Clutching the pregnancy test tightly, I practically ran toward the bridal boutique, my heart soaring with joy. In just a few weeks, Harold and I would finally be husband and wife. And now, with this little life growing inside me, our future seemed more perfect than ever.
The moment I stepped inside, the bell tinkled softly, but my attention immediately caught on a familiar voice. Harold. He was speaking in French—the way he always did around his friends. I had recently started learning the language, wanting to fit in whenever he switched to it. But now, I wished I hadn’t.
I slowed down, curious but cautious, as I moved closer to the fitting rooms where the conversation was coming from.
“You actually married Kate yesterday at the civil registry?” Jimmie’s tone was sharp, disbelief clear. “And now you’re going to continue with Pam? What if she finds out about all this?”
My fingers clenched harder around the test. What could they possibly mean?
Kate? The fiancée of Harold’s late brother?
Harold sighed deeply, voice calm but cold. “After the accident took my brother, I had no choice. I had to marry Kate—for her and the baby.”
My heart twisted painfully.
“This is just to honor my brother. Pam will never suspect I’m faking the marriage. If you keep quiet, she’ll never know,” he said, eyes narrowing.
The room seemed to close in around me. My vision blurred, my breath caught. Betrayal tasted bitter on my tongue.
Then Jimmie’s voice lowered, noticing me nearby. “She’s here. What if she understands French?”
Harold laughed cruelly. “She wouldn’t. Pretty face, no brains.”
The words stabbed through me like knives.
“I only love her because of her money. Once the companies merge, I’ll get rid of her—then I can be with Kate forever,” he added without shame.
Jimmie scoffed, “So it was always Kate you wanted?”
Harold shrugged, “Yes. But I was tied to my brother while he was alive. Now? Why settle for one when I can have both? It’s perfect for me.”
I stood frozen, unable to breathe or move. The man I’d loved for four years—the man I was about to marry—was right there, plotting my ruin.
Suddenly, Harold turned toward me with a fake smile, “Pam, darling. You’re here. I was waiting.”
I forced a smile, hiding the rage that threatened to spill over. “I heard you talking to Jimmie. What was that about?”
Harold glanced at his friend. “Just business talk. You know how stressful things get before a wedding.”
I nodded, though I barely heard him. Everything clicked—the constant requests for money, the manipulation, the lies. What I thought was love was only greed.
“You shouldn’t have come here. I can handle this myself,” I said quietly.
“Of course not, baby!” He kissed me, and I almost retched. Four years of lies, pretending to love me while his heart belonged to someone else.
“You know how much I wanted to be part of our wedding plans. Our special day,” he said, smiling.
I smiled back, hollow inside, too exhausted to fight. The fitting passed in a numb blur. No tears. No screams. Just quiet endurance—and a promise that I’d never let him control me again.
Outside, I pulled out my phone and dialed the one person who could save me.
“Mom,” I whispered. “About that marriage deal… does it still stand?”
There was a pause, then her sharp concern. “What happened? Did Harold do something?”
“He betrayed me. I’m coming home soon,” I said, gripping the pregnancy test like a lifeline. “Get ready for the wedding you’ve always dreamed of.”
