With just one month until her wedding, Emma Wilson began to doubt whether the ceremony should proceed at all. The reason was simple. Her fiancé Aaron Gibson was insistent on having a child with Jane Gardner, the widow of his best friend Caleb Gardner. Aaron told her, “Caleb was my best friend. His sudden death left Jane all alone. She’s attempted suicide several times. Having a child to keep her company might help her through this difficult time.” Emma couldn’t understand his reasoning. She asked Aaron, “If she wants a child, she could adopt, remarry, or even choose a donor from a sperm bank. Why does she specifically need to have a child with you?” Aaron replied, “Caleb entrusted Jane to me on his deathbed. And Jane has no other family in New York. Who else could she turn to besides me?” “Don’t you think this is absurd?” Emma couldn’t help but challenge him. Yet Aaron dismissed her concerns casually: “It’s just IVF, nothing will actually happen between us. I’ll still marry you.” They had known each other for fifteen Christmases and been in love for thirteen. Emma had finally reached the day she could marry him. She never expected fate would play such a cruel joke on her at this moment. Emma asked Aaron, “What will this child call you in the future? Uncle? Or Dad?” Aaron’s face showed a flash of discomfort, his tone slightly irritated: “Whatever the kid wants to call me is fine, I don’t care.” Emma couldn’t possibly agree. Because of this, Aaron had been arguing with her for months. Aaron continued, “Think about it some more. Jane’s been emotionally unstable lately, and I’m worried she might make another extreme choice. I need to take care of her for a few days, but I’ll be back for the wedding.” With that, he turned and left, dragging two enormous suitcases filled with his clothes and daily necessities. Emma stood in the empty bridal home, looking at the decorations with a sense of irony. The phone rang—it was the bridal shop. Emma answered. The staff member asked, “Hello, Ms. Wilson, could you provide your and Mr. Gibson’s measurements? We need to arrange for our staff to customize your wedding dress and his suit as soon as possible.” Emma knew her own measurements but not Aaron’s. So, she called him. He picked up quickly: “Have you changed your mind?” At the same time, a woman’s voice came through the phone, seductive and alluring: “Who is it?” Emma recognized that voice. It was unmistakably Caleb’s widow, Jane. Aaron said, “Nobody.” Jane said, “The movie’s just getting to the good part. Why is someone calling now? Such a mood killer.” Emma spoke with forced calmness: “I thought you said Jane was heartbroken and might take her life at any moment? How does she have time to watch movies with you?” Aaron was clearly annoyed: “I’m just taking Jane out to cheer her up. How can she move past Caleb’s death if she stays cooped up at home all the time?” What a noble excuse, just as ridiculous as his insistence on having a child with Jane. Emma said, “Fine, you two enjoy your movie. I’m hanging up.” Aaron was bewildered: “Emma, what’s wrong with you? You call just to give me attitude without saying anything?” Emma asked bluntly, “Aaron, do you still intend to go through with this wedding?” Aaron firmly stated, “Whether we get married or not won’t change the fact that I’m having a child with Jane. This is a responsibility I owe to Caleb, and I must fulfill it.” Emma replied, “Fine.” Aaron asked, “You agree?” Emma nodded: “Yes.” Aaron’s mood visibly improved: “That’s great. Don’t worry, I’ll be there for the wedding on time…” Before he could finish, Emma decisively hung up. Since getting married or not wouldn’t change his decision to have a child with Jane, she decided to make things fair. The wedding would proceed as planned, but her groom would have to be someone else. Emma posted on Instagram, “Looking for a marriage partner, please introduce reliable single men for Christmas.” Soon, the comment section was flooded with curious people. Some asked if she had fought with Aaron, advising her that men being flirtatious was normal and she shouldn’t take it too seriously, or she’d lose such a good partner. Others questioned whether she was being fair to Aaron by doing this. Emma just laughed when she saw these comments. She had chosen Aaron when he had nothing, supported him through his startup, and stood by him through hardships. She could proudly say she had absolutely been fair to him! It was Aaron who first made unreasonable demands, treating their relationship of over a decade as something insignificant. Emma felt it was time to let go completely and start fresh. Her phone vibrated, and Emma thought it was another of Aaron’s friends coming to criticize her. But to her surprise, it was a private message from her boss. This person, whom she had saved as “Evil Capitalist,” was none other than