Chapter 1

On the day of my wedding, my fiancé left me at the altar… for his first love after learning that she was being forced into an arranged marriage with a vegetative guy.

Five years of promises, memories, and dreams—gone in an instant. And just when I thought I couldn’t break any further, a stranger walked up the aisle, took my hand, and asked me to marry him.

His name was Scott. “Marry me.”

I should have questioned it. I should have demanded to know why a stranger was offering to save me from this nightmare. But at that moment, I was desperate to escape. So, I took his hand and sealed the deal.

But that wasn't the end, because I'll show them the revenge of a betrayed bride.

--

On the day of my wedding, my fiancé Timothy left me at the altar.

He rushed to his first love, Audrey, after hearing she was arranged by her parents to marry a man said to be comatose, ruthless, and—according to rumors—old and ugly. I stood there, humiliated, devastated, and drowning in disbelief. Five years of love and promises shattered in an instant.

Then, just as I thought I couldn't take another second of it, a man stepped forward.

Scott.

He was good-looking, composed, and strangely confident.

Without hesitation, he walked up to me, extended his hand, and said, "Marry me."

I should have questioned it. I should have demanded to know why a stranger was offering to save me from this nightmare. But in that moment, I was desperate to escape.

So, I took his hand and sealed the deal.

Before we parted ways, Scott looked at me with those piercing eyes and said, "I need a week to handle my business. When I return, I want a grand wedding to introduce you to everyone."

Still numb, I nodded. "Okay."

I didn't know who he truly was. All I had was his name Scott.

When I got home that evening, exhaustion weighed down on me. The past twenty-four hours had been an emotional storm, and I needed peace. But the world didn’t seem to care about my pain.

The news outlets exploded with headlines and photos—Timothy and Audrey, together.

They weren’t just seen together. They looked intimate, as if they belonged to each other. Smiling, whispering, standing too close. The images of them stung worse than Timothy’s betrayal.

I had been abandoned by Timothy for Audrey. His first love. the woman who left him years ago and hurt him, yet with just one call, he came running back to her, as if I was nothing.

I clenched my fists, swallowing the sharp sting in my chest.

Had I meant nothing to Timothy? Five years of love, of shared dreams and whispered promises—gone in an instant. I remembered the way he used to look at me, the way he would brush my hair back when I was stressed, the late-night drives when we talked about our future, about the house we’d buy, the family we’d build.

But in the end, I was the one left standing alone at the altar.

With that thought, I forced myself to my feet and started packing. Clothes, shoes, personal things—I shoved everything into my suitcase without hesitation. I needed to leave. This city, these memories… all of it felt suffocating now.

As I reached for another dress, my phone rang. I hesitated before checking the screen. My mother.

A lump formed in my throat. It had been years since I left home, since I turned my back on my family because they had disapproved of Timothy. And now, I knew why.

Taking a deep breath, I answered.

“Mom…” My voice wavered slightly.

“Sam,” she breathed out, relief evident in her tone. “Are you okay?”

I swallowed hard, gripping the phone tightly. Was I okay? I didn’t even know the answer to that anymore.

“I heard everything,” she continued gently. “You don’t have to say anything, sweetheart. Just… come home.”

A shaky exhale left my lips. My mother had always been a strong woman, but in her voice, I heard something I hadn’t allowed myself to recognize before—unwavering love. She had warned me about Timothy. My father had, too. But I had been stubborn, so sure that love would be enough.

And now, here I was. Alone. Abandoned. And utterly broken.

“You’re always welcome home,” she said softly. “No matter what.”

I closed my eyes.

“I will,” I whispered. “Just… after a week.”

Just as I was about to say something else, a sudden wave of nausea crashed over me. My stomach twisted painfully, and a cold sweat formed at the back of my neck.

Dropping the phone onto the bed, I bolted toward the bathroom, barely making it before I emptied my stomach.

Struggling for air, I gripped the sink for support, my hands trembling.

No.

It couldn’t be.

A terrifying thought crept into my mind. My breath hitched as I quickly counted the days in my head.

I was late.

My pulse pounded as realization slammed into me.

I was pregnant.

