Category: English

When Cliff Harrod loved me the most, I suddenly found myself time-traveling to the seventh year of our marriage. At that point, he had already been unfaithful, keeping a mistress, and was in the process of divorcing me.

I found myself transported into a heart-wrenching novel, where I had become the unlucky supporting male character, Roderick Marshall. The female lead, Adrienne Palmer, a fierce CEO, loathed me to the core. For the sake of her beloved, she was determined to force me into a divorce. “Roderick, if you don’t sign the papers, I’ll break your legs!” I glanced at the alimony I’d receive in the divorce agreement and immediately signed my name. I thought, “What a relief. I have no desire to be the tragic supporting character. I just want to enjoy my life!” When I woke up, I found I was lying under the sun on a vast estate that spanned over 300 acres. It took me a long moment to process what was happening. I, a mere street food vendor, had somehow entered a melodramatic novel and become its ill-fated male side character! According to the story, the female lead, Adrienne, and I were married through a business alliance. I was hopelessly in love with her, but her heart belonged solely to another man. To break them apart, I committed all kinds of wicked deeds, only to end up falling off a cliff and die miserably. The thought sent a chill down my spine. I realized I was merely a sacrifice in their love story, a complete and utter pawn! If I wanted to survive, I knew I had to avoid repeating the same tragic fate. As I rolled over to continue sunbathing, my phone rang. It was Adrienne. The moment I answered, she barked angrily, “Roderick, get over here right now.” It all came rushing back. Yesterday, Adrienne had demanded a divorce. I’d refused and had her beloved, Jaiden Clarkson, kidnapped. Fortunately, Adrienne arrived just in time with her bodyguards, and Jaiden only sustained minor injuries. I realized she was definitely coming for me now to settle the score. After I hung up the phone, panic set in. I thought, “I hurt her precious Jaiden, so there’s no way she’ll let me off easy. I need to get out of here.” With that thought, I rushed back to the house. However, the estate was massive. By the time I made it back to the living room, I was drenched in sweat. Adrienne and I slept in separate rooms. She usually didn’t let me into hers, but I knew exactly where she kept her valuable jewelry. In the story, my character was just an adopted son of the Marshall family, never truly valued. The family hadn’t left Roderick any inheritance, so the little money I had wouldn’t last long. Before making my escape, I needed to secure some funds. I grabbed a sapphire necklace. Just a few pieces of this jewelry would be worth a fortune, enough to keep me comfortable for the rest of my life. As I searched, I accidentally stumbled upon a sketchbook. I opened it. This sketchbook was a birthday gift from Roderick to Adrienne. It was filled with drawings of Adrienne, sketches he had started making when she was a teenager. Each drawing was dated and well-preserved. It was clear that Roderick’s feelings for Adrienne were genuine. But to Adrienne, his devotion meant nothing. I remembered a scene in the novel where, even in his dying moments, Roderick begged Adrienne to look at him, but she didn’t spare him a glance. Her heart was only for Jaiden. “Roderick, you fool!” I thought. I put the sketchbook back and continued searching for jewelry. As I walked out of the room with my arms full of jewels, I saw two bodyguards approaching. I froze. I realized I wasn’t going to get away. Half an hour later, the bodyguards took me into a private room. When I saw Adrienne sitting in the middle, I was stunned. Her features were delicate and beautiful; her skin was smooth and radiant, exuding elegance and authority. I thought, “No wonder Roderick was so infatuated with her. She truly is breathtaking.” Jaiden sat next to Adrienne. Like all unforgettable love interests in novels, Jaiden had a tragic past but a handsome face that made the female lead, Adrienne, fall head over heels. The other people in the room were all wealthy second-generation heirs, each looking at me with schadenfreude. Adrienne spoke to me coldly, “Roderick, apologize to Jaiden right now.” Jaiden gently tugged on Adrienne’s hand, speaking up for me, “It’s fine, Addie.” Adrienne was firm. “No. He dared to kidnap you; he must pay the price.” I knew Adrienne wouldn’t let it go until she’d humiliated me thoroughly. I thought, “Forget about my pride. Saving my neck is more important.” I immediately apologized, “I’m sorry, Mr. Clarkson. I shouldn’t have kidnapped you.” Not only Adrienne but everyone else in the room was shocked. I asked, “Should I cry while I say it?” Before Adrienne could reply, I started crying remorsefully. “Enough.” Adrienne threw a divorce agreement in front of me, threatening fiercely, “Roderick, if you don’t sign today, I’ll break your legs!” I touched my legs, my body trembling. Looking at the divorce agreement in front of me, I realized that was the real reason she’d called me here. I stood up and flipped through the agreement. After reading it, I was stunned. I thought, “After the divorce, she’s giving me two hundred million dollars in alimony and ten properties! Oh my. Is this for real?” My tears started flowing again uncontrollably. I didn’t mean to cry, but she was offering so much. Seeing my tears, Adrienne thought I was reluctant to divorce. She frowned, displeased. “Roderick, if you don’t sign…” Before she could finish, I quickly signed my name and handed the agreement back to her. “When can we go finalize the paperwork?” This time, it was Adrienne’s turn to be stunned.

Adrienne hadn’t expected me to agree to the divorce so readily, and she looked genuinely surprised. “Roderick, are you really agreeing to the divorce?” I glanced at Jaiden and sighed. “Your lover is back. I can be generous and let you be together.” Although Adrienne found it hard to believe, she didn’t dwell on it. After all, what mattered most to her was getting the divorce finalized. In the end, we agreed to go through with it the next morning. As I walked out of the club, I couldn’t help but open the divorce agreement again and look at those numbers. I thought, “So much money! In real life, no matter how hard I worked, even if I never ate or slept, I’d never make this much. Now I don’t even need to buy a new house. I can just pick one and live there, and I can rent out or sell the rest.” The thought alone made me feel giddy. I never expected Adrienne to be so generous. But then again, to her, this amount of money was nothing. I hadn’t even made it back to our home before I got a call from Adrienne. “Come to Palmer Manor.” And with that, she hung up. I glanced at the time; it was right around dinner. I thought to myself, “Could she be asking me over for a meal? With a wealthy family like the Palmers, the food’s bound to be pretty good. I’m sure I can get something tasty out of it.” With that thought, I headed straight over. When I arrived at Palmer Manor, I sensed something was off the moment I walked in. Adrienne and Jaiden were standing in the center of the living room. Adrienne’s father, Patrick Palmer, was sitting on the sofa, his face dark with anger. Patrick must’ve found out that Adrienne wanted to divorce me for Jaiden, and he was furious. Jaiden glanced at me and then said to Patrick, “Mr. Palmer, feelings can’t be forced, and Addie is already pregnant with my child, so I hope you’ll give us your blessing.” I thought, “Well, well, so Adrienne had someone else on the side all along! But I don’t remember there being a pregnancy plot in the novel. Did something go wrong somewhere? Oh well, as long as she gives me the money, she can cheat all she wants.” Adrienne looked at me, her expression complicated, as if she wanted to say something, but Patrick suddenly threw the cup he was holding onto the floor. Pointing at Adrienne, he exploded, “How could I have raised such a shameless daughter…” Patrick tore into Adrienne with a barrage of insults. I stood quietly on the side, saying nothing because I didn’t love Adrienne and certainly didn’t feel sorry for her. But as a man, I still felt a bit irritated. I thought Adrienne showed a complete lack of respect for Roderick in the book. However, thinking about the two hundred million dollars she was offering in alimony, I felt my mood lifted again. After his tirade, Patrick ordered the servants to throw Jaiden out. Though he was displeased with Adrienne’s behavior, he had no choice but to agree to the divorce. Perhaps feeling a bit guilty toward me, Patrick gifted me a few antiques. I cried in his arms and said, “Thank you, Mr. Palmer.” The next morning, Adrienne and I went to finalize the divorce. As soon as I got out of the car, I spotted Jaiden standing at the entrance, and I couldn’t help but curse under my breath. Jaiden’s demeanor was different from yesterday. He had a smug, superior look in his eyes as he gazed at me. Maybe it was because Adrienne was carrying his child, and he thought he had already won. I thought, “Give me a break. I’m not some fool like Roderick. I’m not going to fight him over Adrienne! Besides, I don’t want to end up as some tragic lovesick fool. All I want now is to get the divorce, take my alimony, and live a good life from here on out.” There weren’t many people at the courthouse that day, so it was our turn quickly. Ten minutes later, Adrienne and I walked out, looking dejected. Jaiden asked nervously, “Addie, did you get it done?” Adrienne shook her head. “No.” Jaiden frowned. “How could that be? Did Roderick change his mind and refuse to divorce?”

