Caleb vanished on our wedding day. Just like that, I became a public spectacle, the discarded bride. Someone had spotted him, frantically pacing outside the hospital’s labor and delivery ward. I plastered on a smile, explaining to every single relative and friend, one by one: “Yes, it’s true. They had a baby.” Then, I turned to Caleb, tears streaming down my face, begging, “Please, just let me take care of your precious Chloe while she recovers after childbirth, okay?” **Part One** I never imagined that the wedding I’d dreamed of for eight years would be utterly ruined on this bright, beautiful day in May. The banquet hall was packed. Caleb’s mom’s nagging drone filled my ears. “Harper, did you call Caleb?” “What exactly is going on between you two? How can you not show up together on such a big day? Don’t you have any sense of what’s important?” I’d tried calling Caleb a dozen times, but he wasn’t picking up. My palms were sweating, soaking my fluffy phone case. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was the hospital. “Ms. Harper, you and Mr. Caleb had a physical exam with us three and a half months ago. Mr. Caleb’s report has been waiting.” I felt my irritation spike. “Alright, I know. Just email it to me at this number.” I hung up and immediately dialed Caleb’s number again. “Caleb’s at the hospital!” a voice boomed. I looked up. It was Uncle Roy, Caleb’s loudmouthed uncle, running in, breathless. “Big sister! Harper! My kid just told me his friend saw Caleb at the labor and delivery ward at the hospital!” What?! Uncle Roy’s voice was so loud, almost every guest in the banquet hall heard him. Everyone stopped talking. The noisy hall fell completely silent. Mrs. Carter froze for a second, then snapped out of it. Muttering curses, she grabbed Uncle Roy and rushed towards the exit, desperate to hail a taxi to the hospital. I felt unsteady on the stage, my ears ringing. I fumbled for the table to steady myself, but my vision went black, and I passed out. How dramatic. The hospital I was rushed to was the exact same one Caleb was at. I was in the emergency room, getting CPR and oxygen, while he was waiting outside the labor and delivery ward for a new life to enter the world. How incredibly ironic was that? In a daze, I heard the machine’s steady beep, my dad and Riley calling my name. Eighteen-year-old Caleb’s image blurred before my eyes. He smiled at me, then turned, running away without looking back. I blinked again, and there was only the piercing light, stinging my eyes. My eight years of youth turned to ashes in that moment. **Part Two** When I woke up, I saw the weirdest scene. My dad, Riley, and Caleb were just standing there, staring at each other. Seeing me struggle to sit up, Caleb walked to my bedside and *thump*, he dropped to his knees. “Harper, please forgive me! I really didn’t mean for this to happen, I love you so much!” Caleb was crying, snot and tears streaming down his face, looking utterly disgusting. My mind was a mess. I waved my hand, and my dad immediately yanked Caleb up from the floor and dragged him out. Silence returned to the room. Riley, peeling an apple for me, said, “He told me that woman is from his hometown. You know, back in freshman year, when you two first met, he and this woman had just broken up.” “She went abroad and came back about six months ago. They met at a class reunion, both got drunk. The organizers thought he wasn’t married, so they put them in the same room. And then…” “They originally agreed to pretend nothing happened and never see each other again, but then they ended up working together.” “Just recently, she told him she was pregnant, already past three months. This was right before you two decided to get married.” “He was planning to keep it a secret, but who knew the baby would be born prematurely.” Riley recounted the story flatly, like she was talking about someone else’s gossip. But my heart twisted in pain, as if Riley’s paring knife wasn’t slicing the apple, but my very soul. Tears dripped onto the white bedsheets. I heard my own hoarse voice, “Is it… Chloe?” Riley popped a small piece of apple into my mouth. “Why ask about something you already know? Do you want to hear it again just to make yourself feel worse?” “Caleb is truly shameless. I remember this Chloe… wasn’t she his ‘foster sister’?” I couldn’t bear to listen. I motioned for Riley to stop, covering my face and sobbing loudly. Riley probably felt irritated too. She pulled a pack of cigarettes