“Iris is pregnant,” Carter said, standing in the shadows of the rehearsal hall. His voice was barely a whisper. “The wedding goes on. After we’re married, I’ll spend a few days a week taking care of her. Once she’s stable, everything will go back to the way it was.” I clutched the ring box so hard my knuckles turned white. “And what about me? Where do I fit into your little schedule?” “You’re my fiancée. Tomorrow, you’ll be Mrs. Sterling.” He frowned, looking at me like I was throwing a tantrum. “Isn’t that title enough for you?” Iris, wearing an oversized coat and looking perfectly pale, chimed in softly. “Chloe, I don’t want to steal your place. I just want my baby to have a father.” I set the ring box on the table. “Then anyone else can have this damn title.” A toxic, dirty man? I don’t want him anymore. Chloe’s POV I was about to marry the man I had loved for years, Carter Sterling. I spent six months planning this wedding. I even personally picked out the color of the coffee mugs in our new penthouse. But during the rehearsal the night before the wedding, an untitled video suddenly played on the ballroom’s giant screen. On screen, Iris, Carter’s childhood best friend, was rubbing her belly and whining cutely. “Carter, the doctor said the baby is doing great. Don’t drink too much at your wedding tomorrow. You promised you would spend a few days a week with us after you are married. Don’t forget.” In the top right corner of the screen, Carter’s contact name for her was saved as: Iris & Baby. The room went dead silent. Carter, who had arrived late, didn’t even look panicked. He just frowned at me. “Don’t make a scene. Don’t make us a laughingstock.” I stood in the dim light, the ring box digging painfully into my palm. Carter’s friends reacted first, awkwardly trying to block the screen. “This is a misunderstanding! Iris is just joking around again! Don’t take it to heart, Chloe. We all grew up together. She’s just talking nonsense. We’re just friends!” The next second, Iris pushed the door open. She wore a loose coat, held a thermos, and looked perfectly, delicately pale. When she saw me, she actually smiled. “Chloe, don’t worry. Carter and I really aren’t what you think. The baby was an accident. I didn’t mean to come between you.” “An accident?” I asked. Carter walked over and lowered his voice. “Don’t start something now. There are too many people here tonight.” I stared at him. “She’s pregnant, and you’re telling me not to start something?” Carter frowned, as if I had asked an incredibly tasteless question. “I wasn’t planning on keeping it from you. Now that the baby is here, I can’t just ignore it. The wedding can still happen. After we’re married, I’ll spend a few days a week taking care of her. Once she’s stable, everything will go back to normal.” Iris chimed in softly, “Don’t worry, Chloe. I’m not trying to steal the title of Mrs. Sterling. I’m not that greedy. I just want my baby to have a father.” “And me?” I smiled coldly. “What am I in your little arrangement?” Carter snapped, annoyed. “You’re my fiancée. Tomorrow you’ll be Mrs. Sterling. Isn’t that enough? Iris has no family left. I’m just helping her out. Why do you have to play the victim?” I heard people around us whispering, telling me that a man making a mistake before marriage wasn’t a big deal, that Carter was at least being honest, and that since Iris was being so reasonable, I shouldn’t make things ugly. I set the ring box on the table. My voice wasn’t loud, but it was crystal clear. “The wedding is canceled.” Carter’s face darkened. “Chloe Vance, think carefully before you speak.” “I’ve thought it through.” I grabbed my purse and walked past him. “Have fun with the rest of your rehearsal. Enjoy the show.” As I reached the exit, my phone rang. Liam’s voice came through, filled with a rushed anxiety he couldn’t hide. “Chloe, if you really don’t want to marry him, get downstairs now. I’m parked outside.” The night wind hit my face, and my eyes stung with tears. I whispered, “Wait for me.” I walked to the end of the hallway and called the wedding coordinator. “Don’t worry about the bridal suite tomorrow. Cancel all my segments of the wedding. Send me the bill for any financial losses.” The coordinator sounded terrified. “Miss Vance, can we talk about this?” I looked at my reflection in the glass window. My makeup was perfect, but I felt completely hollowed out. “No need. The groom has someone else who needs his care more. I’m not fighting for him.” After I hung up, the wedding Snapchat group was still buzzing. People were asking what time the wedding started tomorrow, joking that Carter shouldn’t drink too much on his last night of freedom. I renamed the group to *Wedding Canceled* and left. “Find someone else who’s ‘mature’ enough to be your Mrs. Sterling.” I slammed the ring box onto the table. It wasn’t loud, but it carried weight. “The wedding is canceled.” Ignoring Carter’s instantly furious expression, I turned and walked away. I immediately sent a message to the wedding group: *Wedding canceled.* Then I left the group.
