A World of Beauty Behind Me Chapter 1

Mike Maxwell was famously devoted to his wife, a fact well-known in their circle. For me, he’d turned down a family-arranged marriage and doted on me for three years straight. But then, at his bachelor party, just before our wedding, his first love, the one who got away, asked him, “If I crashed your wedding and asked you to leave with me, would you?”

And he, utterly serious, replied, “Yes.”

Swallowing my tears, I messaged my best friend, Lexie Thorne, a billionaire heiress.

“Can you get me out of here, like, now?”

Seven minutes later, Lexie’s car screeched to a halt, tires practically smoking.

“I told you, with your looks and personality, you should marry into old money and live the good life. My brother is gorgeous and refined, and my dad is still quite charming. Pick one!”

* * *

The wedding was just around the corner, and Mike’s best friends had thrown him a wild bachelor party. Everyone in his close-knit group knew how much Mike adored me. If I wasn’t with him, he’d inevitably rush home before ten, regardless of whether anyone else was having fun. So, this time, they’d enthusiastically invited me along.

But the moment I stepped inside, I felt an odd tension in the air. Everyone greeted me warmly, yet kept subtly glancing at Mike, shooting him meaningful looks. I had no idea what was going on.

Once everyone was seated, a short-haired girl finally arrived, a little late.

“Sorry, traffic was a nightmare!”

She was tall and slender, her voice clear and cheerful. Mike, beside me, immediately froze. It was the first time I’d ever seen someone’s face betray the precise moment their heart skipped a beat.

The girl extended her hand to me, a friendly smile on her face. “You must be the bride-to-be! Nice to meet you, I’m Summer Reed!”

The name hit me like a splash of cold water. Suddenly, everything clicked. This was Mike’s first love, the one he’d been infatuated with for five years. They said back then, before he became the composed man he was now, he pursued her relentlessly. Ten thousand roses beneath her window, a hundred feet of fireworks on the beach. His entire youth had revolved around her. But three years ago, she’d decisively followed another guy abroad for college.

That’s when I met Mike.

At that bar, Mike walked toward me through the hazy lights. I’d only had half a drink, yet I felt utterly intoxicated, practically begging my friends for information about him. When they nudged me in front of him, my tongue tied itself in knots.

“I’m Primrose Day. Mr. Maxwell, may I ask your first name?”

Laughter erupted around us. Mike, whose brow had been furrowed for months, finally relaxed into a smile.

After we got together, Mike poured all his tenderness into me. He remembered every single thing I liked and disliked. No matter how late I worked, he insisted on picking me up himself. Every holiday brought a thoughtful gift from him. He posted about me constantly on his social media, introducing me to every friend and family member. Even his friends started to get jealous.

“You’re really benefiting from someone else’s hard work, Primrose. Mike chased the toughest girl, perfected his emotional intelligence, and now you’re reaping the rewards.”

Those comments never bothered me. Because they always added that, in looks and personality, I was completely different from that girl. I wasn't a replacement. More importantly, I felt Mike’s love. After three years of passionate romance, he’d proposed to me with unwavering certainty. I thought our love was finally blossoming into happily ever after. But then, reality delivered a brutal punch.