Julian Laurent was known as the most notorious playboy in Rivermont, changing girlfriends as often as he changed his clothes and treating marriage like a joke.
Clara Sterling, on the other hand, had always been the most quiet and obedient daughter of the Sterling family. Raised as the heir since childhood, she had been flawless in every word and every gesture.
A family-arranged marriage forced these two complete opposites into the same life.
On their wedding night, Julian openly made out with a young model at a nightclub.
For the first time, Clara cast aside her propriety, slapping him and demanding a divorce on the spot.
But before the next day was over, their families had forced them to remarry.
This time, Julian managed to stay faithful for a month before he cheated again.
Clara filed for divorce once more, cutting ties with him completely.
However, that very same day, it was revealed that Clara was not the real daughter of the Sterling family, and she was thrown out.
At her lowest point, Julian found her and solemnly promised to protect her from then on.
They remarried again, and from that day forward, the scandals surrounding Julian ceased.
Everyone said Clara was lucky. Even her best friend insisted that Julian had truly settled down, and Clara believed it.
Until she saw him in a hospital corridor, holding her best friend’s hand, his voice strained with deep emotion, “I never liked her. You’re the one I’ve always loved!”
It turned out all of his tenderness had been a lie.
This time, she walked away and never looked back.
And the man who had once treated her as disposable only realized after she was gone that he had long since drowned in her quiet love, unable to escape.
A Heart Misplaced, A Love Bone-Deep Chapter 1 Married The Same Man Three Times
Julian Laurent was known as the most notorious playboy in Rivermont, changing girlfriends as often as he changed his clothes and treating marriage like a joke.
Clara Sterling, on the other hand, had always been the most quiet and obedient daughter of the Sterling family. Raised as the heir since childhood, she had been flawless in every word and every gesture.
A family-arranged marriage forced these two complete opposites into the same life.
On their wedding night, Julian found Clara unbearably dull and openly made out with a young model at a nightclub. Clara stormed in, slapped him across the face, and forced out one word through clenched teeth, “Divorce.”
After that, they divorced twice and remarried twice, trapped in an endless cycle of breaking apart and pulling back together.
By the time they remarried for the last time, everyone said Julian had finally settled down. Even Clara believed it.
That belief shattered the moment she overheard him in a hospital hallway saying to another woman, “I never loved her. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved.”
So all his tenderness had been nothing but an act.
This time, she didn’t look back.
And the man who had once cast her aside like she meant nothing only realized after she was gone that he had already drowned in her quiet love, with no way out.
……
Everyone in Rivermont’s elite circle knew there were two extremes.
One was Clara, the eldest daughter of the Sterling family, poised and proper, every move measured like the perfect socialite.
The other was Julian, heir to the Laurent family, bold and reckless, changing girlfriends faster than clothes, his reputation as a playboy echoing through the entire circle.
And somehow, these two ended up in an arranged marriage.
Everyone waited for the drama, and the two of them didn’t disappoint.
On their wedding night, Julian got bored of Clara and went straight to a nightclub looking for excitement.
When Clara found him, he was holding a model in his arms, kissing her passionately, not even sparing Clara a glance.
That night, for the first time in her life, Clara broke her rules. She slapped Julian across the face.
Gritting her teeth, she forced out one word, “Divorce.”
The divorce was finalized in the morning. By the afternoon, their families had already forced them back into remarriage.
This time, on that very night, Julian seemed like a different person. Instead of going out, he stayed and apologized to Clara.
“Clara, I was reckless before. I hurt you. Thank you for giving me another chance. This time, we’ll make it work.”
Seeing the sincerity and guilt in his eyes, Clara found herself believing him against her better judgment.
For the next month, Julian cut off all ties with his flings and treated Clara with unexpected care and gentleness.
Just when Clara thought he had truly changed, a single photo shattered every illusion she had.
In the photo, Julian was leaning down, pressing a soft kiss to a woman’s lips, her face hidden from view. The tenderness in the gesture didn’t look like him at all.
The timestamp read yesterday.
Bitterness filled Clara’s eyes. Of course, no man was truly faithful.
That very afternoon, they filed for divorce again.
This time, Clara was resolute. No matter how sweet Julian’s words were, she would never remarry him again.