her boss, Marcus Stephens. Evil Capitalist: [You’re looking for someone to marry?] Evil Capitalist: [Then how about me?] Emma froze, regretting not having blocked him earlier. Evil Capitalist: [When should we get married?] Emma clutched her phone and nervously replied: [In a month?] Evil Capitalist: [Works for me.] Tech Dept Emma: [Mr. Stephens, are you serious?] Evil Capitalist: [Or we could register right now? Wait, I’ll pick you up at your place in half an hour.] Emma quickly tried to stop him. Tech Dept Emma: [Mr. Stephens, I have some things to take care of first. Let’s register in a month. You should also think it over.] Evil Capitalist: [No need to think about it. In a month, we’ll get married directly.] Emma stared at Marcus’s message, unable to process what was happening. The sound of a key turning came from the front door. Aaron walked in, looking displeased. “Emma, let’s cancel our wedding for now. Jane’s situation still isn’t good, and I don’t want to have a wedding right now—it would upset her.” Emma calmly nodded. “Fine.” Aaron seemed surprised. “You’re not angry?” Emma asked, “Why would I be angry?” Aaron said, “Well, we’ve been dating for over a decade.” Emma scoffed internally. She thought, “Yes, we’ve been dating for over a decade, and the result is you casually canceling our wedding for some irrelevant person called Jane.” Throughout these years, he had apparently grown accustomed to having everything his way. Once he made a decision, Emma was expected to comply, to obey, never to object. Emma didn’t want to argue with him, so on matters that weren’t about principles, she always gave in. But this time, she didn’t want to give in anymore. Emma asked, “Is she feeling better?” Aaron said, “She still needs someone with her. When she’s alone, she tends to overthink. She really should have a child soon.” Emma said, “Then you should spend more time with her.” Aaron smiled and praised her, “Looks like our fight had some effect—you’ve become more understanding.” Emma wasn’t being understanding. She had finally woken up. Suddenly, Aaron’s phone rang. Emma was surprised—this wasn’t the kind of ringtone Aaron would normally use. He answered it, his voice gentler than she had ever heard. “Jane?” So he had set a special ringtone for Jane. Aaron’s expression grew serious. “What? Okay, I’ll bring it to you now.” He hung up and immediately grabbed his car keys, rushing to leave. At the door, he remembered to say something to Emma. “Jane left her clothes in my car. I’m going to take them to her.” Emma asked, “What clothes?” Aaron’s expression suddenly turned strange as he mumbled, “Just some regular clothes. Anyway, I have to go now.”
This weekend was homeroom teacher Joanna Geller’s birthday. Early in the morning, Emma received a call from class president Taylor Holmes. “Come with Aaron, okay?” When Emma arrived, the private room was already filled with classmates, but Aaron was nowhere to be seen. Taylor glanced behind her and asked, “Where’s your husband? Parking the car?” Emma shook her head and calmly replied, “He’s not my husband yet.” Taylor teased with a smile, “He’s not yet, but in a month he will be! You two have been together for so many Christmases, and it hasn’t been easy! You’re about to get married, so stop fighting and cherish each other.” Joanna still maintained her gentle smile, though time had mercilessly added a few strands of gray to her hair. She smiled and said, “Yes, Emma, I’ve watched you two come all this way together. I heard you’ve had some tension recently because of Jane? You might be misunderstanding the situation. Aaron and Caleb have always been good friends. After Caleb passed away, Aaron was just helping take care of Jane as a friend. You should trust your relationship of over a decade.” Joanna had always been kind and gentle, and Emma liked her very much. However, times had changed. Teachers could impart knowledge but couldn’t teach her how to manage a marriage. She said, “Mrs. Geller, I know what to do.” Joanna, thinking she had successfully persuaded Emma, looked even more relieved. “You’ve always been a smart girl. I’m sure you understand.” Just as she finished speaking, Aaron walked in. “Mrs. Geller, happy birthday.” Joanna beamed with joy. “Thank you! You and Emma are getting married soon. Congratulations to you both!” However, in the next moment, her smile froze on her face. Jane followed right behind him, wearing Aaron’s jacket and clinging to his arm. She smiled and handed her gift to Joanna. “Hello, Mrs. Geller, I’m Jane. I’m so sorry we’re late. It’s my fault—I suddenly got my period, and Aaron went to buy me some pads, which held us up.” Her intimate tone said it all. Taylor was stunned. He patted Aaron’s shoulder and whispered, “Emma is right here. Why did you bring her too?” Aaron replied nonchalantly, “Jane’s been emotionally unstable