Chapter 1

One month before the wedding, my fiancé informed me he was planning to have a child with his friend's widow.

I didn't lose my composure. Instead, I calmly sent him a message: "She has plenty of options if she wants a child. Why does it have to be with you?"

The next second, my phone rang, his voice filled with anger. "You just don't understand! My friend entrusted her to me before he died. She doesn't know anyone here and has no one else to rely on. What's wrong with me helping her have a child? It's just IVF. It's not like I'm cheating. I'm still marrying you."

I smiled as I replied, "No need. You're free to focus on her. I'll step aside, and my groom will be someone else."

---

At the college reunion, curious eyes swept over me, whispers buzzing in the air. People wanted to ask, but no one seemed to know how to begin.

I knew what they were curious about. Rebecca Hale's growing belly was impossible to ignore, and the fact that the child wasn't her late husband's made it all the more scandalous. It belonged to my ex-fiancé.

This, of course, was already explosive news. But even more surprising was my reaction—I hadn't caused a scene or even lashed out.

Finally, someone broke the silence. It was Sarah, my desk mate from college, who couldn't hold back any longer. "Emily, is Caleb running late? Why isn't he here yet?"

Without lifting my head, I replied, "He and I are no longer together. We broke up."

The room went silent for a moment before erupting into laughter. "Come on, stop joking! Everyone knows how close you two were. You've been through so much together, and you're already planning to get married. There's no way you just broke up!"

They weren't wrong. Caleb and I had endured hardships together in the past. So why now, when life had finally settled, had he changed?

Before I could answer, the doors swung open. It was Caleb. But trailing closely behind him was Rebecca Hale, the other half of the rumor mill. Caleb didn't even glance in my direction. Instead, he pulled out a chair for Rebecca, helping her settle into her seat before speaking. "Rebecca wasn't feeling well earlier. I was worried it might affect the baby, so we stopped by the hospital. Sorry for being late."

The smiles on everyone's faces froze. One of our classmates awkwardly rubbed the tip of his nose before asking, "What's this about? It's only been a few days, and now you're bringing someone new with you?"

As Caleb busied himself arranging Rebecca's utensils, he replied dismissively, "Don't be ridiculous. I'm just helping take care of her for Ethan's sake. There's nothing between us."

Even a fool wouldn't believe that.

Another classmate tried to smooth things over. "Alright, enough with the jokes. Caleb, Emily's been waiting for you—why don't you go sit with her?"

But Caleb remained seated beside Rebecca, his tone laced with disdain. "Why should I? She's nothing compared to Rebecca. Rebecca's pregnant, and she needs to be the priority."

Ignoring the awkward expressions around the table, Caleb leaned closer to Rebecca and whispered reassuringly, "Don't worry. As long as I'm here, no one will dare to make things difficult for you."

The lively atmosphere of the reunion plummeted into an icy silence. What was supposed to be a lighthearted gathering had turned into a public spectacle. No one had anticipated Caleb being so brazen, bringing Rebecca along and completely disregarding my feelings. Some of my classmates began to look at me with pity, but I remained composed, quietly eating my meal as if nothing had happened.

Caleb, clearly dissatisfied with my indifference, slammed his chopsticks onto the table and snapped, "When we're done here, take a cab home by yourself. I need to take Rebecca back. I don't have time to deal with you."

Rebecca bit her lip, feigning guilt and hesitation. "Emily is still your fiancée. I'm just the mother of your child... You should take her home first."

The way she spoke made it sound like I was the one intruding on their relationship.

I set down my fork and calmly looked at the two of them. "There's no need for that. My boyfriend is already waiting for me downstairs."