I rolled my eyes at Jaiden. “You’ve never been through a divorce, have you? The process is really complicated now. We have to wait thirty days before we can finalize it.” I had just learned how troublesome divorce procedures had become. I wasn’t in a good mood. Because I was so annoyed, I didn’t notice the flicker of hesitation in Jaiden’s eyes. Then Jaiden raised his voice. “Of course I’ve never been divorced!” I thought he was being ridiculous. “Why are you yelling? I couldn’t care less if you’ve been divorced or not.” Jaiden glared at me and snapped, “Roderick, I’m warning you. You’d better show up and finalize the paperwork when the time comes. Don’t even think about backing out!” I let out a cold laugh. “Sure, only a fool would want to stay with her.” Upon hearing that, Adrienne’s face turned livid with anger. I couldn’t care less whether Adrienne was mad. I just turned around and strode away. To make sure there were no issues with the divorce that might jeopardize my alimony, I made a point of showing up in front of Adrienne every day, trying my best to annoy her. I figured I might as well see if I could squeeze a bit more out of her. After all, Roderick had suffered enough for love while chasing her all these years. I figured it was only fair to get some compensation now. I thought, “The more money, the better.” Finally, Adrienne couldn’t take it anymore. She threw a black card at me. “Get lost.” I looked at the black card in my hand and grinned widely. “Sure thing, I’ll be on my way.” Being unable to finalize the divorce right away was frustrating, so I decided to comfort myself a little. I went to a luxury car dealership and bought a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. I charged it to Adrienne’s card. Adrienne may have been unfaithful in love, but she was never stingy with money when it came to Roderick. It was one of her few redeeming qualities. As I drove the luxury car around, plenty of people turned their heads to look. A handsome guy in a luxury car naturally draws attention. Next, I headed to the hospital for a full-body checkup. I needed to make sure I was in good health to enjoy that fortune. As I walked out of the hospital, I heard someone calling my name. “Roderick.” I looked up. I recognized the woman calling me. It was Tracey Schmidt. She had known Roderick since they were kids. She’d had a crush on him for years, but the original Roderick in the book didn’t like her. Instead, he insisted on chasing after Adrienne. Because of this, she and Adrienne didn’t get along at all. After Adrienne and I got married, Tracey rarely kept in touch with me. I shook my head, feeling a bit helpless. I thought, “Ignoring such a sweet and lovely girl for Adrienne? The original Roderick was definitely out of his mind.” Tracey asked, “Are you feeling unwell?” “No, I was just here for a routine checkup.” I looked at her. “What about you?” Tracey held up a bag she was carrying. “I came to pick up my dad’s heart medication.” After a pause, she continued, “I heard you’re divorcing Adrienne?” I nodded. “Yeah, she’s pregnant with Jaiden’s child, so of course, I’m getting a divorce.” Tracey looked shocked at first, then stared at me with a bit of confusion. “Roderick, I haven’t seen you for a while, but you seem… different. You used to be all about Adrienne.” Not wanting her to catch on to anything, I cleared my throat and said, “I chased her for so many years without a response. I’m tired. She can love whoever she wants.” I thought, “I’m this handsome, and I have money. I’m not worried about finding another wife.” Tracey kept staring at me like she thought something was off. Feeling a bit guilty, I chuckled awkwardly. “Well, I’ve got something to do. I’ll treat you to dinner another day.” Tracey was too sharp. I was afraid she’d figure something out. With that, I quickly walked away. There were still twenty-eight days until we could get divorced. I spent my time eating, drinking, shopping, and packing my things whenever I had a moment. I figured the more I could take, the more I could sell for extra cash later. As soon as the time was up, I immediately reminded Adrienne that we needed to get the divorce done. Adrienne frowned at me. “Roderick, why do I get the feeling you’re more eager to get divorced than I am?” I found it odd and thought, “What man would want to keep a cheating wife? It’s perfectly normal for me to want a divorce quickly.” I casually replied, “I’m just thinking of you. If we don’t hurry up with the divorce, what happens when your baby is born? You don’t want your child to end up calling me ‘Dad,’ do you?” Adrienne was silent for a few seconds before she looked at me and said, “Roderick…” I cut her off, “Alright, alright, you don’t need to say anything more. Just so you know, the kid’s not calling me ‘Dad.’ I’m not raising your lover’s child.” Adrienne’s face darkened. We headed to the parking lot. Just as we were about to get in the car, Adrienne’s phone rang. I couldn’t hear what the person on the other end was saying, but her expression turned incredibly sour. After hanging up, she grabbed my arm and asked, her face tense, “Jaiden is missing. Did you have something to do with it? Where did you take him?”