lately. I didn’t want to leave her alone.” Taylor asked, “Then what about Emma?” Aaron glanced at Emma, his tone dismissive. “Don’t worry about her. She’ll be fine.” He then carefully helped Jane to the sofa and placed various fruits and snacks in front of her. “Don’t be nervous. Everyone here is my friend. They’ll all take care of you.” Jane obediently leaned on his shoulder and said in a coquettish tone, “Mmm, I only feel safe when you’re around.” Everyone attending Joanna’s birthday party was a classmate. They all knew Aaron and Emma were a couple. Faced with this scene, everyone seemed at a loss, especially Taylor, who had been hoping to help reconcile the two. Emma knew that Taylor was a kind-hearted person, but at this moment, even his goodwill seemed helpless. Joanna’s birthday party continued in this awkward atmosphere. When it ended, everyone breathed a sigh of relief—everyone except Aaron and Jane. As Aaron walked past Emma while holding Jane’s hand, he coldly said, “I need to take Jane home. I probably won’t be back tonight, so take a cab home yourself.” Jane, however, playfully slapped Aaron’s arm in feigned reproach. “How can you be like that? Emma is your fiancée! How can you make her take a cab because you’re driving me? Emma, don’t listen to him. Come with us. I’ll have him drop you off first.” The way she spoke made it sound like she was the hostess and Emma the outsider. Emma pulled her hand away when Jane tried to hold it and said coldly, “No need. My car is already here.” Beep beep! A black Maybach slowly pulled up in front of Emma. Emma left Aaron and Jane behind and got into the Maybach. A few classmates gathered around, teasing: “Is Maybach in the rideshare business now?” Aaron’s face immediately darkened. He drove a Honda, which looked small and old compared to the Maybach. Emma had just arrived home when Aaron returned. She was surprised. “Didn’t you say you weren’t coming home tonight?” Aaron’s face was extremely dark. “Do you wish I hadn’t come back?” Emma coldly replied, “If you’re sick, get treatment.” Aaron asked, “Who was that man who picked you up today?” Emma responded, “Which man? Oh, he’s my husband.” Aaron burst out laughing. “Just as I thought.” Emma didn’t understand what he meant. Aaron sat down on the sofa, smiling confidently. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you? Trying to make me jealous, make me care about you? Renting a Maybach isn’t cheap! I was wondering why you’ve been acting so different lately—not arguing or making a fuss. Turns out you were setting me up.” Emma felt speechless. “Think what you want. I can’t stop you.” Aaron said with disgust, “Stop playing these childish games. It’s really pathetic.” Emma responded, “Think whatever you want.” Aaron said, “I know you’re upset about suddenly canceling the wedding. I know you’ve always wanted to marry me. But we have to prioritize. Jane is still grieving her husband’s death, and we need to take care of her first.” Emma couldn’t help but ask, “If Jane never recovers, does that mean you plan to never get married?” Aaron snapped, “How can you be so vicious? Can’t you wish for Jane to get better? She’s never wronged you. Why would you curse her like that?” Although Emma was well aware of Aaron’s favoritism toward Jane, being accused of being “vicious” in front of her face made her feel heartbroken for the first time. Especially since these words came from a man she had loved for over a decade, devoted herself to for over a decade, and who was almost her husband. Emma’s heart grew colder. “Give me your car keys.” Aaron asked suspiciously, “What do you need my car keys for?” Emma answered, “I want to get my things from your car.” She had once made a hanging ornament for Aaron’s car, which hung from the windshield, wishing him safety and good fortune. But now, Aaron no longer deserved her wholehearted love. Aaron said, “Jane’s things are in my car too. Don’t mess anything up. I’ll go with you.” Emma said, “Whatever.” With that, she walked down to the underground garage. After Aaron unlocked the car, Emma opened the driver’s door and reached for the ornament. However, she had tied it very securely to prevent it from falling. Emma gritted her teeth and removed the entire ornament, left with only a long red string in her hand. Aaron asked in surprise, “Why did you tear it off?” Emma said indifferently, “It doesn’t matter if it’s broken. I won’t need it anymore.” As Emma was walking away from the car, she glimpsed something black in the crevice of the passenger seat. She gently picked it up and discovered it was a pair of women’s black stockings. She didn’t need to guess to know they belonged to Jane—one of the “ordinary clothes” left in Aaron’s car. Aaron urged impatiently, “Are you done? Stop rummaging around.” Emma expressionlessly stuffed the black stockings back where she found them. “I’m done.” As soon as she stepped out of the car, Aaron immediately closed the door and quickly locked it. Emma didn’t care. She just took the tangled red string and tossed it into the garbage can. Her phone rang, and she answered, “Hello?” “When are you free? We can have the wedding in a month, but let’s get the marriage license first.” It was Marcus’s voice. “There’s no rush, is there?” Emma replied. “Getting a license is convenient these days. We can get it on the wedding day.” Aaron suddenly heard the key words. “Marriage license? What marriage license?”
