It took me a second. Then I realized – the venue still had Arthur’s contact information listed as the groom’s. They r
have assumed he was still the groom.
I didn’t bother correcting it and turned toward the bedroom. Arthur started to follow, but Sophie’s soft voice drifted from the other room, and he stopped mid–step.
That night, the moment I lay down, Arthur pressed himself against me. He still smelled like Sophie.
My skin crawled. I pulled away from his hands, but he tightened his grip and lowered his mouth to my ear.
“Stop being difficult. It’s not good for the baby.”
My eyes burned. I thought of the baby that no longer existed.
My breath caught. He didn’t notice. He just kept talking.
“Graduation’s coming up. The department’s putting together a dinner – you should come with me.”
I said nothing.
He brought me anyway. Halfway through the meal, Sophie lifted her wine glass, eyes shining with tears, her hand
unsteady.
Auto–added to the Library
“Chloe Vance, I owe you an apology. The day you were in that accident and needed Arthur as your emergency.com authorize your surgery – he wasn’t at school.” Her eyes glistened as she turned to face me fully
I had a fever that day, and he was taking care of me. I didn’t want to keep it from you anymore Please
with him.”
I went rigid. The memory surfaced slowly.
I’d been in a car accident on my way to bring Arthur lunch at the university The surgeon needed adm consent before they could operate
I called Arthur through the pain more than ten times He dudak pak up a stripe one He Htor slow day, hours after they had already finished the surgery
“I pulled an all nighter Chloe (rashed in my office Pilot even check my phone
I’d been in too much pain to think straight I noticed the mark on his he,&hur Fiched to twink about stop meant Even during my hospital stay he kept glancing at tus phone which he thought was levanta
The other students immediately jumped to Sophie’s detaine
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“It’s really not a big deal. You’re Professor Hastings favorite student – I’m sure Chloe understands
“Right. She wouldn’t hold something like that against you.”
Panic flickered across Arthur’s face. He looked at me before he could stop himself.
I kept my expression still. Then my phone buzzed- message after message from Sophie.
[The night of your accident. Arthur and I slept together. It was my first time. He felt guilty afterward and held me for
hours.]
[While you were in the hospital, he brought me back to your place. The couch. The windowsill. The bathroom.]
So that was the truth. Every excuse, every disappearance – he had been with her.
Something clenched around my chest, tight enough to choke me. Across the table, the students were laughing and
talking over each other. No one noticed the flash of satisfaction in Sophie’s eyes.
My stomach twisted. Bile crept up my throat. I pushed my chair back to leave, but Sophie grabbed my arm, her voice
syrupy sweet.
“Chloe, the wedding was delayed because of me. Blame me for it, okay? Just please don’t let it come between you and
Professor Hastings.”
I remembered this trick. She had pulled it before, over and over, in another life – the injured innocent act, timed to
perfection. Grief and fury hit me at the same time.
I raised my hand and slapped her across the face.
Sophie threw herself sideways into the table. Tears streamed down her cheeks like she’d rehearsed it.
Someone shoved me from behind, and I stumbled forward. I looked up to see Arthur, his face white with rage
“Have you lost your mind? A few postponed weddings and you do this?”
The students turned on me. Their eyes were sharp with judgment.
“Seriously? You’d hit someone over that?”
“A wedding’s just a ceremony. The professor puts in eighteen hour days between his research and mentoring us, and
she’s having a meltdown over a wedding?”
“He really got stuck with this one”
The whole room was against me.
But none of them knew. In my last life. Sophie turned me into a joke that followed me everywhere. She was the reason
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Arthur let our baby die – nine months I carried that child, destroyed because of her.
I unclenched my fists. There was no point arguing with a room full of people who had already decided who I was I
turned and walked out.
Arthur followed. “You’re making Sophie’s life hell. Come back inside and sort this out.”
I shook his hand off my arm and blinked hard against the tears. “I know exactly what’s been going on between you two
Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell everyone?”
He stopped. There was a beat of silence. Then he laughed, and there was nothing behind it.
“No, you won’t. Not you, Chloe.”
“You’re pregnant. Where would you even go? Be smart. Don’t make this harder on yourself.”
I opened my mouth to tell him the baby was already gone. His phone rang. He turned and left without another word.
Later that night, a message from Arthur.
[I’ll marry you. Just don’t start anything.]
I didn’t respond. What he didn’t know was that I was getting married – just not to him.
Chapter 3
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
