Chapter 1

Just one week before our wedding, my fiancé, Andrew Simpson, dropped a bombshell. He said he wanted to have a baby with his childhood sweetheart, Emelia Rollins.

When I refused, he called me cold-hearted.

"It's just IVF. There's nothing physical between Emelia and me. Her parents pressured her so much to marry that she nearly died in a car crash.

"Now her parents finally gave in and just wanted her to have a baby. We should help her out," he said.

I stared at him, my face drained of color. "We're about to get married, and you want to have a baby with another woman. How is that even fair to me?"

His voice turned gentle as he tried to comfort me. "Olivia, once we're married, we'll have kids of our own."

That was the moment my heart shattered.

I'd have kids someday, just not with him.

Without hesitation, I posted on my social media: [I'm getting married in a week, but I need a groom. Anyone interested?]

Not long after I posted, my phone rang.

It was James Wagner.

Seeing his name pop up after so long, my heart skipped a beat.

He was my childhood friend and rival. We were always at each other's throats, but somehow inseparable. Then, after I started dating, it was like he disappeared from my world overnight.

I answered, bracing myself for him to tease me about my breakup, but he didn't waste any time before asking, "So, I heard you need a new groom. What do you think about me?"

I paused, surprised. "Are you for real?"

But if I needed a new groom, honestly, no one would fit the bill better than him.

We were a perfect match on paper, knew each other well, and could practically recite each other's favorite things.

James's voice was a little tight. "Yeah, I'm flying back today. I'll get in around midnight tomorrow, and the morning after, I'll come to your place with gifts so we can talk about the wedding."

I had to go through with the wedding, and I couldn't drag my whole family down with me.

I agreed, "Okay."

Right after I hung up, Andrew walked in, looking a little nervous. "Who were you talking to?"

I said calmly, "Just the delivery guy."

Andrew let out a sigh of relief and took my hand. "Olivia, I love you. I'd never betray you. But Emelia's been under so much pressure from her parents to get married.

"She's still lying in a hospital bed. Her parents finally said that if she just had a baby, they'd stop hounding her.

"She's my childhood friend, and she begged me for help. Olivia, I have to do this. If I don't, who knows what might happen to her."

Even though I'd heard this explanation a thousand times, it still cut deep. My chest tightened with pain.

I pulled my hand away. "Was her accident my fault? Why am I the one who has to compromise? If you end up having a kid with her, what am I supposed to tell my parents?

"And what are you going to say when that child grows up and starts asking about their dad?

"If I back down now, are you just going to keep living a double life with both of us?"

"Olivia," Andrew sighed, taking my hand again. "I know this isn't fair to you, but it's just this one time, I swear.

"I'm just helping her out, nothing more. It won't change anything between us. Can you help me keep this from your parents? She's my best friend, and yours too. I know you'll get it."

I gave a short, bitter laugh. "Why keep it a secret? Are you embarrassed about it, too?"

Andrew's expression soured. "Why do you always have to be so snarky? I'm not cheating on you. I just don't think it's necessary to tell your parents. If you really want to spill the beans, go ahead."

Just then, his phone lit up with a few messages. He glanced down, let go of my hand, and stood up. "Something urgent came up at work. I need to head out for a bit.

"You stay home and get some rest. Check if there's anyone whom we forgot to send an invite to for the wedding. I'll send out any missing ones when I get back."

He didn't wait for my reply and hurried out.

I caught a glimpse of his chat screen. Emelia said her hand was hurting and asked to see him, so he dropped everything and left in a hurry.

I gave myself a wry, self-deprecating smile.

Andrew always said he'd marry me and give me a real home. I spent years looking forward to it, working side by side with him. We built our business from scratch, growing it from just the two of us to a hundred employees.

We went from sharing a tiny apartment to finally buying our own place. Five years, 1,825 days, together.

When he proposed, he swore he'd never let me down, that I'd always come first. He said he'd do whatever I wanted, never push back, and even promised not to keep any secret stash of cash.

Now, we were really about to get married.

I kept refusing to let him have a child with another woman, but he just kept telling me I should be more understanding. It was nothing but countless fights and endless breakdowns.

I was losing sleep, my hair was falling out, I couldn't even eat, but he didn't see any of it.

"All he cared about was looking after Emelia after her accident, and he just assumed I was so good-natured that I'd be totally fine with him fathering her child.

I took a deep breath and started packing my bags.

I thought he was right. If I didn't love him anymore, he could play house with whomever he wanted and be a dad to whoever asked. I really couldn't care less.

And if he was so set on sneaking around and having a kid with someone else behind everyone's back, I would just find myself a new groom without telling him.

Andrew didn't come home for the next two days.

I didn't ask where he was. I just handed in my resignation at work.

I gave up everything my family had planned for me, just to stick with Andrew and take my chances here.

Except for Andrew, I had no friends here, and nothing else made me want to stay in this city.

The company needed someone to take over my position, so I would be officially out in three days.