Her Missing Heart novel Chapter 1

I was hypnotized.

Through the haze, I heard the hypnotherapist say, "The session was successful. When Miss Riley wakes up, she'll fall in love with the first person she sees."

Fall in love with the first person I see?

I slowly opened my eyes and saw Ethan Blackwood.

His eyes brimmed with affection. "Autumn, do you remember me? I'm Ethan, your boyfriend of seven years."

I scanned everyone in the hospital room, then nodded as they expected.

But I knew deep down - he wasn't the one.

...

Six months after the hypnosis, Ethan proposed.

I stared at the platinum diamond ring between his fingers, unable to say yes.

Perhaps I stayed silent too long. Ethan's sculptured face showed a flash of displeasure. "You don't want to?"

Pushing down the turbulent emotions inside, I took the ring and slipped it on. "I'm just... overwhelmed with happiness."

"Ethan, didn't you say we've been in love for seven years? I must have been waiting for this proposal all along."

At my words, Ethan's body tensed slightly.

I looked up at him, feigning confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." A shadow crossed his eyes.

I was about to probe further when the doorbell rang.

Ethan turned to answer it.

Standing alone, I gazed down at the ring on my finger - a simple platinum band with a diamond solitaire.

Ethan came from old money and academic prestige. A renowned artist at such a young age, people called him the untouchable ice prince.

I used to paint too, until certain events made it impossible to hold a brush. Now I'm just a middling romance novelist.

By any measure, this marriage would be me honor to marry him.

Yet I couldn't summon any joy. Instead, something kept pulling me down into darkness...

"Ethan, why aren't you answering your phone? The gallery opening's about to start!"

A woman's voice cut through the living room.

I looked up to see Morgan Pierce, Ethan's agent, striding in.

When she spotted me, she didn't bother hiding her contempt.

Was Ethan back to home?

Puzzled, I got up and walked out to find him in the studio, burning some paintings.

Those paintings all depicted the same man from all kinds of aspects - front view, profile, sitting, walking, sleeping... Each piece was masterfully done, showing the artist's deep devotion to the subject.

And the man's face - it was identical to the one from my dream!

But strangely, each painting bore my signature.

"Did... did I paint these?"

Ethan glanced at me, his voice cool. "Yes. Just some unimportant pieces. Don't worry about them."

Unimportant?

Yet my heart burned as if set ablaze, crumpling in on itself.

I instinctively stepped forward, reaching for the paintings.

But Ethan threw them all into the fire immediately.

"Whoosh!"

The flames leaped up, instantly devouring the man's face...