But the very next day, a shocking secret changed her fate.
It was revealed that Clara was not the Sterling family’s biological daughter, but a child who had been switched at birth in the hospital.
Clara’s parents were cold and blunt. “The board has already revoked your status as heir. Everything in the Sterling family will go to our biological daughter.”
The same people who once flattered her now avoided her like the plague, even mocking her as a fraud.
Overnight, Clara lost everything.
At her lowest point, she stood by the river with nowhere left to go, when suddenly, someone grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back.
It was Julian.
Soaked to the bone, his eyes red, he said, “Clara, you still have me. Let’s remarry. I’ll protect you for the rest of your life.”
This time, everyone said Julian had truly settled down.
Even Clara found herself believing it, because after they remarried, there hadn’t been a single other woman around him.
When people questioned Clara’s identity, Julian was the first to stand up for her, publicly declaring that she was the only Mrs. Laurent.
In private, Julian was obsessed with Clara’s body. Even when her restraint held her back, he didn’t mind. If anything, it only made him more relentless.
He had no sense of restraint, and eventually, Clara developed a low-grade fever and had to go to the hospital.
Before leaving that morning, Julian looked apologetic. “I have an important meeting I can’t get out of. I can’t go with you.”
Clara nodded, and before she left, Julian even leaned in to kiss her forehead.
But in the hospital hallway, she caught sight of a figure at the far end.
Vivian Sterling stood outside the consultation room, her face ashen, clutching a medical report in her hand.
And standing beside her was Julian.
Clara stopped in her tracks.
After reading the report, Vivian let out a long breath. “Thank God I’m not pregnant… otherwise, how would we ever face—”
Her voice dropped, the rest fading into something inaudible.
But Clara clearly saw Julian pull Vivian into his arms, his expression full of concern.
“Vivian, pregnant or not, I’ll take responsibility for you.”
Vivian shoved him away and stepped back, her emotions suddenly spiraling. “No, stop. If it wasn’t for Clara, do you think I would’ve agreed to what you asked that night? You’re married to her again now. Whatever we had should’ve ended a long time ago.”
Julian grabbed her arm, his restraint finally snapping. “You know I don’t love her. You’ve always known. The only one I’ve ever loved is you.”
Vivian shook her head, her eyes already turning red.
“This was a mistake from the beginning. Your wife is Clara now. She’s the one you’re supposed to love. From now on… we shouldn’t see each other anymore.”
Julian’s expression darkened. Even in his anger, he held back, afraid of scaring her. He stepped forward, gripping her wrist tightly.
“Vivian, I remarried Clara because of you. We agreed back then, didn’t we? Once the scandal about her being a fake heiress dies down, I’d divorce her. If this is why you want to leave me, fine. I’ll go tell her everything and divorce her right now.”
With that, he turned as if he really meant to go find Clara and end it.
“No, you can’t. Clara has nothing left right now. You can’t abandon her like this.” Vivian panicked and grabbed him. “I won’t leave you. I won’t break up with you.”
A flicker of triumph crossed Julian’s eyes as he pulled her tightly into his arms.
“Vivian, you can’t keep thinking about Clara. Think about yourself too… think about us, our future.”
Tears streamed down Vivian’s face. She said nothing.
Watching the two of them locked in each other’s arms, something exploded in Clara’s mind, leaving behind nothing but emptiness.
Liars.
Every single one of them.
So the reformed playboy and the perfect marriage had only ever been their self-righteous charity.
Her vision blurred.
Clara reached up to her face and realized she was crying.
How long had it been since she last cried?
Raised as the Sterling family’s heir, she knew that any mistake meant punishment, isolation, and hours of copying rules. She hadn’t dared to cry. She hadn’t been allowed to.
But now, she was crying.
She turned and walked into a quiet corner of the stairwell, dialing her lawyer.
“Prepare a divorce agreement for me. I want out. And transfer all my assets to an overseas account. I won’t be staying here much longer…”
A Heart Misplaced, A Love Bone-Deep Chapter 2 Julian Forgot Clara’s Birthday
Clara returned home, exhausted, a box of medicine in her hand.
She took her medicine, but instead of resting, she started packing.
