with Renee.

Everyone wants to see me break down and humiliate myself by showing my hysterical side.

But I merely reply, "Okay."

What they don't know is that I've never loved Leonardo before. After all, the man I love is already dead a few years ago.

Chapter 1

Vanessa Richardson's POV

When I agreed so easily, the shock on Leonardo Zeller's face was palpable. Then, his expression darkened.

"Look, I know you're desperate to marry me. It's not like there's no room for negotiation. If you're willing to put Renee White's name on your designs, I might consider going through with the wedding."

I simply stared at him. "There's no need for that. Just answer me one question, and I'll help you."

The shadow over Leonardo's features lifted slightly, his lips curling into a derisive smirk.

"What? You want to know if I ever loved you? Vanessa Richardson, don't you think that's a bit childish?"

I didn't give a damn about who he loved or who he wanted to marry. I had only ever loved one person—a man who had died in a car crash trying to save my life.

After he passed, his heart was donated. That was the only reason I had ever sought out Leonardo.

I had gone from being the envied heiress of the Richardson family to Leonardo's pathetic lapdog, trailing behind him while everyone in his circle looked down on me with utter contempt.

But to me, it was worth it. As long as I could hear my lover's heartbeat one more time, I would have walked through fire.

"That's not the question," I said, my voice steady as I braced myself for the final confirmation.

"Leonardo," I began, keeping a measured tone, "have you ever had a heart transplant?"

Leonardo's brow knitted together in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"My heart is perfectly fine," he snapped. "Why would I ever go through a cursed surgery like that?"

So, it was true. I had spent years with the wrong man.

A crushing wave of disappointment washed over me. I lowered my gaze and whispered, "Fine. I agree to call off the wedding. I'll withdraw from the design competition and credit the work to Renee."

After a brief pause, I added, "I wish you both happiness."

The moment those words left my lips, Leonardo and his entire circle of friends froze, mouths agape. Then the jeering began, wave after wave of mockery crashing down on me.

"Holy crap! I didn't think the high-and-mighty Richardson heiress could sink any lower. She's literally agreeing to anything just to cling to Leo."

"She's the Queen of Simps. At Leo's slightest whim, she'll drop everything, even her own wedding and career. She's completely devoted. Too bad Leo's heart only belongs to Renee."

"Enough. Everyone shut up," Leonardo barked, cutting off the insults directed at me for the very first time.

He stared at me, his eyes burning with an unreadable frustration. "Vanessa, do you have any self-respect at all?"

"I tell you what to do, and you just do it?" he snapped. "You never fight for yourself. I call off the wedding, and you don't even care enough to make a scene?"

I looked down, a faint, weary smile touching my lips. He wasn't the man I was looking for. So what was the point of fighting?

"At this point," I whispered, "none of it matters anymore."

My hollow expression seemed to strike a nerve. Leonardo's gaze wavered, and he grew inexplicably irritated, his grip tightening painfully around my hand.

"Vanessa, you…"

Chapter 2

"Leo," Renee chimed in. She had been quietly watching the drama unfold, but now she looked at Leonardo with downcast eyes. "Should we step outside and give you and your fiancee some time alone to talk things through?"

"She's not my fiancee!" Leonardo snapped and instinctively shoved me away.

I lost my balance and fell straight backward, my lower back slamming hard against the table behind me. The glass on the edge slid off and shattered on the floor. Shards flew across the tile, grazing Renee's delicate ankle.

She let out a soft, dramatic gasp. "It hurts…"

Leonardo's face paled instantly. He dropped to his knees to check her wound before scooping her up in his arms. "Let's find a doctor."

Meanwhile, I was left clutching my lower back, the sharp pain anchoring me to the spot.

Inside the hospital room, their friends—all too eager to suck up to the golden couple—grabbed a bucket of filthy mop water and splashed it all over me.

"Vanessa, don't think that just because you were willing to give up the credit for your designs, you get to act all high and mighty in front of Renee. To us, and to Leonardo, you're nothing but a dog."

"Look at how panicked Leonardo got over a tiny scratch on Renee. Have you ever been treated like that in all your years of groveling? Do yourself a favor and leave quietly, or you'll just end up embarrassing yourself even more."

The room erupted into a chorus of mocking laughter. Every word was a calculated jab meant to belittle and degrade me.

I wiped the filthy water from my face, my voice calm and unruffled. "I'm not going to get in their way, because I never actually liked Leonardo anyway."

That single sentence left everyone in the room rooted to the spot.

Just as they were gearing up for another round of insults, the door swung open, and Leonardo walked in. Seeing the mess on the floor and me drenched from head to toe, his brow furrowed in irritation.

"What the hell is going on here?"

No one expected him to come back, let alone get angry over me, his so-called devoted lapdog.

After a long pause, someone forced out a nervous laugh. "Leo, come on. We were just joking around with your little pet."

"This is your idea of a joke?" Leonardo's expression darkened. "Even if she's a dog, she's still mine. No one else gets to lay a finger on her."

