My Fiancé Showed His Love Child At Our Engagement

I had been in a relationship with Sawyer for seven years, and yet, gossip surrounded him constantly. Despite this, he let me go through his phone and check in on him during business trips, and I never found any signs of misbehavior. Until the day of our engagement.

After the host finished recounting how Sawyer had arranged for my favorite white roses to be flown in from abroad, the screen, which was supposed to play a commemorative video of our seven years together, suddenly showed a clip accompanied by the loud cries of a newborn. In the video, Sawyer was sitting in a hospital room cradling a baby. Kylee Boyd, his secretary, leaned on his shoulder, wearing a diamond ring identical to mine.

She cried, insisting it was all a misunderstanding, while Sawyer's expression remained blank. "Kylee's a single mom. I was just doing my duty as her boss, offering some extra support. Surely, you won't hold onto this, will you?"

The room was silent, everyone waiting for me to explode. Yet, I calmly removed my ring and handed it back to him. "Of course not. Let me be the first to congratulate you on your double celebration."

My words hung in the air, with the room falling into a stunned silence. A few among the crowd, notably Scott Payne from marketing, who never thought highly of Sawyer and me, discreetly chuckled into their hands. Their disdainful gazes cut through me like knives. I glanced at Sawyer, whose face was clouded with anger, yet he showed no intention of reprimanding them.

With a bitter smile, I picked up the microphone and addressed the guests below. "The engagement party ends here. Feel free to enjoy the food and drinks. Any gifts or monetary offerings can be collected from Mr. Jacobs and Miss Boyd as you leave. And should our lovely couple wish to seize this opportunity to announce their own engagement, I'd be more than happy to witness their joy."

I placed the microphone down, ready to step off the stage, but Sawyer caught my wrist.

"Ember, what childish game are you playing on such a big day? Aren't you embarrassed?"

"Childish?" I withdrew my hand, meeting his steely gaze. "You accuse me of being childish, so tell me, what's the story with the ring on Kylee's finger? And what's her daughter wearing on her wrist?"

Sawyer averted his gaze, unable to meet my eyes.

I smirked coldly. "Speechless? Let me enlighten you. The ring on her finger, you claimed, was custom-made for me—one of a kind. The daisy bracelet on her daughter’s wrist was a couple's piece you gifted me last year, supposedly one of only two in the world."

I reached to check the bracelet on his wrist, but he pulled away, snapping, "Ember, even if you're right about everything, aren't you blowing this out of proportion? I pitied Kylee for being a single mother and gave her some material things. Do you have to keep harping on about it?"

I stared at him in disbelief, feeling like I no longer knew the man before me. "Fine then, Sawyer. Let's break up."

Sawyer's brows knitted in frustration. "Ember, enough. You might not care about your dignity, but I still have mine!"

The tension between us was palpable.

I turned to leave, but Kylee rushed to block my path, her perfume—a bitter orange scent—making my stomach churn.

Standing helplessly at the edge of the stage, she clutched at the hem of her blouse. "Ember, I know you're upset with me, but truly, the video was just a misunderstanding. You don't have to act like you’re disgusted just to humiliate me."

Feigning tears, she wiped her eyes, glancing at the audience before continuing, "A lot of business partners are here today. Even if you want to make a point, you shouldn't embarrass Mr. Jacobs in public."

With that, she started to sob quietly.

Sawyer approached, his face stern as he patted her shoulder. "If you had half of Kylee’s sense of decorum, I wouldn't have to worry so much! You go backstage and calm down; Kylee and I will handle this."

As I pursed my lips, Sawyer sighed, softening his tone. "Don't be stubborn, Ember. Listen for once."

Without waiting for my reply, he took Kylee by the hand and led her off the stage. As they passed by, Kylee murmured a taunting "Loser."

I grabbed her, demanding she repeat it. She looked at me innocently, while Sawyer scolded me more harshly. "That's enough!"

Pain shot through my lower abdomen, and I wondered if even the baby inside me was protesting on my behalf. Watching them disappear from the scene like a picture-perfect couple, I fled the hotel in a daze.

Outside, Clover, who was running late, saw my vacant expression and rushed over to steady me. Without needing words, she knew the engagement party must have gone terribly wrong.

"If I had known you’d get hurt, I would've broken you two up long ago, even if it meant risking our friendship. Sawyer Jacobs never deserved you!" she fumed.

My face pale, I whispered, "He doesn't deserve me, indeed."