Chloe’s POV The moment I walked out of the hotel, Liam’s Maybach was already idling at the curb. “If you really don’t want to marry him, get in,” Liam said, looking at me. That was all he said. With red eyes, I pulled open the door. “I need to go back and get my documents.” I drove back to the penthouse I had spent six months decorating. But when I pushed the door open, the entryway was piled with baby sleeping bags and unopened prenatal vitamins. Victoria, Carter’s mother, was directing the housekeeper to clear out the guest bedroom. Seeing me return, she smiled as if nothing had happened. “Chloe, you’re back just in time. Iris is in her first trimester, and she has no one to take care of her out there. I had her move in here for a few days. You’re the real Mrs. Sterling, so you need to be understanding. That’s the only way to keep peace in the family.” I stared at her coldly. “This is my and Carter’s home.” “Our family co-signed this penthouse, and Iris is carrying a Sterling baby. Why shouldn’t she stay here?” Victoria’s face hardened. “Carter is a successful man. It’s only natural for him to have some temptations outside. Do you not even understand how high society works?” “Then go find someone who ‘understands’ and let her marry him.” I didn’t waste another breath. I walked straight into the bedroom, packing my passport and important documents into a suitcase. Hurry footsteps echoed from the hallway. Carter rushed in, looking completely disheveled. He slammed his hand against the doorframe, blocking my way. “How long are you going to keep making a scene? If you walk out that door tonight, what are we supposed to do tomorrow?” “When you let Iris move into our home, did you think about what we were supposed to do?” I shoved him away, my eyes filled with nothing but absolute coldness. “I’m not making a scene. I am leaving. Did you seriously expect me to stay, give up my room, accompany her to OB-GYN appointments, and then smile while taking care of her tomorrow?” Victoria got defensive. “Iris is pregnant! Watch your mouth!” “That’s why I’m leaving!” Carter didn’t believe I would actually walk away. I had chased him for four years. Everyone knew it. I was the one who brought him homemade soup when he pulled late nights for his startup. I was the one who remembered all his food allergies. I was the one who saved every single Sterling family member’s birthday in my calendar. Carter was used to my gentleness. He was used to me hiding my own wounds whenever he hurt me. So, he reached out to grab my suitcase. “Go to a hotel to cool off tonight. The makeup artist is still coming tomorrow morning.” I dodged his hand. “No need.” “Chloe Vance,” Carter warned, lowering his voice. “Don’t force me to say something ugly in front of my mother.” Liam walked over from the elevator lobby. He smoothly took the suitcase from my hand. “Go ahead and say it. I’d love to hear it.” Only then did Carter notice him. His face instantly changed. “What the hell are you doing here?” “Picking her up,” Liam said flatly. “She doesn’t want to stay here, so I’m taking her.” Carter let out a harsh laugh. “Since when is our business any of your concern?” Liam looked down at me. “Is he still your fiancé?” I answered instantly. “No.” Victoria stood up, furious. “Chloe! Do you even know what you’re saying? Marriage isn’t a game! If you walk out with another man tonight, what do you think people will say about you tomorrow?” “They’ll say I found out my fiancé knocked up another woman right before our wedding, and I cut my losses in time.” I paused. “Honestly, that sounds great. I’m not ashamed.” Carter stared at me, suddenly letting out a cold smirk. “Cut your losses? Chloe, you sound tough right now, but don’t come crying back to me in a few days.” I didn’t look back. Carter lunged forward to grab me. “Chloe, you are not leaving with him!” I stepped back, swatting his hand away with pure disgust. “Don’t touch me. You make me sick.” The elevator doors slowly slid shut, completely blocking out Carter’s enraged face. The moment the doors closed, my tense shoulders finally slumped. Liam stood beside me. He held back for a long time before asking softly, “Are you hurt?” “Where?” “Everywhere.” I looked up at him, tears threatening to spill over. I forced them back and whispered, “Even if it hurts, I’m never going back.” Liam shifted the suitcase to his other hand. “Then we don’t go back.” The next morning, the Sterling family tried to push through with the wedding anyway. Victoria kept calling my family’s house, screaming that I had no respect for the bigger picture. My father answered with just one sentence: “The wedding is canceled. Don’t ever contact my daughter again.” Carter tried to call me, but his number was already blocked. He used his assistant’s phone to dial. Liam answered it. “She’s resting,” Liam said. “Mr. Sterling, stop calling.” Carter roared through the receiver, “Put her on!” “Why should I?” Liam paused. “You owe her some peace and quiet.” He hung up. Robert Sterling tried to reach my father. When the call finally went through, he only got half a sentence out before my father coldly cut him off. “My daughter isn’t marrying into your family,” my father said. “If the Sterlings feel humiliated, you should ask your son what kind of trash he projected onto the screen at the rehearsal.”
