Chapter 1 His First Love Is Back
“Estella, has the document not arrived yet?”
The man’s voice over the phone grew increasingly impatient.
“Almost there.”
Finished
There was still a mile to Hartwell Group, but due to road construction ahead, traffic had come to a complete standstill. Estella Hayes looked at the torrential rain outside, gritted her teeth, and handed over the fare before hopping out of the car.
She took off her coat, wrapped it around the folder, and ran forward.
Rain soaked her thin clothes.
But she no longer cared about her appearance. She just wanted to reach Hartwell Group as soon as possible.
When she finally arrived, the security guard refused to let her in. She was drenched, and they didn’t want her to wet the floors.
She had no choice but to stand at the entrance and ask the receptionist on the first floor to deliver the document upstairs.
Then, she sent a message on WhatsApp to Nathaniel Hartwell and his assistant, informing them that the document had been /delivered.
But there was no reply.
One of the receptionists, seeing her simple attire, mistook her for a courier. She sighed at how difficult the job must be and handed her a cup of warm water.
Estella thanked her, drank the water, and prepared to leave Hartwell Group.
At that moment, the elevator doors in the center of the lobby slid open, and a tall figure stepped out.
It was Nathaniel Hartwell, the president of Hartwell Group, also her husband.
Seeing him walk toward the entrance, she instinctively took a step back.
“Mr. Hartwell, Ms. Isabelle’s car broke down on the road. A driver has already been sent to pick her up, so you don’t have to worry.”
Nathaniel frowned at his phone. “Isabelle’s phone isn’t going through. Contact the assistant.”
“Yes, sir.”
Standing in the corner, Estella stiffened when she heard the name Isabelle Monroe.
So Isabelle’s back.
She watched as the man hurried into his car, the corners of her lips curling into a mocking smile.
The same man who had just claimed he had an urgent meeting and had frantically rushed her to deliver the document, had now abandoned that meeting without a second thought to go see his first love.
Meanwhile, she stood here, looking like a fool, soaked and pathetic, yet he hadn’t even noticed.
Wiping the rain from her face, she felt utterly foolish.
Back at the villa, she changed out of her soaked clothes, drank a cup of warm water, and called Nathaniel’s mother, Madeline
Reed.
“Mom.”
Madeline’s voice was gentle. “What is it, Stella? You don’t sound right. Are you coming down with something?”
3:17 PM P P
Chapter 1 His First Love Is Back
Finished
“No.” Estella gripped the phone, took a deep breath, and finally spoke the words she had been holding in. “I want to divorce Nathaniel…”
Silence fell on the other end.
Estella pressed on. “The contract I signed with you was for three years. That time is up. And now, Isabelle is back.”
Madeline sighed. “Alright, Stella, I understand. I’ll have the lawyers draft the divorce papers. As for the compensation I promised you, the Javerton’s villa, I’ll have it transferred to you as soon as possible.”
Estella didn’t refuse the financial compensation. “Okay.”
Three years ago, she had just graduated from university, ready to sign with an orchestra and chase her dream of becoming a musician.
But then, her family’s company went bankrupt overnight. Her father took his own life, and her mother, unable to bear the shock, suffered a mental breakdown.
She couldn’t afford the exorbitant cost of her mother’s care and was desperate when Madeline appeared.
Madeline, one of the orchestra’s investors, had learned of her situation and offered to pay for her mother’s treatment, but on one condition. /
Her son, Nathaniel, heir to Hartwell Group, had been in a car accident. His legs were injured, leaving him unable to walk. To make matters worse, his first love had left him and moved abroad. Heartbroken, he had shut himself away, drowning in despair.
Madeline wanted Estella to marry Nathaniel in a contractual arrangement, to help him recover and pull him out of his misery.
She had needed the money, so she agreed.
At that time, she asked Madeline why she had chosen her.
Madeline said it was because she bore some resemblance to Nathaniel’s first love, Isabelle, and, like Isabelle, she also played the piano.
Estella accepted the job as a stand–in.
She quit her job, registered her marriage with Nathaniel, and stayed home to take care of him.
Like a nanny, she endured his bad temper, tended to his daily needs, and accompanied him through his rehabilitation training.
Six months ago, Nathaniel finally regained full mobility,
The first thing he did after stepping out of the house was buy a plane ticket to Edinland to see Isabelle.
After that, he traveled to Edinland once a month.
Nathaniel’s sister, Naomi Hartwell, was also in Edinland.
Estella followed her on social media.
She often saw photos of the three of them together on Naomi’s posts.
Nathaniel was always stern and reserved in front of her, but with Isabelle, there was a faint smile on his lips.
Every time she saw Isabelle holding a bouquet of champagne roses in those photos, her eyes stung.
Every Valentine’s Day, Nathaniel had his assistant send her champagne roses as well.
At first, she had been touched but also puzzled as to why he sent her champagne roses.
It wasn’t until she saw the photos that she realized it was because Isabelle liked them. The person he truly wanted to give them to was Isabelle.
217 PM P P
Chapter 1 His First Love Is Back
She was nothing but a lowly stand–in.
Now that Isabelle had returned, her role was no longer needed.
Estella made a call to her former senior, Selene Harper.
After graduating from university, Selene had become a teacher at a music institution.
She was now a partner at the institution.
For the past three years, Selene had been inviting her to join.
But Estella had refused, choosing instead to care for Nathaniel.
Now that she was leaving Nathaniel, she needed a job.
Finished
Hearing her words, Selene was thrilled. “That’s great, Estella! I’ve been hoping you’d join us. When you got married so young and became a full–time housewife, I always thought it was such a waste of your talent.”
Three years without working, yet Selene was still willing to take her in. Estella’s eyes warmed. “Thank you, Selene. I’ll treat you to a meal later.”
“Sounds good! I’ll be waiting.”
After hanging up, Estella began organizing her documents.
She found her marriage certificate. Seeing the photo of her and Nathaniel, she felt dazed for a moment.
Back then, Madeline had introduced her to the Hartwell family to take care of Nathaniel.
Nathaniel had resisted her, let alone considered marrying her.
Later, he attempted suicide multiple times, and she stopped him each time.
During countless sleepless nights, she stayed by his side, preparing calming aromatherapy and music for him.
No matter how he hit or cursed at her, she never left.
Finally, one day, he agreed to marry her.
During their early days as newlyweds, Nathaniel had been gentle with her.
Back then, she liked him a little.
She thought, if Nathaniel could always treat her that well, she would stay by his side, even if he had to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
But later, she learned from Naomi that Nathaniel had only married her because Isabelle had started dating someone new, which had provoked him.
At that moment, she found her feelings for Nathaniel utterly ridiculous.
Now that the contract had ended, it was time for her to leave.
He had never belonged to her. Their marriage had always been a contract.
Letting go meant letting go.
Spending three years of her youth in exchange for a villa in downtown Javerton wasn’t a total loss.
