At the wedding photo shoot, a server brought over a tray of drinks. Ryan Mitch naturally took the iced Americano from Aubrey Adams’s hand, replacing it with a warm herbal tea. Aubrey glared at him. “Ryan Mitch, what is this? It’s scorching hot, and you’re giving me this?” He chuckled, pinching her cheek. “Your period’s due soon. Didn’t you keep track?” They bickered and playfully shoved each other in the studio, a chaotic tangle. The photographer shouted “Groom, look at the camera!” for the third time, but Ryan was crouched on the floor, re-tying Aubrey’s shoelace which had come undone. Aubrey yelled over to me, “Aubrey, look at him! He has to manage even my shoes! Is your boyfriend secretly crushing on me?” Ryan chimed in without looking up, “Yeah, crushing on the silly way you cried when I beat you up as a kid.” This was the sixty-seventh time. Suddenly, I found it utterly meaningless. I pulled out my phone and sent a text: “Derek, I want to go home.” … “You, playing on your phone, don’t ruin the mood. Go wait over there.” The photographer impatiently lowered his camera, clearly annoyed that I was obstructing his artistic vision. Ryan’s brow furrowed with a flicker of displeasure. “Aubrey, come on, babe. Let me get a few shots with Autumn first, then we’ll take yours.” He pulled me aside. His grip was firm, and burdened by the heavy wedding gown, I nearly stumbled, bumping into the makeup artist behind me. The makeup artist, a perceptive woman, let her gaze sweep over the three of us. When her eyes settled on me again, they held an unspoken understanding. That look felt like it could burn through me. I instantly flushed with shame, awkwardly looking away. “Mind if I borrow this? These roses will match Autumn’s dress perfectly.” Ryan suddenly plucked the bouquet from my hands. But I was the bride. I was the star of today’s wedding photoshoot. I’d waited six months for this specific studio slot, choosing my favorite natural outdoor style. But Autumn had insisted on coming along to “help me choose,” claiming it was too plain. So, on the spot, she’d convinced us to switch to her preferred vintage oil painting style. Looking at the new set, Ryan nodded in satisfaction. “Autumn and I haven’t really had a proper photoshoot together. This is a great chance to get a few shots.” Autumn tilted her head, giggling. “Aubrey, I’m totally riding your coattails! Don’t worry, I’ll be your most loyal bridesmaid.” Ryan personally picked out a gown for her—one with a fuller skirt and more intricate detailing. The studio was filled with the constant click-click of the camera. “Yes, exactly, groom’s arm around her waist.” “Perfect, get closer, groom, kiss the bride’s forehead.” The photographer directed them, snapping photos. “Don’t be shy, groom, kiss the bride directly on the lips.” Autumn burst out laughing. “Hahahaha, I’m not his bride! I wouldn’t have him. I’m going to be his dad!” “You little brat, you want a spanking, don’t you?” The photographer rapidly pressed the shutter, capturing their most natural interactions. “Excellent, what a delightful pair! A very lively and playful set of photos.” By the time they finished, darkness had fallen. The studio staff were already packing up. Autumn grabbed my hand, looking anxious. “Oh no, Aubrey hasn’t had her photos yet! If we miss today, we’ll have to wait another six months.” Ryan playfully tapped her on the head, mimicking her tone. “Oh no? Tough luck!” “Stop joking, I’m genuinely worried.” Autumn pouted, cheeks puffed out. “It’s fine. We already took plenty. We can just Photoshop your face onto Aubrey’s. Besides, I don’t even want to be in a picture with you.” “You—!” Autumn actually considered his suggestion, then her gaze drifted to my belly. “That’s not a bad idea. Aubrey’s pregnant; her figure’s bound to be a bit different.” She turned back to me, her voice softening. “Aubrey, honey, I’m so sorry I stole your thunder today. But don’t worry, on your wedding day, I promise to show up with greasy hair and no makeup. I’ll be the perfect background!” Silently, I pulled my arm from her tight grasp. I said calmly, “There won’t be a next time.” Autumn quickly nodded, agreeing. But they misunderstood. I meant, there wouldn’t be a next wedding. After checking out, Ryan, as he had countless times before, slung Autumn’s bag over his shoulder. A