Chapter 1

The night before my wedding, I stumbled upon a post warning women to stay away from a certain man. The photo showed a man's side profile, and he looked exactly like my fiancé of three years. The post read: [Red flag alert: finance guy from the Downtown Financial District. We've been together for almost eight years, and now he tells me he's marrying his mistress. I wish this trash couple a lifetime together, so they'll never ruin anyone else's life again.]

My stomach dropped. I clicked on her profile. The flowers and jewelry she'd posted were the same ones Nathan Hughes, my fiancé, had given me. The places she'd visited matched the dates and cities where Nathan had been "on business trips". And on a photo of a promise note—next to her diamond ring—was a signature written in the same handwriting as Nathan's. They all pointed to one truth—the man she was warning everyone about was my fiancé.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I ran to the bathroom and threw up until I couldn't breathe. The man who once promised to love me forever had been dating another woman behind my back. And worst of all, I wasn't the victim. I was the other woman who ruined their relationship.

*****

I scrolled through every single post on the girl's page, and my mind went completely blank.

Each one was a detailed diary of her relationship with Nathan—every trip, every gift, every memory he'd once shared with me.

All those days he'd been "too busy" for me, he'd been with her instead.

Her username was LostInN. The name alone felt like a punch to the gut. She was a travel blogger, and her feed was filled with moments that looked straight out of a dream.

There were photos of Nathan feeding pigeons with her in front of Luminara Tower, skydiving together while he took pictures of her laughing midair, even baking a birthday cake for their dog—her hands forming a heart in the photo like they were a picture-perfect little family.

No wonder, every time I showed Nathan a travel plan I'd spent hours putting together, he'd just smirk and say, "Boring. Not my thing."

Now I knew why—he'd already seen the world with someone else.

Tears slid down my cheek before I even realized it.

I broke completely and sobbed out loud.

I didn't hear him come in until he spoke.

"Jo? What's wrong?" Nathan's voice was panicked, his eyes darting to the tears streaming down my face.

I stepped back when he reached for me.

He froze. "Jo, what happened?"

Nathan had always been the kind of man people looked up to—an air force pilot at twenty-eight, good family, good looks, the whole package.

And me? Just an ordinary girl who somehow won the lottery by getting him. Or so I thought.

Turns out, while I was dreaming about forever, I'd become the other woman who ruined someone else's love story.

Pain twisted tight in my chest.

Tears came rushing, and I had no way to stop them.

I drew a deep breath, my eyes red, and my voice caught as I spoke. "Nathan, did you ever really love me?"

His eyes softened, guilt flickering across his face.

"Of course I did, Jo," he said quietly, reaching out to wipe my tears. "You're the love of my life."

The words sliced through me like glass.

The pain hit me like a storm, relentless and overwhelming.

I'd always been headstrong.

I was picky about people and things, sometimes to a fault.

For three years, Nathan had been by my side through thick and thin. Except for the occasional grumble, he had been perfect to me.

The company was far from home, but Nathan always made sure to pick me up and drop me off on time.

I used to envy my coworkers whose boyfriends surprised them with new bags.

Nathan didn't wait. He'd show up the same day with a gift, flowers, and even a little cake.

Back when we first started dating, I mentioned I had stomach problems.

No matter how tired or busy he was, he would cook my breakfast and dinner.

Over the years, he never missed a chance to plan romantic gestures or surprises for every little holiday.

He set off fireworks for me all over Isolde Bay.

He proposed at the most luxurious sunset restaurant in Sunset City.

And at Southgate Abbey, he hung our love lock on the iron gate, a symbol of us.

Tomorrow was supposed to be our wedding day.

And I was carrying his child.

With so much proof of his love, I wanted desperately to believe it wasn't true.

But the photos on my phone said otherwise.

They were cold and undeniable, like a bucket of ice water crashing down my spine.

I couldn't lie to myself anymore. In front of him, I unlocked my phone.

The account was wiped clean.

With no evidence in hand, chills raced down my spine.

Nathan frowned, confused. "Jo, what happened exactly?"

I was certain I had just seen the post, but now there was no proof. I had no choice but to show him the poster's social account.

I said, "I just came across a post warning people about a shitty guy, and the man in the photos... that's you.

"The poster is your girlfriend of eight years. And I'm the homewrecker who ended up marrying you."

My voice trembled with emotion, each word stirring a storm between us.

Right then, my parents walked in through the door.

My mother froze mid-step.

"What?" she gasped. "Jo, what did you just say? You two are getting married tomorrow. How could you be the other woman?"

The moment I saw my parents, the tears I'd been holding back finally burst out.

I sobbed, "Mom, I think I've been played.

"I was in a real relationship for three years, and somehow I ended up the other woman."

My mom's eyes widened in disbelief as she pulled me into her arms.

Nathan tried to come closer, but my dad blocked him with a glare.

Nathan's face turned pale.

He pleaded, "Jo, it's not what you think. Just let me explain—"

Dad's slap came out of nowhere, hard and loud.

He yelled, "Explain what? I raised my daughter with everything I had, and you made her cry like this?"

His voice was sharp, echoing through the room.

All my bottled-up pain exploded, and I sobbed until my whole body shook.

Half an hour later, I'd finally calmed down. I wiped my tears and looked up.

Nathan sat on the couch, staring at me with a mix of guilt and helpless affection.

That look—so soft, so full of indulgence—made my eyes sting all over again.

"Don't look at me like that," I whispered.

I opened the girl's profile page and sent her a message: [Hi, I'm the woman who just married your boyfriend. I didn't know you existed. Could we meet and talk, just the two of us?]

Ten minutes passed. She didn't reply.

My parents asked if I wanted to talk things out with Nathan.

But I already knew the truth—the guy she warned everyone about was him. He just refused to admit it.