When I heard that Jaiden had gone missing, I quickly shook my head and denied it. “It wasn’t me.” Adrienne didn’t believe a word I said. “Impossible. It must be you! You probably hid Jaiden away because you don’t want the divorce!” “Roderick, you’re absolutely despicable!” I didn’t know how to respond. Roderick had indeed done things to hurt Jaiden in the past, but I wasn’t the same Roderick anymore. I was busy every day figuring out how to make money, so I had no time to scheme. Besides, I didn’t want anything to happen to Jaiden. If something did, Adrienne would definitely think I was behind it. “How do you even know he’s missing? Did you check properly?” Adrienne glared at me fiercely. She and Jaiden had plans to have lunch together, so an hour ago, she sent someone to pick him up, but he was nowhere to be found, and no one could reach him. I thought for a moment before saying, “Take me to his place. Maybe I can find some clues.” Adrienne stared at me for a long moment. “Roderick, if anything happens to Jaiden, I won’t let you off.” At this point, I didn’t care to argue with her about falsely accusing me. I knew finding Jaiden was the most important thing right now. When we arrived at Jaiden’s place, I walked around but didn’t find anything out of the ordinary. I thought, “Could this guy have vanished into thin air? Or maybe he got transported into another novel to be a scapegoat like me?” Adrienne shot me a furious glare. “Roderick, if you’re playing any tricks…” Suddenly, I heard a noise. Before she could finish her sentence, I rushed into the bathroom. As soon as I opened the door, I saw Jaiden slumped by the toilet, fast asleep, reeking of alcohol. Adrienne hurried over, crouched in front of Jaiden, and patted his face. “Jaiden, Jaiden, wake up.” Jaiden slowly opened his eyes. “Addie, why are you here?” “We were supposed to have lunch together. Did you forget?” Jaiden stood up. “I completely forgot. I was out with some friends last night and had too much to drink…” I turned to Adrienne’s bodyguards. “Did you guys not check the bathroom?” The bodyguard lowered his head. “We didn’t think Mr. Clarkson would be in the bathroom.” I thought, “Fair enough. Who’d expect him to be sleeping by the toilet? That’s a pretty unique habit.” Adrienne looked at her bodyguards and snapped, “You’re all useless!” I rolled my eyes. I thought her intelligence was far from what was expected of a formidable businesswoman. “Adrienne, can you please check things clearly next time? Don’t accuse me without evidence.” I had been on edge for nothing, only to find out it was all a misunderstanding. Now, it was my turn to be angry. Before Adrienne could say anything, Jaiden jumped in. “If you hadn’t had me kidnapped last time, Addie wouldn’t have suspected you.” I laughed in exasperation. “Fine, I’m not going to argue with you. But if you plan to sleep by the toilet again, make sure to let her know beforehand.” “You!” I couldn’t be bothered with Jaiden and turned to Adrienne instead. “Come on, let’s go finalize the divorce.” I didn’t want them to delay my alimony any longer. The divorce office was pretty crowded today, and it took a long time for our turn to come. But finally, we were divorced. I got the money and the house. I felt incredibly happy! Thinking about the good life ahead made me smile. Adrienne looked at the smile on my face, confused. “Roderick, what are you smiling about?” I thought, “I’ve endured so much to finally get my freedom. I’m done with all the humiliation. I have every reason to be happy!” I couldn’t be bothered to explain, so I brushed it off. “Nothing much. I’m heading out.” That same day, I moved out. I chose a large flat in the city. It wasn’t as big as Adrienne’s estate, but it was just right for one person. I rented out the rest of the properties. When the Marshall family heard that Adrienne and I were divorced, they were furious and even called me, demanding I beg Adrienne to get back together. In their eyes, I was just a tool to tie their interests to the Palmer family. So, I didn’t bother responding and simply blocked everyone from the Marshall family. I thought, “I don’t want to be some stupid side character anymore. I just want to enjoy my life!”

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My girlfriend always avoided meeting my parents. However, she then played the role of the perfect bride-to-be for her ex-boyfriend, meeting his relatives. And where does she meet them? In the very house I bought as our future home. What she didn’t expect was that I was actually a distant cousin of her ex-boyfriend. She pretended not to know me, clinging sweetly to her ex, saying to everyone, “This house was bought by my husband, paid in full.” All the guests praised how in love the two of them were. Afraid that I might expose her, my girlfriend came over to warn me. “I’m just helping a friend deal with his parents pressuring him to get married. If you mess this up, we’re done.” I offered her my sincere congratulations. “Since my cousin and I seem to have the same taste in both houses and women, I thought he might like the wedding decorations I’ve bought in bulk. I’ll just give them to you.” That finally made her panic. … [What a coincidence my distant cousin and I have. Our wedding homes are in the same neighborhood, with the exact same floor and apartment number. I must have mixed up the buildings.] I secretly texted my girlfriend, Chloe Garcia, venting about this bizarre situation. Just as I hit send, my distant cousin Brady Shaw emerged from the bedroom, hand in hand with his bride-to-be. The crowd cheered, and the bride shyly covered her face. But I stood there, stunned. Until my mother nudged me with her elbow, and said to me, “Look at your cousin, about to get married. And then look at yourself, always talking about bringing your nonexistent girlfriend home. When are you going to introduce us to someone real?” Mom, you’ve already met her. Standing next to another man, looking bashful—that’s my girlfriend Chloe. But I didn’t say a word. I feared my mom might have a heart attack on the spot. When I entered the neighborhood earlier, I found it amusing that my distant cousin and I were so fated to pick homes in the same area. But as I walked further, it got weirder. The same building, the same floor, and then I realized it was even the same apartment. I had the keys safely stored away at home. There was no way they could’ve been exposed. So I assumed I must’ve confused the buildings. But the moment Chloe stepped out, I knew the truth. This sort of thing could only be done by someone close to me. Because we didn’t guard ourselves against those we love. And that made it easier for her to stab me right where it hurt most. Chloe and Brady were the shining stars in the eyes of the guests now, basking in the spotlight. Brady’s arm was wrapped around Chloe’s waist, and she, as if dissatisfied with the closeness, pulled his arm even tighter. The scene played out before me in slow motion, every detail crystal clear. A mix of bitterness and anger surged within me, overwhelming me like a tidal wave. I wanted to leave. But all I could hear were the guests blessing them. “Brady is so lucky to have found such a beautiful wife. They must live a long and happy life together.” “The bride and Brady are such a perfect match. I heard they’ve been together since college. I even saw their pictures once; they were so in love!” Those words rooted me to the spot. I remembered then that Chloe had a college boyfriend with the last name Shaw. Her friends had teased me about how passionate and unforgettable their love had been. Unforgettable enough to linger until now, it seemed. And here I was, the fool in this twisted play. Chloe and Brady made their way through the guests, greeting each one until they finally reached where I stood. When she saw me, Chloe’s eyes flashed with surprise and guilt, but she quickly masked it, maintaining that bright, bridal smile. It was as if she was really a bride-to-be. She pretended not to know me, turning to speak with others, but she grasped my mom’s hand with a sugary smile. “Thank you, Miss. Please make sure you enjoy yourself today.” My mom, unaware that Chloe was my girlfriend, blessed her with genuine warmth and admiration as a distant relative. “You’re a lucky girl, marrying Brady. He’s such a successful young man, and this wedding home is just wonderful,” said my mom. Chloe, not recognizing my mom, mistook her for one of Brady’s relatives and boasted. “This house was bought by my husband as a gift for me, all paid in full.” “Oh my, how sweet! You’re already calling him your husband,” my mom teased. She gave me a nudge as if to say, “See how it’s done? They’ve already bought a house.” But Mom, the one who bought this house in full was your son.