Patrick Star keychain hung from it – a prize we’d won from a crane game when the three of us went out last time. I’d spotted it immediately and gone through hell to win it. But Ryan had said, “Today is Autumn’s and my ten-year-and-one-day anniversary. Let her have it.” The keychain, still warm from my touch, was snatched away. In the two years we’d been together, he always found countless excuses for me to yield. Before, I hadn’t seen it, even appreciating their deep friendship. But now, I no longer wanted to play along. When we reached the car, I reached for the passenger door. But Autumn, like an eel, slipped in first. The backseat was already crammed with the two newly purchased wedding gowns and various accessories. Ryan fastened her seatbelt, saying, “Autumn’s on her period; she’s exhausted after shooting all day. I’ll drop her off first.” He glanced at me. “You can take a taxi, or grab a rental scooter to get home.” A wave of injustice surged through me, and I blurted out, “I’m pregnant, too.” Ryan froze, then slammed the car door shut with a sharp thud. His face darkened. “The baby isn’t even born, and you’re using him to manipulate me?” He scoffed. “Is being pregnant some rare miracle? Even roaches get pregnant. Don’t flatter yourself.” I gaped, unable to believe those words came from his mouth. He left me with a terse “Go reflect on yourself,” and sped off, exhaust fumes spitting in my face. Tears streamed down, whether from the fumes or the sheer anger, I couldn’t tell. I clutched my stomach. “Baby, see? Don’t come. Get a do-over, choose a dad who actually loves you.” The photo studio was in the suburbs. I couldn’t hail a cab, and even the shared bikes on the roadside were broken. It was completely dark now, and animal cries echoed from the roadside woods, where some neglected graves lay hidden. I fought down my fear, forcing myself to walk, but I was wearing the high heels from the photoshoot. Blisters on my feet burst, blood tracing winding paths onto the ground. Just as despair threatened to swallow me whole, blinding headlights flashed in the distance. A car roared closer. “Aubrey Adams.” I heard my name called and looked up. Ryan’s stern face filled the car window. “Just this once.” “Huh?” “We were almost home, but Autumn was worried about you and insisted we come back to get you. Get your act together, you won’t always be so lucky.” His tone dripped with condescension. Autumn playfully tugged Ryan’s ear, warning him, “Ryan, you jerk, don’t you dare be mean to Aubrey! If you scare her away, who’s going to be your wife?” Ryan chuckled, teasing, “Then you can be my wife.” “Pffft! No way, don’t even think about it! Even if you were the last man on Earth, I wouldn’t want you, humph.” The two of them continued their playful banter, oblivious. I, however, silently opened the back door and squeezed myself between the wedding gowns. The throbbing in my feet finally subsided. As for them, let them do whatever they wanted; I’d just watch the show. My reflection stared back from the car window. I remembered when I first met Ryan. Back then, his eyes were only for me. He’d shed tears of concern if I cut my hand cooking for him, holding my hand and promising, “Aubrey, I’ll cherish you my whole life. I’ll make sure you have a good life.” He was touched when I helped him get an internal referral to a major tech firm, saying, “I’ll work hard and earn money to give you a good life.” He said it so sincerely, and I believed him. The car pulled into our apartment complex. As I opened the door, Autumn, familiar as always, flopped onto the living room sofa, propping her feet on the coffee table as if she were home. Ryan followed, closing the door, his voice nonchalant. “Autumn lost her key, so she’s staying with us tonight.” I said nothing, walking directly to the master bedroom, wanting to change into my loungewear. But the door suddenly swung open. Ryan walked in, pulling Autumn behind him. My hands reflexively went to my chest; my bra was halfway unhooked. The scene made my scalp tingle with mortification. “Hehe, Aubrey, why are you shy? What you have, I have too!” Autumn giggled, tilting her head. Ryan also chuckled. “Once you’re changed, come out.” My head was full of question marks. “Go where?” “You’re sleeping in the guest room tonight. Autumn’s lucky direction today is