Chapter 1

This noon, the sun heated the earth with a stronger light than usual, anyone caught for too long under the sunlight would surely suffer sunburn. Everything seemed so blurry because of the heat emitted by many objects here on earth. One building exposed by the heat was an apartment block. Inside one of the apartment rooms, there was a bare-chested muscular man sitting in silence while looking at a wedding ring on his palm and another similar ring on his ring finger.

His heart was broken, he no longer knew how to live his life anymore. To that particular man, this was the end of the world. He had no idea how to get out of this misery. He had already lost something of great importance.

He never thought that he would see the day when the ring that was worn by his wife, who he really loved, no longer meant anything. That ring has rested in his palm for some time now, she already returned it to him. Everyone always looked up to him, but he did not even know who he was anymore.

Han Xiao Long, everyone knew him. A young entrepreneur, a highly successful one at that. Many women desired for him, not only for the wealth he owned but his winsome looks as well. Despite living a perfect life from the outside, he was completely broken on the inside, ever since his wife, Han Qiao Xin, left him.

He did not know how long he could carry on like this. He tried to hold on to his marriage even after he watched that horrifying video. Who would have thought that his wife would leave him just like that? He was madly in love with her when he left. But then, he remembered the clause in his marriage contract, it was clearly stated that they must not fall in love and the contract will end if one of them confessed their feelings of love. Qiao Xin did just that. But, would that be a good enough reason for her departure? Xiao Long has not even said how he actually felt for her. He has not told her how he felt for her, how he would accept her feelings for him. He had no idea that the day he lost the love of his life, was the day he found one. The worst part was he could do nothing but to let go. He felt so stupid when he remembered the agreement between them.

"Xiao Long!"

"Mr. Han!"

It appeared that somebody shouted to call him, but he could not hear it very clearly. He still sat there motionless while staring at the two rings as well as a letter from Qiao Xin. He smiled bitterly at that letter.

Li Xuan and Mei looked at poor Xiao Long, and then stared at each other. They approached that bare-chested man. He looked so devastated, although those two could not really understand why. Anyone who looked at him would surely feel the same. It was Xiao Long's first feelings of love, a deep love for his wife. But somehow those people cruelly crushed his feelings. Especially Xuan Cheng, Li Xuan never thought that Xuan Cheng who always appeared to be rather silent, soft, polite, and often gave in for his friends, turned out to be cruel enough to do such a thing. It seemed that he did that purposefully. Li Xuan just did not get it, was it not enough for him to steal Xiao Long's lover once? That he had to crush his heart once more. Could he not find another woman for himself? Was there no other woman in this world? Xuan Cheng has shamelessly taken away the love of his friend's life.

"Xiao Long, Xiao Long … Please come to your senses, tell me what is going on." Li Xuan said as he sat in front of Xiao Long to help his friend get out of this misery. But it seemed that Xiao Long did not want to go anywhere. He just wanted to get lost in his own thoughts with a grim expression on his face.

Meanwhile, Mei looked around, to see if she could find a clue to Qiao Xin's whereabouts. Mei was afraid that Qiao Xin left him because she could not bear the shame caused by these unfortunate circumstances.

"Mr. Han, where is Qiao Xin? Why is she not here? She came here a moment ago, right?" Mei asked.

Li Xuan appeared to be a little upset by that question, as if Mei could not read the room. She should have known that Qiao Xin was not here judging by how Xiao Long's state at the moment.

Li Xuan took a piece of paper from Xiao Long's hand and read it. Then, he showed it to Mei. Suddenly, she looked so surprised, her hands trembled, her eyes felt hot. She slumped onto the floor as that letter fell off her hands. She cried. Mei did not expect her to take such a decision.

"No … This can't be, Qiao Xin would not dare to leave us like this!" Mei screamed hysterically.

Li Xuan stared at Xiao Long and expected an answer from him.

"Please explain it all, Xiao Long. What happened? Did both of you make a contract, and a promise to not fall in love with each other? And the person who violates that contract must leave? Is that true? Answer me, Xiao Long!" Li Xuan yelled at Xiao Long.

Xiao Long looked away, he nodded as tears rolled down his cheek.

"The other reason being, she saw a video of me with Cheng." Xiao Long finally talked after being silent for a long time.