Arthur stood in the hospital corridor, body rigid, staring at the message. He read it three times, four times, as if the words might somehow rearrange themselves into something he could survive.
It wasn’t possible. Chloe would never actually do it – not with a child they had tried so long to have.
Then a video arrived from an unknown number, and the last thing holding him together finally snapped. He recogniz
the hotel lobby instantly, decorated even more lavishly than before.
In the video, Chloe wore a couture gown, a crystal tiara catching the light. She walked down the aisle toward a man in
tailored suit – someone who was not Arthur.
He couldn’t make himself watch past that first frame. He threw his phone and ran.
Meanwhile, Edward Sterling and I stood side by side at the altar. My palms were damp with sweat.
A quiet laugh came from beside me, as if he had sensed it. Then his hand – long–fingered, steady–slid over mine and held it. His thumb traced slow circles across my knuckles.
The panic in my chest loosened, one notch at a time. He carried a scent I couldn’t quite place – something clean and woody and cool, the kind that made you feel safe without knowing why.
Most of the guests were strangers to me
–
people from Edward’s world, his friends, his business partners.
Edward’s mother sat in the front row, watching us with soft, shining eyes. I smiled at her, and I felt Edward’s grip on my
hand tighten.
The doors slammed open.
Arthur stood in the entrance, chest heaving. The whole hall fell silent.
Edward raised one hand, stopping the officiant in the middle of a sentence. He leaned down, his lips close to my car how Say the word, and I’ll have security remove him”
I looked at Arthur
pale as a ghost
and shook my head I spoke softly ‘Not yet He has something he needs
Arthur crossed the room one beavy step at a time Every eye in the hall followed hun. When he reached me, his louer came out rough and breaking
“Chloe why are you marrying him?) know you’re angry because I’ve been putting Sophie Host You’re doing all this tuist to spite me, aren’t you? This ent real
His gaze dropped to my stomach flat now
and lus eyes turned bloodshot I saw the clunk renk they as you fait
an abortion three days ago Chloe tell me it’s not true
Chapter 8
Litrad
INSTALL
I met his eyes and held them. My voice was quiet and steady.
“It’s all true. I had an abortion. And I married someone else.”
“I told you weeks ago that I didn’t want the baby, and I didn’t want the wedding. We’re done, Arthur. Go chase you want. It’s not my problem anymore.”
Beside me, Edward’s hand closed tightly around mine. Arthur watched the gesture, and something in his eyes b
“I don’t believe it.” His voice broke into a shout. That should be me at the altar. How is this happening?”
Edward lifted a hand. Security moved instantly, crossing the room in a few quick strides to take Arthur by the a haul him out before he could finish. Edward nodded to the officiant, and the ceremony continued.
We exchanged rings. We embraced. We kissed in front of a silent, watching room, and everything went the way have.
Even after it was over, the whole thing felt like a dream I hadn’t fully woken from. I kept thinking about the nin Arthur had ruined this for me.
A wedding, it turned out, was over fast. Twenty minutes, maybe thirty – it was that simple.
Bu
en that from me nine times over, always for the same woman. Nine ceremonies, and all I ever got
he gown after the re
and pounded his fis
were heading to the car when Arthur burst out from is face twisted with fury.
necesitan
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.