Chapter 2

The next morning, I woke up with a splitting headache. My mind was still reeling from last night’s realization—I was pregnant. With Timothy’s child.

I needed to be sure.

After getting dressed, I grabbed my bag and was about to head to the hospital when the front door swung open.

Timothy.

Before I could react, he strode inside like he still belonged here, wrapping his arms around me. His familiar scent—something that once brought me comfort—now made my stomach churn. Then, before I could shove him away, he kissed me.

Rage exploded inside me.

I pushed him off and slapped him across the face.

The sharp sound echoed through the room.

Timothy staggered back, eyes wide with shock. “What the heck, Samantha?”

I clenched my fists, my whole body trembling. “What’s wrong? You’re a married man, Timothy! And you just kissed me like nothing happened!”

His jaw tightened, and then he sighed as if I was the one being unreasonable. “It’s not like that. It’s just a paper marriage, Sam. It means nothing.” His voice softened.

“You’re still the one I love.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Love? You left me at the altar, Timothy! For her!”

“She was terrified,” he argued. “Audrey was going to be forced to marry that man—comatose, old, ruthless. I had to help her.”

I stared at him, feeling the last pieces of whatever love I had left shatter. “And what about me?” My voice cracked. “Did I not matter at all?”

Before he could answer, the door opened again.

Audrey.

She stepped in hesitantly, her eyes filled with fake concern. “Samantha, please don’t be mad at Timothy. If anyone deserves your hate, it’s me, not him.”

Something inside me snapped.

I walked up to her and slapped her hard.

Audrey inhaled sharply, holding her cheek.

Timothy’s face twisted with anger. “What is wrong with you?” he shouted.

I turned to him, my chest rising and falling with every breath. “You don’t get to ask me that!”

But instead of understanding, his face darkened. “You’re acting crazy, Sam. This is your fault.”

My fault?

I scoffed, shaking my head. “You left me! You humiliated me! And now you’re trying to make me feel like I’m the villain?”

Timothy’s expression hardened. “You know what? Maybe it was a mistake coming here.”

Then he walked out, leaving me with Audrey still holding her cheek like she was the victim.

I had nothing left to say.

This was it.

The last straw.

I felt nothing but emptiness as I grabbed my things and walked out, dragging myself to the hospital.

I sat in the waiting room, clutching my hands together.

This baby… I couldn’t let it be tied to Timothy. I wouldn’t let him have any control over me ever again.

When the nurse called my name, I stood up. And I asked for a termination procedure.

After some time, I didn’t expect a call from Scott. I almost forgot that I was going to have a grand wedding with him.

Let alone have an idea of who he truly was. I tried researching, but nothing—as if he didn’t exist, or he was just too wealthy to pay people to hide his information.

Scott: “Go to Elysian Bridal. Get the best dress they have.”

His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.

I blinked, caught off guard. “Okay…”

I didn’t ask why. I just went. After all, he saved me from humiliation. I also needed this. If Timothy thought he could replace me easily, then I could, too.

But when I arrived at the bridal shop, I froze.

Timothy and Audrey were there. Shopping for a wedding dress. Wasn’t it enough that they registered their marriage? Are they also thinking of having a grand wedding?

My heart dropped to my stomach, but I forced my feet forward, refusing to look weak.

Timothy’s eyes snapped to me the moment I stepped inside. His face twisted in confusion and then irritation.

“What are you doing here?”

I lifted my chin, my voice steady.

“I’m getting married.”

His expression darkened. “After what you did to Audrey, after slapping her, do you really think I’d still want to marry you?”

I felt the bitter laugh rise in my throat.

He thought I was here for him?

I stepped closer, meeting his gaze without flinching. “Who said I was marrying you?”

Chapter 3

Timothy threw his head back and laughed.

“Really, Samantha? Who would want to marry you?”

He sneered, stepping closer as if he still had the right to tower over me. “You’re useless. You’ve been with me for five years, and everyone knows it. You were never seen with another man. So don’t even try to fool me.”

I should have been hurt. A part of me had once believed I was nothing without him. But now? Now I saw the truth.

I used to believe Timothy loved me.