Chloe’s POV News of the canceled wedding spread like wildfire through our social circle. Some said I had a terrible temper, while others said Carter had gone way too far. Most people stayed quiet, waiting to see if the Vance family and the Sterling family would completely cut ties. I didn’t make any public statements. I slept for half a day in the apartment Liam lent me. When I woke up, I texted my parents to let them know I was safe. Then, I paid off the remaining balances for all the wedding vendors. The banquet was off, but the florists, photographers, and coordinators had worked hard for months. I didn’t want to dump my personal mess onto innocent people. The florist called me, speaking very carefully. “Miss Vance, the flowers for the main stage are still fresh. Would you like to redirect them to a charity gala? Didn’t you mention the Vance Foundation has an event next week?” I held the phone, quiet for a few seconds. “Yes, do that. Change the theme. Don’t use any of the wedding colors.” When Liam walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of oatmeal, I was busy writing down a checklist. “Aren’t you going to rest?” he asked. “Someone has to tie up the loose ends.” I handed him the tablet. “I’ve handled the venue. If the Sterlings try to harass me, tell them to talk to my father’s lawyers.” Liam scrolled through the list, a soft smile playing on his lips. “You’re much tougher than I thought.” I smiled faintly. “I just used to waste all my strength being ‘understanding’ for Carter.” That afternoon, Iris posted on Instagram. In the photo, she was sitting in a hospital corridor with a warm latte in hand. Her caption was short but sharp: *Some bonds don’t need a label. Those who know, know.* A mutual friend immediately sent me the screenshot. I saw it and didn’t reply. But then, Carter called again. This time, he used an unknown number. “What do you actually want?” he demanded the second I picked up. “The wedding is canceled, the guests got stood up, and the hotel deposit is gone. Are you happy now, Chloe?” I replied flatly, “I paid the vendors in full.” Carter choked on his words, his tone getting angrier. “Do you think throwing money around makes you right? Iris almost had a miscarriage today, and you haven’t even called to check on her!” I let out a bitter laugh. “What does her baby have to do with me?” “You know damn well she has nobody else!” “She has you,” I said. “Carter, you don’t get to play daddy to her baby while expecting me to be your sweet, understanding fiancée. I’m out of the game. You’re free.” Silence fell over the line. Carter seemed to finally realize how cold my voice was. His tone softened slightly. “Chloe, I never wanted to lose you.” “But you’ve been doing things to lose me every single day.” I hung up and blocked the number. Liam stood by the kitchen door. Seeing me set the phone down, he asked, “What do you want for dinner?” No lectures. No deep analysis. No telling me to be mature or calm down. He just asked what I wanted to eat. My nose suddenly tickled, and I seriously thought about it. “I want something sweet.” Liam rolled up his sleeves. “Deal. I’m cooking tonight.” Halfway through the delicious dinner, I suddenly stopped eating. Liam looked up. “Stomach hurt?” I shook my head. “I was just thinking… was I really that easy to please back then?” As long as Carter said “don’t bother me,” I would instantly doubt myself, wondering if I was being too sensitive. As long as he bought me a makeup gift on holidays, I would completely overlook his coldness from the day before. I used to call it “compromising for love.” Looking back, I was just cleaning up his emotional mess. Liam didn’t badmouth Carter. He only said, “That wasn’t your fault. The fault lies with the person who knew you were easy to please, and chose to hurt you anyway.” I looked down, taking a sip of the soup. The spicy flavor made my eyes water. I didn’t want to cry, so I forced a laugh. “Since when did you become such a smooth talker?” Liam froze, his fork hovering in the air. “I’ve had practice.” “With whom?” “With someone I couldn’t win over,” he said, staring at me. “For many years.” While Liam cleared the table, I sat there quietly. I suddenly remembered the first time I brought Carter home. My mother had pulled me aside and asked, “Is he good to you?” Back then, I defended him fiercely, saying he just wasn’t good with words, and that successful men always had a temper. Now, those excuses felt like a pathetic cover-up for my own denial. “What are you thinking about?” Liam asked. I looked up. “I think my mom knew back then. She just couldn’t bear to break my heart.” Liam set a glass of warm water next to me. “Well, you don’t have to make excuses for anyone anymore.”
