Our son is getting married, and we couldn’t be happier,” Victoria Hayes, the renowned owner of a chain of beauty salons and spa resorts, boasted to her friends. “His bride is Madison — beautiful and from a wealthy family. Not Hailey, just a simple country girl.”
Ethan overheard his mother’s words when he returned from work at her company, where he served as CFO. That day, Victoria proudly introduced him to her longtime friend Sophia, who had flown in from abroad to attend her godson’s wedding. Sophia was surprised to see how much Ethan had grown — tall, healthy, and refined.
The years of studying abroad had paid off. Victoria’s business was thriving, and the family had recently moved into an exclusive new residence in Bel Air, a luxury complex discreetly designed for high-profile businessmen and politicians. Much of her success was thanks to Charles Bennett, a well-known investor who had poured money into her projects. Though aesthetics weren’t Victoria’s main business, she nurtured that world for her daughter-in-law-to-be, Madison — a sharp, elegant young woman who easily turned heads.
Ethan met Madison at a mutual friend’s birthday party. Her charm captivated him instantly, making him forget all about Hailey — the quiet, unassuming girl from a rural town he had met months earlier.
It had been during a lavish country-house party for his friend Dylan’s graduation. Fueled by drinks and mischief, Dylan and the group decided to visit a nearby country club. Spotting Hailey among them, Dylan joked about her being “only good for cleaning toilets” and hatched a cruel prank: Ethan would charm her, make her believe she was special, and then vanish.
Ethan went along with it. When slow music began, he asked her to dance. Hailey, wide-eyed and breathless, said yes. They spoke, laughed, and danced as though they had known each other forever. At the end of the evening, Ethan invited her out for the next day. Hailey eagerly accepted.
That weekend left an impression on him, but soon life pulled him back to the city. Then Madison appeared, and Hailey faded from his thoughts. Before long, Ethan was in a boutique choosing a wedding suit while Madison inspected bridal gowns, selecting one she deemed perfect for her “status.”
Two days before the ceremony, excitement filled the air. The wedding took place at the municipal courthouse, followed by a lavish celebration in an elite suburb. Guests cheered as the couple stepped into a limousine, with Ethan thinking only of the future — Hailey was a distant memory.
But Hailey, having learned of the wedding by chance, was heartbroken. She found the strength to attend the courthouse that day, only to run away in tears after seeing him with Madison.
That night, Madison received the keys to a new apartment from her father as a wedding gift. Ethan surprised her with honeymoon tickets and promised her “a real fairy tale.” But as he stepped out onto the balcony to fix a crooked string of lights, he slipped — and fell three stories.
The scene was chaos: blood, panic, ambulances. After hours of surgery, the doctor delivered the blow — Ethan had survived but was paralyzed. Madison’s initial shock turned to cold resentment. “I can’t live like this,” she told her father, before filing for divorce and keeping the apartment.
Ethan’s world crumbled. His friends drifted away, while Madison flaunted her new relationship. One night at a country club, Madison laughed with her lover, unaware that Hailey was watching.
Hailey confronted her, then left determined to find Ethan. When Victoria Hayes answered the door, Hailey declared she wanted to help. Ethan met her with bitterness, assuming she had come to gloat, but she stayed — even saving him from a suicide attempt.
Hailey became his unwavering support, pushing him through painful rehabilitation and refusing to let him give up. Slowly, Ethan regained strength and confidence. Love returned between them, though neither dared speak it outright.
One sunny Saturday, as they played in the autumn leaves, Hailey’s face suddenly went pale. She reassured Ethan, then revealed she was pregnant. Joy and fear clashed in Ethan’s eyes, but when she hugged him, he knew they would face whatever came — together.