His voice dropped, cold and dangerous. "Anyone who laid hands on her, slap yourselves. Don't make me do it for you."

This time, I was the one caught off guard. Since when did Leonardo possess a conscience? Since when was he this decent to me?

As the sound of rhythmic slapping filled the room, Leonardo draped his jacket over my shoulders and led me out.

I followed him out of the hospital room, completely bewildered.

Then, his phone buzzed again. It was Renee.

"Leo, where did you go?" her voice whined through the speaker, soft and cloying. "I'm scared of being alone in the hospital. Can you come back and stay with me? Please?"

Leonardo hesitated, his gaze flickering toward me. "Vanessa, can you find a doctor on your own?"

I looked down at my drenched dress and scraped palms, and a smile bloomed across my face. "Of course I can."

At that, Leonardo looked as though he had just been granted a pardon. He let out a visible sigh of relief. "Then just head home once you're done."

I nodded. "Alright."

Chapter 3

I skipped the doctor and went straight home.

As soon as I stepped inside, I called the private investigator I had hired years ago to track down the recipient of the heart transplant.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Richardson. We made a critical error in the initial investigation. Leonardo wasn't the only one involved in the car accident that day. His best friend, Adrian Jenkin, was there too."

He added, "After the heart transplant surgery, Adrian and his family moved to Northwell. They haven't been back since."

The voice on the other end sounded genuinely apologetic. Silence stretched between us for a long moment before I finally found my voice.

"I see. Please continue tracking his exact whereabouts. As soon as you find him, book me the first flight out. I want to see him as soon as possible."

…

I had always been frail. After the emotional toll of the day, my body finally gave out.

I didn't know how long I lay unconscious in my apartment. In the haze, I felt a warm hand gently brushing my forehead. The touch was achingly familiar—like my late boyfriend, Neil Thatcher.

Whenever I fell sick, Neil would stay up all night by my side, patiently coaxing me to take my medicine before watching me drift off to sleep. The memory made tears spill uncontrollably from the corners of my eyes.

I reached out, gripping that hand like a lifeline as I murmured, "Neil…"

The next second, a searing pain shot through my wrist. I bolted awake, my eyes meeting Leonardo's livid stare.

"Vanessa, who is the man you were calling out for?" he demanded.

I lowered my gaze, my heart sinking with quiet disappointment. "Just an old friend. I was dreaming about my childhood."

Though suspicion still lingered in his eyes, he chose to believe me in the end. He didn't know anything about my past lover or why I had pursued him so relentlessly.

But after witnessing my devotion over the years, he was convinced that a lapdog like me couldn't possibly have room in my heart for anyone else.

"What are you doing in my house?" I asked.

Leonardo stiffened slightly. "You gave me your door code before. I called you several times, but you didn't answer, so I came over."

He abruptly shifted the topic. "There's a dinner between our two families tonight. I hope you—"

"Don't worry," I cut him off. "I know what I should do."

I knew exactly why he was here in such a rush. This so-called mercy mission had nothing to do with concern. He just needed me to play along tonight.

All these years, I had mistaken him for someone else. I supposed it was my own fault for holding on so long. Tonight's performance would be my way of making it up to him.

I forced myself out of bed and applied delicate makeup to conceal the sickly pallor of my skin.

Leonardo went downstairs first to wait for me in the car.

When I opened the passenger door, a strange scent mixed with perfume hit me, making me feel inexplicably nauseous.

Renee was sitting in the front passenger seat, beaming at me. "Leo said tonight was important, and he wanted the woman he loves by his side. You don't mind, do you, Ms. Richardson?"

I replied coldly, "I thought this was a private dinner between our families."

Leonardo glanced at me, clearly uncomfortable. "There will be a lot of people there tonight. Renee just got back to the country. She wants to make the rounds and meet people."

He cleared his throat. "Besides, my parents actually like you. You could put in a good word for Renee while you're at it."

I watched them from the back seat, acting affectionate as ever, and felt absolutely nothing.

"Alright."

Chapter 4

Only Leonardo would have the audacity to ask his fiancee to put in a good word for his first love at a family dinner. Once again, it proved that he could never be the man I loved.

When I arrived at the venue, I realized this wasn't just some private gathering between our families. Instead, the Zellers were hosting a full-blown gala under the guise of my family's name.

Over the years, they had leveraged the Richardson family's influence to court business partners and amass an enormous fortune in a short span of time.

They wanted me there merely as a mascot to lend them credibility so that no matter what the Zellers did, the Richardson Group would always be there to pick up the tab.

Amidst the din of the crowd, Renee looked at me with a smug glint in her eye. "Vanessa, isn't it boring sitting there all by yourself? Why don't you come play Truth or Dare with us!"

Before I could even open my mouth, the group swarmed me, effectively trapping me in their circle.

They spun a beer bottle on the table, and as if on cue, the neck pointed straight at me. Renee fanned out a deck of cards, signaling for me to pick one.

I flipped a card over. There was only one question written on it: "Is the person you love most in this room?"