The soon-to-be bride had finished meeting everyone and was ready to head to the restaurant for the next part of the day. I intended to use an excuse to leave early. But Chloe unexpectedly pulled me aside, leading me into a quiet corner. The warm smile she’d worn earlier vanished, replaced by a scowl as she glared at me as if I were her enemy. “I know what you’re up to. I’m just helping a friend deal with his parents pressuring him to get married. He doesn’t want them to worry—he’s just trying to be a good son. I’m doing a good deed here. If you mess this up, we’re done.” Even though she was the one doing something wrong, she could so easily use the threat of breaking up as if our relationship was just a card she could play whenever she liked. I stared at her in disbelief. “But this is our future home. You’re my girlfriend, Chloe.” Chloe shrugged, indifferent. “I told you, it’s just helping out a friend. He’s under so much pressure from his parents, he can hardly breathe. Besides, I don’t mind, so why should you? If it bothers you that much, we can sell the apartment and buy another one later. I’m not even satisfied with the current décor anyway.” The house she now claimed to be unsatisfied with was the same one she had once proudly shown off, boasting about it as if it were hers. I wondered what Chloe found unsatisfying—was it the house or our relationship? A wave of bitterness churned in my stomach like a strong, black coffee, making me feel nauseous. But she didn’t notice my turmoil. Instead, she glanced down at her phone, smiling secretively at whatever message she received. Then she looked up, threw one last impatient remark at me, and hurried off. “I’m leaving now. Don’t bother coming if you’re going to cause trouble.” I stood there, a bitter smile forming on my lips. How could I leave? If I did, how would I witness your happiness? By the time I arrived at the hotel, they had already started eating. Chloe was seated at a separate table, chatting with some older women. She had always claimed to hate dealing with relatives, yet now she seemed perfectly at ease. I guess that complaint had been meant just for me. Brady, meanwhile, was sitting with a group of younger guests. He’d obviously had a few drinks, his face flushed red as he boasted to those around him. I found an empty seat and sat down, just in time to hear Brady said, “This girl, back in college, she just wouldn’t leave me alone—no matter how hard I tried to shake her off. “I had no choice but to take her in, reluctantly, of course. “And now she insists on getting married. Women are such a hassle.” One of the guys played along. “She must have something special to keep you hooked. Otherwise, why would you stay with her all this time?” Brady smirked and raised his eyebrows at the guy. “You know what I mean, right? It’s all about what happens in bed. She’s so good at it, I just can’t get enough. That’s her real talent.” Brady let out a lewd laugh, giving a thumbs-up. The other men at the table exchanged knowing glances and started laughing, all while sneaking looks in Chloe’s direction. Chloe, noticing the lively atmosphere at our table, waved at us with a cheerful smile. She had no idea that she was the subject of their crude jokes. So this was the girl I’d held dear, the one I’d treasured. I took a deep breath, slowly unclenching the fingers I’d dug into my thigh to keep from reacting. From the moment we started dating, Chloe had never let me touch her. She said she wanted to be sure I was “the one,” and anything intimate would have to wait until after marriage. The things I couldn’t obtain were something others had already tried countless times. I stood up and raised my glass, and suddenly, everyone’s attention was on me. Chloe’s expression immediately darkened. She stared at me, a warning in her eyes. I avoided her gaze and called out loudly to everyone. “Since all the guests are here, I just want to say a few words. “Today is the first time my cousin and I have met, but we really hit it off, almost like old friends. We have so much in common. So, I’ve decided to give him some wedding decorations that I think he’ll appreciate. Wishing them a lifetime of happiness!” The room erupted in applause and congratulations. I added one more thing. “Don’t worry, they’re not second-hand. I haven’t used them.” Chloe’s pupils contracted as she stood up, her expression shifting from anger to fear. She took a step forward as if to come over and explain things to me. But just then, one of the older ladies raised her glass to Chloe, and she hesitated, plastering on a smile as she returned the toast and then sat back down. I shook my head, mocking myself. Then, I turned and walked away alone.

Today was supposed to be a special day for Chloe and me—the day she would finally meet my parents. We had been dating for three years, but every time the day to meet the parents arrived, Chloe always found a way to avoid it. She’d claim she was too nervous, too busy with work, or not feeling well. Once, she even said that the horoscope warned against meeting parents that day. Three months ago, we were the closest we’d ever been to making it happen. My parents dressed in their best clothes and arrived at the restaurant we’d reserved. But Chloe never showed up. My calls went straight to voicemail, and then she sent a brief message: [My friend was in a car accident.] As absurd as that excuse was, I knew she was just avoiding it again. Chloe had once told me that her parents’ divorce left her terrified of marriage. I had only felt sympathy and held her, promising I would wait until she was ready. So, once again, I made excuses for her absence. “I must have told her the wrong time. She had a meeting she couldn’t miss. Next time, I promise.” But my parents no longer believed me. They were convinced I’d invented a girlfriend just to meet their expectation. “Even CEOs of big companies can find ten or twenty minutes to have dinner. What kind of job does your girlfriend have?” I had no answer for that. After three months of cajoling, Chloe finally agreed to meet them again a few days ago. Worried she might change her mind, I scheduled it for this weekend. But yesterday, she told me a friend needed her help with something important. Our meeting was canceled yet again. My mother had given me a knowing look as if she’d expected it all along. “I knew this would happen. You have no plans tomorrow, right? Come with me to a family gathering. There’s a cousin of yours who’s a year younger than you and is about to get married. Maybe you’ll learn what a real bride looks like.” She got her wish, though not in the way either of us imagined. Chloe, who had begged off meeting my parents to help a friend, was now standing beside another man, playing the part of his fiancée in my very own apartment. It turned out that Chloe had no problem meeting someone else’s entire family under the pretense of marriage. I, on the other hand, had been patiently waiting for a woman who was apparently saving her love for someone else. My parents enviously watched other people’s happiness and worried about me. … When we got home, I sat on the couch, unable to shake the day’s events from my mind. I picked up a photo of Chloe and me during happier times, though now our smiles felt hollow. I was deep in thought when I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. It was late—well past midnight. For a moment, I thought Chloe had come back. But it was Brady who walked through the door, holding a key to my apartment. I wasn’t even surprised. If she’d given him the keys to our wedding apartment, why wouldn’t she have given him the keys to this one? He smiled at me. “I didn’t know you were here, Dominic.” Even though this was my apartment, Brady acted as if I were the intruder. Before I could respond, he scooped up a seemingly drunk Chloe in his arms and carried her inside without a second thought. “Move aside,” he said casually as if he were the one who belonged here. I looked at Chloe, who was barely conscious, and bit back my anger. Brady made himself at home, bringing a blanket from my bedroom to cover Chloe and heading into the kitchen. He was familiar with this house. It seemed he had been here countless times before. The tightness in my chest grew unbearable. Maybe he had been here many times while I was away. I watched as Brady gently gave Chloe some water, a far cry from the man I’d seen earlier at the family gathering, where he casually flaunted her like a prize. Chloe’s awareness slowly returned. And she immediately thanked him, her eyes only on him, not even noticing I was there. “Thank you, Brady.” “I should be the one saying that. You’re okay, so I’ll head out now.” Chloe insisted on walking him to the door, even though she was still unsteady on her feet. Their parting was an elaborate affair, full of unnecessary embraces. It looked like they were in some kind of romantic drama. I stood there, coldly watching their charade. Just as Brady was about to leave, he turned back. “Oh god, I was thinking about apologizing to my cousin. How could I forget it? I’m sorry for borrowing your wedding apartment and girlfriend. You’re not mad, are you?” His words were meant to sound apologetic, but his tone was anything but. There was a clear challenge in his eyes. Before I could say a word, Chloe jumped in to answer for me. “Dominic wouldn’t be upset. You were just trying to keep your parents happy. It was all for them.” Brady chuckled. “Honestly, Chloe, you looked so stunning today. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were still single.” His words were nonsensical, but Chloe blushed all the same, clearly pleased. Brady’s eyes roamed boldly over her, his gaze full of suggestion. And I just stood there, watching them flirt as if I didn’t exist. My gaze gradually turned cold. Finally, Brady seemed ready to leave. But I called after him. “Wait a minute! “Since you’re leaving, take your fiancée with you and get the hell out of my house!” Chloe stared at me in disbelief. “Dominic, what are you saying?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397357”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #Betrayal #Fantasy #Family #Revenge #FakeMarriage

My boyfriend, James Wellington, was broke—or so I thought. For two years, I paid all the bills, and the priciest gift he gave me was a $180 pearl necklace. Yet, he secretly cleared a $5 million debt for his bankrupt childhood sweetheart, Rachel Wilson. Turns out, James was a wealthy heir all along. He wasn’t poor; he was just stingy with me.