On the phone, Marcus asked, “Is your ex-boyfriend with you?” He had already started referring to Aaron as Emma’s “ex-boyfriend.” Emma responded with a simple, “Mm-hmm.” Marcus said, “Move out as soon as you can.” Emma nodded. “Okay.” Marcus continued, “About getting the marriage license, check your schedule and let me know when you’re ready. I’ll work around your time.” After hanging up, Aaron looked at her suspiciously. “Who was calling this late?” Emma said, “Someone asking me to go get a marriage license.” After hearing this, Aaron let out a cold laugh. “Emma, that trick was only funny the first time. It’s getting old now.” Emma took a deep breath and responded, “Oh.” Aaron impatiently said, “I’m talking to you. Are you listening?” Emma said, “Don’t worry, I won’t bring it up again.” Aaron seemed satisfied and nodded. “It’s getting late. I need to get back to Jane.” Emma said, “Go ahead.” Before leaving, Aaron glanced back at her and said, “Just wait a little longer, until Jane is feeling better. After all, we’ve spent so many years together—I’ll still marry you eventually.” This time, Emma said nothing. The next day, Emma started packing her things. She didn’t have many clothes; the only important item was her computer. As a programmer, all her project code from the past years was stored on it. When Marcus came to pick her up and saw her carrying only a laptop bag, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “That’s all you have?” Emma nodded. “Yes, just this.” Marcus said, “I thought girls liked to buy lots of pretty clothes and bags.” Emma thought, “Yeah, who doesn’t like pretty clothes and bags?” But ever since Aaron started his business, their financial situation had gradually become strained. Emma had sold her jewelry and hadn’t bought new clothes in years. This time, she simply packed some underwear and donated everything else to charity. Looking at her thin bag, Marcus said softly, “This weekend, let me take you shopping for some new things.” Emma said, “That’s not necessary.” Marcus asked, “Why not?” Emma replied awkwardly, “I haven’t received my paycheck this month yet.” Marcus couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll advance it to you.” Emma licked her lips, still hesitant. “Mr. Stephens, do you really want to marry me?” Marcus asked curiously, “Why are you asking that?” Emma guessed, “Is your family pressuring you to get married?” Marcus answered, “They are indeed pushing for it, and a married image would help boost shareholders’ confidence in me, which is good for the company.” Emma sighed with relief. “No wonder. I was thinking, how could a capitalist like you make such a bad deal…” Marcus moved closer to her. “What did you call me?” Emma quickly waved her hands. “Nothing!” Marcus smirked. “You should change my contact name in your phone.” Emma hurriedly said, “I’ll change it right now! Immediately!” She quickly changed “Evil Capitalist” to “The Price Of Art” in her phone, then held it up to Marcus’s face, saying, “Look, I changed it.” Marcus glanced at it, then slowly pulled the car over to the side of the road. Emma asked, “What’s wrong?” He took the phone from her hand, did something on the screen for a moment, then handed it back. As the car merged back into traffic, Emma saw that “The Price Of Art” on her WhatsApp screen had been changed to “Hubby.” She exclaimed in surprise, “Mr. Stephens, we’re not even married yet. Isn’t this a bit too obvious?” Marcus raised an eyebrow. “Then why don’t we go to city hall right now?” He made a motion as if to turn the car around. Emma quickly stopped him, “No, Mr. Stephens, today won’t work.” Marcus teased, “Tell me, what’s your excuse today?” Emma mumbled, “My ID card is still at his place.” Meanwhile, when Aaron received Emma’s call, he was out shopping with Jane. Jane had changed into a strapless mini dress and was twirling in front of the mirror, deliberately flaunting her sexiness. Seeing Aaron staring at her, she secretly took a photo of him, then a selfie, and posted both to Instagram. The caption read: [Must be Cupid’s blessing that brought you to me.] Two pictures: one of her looking sexy, the other of Aaron gazing at her adoringly. She enjoyed the feeling of having Aaron under her control, her vanity greatly satisfied. However, not