south, and our guest bed is the only one facing south.” Autumn clasped her hands together, bowing to me. “Aubrey, please, please! Don’t worry, Ryan and I won’t do anything, promise! If there were anything between us, you wouldn’t even be in the picture. We’re just pure, platonic buddies.” A bitter ache swelled in my chest, but I quickly suppressed it. Forget it. I didn’t want this man anymore, anyway. He could do whatever he liked. The guest bed was hard, and the blankets smelled faintly of mothballs, but I was so exhausted that I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. In the middle of the night, I was suddenly jolted awake by the sound of muffled moans and heavy breathing. I got up and walked to the hallway; the master bedroom door was ajar. Under the soft, yellow nightlight, Autumn sat wearing Ryan’s shirt, one shoulder bared. Ryan was shirtless, and they sat facing each other. “Call me ‘Husband.’” “Get lost! No way I’m calling you that!” Ryan reached out and tickled Autumn. She couldn’t take it anymore and quickly begged, “Husband~” “Who’s in your heart?” “Husband…” “So soft and sweet, I want to give you my life.” My stomach churned with nausea. Unable to hold it in, I threw up. “Aubrey? Why are you awake in the middle of the night, eavesdropping?” Rage surged through me, and I couldn’t hold back anymore. “If you two like to cheat, just lock yourselves away together! Don’t come out and ruin other people’s lives! You shouldn’t have bothered me in the first place!” “Why are you saying such awful things? Who’s cheating? Autumn and I are just playing a game.” Ryan walked towards me barefoot. Autumn, looking flustered, also got up. The hem of Ryan’s shirt barely covered her thighs, and the wide neckline revealed an intimate red mark on her neck. “Aubrey, it’s not what you think! It’s not dirty! Aren’t you two getting married? Ryan thought ‘wife’ sounded awkward, so he was practicing on me.” Practicing? How could they even say that? While I was stunned, Ryan leaned in and gave me a comforting kiss on the lips. “Stop making a fuss, Aubrey.” The sticky sensation and familiar peach scent made my nausea worse. That lip balm was a gift I’d given Autumn last week. Now it was on Ryan’s lips. Everything became painfully clear. Autumn also tried to reach for my hand. I recoiled, disgusted, quickly shaking her off. Autumn suddenly cried out, “Ouch!” Her lower back hit the nightstand with a dull thud. “Autumn!” Ryan rushed to her, and when he turned back to me, his eyes had completely changed. “What are you doing?! Autumn privately told me you didn’t like her, but I didn’t believe it. Now you’re laying hands on her right in front of me?” I almost laughed from sheer indignation. “You two are the shameless ones! He’s cheating before the wedding, and she’s knowingly playing the other woman! You two deserve each other – a scumbag and a hussy!” My words were harsh. Their faces visibly flushed with anger. But then they exchanged a look and suddenly laughed. A chilling, unsettling laugh. Ryan slowly pulled a small red booklet from the nightstand drawer. His voice was light and natural. “Aubrey, actually, you’re the real mistress.” He held up the booklet. “See? It’s got the official seal. Autumn is my wife.” I froze, staring at the marriage certificate in disbelief. The date was from last month. Autumn quickly scrambled up, explaining, “Aubrey, don’t misunderstand! It was really just a misunderstanding! It’s all because this jerk lost a bet with me, so he used my ID to register, and who knew the civil affairs office would process it so fast…” She quickly added, “Divorce requires a one-month cooling-off period. It’ll be back to normal next month, really.” Autumn stuck out her tongue sheepishly. So, this was why Ryan kept delaying our marriage. I had brought it up eight times, and each time, Ryan had an excuse. Either he forgot his ID, or his household registration was back in his hometown. The last time, he said the current month wasn’t auspicious and we should pick a date next month. And I had actually believed him. “You two are disgusting.” My voice was a low growl. “Ryan Mitch, since you two are married, then you and I have nothing to do with each other anymore. We’re officially breaking up!” Ryan froze for two seconds, then burst out laughing. “What kind of temper tantrum is