I fell for the broke student my dad was sponsoring. After some serious chasing and a few sneaky moves, he was mine. But just a day later, his sister dropped a bomb. A video showed my dad had raped her, pretending to tutor her. He disappeared from my life after that. Three years later, we met again. I needed money for my kid’s medical bills and ended up selling my body. He smirked, “Five grand a night? You sure know how to set a price.”

Olivia It’s Christmas. The coldest and my favorite holiday. After working almost nonstop for 72 hours for the restaurant’s holiday campaign, I was declared fired. Nowhere to go. “Olivia. Give me your apron.” My eyes widened as my boss’s cold words silenced the kitchen. It came out of nowhere, and when I turned to look at him, it was clear that he wasn’t making a joke or playing a prank on me. His aging, stern face looked entirely indifferent as he held out his hand for my apron. “W-Why?” I asked, feeling the weight of the silence of my coworkers. My boss didn’t even answer. He just held his hand out for me still and blinked slowly at me with an expectant look on his face. As I untied my apron, my hands shook and my eyes began to well up with tears. Around me, I could hear my coworkers — ex-coworkers now, I guessed — snickering about what was happening. I slowly handed my boss my apron. He snatched it out of my hand and calmly walked out of the kitchen, leaving the door swinging in his stead while a single tear rolled down my cheek. That apron was the only symbol of belonging I had; this job was the one thing keeping me from starving to death. “She’s so stupid,” I heard one of my coworkers, a fellow waitress named Emily, whisper behind my back. “Anyone who thinks that the capitalists are their family should learn their lesson soon enough.” “I guess the boss’ brainwashing really got to her,” one of the cooks, a middle-aged man named John, said. He didn’t even try to keep his voice low. They knew that I could hear them, and they didn’t care. Before they could see me cry, I yanked my jacket off of the hook and burst out of the restaurant. I stumbled into the brick alleyway, already shivering from the cold winter air. “Ryan will help me,” I whispered to myself as I put my coat on and stormed away. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sniffled sadly while I dialed his number. But the phone just rang… and rang… and went to voicemail. Hey, you’ve reached Rya— Cursing, I hung up and resisted the urge to smash my phone. Of course my boyfriend didn’t answer. He hadn’t been answering my calls or texts for a week now, and it was stupid of me to think that he would suddenly answer now, when I really needed help. As I walked down the street, I passed by the rows of shops that were filled with excited holiday shoppers and happy families. Despite the cold, these people were warm because of their families and their lovers. And I had no one. My boyfriend, who had wanted me first when we started dating, ghosted me out of nowhere and couldn’t even be decent enough to officially break up with me. My pack evicted my father and I ten years prior. My father died, leaving me alone. I was hopeless. This year, the holidays were going to be worse than ever, and I didn’t even have so much as a shoulder to cry on. Life really had hit rock bottom. Suddenly, as I shivered in the cold beneath my thin jacket, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. My heart leaped in my chest — “Ryan?” I whispered, pulling my phone out. But it wasn’t Ryan. It wasn’t a number that I recognized; in fact, it was probably a scam call. I was desperate, though, and answered just on the extremely rare off chance that maybe — just maybe — it would be some good news. “Hello?” I answered, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk and nearly being bowled over by a group of teen girls who were happily swinging their shopping bags back and forth and who were snickering about my ratty winter coat. “Is this Olivia?” a male voice said on the other end. “Um… Yes,” I responded. “Who is this?” “I’m calling from your former pack,” the male voice said. “It’s about your eviction.” Suddenly, I felt sick. Why was my old pack calling me? I hadn’t spoken to anyone from that pack in years; the last time I saw any of them was when my dad and I got kicked out by the Alpha for no real reason. This had to be some sort of sick joke. “What about it?” I asked. I almost considered just hanging up, but I had to admit that I was somewhat curious. “Your eviction order has been lifted, effective immediately,” the man said in a warm tone of voice. “You may return any time you wish.” My eyes widened. “R-Really?” I asked. “Can I come back now?” The man paused. “Like I said, you can return any time you wish,” he said. I felt like jumping for joy. A cheer almost escaped my lips, but I clapped my hand over my mouth just in time. The man started to say something else, but suddenly a group of Christmas carolers started singing loudly right beside me, and I couldn’t hear him “Sorry, sorry,” I said, ducking into another alleyway so I could hear her. “What were you saying?” The man chuckled. “I said that the Alpha is also getting married,” he said. “And you’re invited.” “Oh.” I scrunched my eyebrows together. It was odd for the Alpha to invite someone like me to his wedding. I was already a low status werewolf before my dad and I got evicted, and now I was even lower as someone who was just allowed back in the pack. “Are you sure he meant to invite me?” I asked. “Yes,” the man replied with another laugh. “You’re Olivia Wild, are you not?” “I-I am,” I said sheepishly. “If you don’t mind me asking, who is the new Alpha? It just feels odd—” “Nathan Ford.” At the mention of my old friend Nathan’s name, my eyes went even wider than before. My joy was immediately replaced with utter shock. I hadn’t talked to Nathan in years, not since he stood by idly and allowed the old Alpha to expel me and my dad. And now he was not only the new Alpha of our pack, but he was also getting married? I did want to go back to the place that I left ten years before. After all… I didn’t have anywhere else to go, did I? And besides: I missed my old home. The thought of going back and starting over made my heart feel light. “Um… Thank you,” I said. “I’d be happy to come back.” ———— My only remaining relative was my aunt, who owned a villa. My aunt was an eccentric older woman. She didn’t have any children of her own; in fact, I was pretty sure that she just didn’t even like children to begin with. She was always indifferent toward me, and after my dad and I were evicted from the pack, she never tried to contact either of us. I would have preferred not to go to her for help, considering the fact that we were never close. But it was freezing cold out, it was getting late, and I had nowhere else to go. As I made my way down the street, my aunt’s villa slowly came into view at the end of the street and instantly filled me with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. I walked up to the tall wrought iron gate and pushed on it. It swung open with a loud creak.

