Scarlett had been Ethan’s secret lover for five years, believing she would eventually win his true heart. Instead, she only received news of his engagement to a wealthy heiress. She left him resolutely, only to discover she was pregnant—and worse, to realize she had been nothing more than a stand‑in for Ethan’s deceased first love. Her child was lost in a miscarriage, and her younger brother committed suicide. Ultimately, Scarlett chose to walk away, yet she still finds herself unable to escape Ethan’s consuming hold on her.