Chapter 1

I'd just slipped out of my wedding gown when James Carter opened the car door for me, his movements soft as he reached over to buckle my seatbelt.

"Baby, I've already seen how stunning you look in a wedding dress. I'm not going to the ceremony."

My entire body went rigid. I must have misheard him.

"What are you saying?"

He smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.

"I've met someone else. She's got a sharp temper and won't settle for being the other woman. I married her this morning.

"So I'm her husband now. If I showed up to this wedding, my wife would be furious."

*****

My head was spinning, my voice shaking so bad I could barely choke out the words.

"Why? Our wedding's only a week away," I whispered, my throat tight as a vice.

His tone was soft, sounding apologetic on the surface but cold as stone underneath.

"Babe, you're still my number one. But come on—you know how it is. Guys can't say no to someone young and new, fresh off the block.

"If you're that dead set on having the wedding, just find some random guy to fill in as groom. Don't make this harder than it has to be, babe. You know I hate seeing you all worked up."

The wedding dress I'd slipped on earlier was still crumpled in the back seat.

It was so blindingly white it hurt to look at, a coldness that seeped right into my bones.

I trembled, shoving the medical report I'd been dying to show him deep into my pocket.

He was right, wasn't he?

I shouldn't be torturing myself over this.

James Carter acted like nothing was wrong, reaching up to ruffle my hair like he always did—an old habit.

But his words burned like acid, eating through every last bit of hope I had left.

"You know how girls are these days—stubborn as mules. Won't let you get within arm's reach unless you lock it down for real.

"I chased her for nearly six months. Finally got her in bed yesterday."

I felt like someone was squeezing my throat, cutting off my air. My hands and feet turned ice-cold, and I stared at him, unable to look away.

He just grinned, that smug, self-satisfied smirk that made me want to scream.

"Right here, in this very seat. She was a little firecracker—fought me at first, then went all soft and helpless. Total sweetheart."

I followed his lingering, hungry gaze to the windshield, where smudged marks still stained the glass—one big, one small, pressed together hard.

A violent wave of nausea hit me, burning up my throat like I was going to throw up right there.

I gripped the seatbelt so tight my knuckles turned white, my eyes bloodshot from holding back tears.

He reached over, gently cupping my pale, lifeless face, his brow furrowed like he was genuinely confused—an act, every bit of it fake.

"What're you crying for? You're still gonna be Mrs. Carter in other people's eyes."

James' eyes still had that familiar, intense warmth.

He acted like nothing had changed, like he hadn't just casually admitted he'd married someone else, like he wasn't glowing with pride overdefiling the seat I was sitting in.

The absurdity of it all crashed over me like a tsunami, shattering me from the inside out.

I could barely breathe, suffocating under the weight of his betrayal.

He sighed, sounding almost pitying, like I was being unreasonable.

"I know you're hurt, but she's fragile—real delicate. If I show up to our wedding, she'll lose it, cry her eyes out. She's not like other girls—innocent, values commitment, wants something real, no games.

"Took me six months to be her first, so I owe her that much. You've always been so easygoing, so understanding. You get it, right?"

Six months.

We'd spent the past six months planning our dream wedding—every single detail.

He'd been right there with me, picking out the theme, the venue, the flowers, even the invitations—swearing every choice was perfect because it was what I wanted.

But the whole time, behind my back, he'd been pouring all his time and energy into chasing another girl, just to sleep with her.

I curled my freezing fingers into fists, squeezing so hard my nails dug into my palms, and closed my eyes. Everything went numb—no pain, no anger, just empty.

"Since you're with someone else, we're done." My voice was flat, devoid of all emotion.

He paused for a beat, then let out a low, mocking chuckle—like my words were just a tantrum.

"Come on, don't be like that.

"You've been mine since you were eighteen. You already lost two babies for me. Who else is going to want you? Who else would put up with you after that?"

I stared at him, a searing pain tearing through my chest—so sharp I thought I might collapse.