Olivia The tall hedges that surrounded the property reminded me of the days I would spend with my childhood best friends, Nathan and Alvin, as we would play hide and seek amongst the thick branches. The cupolas on either side of the house reminded me of how we would climb up there against my aunt’s wishes so we could look at the birds’ nests, and how we would get a good scolding from my aunt afterwards. Inside, I could see a light on upstairs in my aunt’s bedroom. Seeing that light filled me with a bit of warmth, and I paused for a moment to look up at it with a smile on my face. “Olivia?” a somewhat familiar voice suddenly said. It sounded different, gruffer, but I still recognized it immediately. I spun around to see my aunt’s gardener, an old man named Clint, standing behind me in his wool sweater and worn overalls. “Clint,” I said with a smile. The gardener, who was getting on in years now, walked up to me and wrapped his arms around me. He had a limp now, which he didn’t have before. “Your leg…” I muttered, pointing. The old gardener shrugged. “Arthritis,” he said. “They weren’t lying when they said that getting old ain’t for the faint of heart. Anyway… You’re back in the pack now, huh?” I nodded. “My eviction order was lifted,” I said. “But I don’t have anywhere to go. I hope my aunt will let me stay here until I get back on my feet.” Suddenly, Clint’s eyes went from smiling to full of sorrow. “You haven’t heard?” he asked quietly. I shook my head and scrunched my nose. “No. Haven’t heard what?” “Your aunt died six months ago,” he said. “In her sleep.” At that moment, I felt my heart sink and absolutely shatter at the bottom of my stomach. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing would come out other than a strained squeak of pain. Sure, my aunt and I didn’t have the best relationship, but she was all I had left now. But now, it seemed as though I really had no one. Before anything could be said, I stumbled forward and threw my arms around the old gardener. He stiffened for a moment before he wrapped his arms around me and let me cry into his shoulder for several minutes. When no more tears would come, I stepped back and wiped my nose with my hand. “Sorry,” I muttered. “It’s just…” Clint shook his head. “Here.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a sealed envelope, then handed it to me. “I’ve been keeping it with me in case you show up. Your aunt asked me to make sure that no one opens it except for you.” I took the envelope, still scrunching my nose as I blinked back tears. But when I opened the envelope, that look of despair turned into one of surprise. It was a deed to the house with my name on it, along with a key. After all these years, my aunt had left her villa to me. I was stunned. “R-Really?” I whispered, looking up at the gardener with tears in my eyes. He nodded, and smiled slightly through his thick mustache. “Yep,” he replied. “I don’t know what’s there. But that was the blessing your aunt left you.” My eyes were wide as I looked up at the old villa. As if I was in a trance, I slowly walked up to the front door and put the key into the lock. I turned it and heard the satisfying click before I swung the door open and looked into the place of old memories and new beginnings. As I walked in and flicked on the light, a gasp caught in my through. It looked perfect, as though it had been renovated. I guessed that my aunt must have fixed it up before she died, which was confusing considering the fact that she was always so particular about the style of the house. Before, it was rather outdated and now, it was fully outfitted with modern appliances, freshly painted walls, and even the old, rattley windows had been replaced. “Clint—” I turned around, but he was gone. I was alone now in this house, but I didn’t mind. As I slowly walked in, still in shock, I ran my hands along the wooden table in the dining room. I peered into the old living room to see that it was outfitted with all new furniture, although my aunt’s old rocking chair still sat in the corner. Just seeing it brought more tears to my eyes as I imagined her still sitting there, her knitting needles clicking together furiously as she listened to the radio. The radio was still there, too. I headed upstairs next. The stairs still creaked as I walked up them, but it was like music to my ears. I trailed my fingers along the wall as I slowly walked down the hallway, and finally stopped in front of my aunt’s old bedroom. The light was left on; maybe Clint was cleaning and forgot to turn it off. The door was closed, but I could see the light spilling out from underneath the door. I couldn’t bring myself to open it — I couldn’t bring myself just yet to look into the room where my aunt used to sleep, and where she died. Not yet. I headed to the guest bedroom next, where the bed was freshly made with crisp white sheets and one of my aunt’s handmade quilts. The room was much more airy now, with light white curtains in the windows and lace throw pillows on the bed. It was a far cry from the way that my aunt used to keep it decorated, but I liked it. As I threw myself down on the bed, I let out a loud, bittersweet sigh. I wished that I could have talked to my aunt one last time… But the fact that she left her villa to me filled my heart with warmth. After all these years, I was just excited to start over fresh within the walls of my aunt’s villa that looked over the sea. … The morning sun was shining through my window when I woke up the next morning. But honestly, I could have slept longer if it weren’t for the fact that I could hear voices coming from downstairs. Did someone break in while I was sleeping? I quickly sat up, furrowing my brow as I tried to remember if I had locked the doors before I went to bed, but I knew that I did it. I was always so careful with those sorts of things. Maybe it was Clint or someone else, but either way, I grabbed my small folding knife out of my bag and slipped it into the sleeve of my sweatshirt before I slowly made my way down the stairs. With each step, the voices became clearer. And none of them sounded like Clint. “I’m thinking that we should convert this into a nice set of French doors,” a male voice said. “My fiancee likes to have her morning tea and do her yoga outside, so I think she’d like a nice patio area for that…” I swallowed, confused. French doors? Fiancee? What were they talking about? This was my house now— surely they had the wrong house. Suddenly, as I was slowly making my way down the stairs, my sock slipped on the wood and I found myself tumbling down the last few steps. I fell to the floor with a bang and a groan, and my pocket knife fell out of my sleeve and slid across the floor, right toward the location of the voices. There was a brief silence, followed by the same male voice. “Who’s there? Stay where you are!” the voice said. I scrambled to my feet, cursing under my breath, as I heard hurried footsteps approaching. Suddenly, I came face to face with my childhood friend, Nathan— the new Alpha of my pack. He was much older now, more handsome and no longer the awkward teenage boy that I remembered. As he looked at me, his square jaw and Cupid’s bow lips were lit from one side by the morning sun shining in through the window, and I couldn’t deny the fact that my heart melted a little just looking at him. His eyes widened as he saw me. Slowly, and without a word, he took three steps toward me. The smell of grapefruit salt on his skin floated across the air toward me, further bombarding my senses. There was a flash of bewilderment in my childhood friend’s eyes, followed by what looked like surprise. But there was something else there, too. Was it a hint of irony that I saw in my childhood friend’s eyes? Why was Nathan in my villa? There was something strange about my childhood friend’s demeanor as he stared at me. I could feel it. “Olivia?” Nathan asked, taking another step forward. The smell of grapefruit salt on his skin became even stronger now that he stood closer to me. “Why are you here?”