The moment she thought of what she had seen at the hospital, the home that once felt warm now only suffocated her.
Her phone vibrated. It was Vivian calling.
“Clara, want to go shopping? It’s your birthday today. I got you a present.” Vivian’s voice was bright and gentle, just like it had always been.
Hearing that familiar voice, Clara felt her chest tighten, like she could barely breathe.
She didn’t want to go, but before she could answer, the front door swung open.
Vivian walked in as if she belonged there. Clara had once trusted her completely, treated her like family, even given her the door code.
Now that she thought about it, it had only made things easier for Vivian and Julian.
Vivian didn’t seem to notice anything was wrong. The moment she saw Clara, she slipped her arm through hers like always.
“Clara, why are all your clothes out?” Vivian smiled, eyes curving with warmth. “Going all out just to shop with me? You didn’t have to. Though honestly, you look good in anything.”
Clara said nothing.
The scene from the hospital hallway replayed over and over in her mind. Julian’s voice, full of emotion, saying, “You’re the only one I’ve ever loved.” Vivian’s trembling reply, “You can’t abandon her right now. I won’t break up with you.”
Every word felt like a poisoned needle, piercing the softest part of her heart.
Betrayed by the two people she trusted most, Clara felt like the world had already ended.
Lost in a daze, she let Vivian pull her along to the mall.
Inside a luxury boutique, Vivian led her straight to a display case.
“Look, I spent forever picking this out for you.”
She carefully took out a deep blue velvet box. Inside was a gemstone bracelet, its pendant shaped like a tiny crescent moon. On the back, a line was engraved, “Always shining for you.”
Clara froze.
It was something she had once said in passing during college.
Back then, she had stayed up all night working on a project, with Vivian keeping her company until dawn. Looking out the window, she had said, “If someone could be like the moon, always there, always shining for me… that would be enough.”
She had long forgotten it. Vivian hadn’t.
“I remember you said the moon was your favorite.” Vivian fastened the bracelet gently around her wrist, her eyes shining. “Happy birthday, Clara. From now on, I’ll be here for every one.”
Clara’s eyes burned, and a tangle of emotions tore at her heart as if it would split in two.
Growing up in the Sterling family, her birthdays had never been anything more than a formality at family banquets.
Her father, Victor Sterling, and her mother, Margaret Sterling, would be busy entertaining guests. The staff would bring out the cake. Clara would make the first cut, pose for photos, smile, and then it would be over.
No one ever asked what she wanted. No one ever remembered what she liked.
Not until she met Vivian.
Vivian had once saved up from her part-time jobs to buy Clara an out-of-print poetry collection she loved.
She had knitted Clara a scarf by hand, uneven stitches and all, yet it had kept her warm through an entire winter.
She had secretly recorded their little moments together and made them into a video for Clara.
Clara had always believed that, if nothing else, there was at least one person in this world who truly loved her.
But the very person who had promised to always shine for her was secretly planning a future with Julian behind her back.
“Thank you for still remembering my birthday.” Clara spoke softly, her voice a little hoarse.
Vivian noticed nothing unusual and kept gesturing excitedly. “I also ordered your favorite chestnut cake. We’ll go to our usual place later, that café by the river. Remember?”
Clara nodded, but her gaze fell to the side of Vivian’s neck. There was a faint red mark there, like the trace of someone’s kiss.
Then Clara suddenly asked, her voice very soft, “Vivian, are you seeing someone? Why didn’t you ever tell me? I’d love to meet your boyfriend.”
Vivian froze. She instinctively touched her neck, her cheeks flushing slightly before she quickly covered it up. “Oh… we haven’t known each other long. It’s not serious yet. Once things are settled, I’ll definitely introduce him to you.”
Clara watched the way Vivian avoided her eyes, and the last fragile thread of hope in her heart snapped.
How she wished Vivian would just tell her the truth.
Then she could simply turn and leave, instead of having to keep playing along with this ridiculous performance.
But they insisted on making her the fool left in the dark.
“Is that so?” Clara tugged at the corner of her mouth, her smile bitter. “That’s wonderful.”
She gently placed the gift box back into Vivian’s hand and turned to leave.
Only to run straight into a firm embrace.