long after, Aaron stopped looking at her and frowned as he answered the phone. He said impatiently, “Emma, didn’t I tell you I’m spending these days with Jane? Why are you calling again?” Emma asked directly, “Where’s my ID card?” Aaron asked curiously, “What do you need your ID card for?” Emma said, “I need to get a document.” Aaron continued questioning, “What document?” Jane, not allowing Aaron’s attention to drift away from her, deliberately raised her voice. “Aaron, do I look good in this dress?” Aaron’s attention was drawn back to her. Watching Jane strike cute yet sexy poses for him, Aaron just wanted to end the call quickly. He hurriedly said, “It’s in the third drawer of the cabinet in the living room. I’m busy lately, don’t call me unless it’s important, that’s it, bye.” They were almost at Marcus’s house. Emma thought, “The city hall is about to close today anyway. I’ll go another day.” However, she was now essentially moving into Marcus’s house. Actually, she felt it would be better if she rented her own place. But Marcus insisted, “Since we’re getting married anyway, why should we live separately? If reporters catch us living apart, it would cause a lot of trouble.” In the end, to accommodate Marcus, Emma could only choose to temporarily stay at his house. However, she firmly requested to stay in the guest room. Marcus didn’t force her on this matter. But while Emma was busy putting her clothes into the closet, he leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, watching her. He said seriously, “Emma, when I talk about marriage, I mean a real marriage.” Emma didn’t understand his meaning at first and nodded. “I know, we’ll definitely go through the legal procedures, get the actual marriage certificate, so those reporters can’t find anything if they investigate.” Marcus slowly emphasized, “I mean a real marriage, not just the legal formalities, but also the daily life of a husband and wife.” This time Emma understood. Her face turned slightly red, and her movements while organizing her clothes became somewhat awkward. Marcus watched her nervous demeanor and the corners of his mouth curved upward slightly. “Don’t worry, I won’t eat you.” ***** When Aaron returned home, it was already three weeks later. During these three weeks, he had accompanied Jane doing many things she enjoyed—visiting amusement parks together, going out to sea to watch the sunrise, and traveling to the Gobi Desert to gaze at the Milky Way. On the way back, Jane told him, “Aaron, I’m pregnant. “A child can’t be without a father. Would you really let our child be looked down upon by others? “Caleb entrusted me to you to take good care of me. If we raise this child together, and later let the child pay respects to Caleb, even recognizing him as a godfather, wouldn’t that be the perfect solution? “As for Emma, although you two have had a relationship for over a dozen Christmases, you haven’t officially married yet. As long as you’re not married, you’re both single. You marrying someone else has nothing to do with her. “Let her make a fuss if she wants. I’m already carrying your child. She can’t possibly force me to get an abortion, can she?” Hearing the last sentence, Aaron roared, “She wouldn’t dare! If she dares to harm our child, I’ll make her life miserable forever!” Jane snuggled in his arms and said coquettishly, “Aaron, you’re so domineering. No wonder Emma has liked you for so many Christmases. Anyone who sees you would fall for you! Even I…” Listening to these sweet words and flirtations along the way, Aaron’s vanity was greatly satisfied, making him feel elated. However, when he returned home, his feelings were somewhat complicated. Toward Emma, he still felt a twinge of guilt. After opening the door, he found the living room empty and the bedroom door closed. He walked over and knocked. “Emma, are you in there?” No response. He continued, “I’m sorry, but I might have to break my promise again. I’m afraid I can’t marry you. “Jane is pregnant, and I can’t let the child grow up without a father. “I need to take care of them for Caleb’s sake, so I’ll have to disappoint you. “How about this—I’ll give you two thousand dollars as compensation for all these Christmases. “I’ll take your silence as agreement. I’ve calculated it: one hundred dollars per Christmas, and we’ve been together for over a dozen Christmases. Actually, a little over a thousand dollars would be enough, but considering how much you’ve liked me for so many Christmases, I’ll round it up and give you two thousand dollars.” “Emma?” Still no answer. Aaron opened the bedroom door. However, the room was already empty.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397897”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #B×G #Betrayal #Crazy #LoveAfterMarriage #SweetLove
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