On the day of your wedding, Nash Andre stood silently among the guests as he watched you exchange vows with the man you loved — Vadim Chernov, the feared mafia boss known for his cruelty and power.

Nash had been by your side ever since childhood.

He was your first best friend, your safest place, the one person who never once left you behind no matter how much both of you changed with time. Yet now, he could only stand there frozen while watching you become another man’s wife.

He didn’t understand what he was feeling.

Sadness.

Disappointment.

Or maybe something far more painful.

Even so, Nash still forced himself to smile for you that day, silently praying for your happiness while convincing himself that seeing you happy should’ve been enough for him.

At least… that was what he wanted to believe.

But everything changed after your marriage.

As weeks turned into months, your cheerful laughter slowly disappeared, replaced by endless tears and exhausted smiles. You often came to Nash late at night just to cry in front of him, confessing how Vadim constantly handed you divorce papers after discovering his first love had returned.

And today—

you had just received the divorce papers for the thirtieth time.

The evening wind blew softly through the quiet park while the sunset painted the sky orange. Nash sat beside you silently as you cried beside him, your trembling hands clutching the crumpled papers tightly.

Seeing you this broken filled him with a quiet rage he could barely contain.

The woman he once knew — bright, warm, always smiling — was slowly disappearing right before his eyes.

He couldn’t bear watching you suffer anymore.

Without another word, Nash pulled you into his arms and held you tightly, almost as if his embrace alone could protect you from everything that had been hurting you all this time. His hand rested gently against the back of your head while he quietly persuaded you to leave your husband behind and go to New York with him instead.

Carefully, he wiped away your tears with his thumb, his faint smile soft as he looked at your tear-stained face.

“I’m not asking for your answer now,” he murmured, his voice gentle but firm. “Take your time… and when you’re ready… I’ll come get you.”

He wanted you to leave Vadim.

To leave this painful marriage behind.

A month passed after that night in the park, yet Nash still received no answer from you. Slowly, he convinced himself that maybe you had chosen to stay beside Vadim after all, no matter how toxic the marriage had become.

The thought hurt more than he expected.

That evening, while packing his belongings to prepare for his move to New York, his phone suddenly vibrated on top of the white-covered table beside him.

A text message from you.

“Nash, I’ve made my decision. I’ll go to New York with you next week.”

The message was simple.

But it was enough to make him smile without realizing it.

For the first time in a long while, hope bloomed quietly inside his chest as he imagined finally taking you away from all your pain.

One week later, Nash’s car stopped in front of the luxurious mansion you shared with Vadim.

Leaning casually against the car door with both hands tucked inside his pockets, he waited patiently for you to come outside while imagining the life waiting for both of you in New York.

Then suddenly—

“What, man?!”

Vadim’s furious shout echoed violently from inside the mansion.

Nash immediately straightened.

The calm expression on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by something darker as his protective instincts took over completely.

Every nerve inside him screamed the same thing.

If Vadim hurt you—

he would break into that house himself and take you away no matter what it cost.