The familiar scent of cedar washed over her.
Clara stiffened and looked up into Julian’s eyes.
He wore a dark gray coat, his expression carrying its usual lazy ease. But the moment he saw her, a flicker of panic crossed his eyes before he quickly forced it down.
“Clara? What are you doing here?” he asked, reaching for her wrist.
Clara stepped back sharply, avoiding his touch.
At that moment, Vivian spoke softly, a hint of reproach in her tone. “Julian, how could you forget what day it is? It’s Clara’s birthday.”
Julian froze. He really had forgotten.
A Heart Misplaced, A Love Bone-Deep Chapter 3 The Illusion Of Us
Clara wanted to leave.
But a warm hand gently closed around her wrist.
It was Vivian.
“Clara, please don’t go, okay?” Her voice trembled slightly. “Ever since you remarried, we’ve barely spent any time together… I just want you to shop with me for a little while. Just a little while, please?”
Clara lowered her eyes and looked at that hand.
Once, that hand had held hers all night when she had a fever. It had hugged her while she cried after her first divorce. It had wiped away her tears when Victor and Margaret announced that she was not their real daughter.
But now, that same hand had just slipped out of Julian’s grasp, only to reach for her again.
How ironic.
Clara said nothing. She simply tried to pull her hand free.
Just then, Julian strode over.
His gaze burned with concern, but it was not for Clara. His eyes landed on Vivian’s face, his tone edged with reproach. “Vivian, you look awful. I’m taking you to the hospital.”
Vivian shook her head, her eyes reddening. “I’m not going. Clara hasn’t agreed to have cake with me yet…”
“If she doesn’t want to, then forget it!” Julian’s voice darkened. At last, he turned to Clara, his eyes cold. “Clara, Vivian has given you everything she has. You can’t even spare her this little bit of time? Do you even feel anything?”
Clara let out a faint, bitter smile. “Julian, you’re right. I don’t.”
Julian looked at Clara’s expressionless face, and a sudden wave of panic rose in his chest. Did she know something?
Clara tried again to pull free from Vivian’s hand. Vivian seemed to twist her wrist slightly, and her brows drew together.
Julian’s eyes darkened. He stepped forward. “Clara, you hurt Vivian.”
“Julian!” Vivian suddenly raised her voice and rushed in front of Clara, spreading her arms. “Don’t talk to Clara like that!”
Julian froze. “Vivian?”
“I said I’m not going to the hospital!” Vivian’s eyes were red, her voice shaking, yet unusually firm. “Either you leave right now, or you stay and spend Clara’s birthday with her. Choose.”
“But you look terrible. What if—”
“There is no what if!” Vivian cut him off, tears finally falling. “It’s Clara’s birthday today. Are you going to celebrate it with her or not?”
Julian went still and instinctively looked at Clara.
Clara had lowered her head, her long hair hiding her face, but the slight tremble of her shoulders betrayed her.
Julian clicked his tongue, as if trying to cover the panic in his heart. “Fine, fine. I’ll celebrate it with her, okay?”
Vivian took a deep breath and turned to Clara, her voice softening. “Clara… it’s your birthday today. I ordered a cake, bought you a present, and booked a table at your favorite café… Please don’t leave, okay?”
Clara’s eyes burned.
How badly she wanted to believe this was real.
But she knew better than anyone that this was only another performance put on by the two of them.
“Thank you for the gift. I really like it. As for the cake… you two can have it.”
With that, she turned and left.
Silence fell behind her.
A few seconds later, she heard Julian say quietly to Vivian, “I’ll take you home.”
“No.” Vivian avoided his hand. “If you treat her badly, I’ll leave right now. I’ll disappear forever, and you’ll never find me again.”
Julian was silent for a long time before finally giving in. “Fine. I’ll treat her well.”
Clara did not look back, but her steps slowed for a moment.
So Julian’s tenderness toward her had only been an illusion created by Vivian’s words. How ridiculous. Vivian had been with Julian just to make him treat Clara better.
Clara kept walking, every step feeling as if she were treading on the edge of a blade.
She should have hated Vivian.
But she couldn’t bring herself to.
Because Vivian truly loved her.
And she truly loved Julian too.
But in this world, some things could never coexist.