"Oh, come on. Is that even a question? The answer is a total given," someone joked, their eyes immediately drifting to Leonardo, who was standing nearby.

"Exactly. Everyone in this circle knows Vanessa is Leo's most devoted lapdog. She obviously loves Leo the most!"

Just when everyone thought the question was far too simple, I slowly shook my head. "No. He isn't here."

The room fell into stunned silence. Even Leonardo, who usually couldn't care less about me, had his face turn sour immediately.

As for me, having finally spoken my truth, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. The masquerade was finally over.

I grabbed my bag and turned to leave. I just wanted this absurd farce of mistaking the wrong person to end as soon as possible.

Leonardo caught up to me in a few quick strides, his voice sharp with confusion. "Vanessa, what was that supposed to mean?"

I looked at his irritated expression and opened my mouth to explain, but he cut me off before I could get a word out.

"Are you throwing a fit because Renee came along? Or are you still holding a grudge because I didn't go with you to see the doctor and take you home the other day? Or is it because I lied about today being a family dinner?"

He didn't believe for a second that I meant what I had just said. To him, I was just being jealous and sulking.

"None of that matters to me," I said softly. "It's not worth getting angry over."

My lack of fire only convinced him further that I was jealous, and his gloom lifted slightly.

"You're acting like a child. You know how much I hate it when women play these games. Don't be mad. I told you I'd go see Mr. Richardson with you, and I keep my word. We'll go visit him tomorrow, okay?"

"Whatever," I replied dismissively.

By tomorrow, there was no guarantee he'd even be able to find me.

As I turned to walk away, he called out again. "No hug? I thought listening to my heartbeat was your favorite thing."

I pushed his hand away. "No thanks. I don't need to hear it anymore."

Leonardo froze, completely blindsided. In the past, hearing that would have felt like a relief. But now, it left him with a strange, gnawing sense of irritation.

He turned and stormed off.

He expected me to chase after him, but by the time he finally looked back, I was already gone.

Early the next morning, my phone rang. It was the private investigator.

Chapter 5

"Ms. Richardson, we've confirmed that the recipient of the donation has opened an art studio in Granite City, Northwell. We've emailed you the details. Please take a look," the private investigator said. "Also, your flight is booked. It departs at 3:00 pm today."

"He" still loved to paint, after all.

My heart jumped with excitement. I began packing my bags, ready to rush toward my next encounter. I wondered if this version of him, who still loved to paint, would fall for me all over again.

A moment later, my phone buzzed. It was my dad.

"Ness, the Zellers are asking for an outrageous amount. They think just because of you—"

"Dad," I interrupted softly. "I'm finished with the Zellers. You can cut off all business support for them."

Dad let out a soft sigh. "Alright."

After a brief pause, he added, "Ness… he's gone. But you still have me. I'll always be your strongest support."

"I know. Thanks, Dad. I'll leave the matter of the called-off wedding in your hands."

I had barely hung up when a frantic pounding shook my door. "Ms. Richardson! Something's happened! Mr. Zeller has been hospitalized with severe stomach distress!"

I opened the door to find Leonardo's assistant, Henry Bennett, standing there looking panicked.

"How is he?" I asked flatly.

"He's been admitted. Mr. Zeller took Ms. White out for a spicy seafood boil, and his stomach just couldn't handle it. The pain was so intense he passed out…"

His voice trailed off as he carefully studied my expression. When he realized I looked completely unfazed, he quickly added, "They're just friends. Nothing inappropriate happened."

I listened in silence, then simply grabbed my suitcase and headed for the door.

Henry followed closely at my heels, his confusion growing when he realized I wasn't heading toward the hospital. "Ms. Richardson, where are you going? Mr. Zeller is still in the hospital. Aren't you going to look after him?"

"I'm busy," I replied indifferently. "From now on, don't come to me with his problems."

"What?"

The moment those words left my lips, Henry stared at me, his eyes wide with shock.

I ignored his look and continued, "My dad will handle the Zellers' request to call off the wedding. As of today, our families are done with each other."

"But… Mr. Zeller is waiting for you at the hospital. It's not that he has no feelings for you." Disbelief was written all over Henry's face. "Ms. Richardson, are you really going to withdraw?"

Whether Leonardo loved me or not had nothing to do with me anymore. Over the past few years, I had given him my resources and affection. Even if everything had been based on a case of mistaken identity, I had more than paid my dues. We were even.

I chuckled. "That's right. I'm making room for Renee. Do me a favor and tell him the truth. I had the wrong man all along. My heart has always belonged to someone else. Tell him to take the hint and stop pestering me."

At the thought of finally meeting the real recipient and hearing Neil's heartbeat once more, a wave of anticipation surged through me.

I ignored the hesitation on Henry's face and headed straight for the airport, bound for Northwell without a single backward glance.

Meanwhile, Henry rushed back to the hospital, stammering as he delivered the news.

"Mr. Zeller, Ms. Richardson isn't coming. She's already left the country. She said… she said she realized she had been with the wrong man all these years. She's going to find her true love now. She told you to… well, to take the hint and stop pestering her."