Olivia I blinked slowly, still taken aback by this sudden and unexpected interaction. We hadn’t seen each other in such a long time, and Nathan looked so… different now. He looked so much more mature than the rambunctious teen who I last saw before my dad and I got evicted by the old Alpha. “Nathan,” I muttered, smoothing down my messy hair from a night of sleep, “it’s… it’s good to see you. You’re so tall now.” Nathan stared at me for a moment. There was what looked like a ghost of a smile playing on his lips for the briefest of moments before his face turned stony. He seemed to drink in my appearance, as though he was appraising me. “You look good,” was all he said. I thought back to what the operator on the phone told me last night. Nathan, my childhood friend, was getting married now. He looked so mature now, but it still felt odd to think of him as a groom-to-be. It made me wonder… “Who is your bride?” I blurted out. Nathan looked at me in a surprised way for a moment, almost as though he didn’t expect me to even know that he had a bride. “Her name is Layla,” he finally said. “She’s the Alpha female from our neighboring pack.” “Oh,” I muttered. In a strange way, it made me a little sad to hear it. I had no clue who Layla was; Nathan, who was once my closest friend and someone who I told everything to when we were kids, someone who knew every little thing about me up until ten years ago, now had a life that didn’t have anything to do with me anymore. It felt strange and uncomfortable, and part of me wished that it was different. Suddenly, Nathan said something that took me by even more surprise. “Olivia, I didn’t think that you’d really dare to come back.” I was taken aback by this statement. The operator last night had told me that my eviction order expired, and that I was invited to the new Alpha’s wedding. Why was Nathan now acting as though he didn’t even expect my return? “What do you mean?” I asked. “I figured that you were the one who lifted my eviction order and wanted me to come back for your—” Nathan shook his head and folded his arms across her chest. I just now realized that his arms, which were once thin and twiggy, were now thick and muscular. He exuded the appearance of an Alpha. “Someone must have made a mistake,” he insisted. “Your dad’s eviction order did expire, but… I wouldn’t have invited you to my wedding. Why would I invite you?” Now, I was even more taken aback. “We were friends,” I said, trying to hide the shake in my voice. “Best friends… since we were kids. I thought that you wanted to rekindle our friendship.” Nathan looked puzzled. He paced away for a moment, leaning his hands on the dining room table with his back turned to me. Through the glass door that led outside, now that he had stepped out of the way, I could see that there was a team of craftsmen who were standing there and looking at us through the glass. When they saw me looking, they all turned away in unison and appeared to be looking at blueprints together. That must have been who Nathan was talking to. “That was a long time ago,” Nathan finally said, turning back to face me while he leaned back on the dining room table. He crossed his legs at the ankles and leaned back on his palms, his blue-green eyes staring at me in a stern way. But there was a hint of humor to it too, and that only made him look all the more handsome. In a strange way, his new stern Alpha appearance drew me to him. “We hardly know each other now. We were friends so long ago, when we were just kids. Both of us have changed. I wouldn’t invite a stranger to my wedding…” I was dumbfounded by my friend’s indifference, but even more than that, I was dumbfounded by his apparent disinterest in inviting me to his wedding when he was supposedly the one who invited me himself. At least, that was how it seemed. Was he just feigning indifference, I thought to myself? He had to be. “Look,” I said, deciding that it wasn’t worth it to get into what he said about our ‘little friendship’, “The operator told me specifically that I was invited to your wedding. Just last night, over the phone, he said that my eviction order was lifted and that I was invited—” Nathan waved his hand dismissively and chuckled. His voice was so much deeper now than when I had last seen him. Maybe he was right; maybe we really didn’t know each other anymore. “It must have been a mistake,” he said. He paused then and licked his lips, before standing up straight again and shrugging. Everything about his mannerisms exuded the spirit and arrogance of an Alpha, and it was a far cry from the awkward and heartfelt teenage boy who I used to know. “Well, since you know about it, I won’t be rude,” he said. “It would be disrespectful, after all, not to let you come after all of this. So, I guess you can come, Olivia. It seems to be important to you.” “Important to me?” I asked, feeling the beginnings of anger starting to bubble up inside of me. “I could care less about your damn wedding! Why would I want to go to a wedding if I’m not welcome, anyway?” Now, Nathan seemed to be the one who was dumbfounded. We stared at each other in shocked silence for a few moments, and during those moments I was reminded of all of the little cat fights that we had as kids. We were both bullheaded and emotional children, and our clashing personalities often led to arguments. Once or twice, we even got into physical scuffles over minor things, like who was allowed to have the last slice of pizza or who cheated during our games. I could tell that Nathan seemed to be remembering those days, too. The air between us felt electric, like we would burst out laughing at any moment now over this argument. Maybe then, we would be reminded of how close we used to be and we could rekindle what used to be a good friendship. In fact, the tension between us seemed to slip away as we stared at each other. A smile played on Nathan’s lips, and I couldn’t help but smile too at the ridiculousness of the situation. But then, suddenly, I remembered where we were: we were in my aunt’s villa, the morning after I received a key and the deed to her house with my name on it. Why, then, was Nathan in here first thing in the morning with a team of craftsmen, who were now all looking back through the windows again? “Nathan,” I said, shaking my head incredulously, “why are you even here? This is my villa.” Nathan frowned. The hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips instantly faded, and he narrowed his eyes. “Your villa?” he asked. “This isn’t your villa. This is my wedding house.”

Olivia “Your villa?” Nathan’s voice sounded disbelieving. “This isn’t your villa. This is my wedding house.” “What?” I scoffed. “You have to be joking.” Surely Nathan was just playing a joke on me. My aunt left me the deed to the house with my name on it, and her gardener, Clint, never mentioned any of this. Maybe Nathan was in charge of the renovations, and it was supposed to be a surprise. But the more that I thought about it, I was only reminded of how he had mentioned his fiancee’s needs when he was talking to the builders. “Isn’t it obvious?” Nathan asked. “This is my wedding house. I paid a high price for the most beautiful villa in town.” This all felt unreal. My aunt’s villa was my childhood playground. My aunt and I didn’t have the closest relationship, but I spent a lot of my time here growing up. I knew this house and its surrounding property like the back of my hand. In fact, I had spent a lot of time as a kid talking to Nathan about how I would change this place if I owned it myself. In fact, as I looked around me now, I suddenly realized that all of the renovations Nathan had made so far were exactly how I imagined it. He stole my vision, only for this to become his home with another woman! I felt heartbroken. There was so much I wanted to say, but all I could do was grit my teeth. Without a word, I stormed over to the kitchen area where I left the envelope that Clint gave me and shoved it in Nathan’s face. “My aunt left me the deed,” I said, watching with satisfaction as Nathan’s eyes slowly widened in surprise while he read it. “I’m her only living relative. Why would she leave the villa to you?” … A little over an hour later, Nathan and I were standing in the County Recorder’s office. Both of us had deeds in our hands; as it turned out, the pack’s treasurer sold the villa privately… and then immediately fled town, leaving us with two deeds, each with our respective names on them, and both of them were perfectly legal. “This is an uncommon occurrence, but it’s not entirely unheard of,” the clerk said, pushing her glasses up on her nose. “You’ll have to go to court if you want to settle it.” Before I could stop it, an audible groan came out of my mouth. I didn’t want to go to court; I just wanted to finally settle down after a decade of instability, and I wanted the comfort of a home that I knew well. Was that too much to ask? Nathan and I walked out of the office then and stopped in the street. The longer I looked at him, the more I seethed. “Listen,” he said, frowning. “We can either do this the easy way, and you can give up the house. Or we can go to court and it’ll be a pain in the ass. I don’t think either of us wants to do that.” “Why should I be the one to give up the house?” I growled. “It’s my aunt’s home. She left me the deed on her deathbed. If anything, I think that you should be the one to give it up. Not me.” Nathan frowned deeply, causing a shadow to cast over his handsome face. “I’m getting married, and I paid a lot of money not only to buy the house, but also to renovate it,” he said. “I’ve spent the past six months personally designing all of the renovations. The wedding is just a few days away, and I can’t possibly prepare another house in that amount of time.” I scoffed and folded my arms across my chest. “It was your father who saw to it that my dad and I were thrown out on the street,” I declared loudly, not caring if anyone else on the street overheard us arguing. “This is the only place that I have to live. I won’t just lie down and let you take it from me.” “I’m sorry you had to leave,” Nathan said quietly, sounding sincere. “But getting you back was the best that I could do. And now, I need this house to make sure that my wedding goes smoothly.” For a few moments, Nathan just stared at me with wide eyes. The blue-green hue of his irises glinted in the morning sunlight, and for a moment, he really did look like the kid that I once knew. Seeing him like this made me soften, and I sighed. “I won’t fight you for ownership of the house. At least, not before the wedding. I do want your wedding to go well, Nathan,” I said, internally noting the hopeful look in my childhood friend’s eyes. “So if you want to use the house for your wedding so you can host all of your friends and family there, it’s fine. But after that, we’ll have to sort all of this out.” Nathan nodded slowly. His blue-green eyes averted away from mine and stared unblinkingly down at the ground, and he chewed his lower lip just like I always remembered him doing when we were kids. Even though so much was different now, it seemed as though some things really did never change. Finally, he looked back up at me. His face seemed apologetic, and I felt myself soften a little bit more. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have been such a jerk earlier… Even though it was all just a mix-up over the wedding invitation, I do think my wedding would be more complete with you there. You were my best friend, after all, and I’d like you to be there.” I was a bit taken aback by this sudden change. It made me wonder if the Nathan who I saw earlier that morning in my aunt’s villa was his true self, or if it was all some sort of act. I thought that he changed so drastically, but now as I looked at him and saw the way that his blonde hair bristled in the salty morning breeze coming in from the ocean, all I could see was the kid who I had left behind ten years ago. “Well?” he asked with a sweet smile. “Will you come to my wedding, Olivia?” I chewed my lip for a moment, thinking, before I finally nodded. “Alright,” I said. “But afterwards… I want to work this villa situation out.” … Nathan let me stay in the villa for the next couple of days leading up to the wedding, which felt ironic considering the fact that this was still supposed to be my house and I shouldn’t have had to get permission to stay there. But I obliged, because I really did want my friend’s wedding to go well. It felt disorienting, though, being back in this place that was so different now. The house felt entirely changed, and although it was beautiful, it still felt odd to walk around in a place that I once knew so well. One thing didn’t change, however: my aunt’s bedroom. Nathan had seemingly kept her room mostly the same. I tried avoiding her room at first, but on my second night in the villa, I couldn’t contain my curiosity any longer. I held my breath as I pushed the door open, as though she would be sleeping in there right now. But her bed was empty, and the handmade quilt that I remembered watching her make when I was little was perfectly folded. I sighed as I walked over to the bed and ran my hand along the quilt’s smooth fabric, taking note of the way that her reading glasses, which were now covered in a fine layer of dust, were still sitting on the bedside table along with an equally dusty book that was dog-eared in the middle. I sniffled as I picked up the book that she didn’t even get to finish and thumbed through it. When I looked down, I noticed that the drawer to her side table was cracked open a bit. Once again, I glanced over my shoulder as though she would be standing behind me, before I pulled the drawer open. The photo album that she kept there was still in its place. Unlike the book and the glasses, the photo album was clean and not dusty at all, which made me wonder if anyone had been looking at it recently. Smiling, I pulled the old photo album out and sat down cross-legged on my aunt’s creaky bed. For over an hour, I couldn’t help but look through it again and again, smiling at old Polaroid pictures of me and my friends when we were just kids. We felt so grown-up at that time, but now looking back at our missing teeth and ripped overalls, I realized just how little and innocent the three of us were. But at the same time, seeing those old photographs of Nathan and me as kids, before his wife-to-be ever came into the picture, filled me with an unexpected sense of bitterness. I quickly snapped the photo album shut and shoved it back into the drawer. “It’s just nostalgia,” I whispered to myself as I shut off the light and returned to my own bedroom. “Nothing more.”