Carter’s POV I didn’t actually start panicking until the third day. When I went back to our penthouse, I found the door code had been changed. The property manager told me that Miss Vance had authorized her lawyer to liquidate her half of the property, and all her personal belongings had been moved out in the middle of the night. I stood at the door, holding a box of the tiramisu Chloe used to love. In the past, as long as I swallowed my pride and bought her some sweets, Chloe would always forgive me. She might complain a little, but she would still open the door, hang up my coat, and ask if I wanted some water. But this time, there were no lights on behind the door. No one was waiting. I called a mutual friend, who hesitated before speaking. “Carter, you really messed up this time. Chloe’s family handled all the wedding cancellations. They didn’t even ask the Sterlings for a dime. They’ve been more than decent.” I demanded coldly, “Where is she?” “I don’t know. And even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.” The line went dead. I sat back in my car, my chest feeling incredibly tight. Iris called me again, crying that she had no appetite and wanted some crème brûlée from the bakery uptown. I didn’t answer. Iris quickly sent a barrage of texts, asking if I blamed her, saying that if it weren’t for her, Chloe wouldn’t have left, and that the baby was kicking and she was so scared. Looking at the word “baby,” my head throbbed painfully. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to take responsibility. That night at the college reunion, everyone had drunk too much. Iris had leaned on my shoulder and cried, saying she had never been loved, asking if I could just stay with her for a bit. I remembered pushing her away, but I also remembered losing consciousness. When I woke up, Iris was curled up next to me. She told me it was fine, just a one-night stand, and that we should both just forget about it. I believed her. Or rather, I wanted to believe her. Because as long as I kept Iris in the “friend” box, I didn’t have to admit how dirty I had been. But now that Chloe was gone, that excuse had lost all its magic. That evening, Robert called me back to the family estate. The Vance family lawyer was sitting in the living room. He handed over the termination of engagement documents, his tone perfectly polite. “Miss Vance’s stance is clear. There was no marriage certificate filed, so this is not a divorce. She has covered all wedding expenses. As for the gifts from the Sterling family during the engagement, she has cataloged them. They will be returned to you.” Victoria slammed her hand on the table. “What is she trying to do? Is she trying to run off with another man?” The lawyer looked up. “Mrs. Sterling, please watch your words. Miss Vance is currently single. Who she associates with is none of Mr. Sterling’s business.” I stared at the documents, my fingertips turning white. “Tell her to come talk to me herself.” The lawyer capped his pen. “She does not wish to see you.” I let out a dry laugh that didn’t reach my eyes. “Fine. She’s hiding. Let’s see how long she can play this game.” After the lawyer left, Victoria was still cursing the Vance family for being heartless. But my eyes were glued to the cataloged list. Chloe had left so cleanly. The engagement necklace. The bracelet my mother gave her. The designer bags I bought her on a whim. Even a single pair of cufflinks was itemized and returned. She didn’t keep a single thing. She didn’t want any memories. It was like she was clearing out a rental apartment she never intended to return to. “She used to love these things,” I whispered. Victoria didn’t hear me. “What?” I didn’t answer. Chloe used to take photos of every single gift I gave her. She would be overjoyed for days over a bracelet that didn’t even fit her style. It wasn’t about the price tag. She just valued the thought behind them. And now, she was returning all that care in a neatly printed list. For the first time, I felt like the girl who used to run to me with open arms was truly gone. Robert was calmer than Victoria, but he was stressed. After the Vance Group pulled their joint venture, several of our ongoing projects fell into limbo. The partners didn’t outright reject us, they just said they needed to “wait and see.” But in business, everyone knows what “wait and see” actually means. Robert glared at me. “What are your actual plans for Iris?” I couldn’t answer. Before, I thought the baby could be taken care of quietly, the wedding could go on, and Chloe would just accept it. Now, seeing those things laid out, it all felt like a joke. Robert sneered. “You always bragged about how logical you are. How did you fail to calculate the most basic consequences of your actions?”