from her pocket, then remembered we were in a hospital room. “Harper, I warned you, but you didn’t listen. Crying now won’t help. Start thinking about what you’re going to do.” With that, she stuck a cigarette in her mouth and left the room. Leaving me sitting on the bed, staring blankly with empty eyes. My phone chimed, a new email. Face ID couldn’t recognize my tear-swollen face. I entered my password and opened it, taking one look. Just that one look, and I felt something gush out from my chest. I opened my mouth, hearing my own chilling laughter. Hahahahaha, what a ridiculous world. **Part Three** When I arrived at the labor and delivery ward, IV drip in hand, I saw Caleb standing outside the room. He had a bruise on his forehead and his lip was slightly swollen. He saw me and walked over, scratching his head. “I’m sorry, Harper. I didn’t fight back. I deserve this. I’m not a good person.” I shook my head, indicating it was fine, and asked, “Boy or girl?” Caleb was shocked by my calmness, staring at me with wide eyes for a while before answering, “It’s a… a boy.” I lowered my head. “That’s great, Caleb. The Carter family has an heir now.” “Don’t you hate me, Harper? I… I really didn’t know this would happen. I thought she’d get an abortion.” “Harper, don’t be so calm. I’m scared, Harper. You… you can hit me, Harper.” Caleb took my hand and tried to put it on his face, but I pulled it away. Hate? How could I not hate him? On the most important day of my life, after eight years of waiting, at the wedding I’d meticulously prepared for three months, I found out my fiancé had cheated on me. Not only that, he’d already had a child. So much so that I was lying in a hospital bed, making phone calls with my dad to explain to every relative. Yes, Caleb had a child with another woman. How utterly absurd. Through the half-open door of the hospital room, I saw Mrs. Carter bustling around Chloe’s bed, unable to hide the wide smile on her face. “What do you think, Caleb? Is your mom happy? Finally, she doesn’t have to worry about me not being able to have children.” Three months ago, Caleb and I had our physical exams. We agreed that if there were no issues, we’d start trying for a baby. Once I was pregnant, I’d quit my job. I even had a big fight with Riley over this. She’s been my best friend since we were seven or eight, and she’d watched Caleb and me go from college sweethearts to this. She couldn’t understand why I’d give up a job paying tens of thousands a month, and promotion opportunities, just to have a baby. I told her, “Riley, the Carter family has relied on a male heir for generations, and there’s immense pressure for me to have a son if I’m going to marry Caleb.” But who knew I’d be diagnosed with polycystic ovaries during my exam? Caleb’s exam report was delayed due to a hospital error, but Mrs. Carter didn’t care about any of that. During the proposal, she insisted on setting the ‘groom’s gift’ embarrassingly low. Meanwhile, my family’s contribution to our marriage was far more substantial: a large downtown condo where Caleb and I were living, an SUV, a few pounds of gold, and two hundred thousand dollars. I secretly asked my dad why he agreed. My dad huffed and puffed, eyes wide with anger. “You’ve been living with him for three or four years! If you don’t marry Caleb, who else will you marry? People will just see you as damaged goods!” In short, the wedding still happened. Mrs. Carter, who had stubbornly refused the marriage, finally relented after I promised I would definitely have a son to continue the Carter family line. I just never expected it to turn out like this today. Caleb’s voice pulled me back from my thoughts. “Harper, I’m so sorry. I’ll make things right.” Caleb lowered his head. “Make things right? What do you mean?” Mrs. Carter just walked out of Chloe’s room, saw Caleb’s regretful face and my expressionless one, and rolled her eyes. “Anyway, the wedding didn’t happen, so just divorce him,” Mrs. Carter said. I was shocked, biting my lower lip. “No, we can’t divorce.” How could I just divorce like this? This was the outcome I’d spent eight years of my youth on. It shouldn’t end so hastily. I took a deep breath and said, “Let’s stay together, Caleb, I don’t mind.” “I can hire a postpartum nurse for Chloe, or send her to a recovery center. I can even care for her during her recovery, as long as we don’t separate.” As I spoke, tears welled up again.
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