Olivia On the day of the wedding, I got dressed up and arrived at the church where the ceremony was held. Really, I was wearing a cheap dress with the tags still on it so I could return it after the wedding. Even though my aunt left me the villa, I still didn’t have much money to my name after being evicted from my pack for a decade, and so I didn’t exactly have the luxury of buying fancy new dresses for nice occasions. For this very reason, I felt as though I was sticking out like a sore thumb as I walked up the front steps to the church. Inside, I immediately realized that the church was full of people who I knew from my childhood. A lot of my childhood friends from grade school were in attendance. While many of them looked in my direction, no one said anything to me. In fact, I felt like an outcast; and that was only solidified when Nathan’s father, Colin, turned around in his seat and shot me a dirty glare. Colin was the previous Alpha of the pack. After he joined forces with the pack elders, he was the one who evicted me and my father. I was still haunted by his dark and grim face on the day that he banished me and my dad and heartlessly threw us out on the street. I was still haunted by the fact that Nathan stood by and did nothing when that happened, but at least Nathan seemed to be trying to make a difference now. His father, on the other hand, still seemed to have an abiding hatred for me even though it was ten years since I left and I didn’t have the courage to confront him about it. I instantly felt uncomfortable beneath the gaze of Colin and my estranged childhood friends, and so before I even took my seat, I quickly scurried off to find the bathroom to gather my thoughts. I passed through a set of double doors off to the right of the pews, and headed down a narrow hallway to look for the bathroom. Along the way, I passed by a few different rooms in the church. “The dress really is so lovely… Where is my veil?” I heard a light, melodic female voice say. I passed by the room where I heard the voice coming from, and caught a glimpse of the bride for the first time as she was surrounded by her bridesmaids; she was just as beautiful as I imagined. Although she was thin, pale, and surprisingly looked quite frail for an Alpha female, she was gorgeous nonetheless. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her back in perfect curls, and she had long eyelashes with a cute nose that turned up a little at the end. She had round, pouty lips and a slender neck, which was accentuated by the delicate lace of the demure bridal gown that she was wearing. She was utterly stunning… But as I passed, I couldn’t help but notice a certain subtle sadness about her. Maybe it was just the nerves of a bride on her wedding day. Before anyone saw me, I passed by the door and continued my search for the bathroom. But along the way, I came across another open door. This room was quiet, but there was a certain negative energy emanating from it in an odd way. I paused as I quietly peered in to see Nathan sitting on a couch with his head down. He was clutching his phone so tightly in one hand that his knuckles were white, and his other hand was supporting his head, running his fingers through his blonde hair repeatedly. He seemed nervous at first, but when he suddenly jerked his head up to look at me, I realized that he didn’t seem nervous; he seemed distraught. There was a long silence between us. I wasn’t sure if I should go in there and try to talk to him, or if I should just leave him alone with his thoughts. It seemed, however, that the groom-to-be made that decision for me. “Do you need something, Olivia?” he asked curtly. I swallowed and took a step back. “U-Um… Where is the bathroom?” I asked. Nathan silently pointed down the hall. Without another word said between the two of us, I scurried away with the image of his distressed face burned into my mind. On a day that was supposed to make Nathan the happiest person alive, why did he look so upset? … “Nathan Ford,” the priest said as the bride and groom stood at the pulpit. “Do you take Layla to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Around me, the church was full of smiling people. Older women dabbed at their tears with handkerchiefs while younger women looked up at Nathan and Layla with smiles that secretly showed hints of jealousy. At the pulpit, Layla looked even more stunning in her gown with her veil attached to her head, and she held a bouquet of white lilies in her hands. I even caught myself sniffling a few times; it was a really beautiful wedding. But for some reason, Nathan hesitated just before he was supposed to say “I do”. The longer he waited, the more the crowd began to murmur in confusion. I felt my eyes widen as I looked up at him and took note of the way that he kept opening and closing his mouth, as though he wanted to say the words but couldn’t get them out. Was he just nervous, or was he having cold feet? I thought back to the way that he looked in the room in the back of the church and wondered if he had been having second thoughts the entire time… “Nathan?” the priest said. Suddenly, Nathan shook his head and turned away from the bride, toward the crowd, resulting in a chorus of gasps. “I’m in love with someone else,” he announced. His eyes scanned the crowd, and then landed on… Me. While my heart raced in my chest, Nathan ran down the aisle. Before I or anyone else could stop him, he suddenly grabbed my hands and pulled me to my feet. And then he did something even more strange. “Olivia, I promise that I will take care of you… And our baby,” he said. He then placed his hand on my belly and smiled up at me. My eyes were wide. I felt my blood run cold. Why was he doing this? I wasn’t in a relationship with him, and I certainly wasn’t pregnant with anyone’s baby, let alone his. This had to be some sort of mental breakdown he was having— maybe he was too stressed from the wedding and was having some sort of delusion. But before I could say anything, the wedding goers were already talking in raised voices. At the front, I saw Colin stand up angrily, his glaring eyes fixed on me. I felt as though I was nailed to a pillar of shame, as the rest of the people in this church saw me as a homewrecker who was pregnant with an illegitimate child. Right now, I hated Nathan with a burning passion in my heart. How could he suddenly accuse me of something like this after not seeing me for a decade?

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