For five years, I had clung to that belief, to the whispered promises, the soft kisses, the way he’d pull me close in the middle of the night like he was afraid to let go. I had thought I was his world, that he saw a future with me the same way I saw one with him.

I remembered the way he kissed my forehead when I was stressed, the way he said, I’ll always choose you, Sam.

But it had all been a lie.

Because in the end, he didn’t choose me.

I wasn’t the love of his life. I wasn’t even his first choice. I was a placeholder, a convenient replacement for something—or someone—he had truly wanted all along.

And now, standing in front of me, he had the audacity to laugh.

I didn’t flinch. “I’m not here to explain myself. Yes, it’s been five years, and now, I’m officially breaking up with you.”

Timothy’s smug expression faltered. His ego, already bruised, was about to take a serious hit.

“No,” he scoffed. “That can’t be. You’re still mine.”

I rolled my eyes. “And why exactly would I still be yours?”

His lips curled into a cruel smirk. “Because I pity you.” He crossed his arms, his tone dripping with condescension.

“I’ve been doing you a favor, Samantha. Without me, what do you have? You’d be nothing.”

Audrey let out a soft giggle and turned to me. “It’s fine, Samantha. We can share him.”

I blinked at her.

She smiled sweetly, her voice almost playful. “You can have him on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I’ll take him Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I do need more time, after all. We’re trying to get pregnant.”

A slow, mocking smirk spread across my lips.

I let out a laugh—sharp, cold, final. “No need, thanks.”

Both of them stared at me.

I met Timothy’s gaze, my smile never wavering. “I don’t pick up my trash. Feel free to have him.”

His mouth fell open.

Audrey’s smug expression dropped as I turned and walked away without a single glance back.

But just as I reached the entrance, Audrey’s voice rang out.

“Don’t let her in!” she snapped at the store attendants. “She doesn’t even have money to buy anything.”

I sighed, already expecting this childish behavior. But before I could say anything, one of the employees smiled at me and said, “She’s a VVIP, Miss.”

Audrey spun around, her face twisting in disbelief. “What?”

The store clerk gave her a professional smile. “She has unlimited access to our exclusive collections. Her future husband made sure of that.”

Audrey’s face paled. “H-Her future husband?” Her voice wavered before turning into a shriek. “Who’s your husband?”

I smirked, enjoying the panic in her voice.

The staff was the one who replied, "Her husband is known to be one of the most wealthiest bachelors in our country."

But before I could answer, Audrey’s face twisted in fury, and suddenly, she lunged at me. Her perfectly manicured nails clawed into my hair, yanking it with enough force to make my head snap back.

“Wealthiest? So, you think you hit a jackpot so you told me that I'm picking your trash? You little—”

Pain shot through my scalp, but I refused to cry out. I grabbed at her wrists, trying to pry her off, but she was wild—her hands twisting and pulling like a madwoman.

“You think you’re better than me?” she screeched, shaking me violently. “You think you can just walk away and win?”

I snarled, my patience snapping. “Get your hands off me, you psycho!”

With all my strength, I shoved her back. She stumbled, her designer heels skidding across the marble floor. But she wasn’t done. With a furious cry, she lunged again, her fingers grabbing onto my dress, trying to rip it.

I struck first this time. My hand shot forward, grabbing a fistful of her hair.

Audrey shrieked. “Let go, you crazy!”

“Not until you do,” I growled back.

We wrestled, hands pulling, nails scratching, both of us refusing to back down. I could hear murmurs around us, the store attendants frozen in shock.

Then, a deep, menacing voice cut through the chaos.

“And who do you think you are to lay a hand on my bride?”

The entire store fell into stunned silence.

Audrey stiffened, her grip on me loosening instantly. Timothy's jaw dropped, realizing I wasn't lying.

"Scott," I called, not expecting him.

Dressed in a sharp black suit, his presence demanded attention. His cold, calculating gaze locked onto Audrey then Timothy, making the air shift with his authority.

Audrey’s face drained of color as recognition dawned. Her lips trembled. “S-Scott? Wait… that's the name of the old, ugly vegetative guy I was supposed to marry! How come..."