Carter’s POV Chloe wasn’t hiding. She had simply erased me from her life. The Vance Foundation’s charity gala went on as scheduled. The flowers from our wedding had been repurposed into a stunning spring garden theme. Chloe stood at the entrance in a simple, elegant black gown, helping her mother greet the guests. She wore light makeup, her smile wasn’t overly bright, but she looked completely composed. That was the night I crashed. I didn’t have an invitation. The security guards stopped me at the door. My face burned with humiliation. “I’m Chloe Vance’s fiancé.” The guard’s voice was completely professional. “Your name is not on the list, sir.” Those words felt like a physical slap to my face. In the past, whenever I attended Vance family events, everyone treated me like the co-host. Chloe would always register my name in advance, have a driver waiting, and wave at me from across the crowd. Now, my name wasn’t even on the list. Liam walked out of the ballroom, his tuxedo jacket draped casually over his arm. His voice was flat. “Mr. Sterling, tonight is a charity event. Don’t make things difficult for the staff.” I glared at him. “What is that supposed to mean?” “I’m the co-host,” Liam said, showing his badge. “I have more right to stand here than you do.” Furious, I raised my hand to shove him. But a voice called out from behind him. “Carter.” Chloe walked over. She didn’t run, but her presence immediately made me freeze. “You’re finally willing to see me,” I said, holding back my anger. “Come home with me.” Chloe replied, “I’m not going back.” “Are you still throwing a tantrum?” My eyes were bloodshot. “Just because Iris is pregnant, you’re going to throw away all our years together?” “It’s not because she’s pregnant,” Chloe said, looking at me calmly. “It’s because you cheated, and then expected me to clean up your mess.” My breath hitched. People at the entrance were starting to look over. Victoria rushed over, sighing deeply. “Chloe, if you and Carter have a fight, do it in private. Why make a scene in front of everyone? This is very disrespectful to us elders.” Helen Vance walked out of the ballroom, her face incredibly cold. “Oh? My daughter was humiliated by your son and his mistress right before her wedding, and we haven’t even complained. Yet you’re the one who feels disrespected?” Victoria was completely silenced. Chloe handed me a jewelry box. “Your engagement necklace. It’s returned. The cancellation papers are inside too. Whether you sign them or not doesn’t change the outcome.” I didn’t take it. “I don’t agree to this.” Chloe placed the box into the hands of a nearby staff member. “Then my lawyer will handle it.” She turned and walked back inside. Liam didn’t follow her immediately. Instead, he looked at me. “She made herself clear. If you keep harassing her, you’ll only embarrass yourself.” I clenched my fists. For the first time, I felt like a massive iron door had shut between Chloe and me. Inside the hall, Chloe stood gracefully next to her mother. When some guests subtly brought up the wedding, she didn’t dodge the question. She just smiled and said, “If it’s not the right fit, it’s best to stop. Cutting losses early is better than dragging out a mistake.” When those words reached my ears, I was already being escorted out of the side door by security. Some business associates passed by. They initially wanted to say hello, but when they recognized me and Victoria, they quickly looked away. Victoria couldn’t stand the humiliation and muttered, “Look at her. She made us look so bad.” But I was only looking at Chloe through the glass. She was talking to a donor, looking elegant, her back straight. There was no crying, no emotional breakdown, no messy revenge. She wasn’t trying to humiliate me. She had just stopped covering for me.
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