Chapter 1The Face of a Ghost

For five years, everyone said I was dead.

Even the boy I grew up with burned paper money for me every year on my "death anniversary."

But he was also the one who said he wanted to cut ties with me, the one who said we should never contact each other again.

Later, I returned to the States and ran into him at a bar.

Before I could even say hello, his bodyguards pinned me to the floor.

He looked at me with chilling indifference.

"Who allowed you to get plastic surgery to look like her?"

Then he ordered his men: "Ruined her face."

Wait, how did the guy I haven't seen in years suddenly turn into a criminal?

* * *

As soon as I walked out of JFK, a figure in black tackled me.

"Zoey, I missed you so much!"

It was my best friend, Chloe.

We hadn't seen each other in years, and the feeling was mutual.

She hugged me for so long I started to lose my breath.

"Chloe, that's enough. Oxygen."

"Right, right."

Chloe let go, her eyes sparkling.

"You're not leaving again this time, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm staying."

Chloe suddenly thought of something and burst out laughing.

"If Liam saw you, would he think he's seeing a ghost?"

Liam was my childhood sweetheart, the only guy I ever loved.

Before I came back, Chloe filled me in on what happened back home.

Liam wasn't the same Liam from five years ago.

He climbed the ladder faster than I did and was now the head of the Sterling family empire.

And me? I spent five years hiding in Europe just to stay alive.

Surviving this long used up almost all my luck.

I hadn't contacted Liam in a long time.

I looked at Chloe. "You didn't tell him I was coming back?"

Chloe smirked mischievously. "Nope. Serves him right for being so heartless back then."

Back then...

My thoughts drifted.

Liam and I were solid. We planned to marry after graduation.

But my dad's sudden illness revealed a secret: I had two half-brothers and a half-sister I never knew about.

Dad was on his deathbed, and to fight for the inheritance, they planned to get rid of me.

A staged car accident left me hanging by a thread.

Mom didn't trust anyone in the States anymore. She sent her most trusted aide to take me abroad for treatment.

Before leaving, I called Liam to say goodbye.

Afraid he'd worry, I didn't mention the accident.

Liam misunderstood. He thought I didn't trust him and kept questioning me over the phone.

"Why are you leaving? I told you I'd do everything to help you."

"Do you think I'm not capable enough?"

I never doubted Liam's heart.

But back then, we were young and powerless.

I didn't want to drag him down.

And I didn't even know if I would survive.

So I hardened my heart. "My mind is made up."

Liam's voice choked up.

"Zoey, please. Don't go."

I gripped the phone tightly, forcing out the last words.

"Liam, I'm sorry."

At that, Liam laughed bitterly.

"Zoey, this is the first time I've begged anyone. And the last."

"If we meet again, let's pretend we're strangers. Don't contact me."

The moment the call ended, I couldn't hold on anymore.

Everything went black, and I fell into a long coma.