Left at the Altar, Chased by Lies

During an Antarctic expedition, disaster struck. An avalanche hit without warning, and my fiancé, Aaron Moore, didn't even hesitate. He ran straight to Naomi Taylor, his first love, and left me to fend for myself.

On the other hand, Damien Pierce, the expedition leader, saw me teetering on the edge of an icy crevasse and didn't think twice. He risked his life to pull me back from the brink.

Later, on our wedding day, Aaron abandoned me at the altar. No explanation. No warning.

He just ran off with Naomi. And at that moment, Damien, without missing a beat, dropped to one knee and proposed.

We got married, and for a while, things seemed fine. Damien treated me well, as a husband should.

Life seemed normal for the first time in ages.

But, like everything that feels too good to be true, happiness didn't last.

Two years into our marriage, Damien was suddenly diagnosed with liver cancer.

I didn't think twice. I donated two-thirds of my liver to save him—anything to keep him alive.

But as I lay recovering in the hospital, everything changed. I overheard his best friend, Hayden, speaking to him in French.

"If Camille finds out you faked having liver cancer just to save Naomi, aren't you afraid she'll leave you with nothing?"

Damien held my hand, looking at me with those soft, affectionate eyes. But his next words chilled me to the bone.

"The marriage certificate was fake. But I do owe her. I'll make it up to her."

I had thought I'd finally found someone who cared about me. Someone who wouldn't leave me alone in the world.

But it was all a lie.

A well-played, elaborate lie.

——

I followed Damien to the VIP suite on the top floor of the hospital, thinking he was going to check on me. But in his haste, he forgot to close the door all the way.

As I approached, I caught a glimpse through the small gap. Naomi was in his arms, her face glowing with relief, her smile as radiant as ever.

I looked at myself in the reflection of the glass—pale, fragile, barely hanging on.

Between the two of us, who was really on the edge of death?

"Damien, I knew you wouldn't abandon me!" Naomi's voice was sweet, relief practically dripping from every word.

Damien gently stroked her hair, his voice soft and tender, a warmth I'd never felt from him before.

"As long as you're okay, that's all that matters."

...

I spent five months in the hospital after my surgery. Five months of drifting in and out of consciousness, all while Damien came and went. But how many of those visits had been to see Naomi, not me?

I watched him, his eyes filled with a warmth I'd never seen before. So this was how he looked when he was in love.

A memory flashed in my mind. It was not long ago that I had first regained consciousness. Damien was sitting beside me, gripping my hand tightly.

I tried to speak, to call his name, but before I could, I overheard Hayden, Damien's friend, speaking in French.

"Naomi's okay now, right? Man, I can't believe you. Five years of chasing her wasn't enough? And now you've tricked Camille, who gave up two-thirds of her liver to save you!"

Damien's voice was steady, unbothered. "I told you. I'll protect her for the rest of my life, no matter who she chooses."

Hayden scoffed. "You lied to Camille, married her, and used her to save Naomi. Aren't you afraid she'll find out and leave you with nothing?"

Damien responded with that same coldness that made my blood run cold. "We were never really married. Our marriage was fake. But I do owe her. I'll make it up to her."

Hayden was speechless. "Damien, you're unbelievable. Are you seriously still planning to be with Naomi?"

Damien didn't answer. His silence said it all.

He continued holding my hand, smiling at me like nothing had happened, but I could feel it. The warmth of his touch was fading, and for the first time, I knew.

I had never really known him at all.

I tried to hold it together.

"What were you two talking about?" I asked softly, trying to keep my voice steady. "Did something happen?"

Hayden hesitated before turning to Damien and whispering in French. "She didn't hear us, right?"

Damien, however, didn't flinch. His voice was calm like he hadn't just broken my heart.

"It's about the expedition. The higher-ups discovered a cave in Antarctica—possibly an ancient site. They're still selecting a team for the mission because it's classified."

He lied so easily. And there, I understood everything.

I had never truly known him. Not at all.