that? You’ve dated me for three years, lost one baby, and you’re carrying another. If you leave me, what man out there would want you?” I stared at him, suddenly realizing how utterly rotten this man was. “Don’t worry, this baby will be gone soon too.” His laughter instantly froze. “You wouldn’t dare! That’s my flesh and blood!” I had already pulled open the master bedroom door and walked out. I found the nearest hotel and checked in. Thankfully, my brother answered my call and said he would pick me up tomorrow. The next day, I went to the office to hand in my resignation. Finally, I was going to say goodbye to all these rotten people and rotten things. My mood was unusually light. My boss, Mr. Davies, seeing my cheerfulness, asked, “Getting married? So happy?” “No, not getting married. That’s why I’m happy.” Mr. Davies’s smile faltered. He lowered his head, scanned my resignation letter, and his expression turned serious. “What’s wrong? You’re doing so well; I was even planning to promote you to project manager for this new product launch. We have an important event coming up later, and the CEO of Starlight Corporation will be there. I was going to have you join to gain some experience and exposure.” I didn’t say anything. The CEO of Starlight Corporation was my older brother, Derek, a fact no one in the company knew. I had always written “parents deceased” on my resume to avoid trouble. Seeing my resolute attitude, Mr. Davies sighed. “Alright, I’ll approve your resignation. But you still need to attend the launch event later, just to finish your last shift properly.” I nodded. As soon as I returned to my desk, Ryan burst in. “Aubrey, it’s Autumn’s first time at such a big event. Can you help her with her dress and keep her company?” The venue was already quite full. Autumn wore a champagne-colored evening gown, and when she saw me enter, a small smirk touched her lips. Someone nearby whispered, “That’s her, right? I heard she got dumped, and she’s lost two babies.” “Serves her right. Got used by a man, still clinging on. Who told her to be so careless?” “Shhh, keep your voice down…” Autumn walked over to me, lowering her voice. “Aubrey, just behave yourself today. There are important clients here; don’t make a scene.” I shook off her hand and turned to leave. She suddenly took a step forward, and her dress snagged on the corner of a table. Rip! The champagne satin split into a long tear. “Aubrey Adams!” Autumn shrieked, bursting into tears on the spot. “You did that on purpose! You ruined my dress! You just want to humiliate me!” She wailed, “How am I supposed to handle such an important event now?!” Everyone turned to look. Seeing the scene, Ryan, without asking any questions, raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. Smack! The sound was sharp and loud. “I warned you once already! This is on you!” he snarled. “Cut out your little games; this isn’t the place for your drama!” I was sent sprawling to the ground, my cheek burning, my ears ringing. The next second, a sudden, sharp pain tore through my lower abdomen, and a warm gush of liquid flowed between my legs. It was a sign of bleeding. My voice trembled. “It hurts so much. Please help me, I’m losing the baby…” A flicker of panic crossed Ryan’s eyes, and he instinctively leaned down to help me up. But Autumn shrieked, “She’s faking! She’s totally faking! She’s probably just on her period, putting on a show! She had enough strength to push me just now!” Ryan, predictably, stopped, a look of disgust on his face. Cold sweat broke out all over me from the pain. My vision blurred, and I felt on the verge of passing out. Autumn’s hangers-on started clamoring. “Still faking it! Come on, everyone, strip this bitch naked and see how she’s lying!” “Yeah! An eye for an eye!” “Ugh, I hate people who play dirty tricks like this! She’s definitely jealous that Autumn gets to host this event.” I felt like I was dying from the pain, my vision going black in waves. Just then, Mr. Davies’s voice boomed from behind the crowd. “What is all this commotion?! The launch event is about to begin!” Everyone turned. Mr. Davies’s secretary jogged over, her voice tight with panic. “Mr. Davies, the CEO of Starlight Corporation has arrived. But he said he’s here to find his sister.”
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