Chapter 1

"Iris is pregnant," Carter said, standing in the shadows of the rehearsal hall. His voice was barely a whisper.

"The wedding goes on. After we're married, I'll spend a few days a week taking care of her. Once she's stable, everything will go back to the way it was."

I clutched the ring box so hard my knuckles turned white. "And what about me? Where do I fit into your little schedule?"

"You're my fiancée. Tomorrow, you'll be Mrs. Sterling."

He frowned, looking at me like I was throwing a tantrum. "Isn't that title enough for you?"

Iris, wearing an oversized coat and looking perfectly pale, chimed in softly. "Chloe, I don't want to steal your place. I just want my baby to have a father."

I set the ring box on the table.

"Then anyone else can have this damn title."

A toxic, dirty man? I don't want him anymore.

Chloe's POV

I was about to marry the man I had loved for years, Carter Sterling.

I spent six months planning this wedding. I even personally picked out the color of the coffee mugs in our new penthouse.

But during the rehearsal the night before the wedding, an untitled video suddenly played on the ballroom's giant screen.

On screen, Iris, Carter's childhood best friend, was rubbing her belly and whining cutely. "Carter, the doctor said the baby is doing great. Don't drink too much at your wedding tomorrow. You promised you would spend a few days a week with us after you are married. Don't forget."

In the top right corner of the screen, Carter's contact name for her was saved as: Iris & Baby.

The room went dead silent.

Carter, who had arrived late, didn't even look panicked. He just frowned at me. "Don't make a scene. Don't make us a laughingstock."

I stood in the dim light, the ring box digging painfully into my palm.

Carter's friends reacted first, awkwardly trying to block the screen. "This is a misunderstanding! Iris is just joking around again! Don't take it to heart, Chloe. We all grew up together. She's just talking nonsense. We're just friends!"

The next second, Iris pushed the door open.

She wore a loose coat, held a thermos, and looked perfectly, delicately pale.

When she saw me, she actually smiled. "Chloe, don't worry. Carter and I really aren't what you think. The baby was an accident. I didn't mean to come between you."

"An accident?" I asked.

Carter walked over and lowered his voice. "Don't start something now. There are too many people here tonight."

I stared at him. "She's pregnant, and you're telling me not to start something?"

Carter frowned, as if I had asked an incredibly tasteless question. "I wasn't planning on keeping it from you. Now that the baby is here, I can't just ignore it. The wedding can still happen. After we're married, I'll spend a few days a week taking care of her. Once she's stable, everything will go back to normal."

Iris chimed in softly, "Don't worry, Chloe. I'm not trying to steal the title of Mrs. Sterling. I'm not that greedy. I just want my baby to have a father."

"And me?" I smiled coldly. "What am I in your little arrangement?"

Carter snapped, annoyed. "You're my fiancée. Tomorrow you'll be Mrs. Sterling. Isn't that enough? Iris has no family left. I'm just helping her out. Why do you have to play the victim?"

I heard people around us whispering, telling me that a man making a mistake before marriage wasn't a big deal, that Carter was at least being honest, and that since Iris was being so reasonable, I shouldn't make things ugly.

I set the ring box on the table. My voice wasn't loud, but it was crystal clear. "The wedding is canceled."

Carter's face darkened. "Chloe Vance, think carefully before you speak."

"I've thought it through." I grabbed my purse and walked past him. "Have fun with the rest of your rehearsal. Enjoy the show."

As I reached the exit, my phone rang.

Liam's voice came through, filled with a rushed anxiety he couldn't hide. "Chloe, if you really don't want to marry him, get downstairs now. I'm parked outside."

The night wind hit my face, and my eyes stung with tears.

I whispered, "Wait for me."

I walked to the end of the hallway and called the wedding coordinator. "Don't worry about the bridal suite tomorrow. Cancel all my segments of the wedding. Send me the bill for any financial losses."

The coordinator sounded terrified. "Miss Vance, can we talk about this?"

I looked at my reflection in the glass window. My makeup was perfect, but I felt completely hollowed out. "No need. The groom has someone else who needs his care more. I'm not fighting for him."

After I hung up, the wedding Snapchat group was still buzzing.

People were asking what time the wedding started tomorrow, joking that Carter shouldn't drink too much on his last night of freedom.

I renamed the group to *Wedding Canceled* and left.

"Find someone else who's 'mature' enough to be your Mrs. Sterling."

I slammed the ring box onto the table. It wasn't loud, but it carried weight. "The wedding is canceled."

Ignoring Carter's instantly furious expression, I turned and walked away. I immediately sent a message to the wedding group: *Wedding canceled.* Then I left the group.