A heavy silence filled the room. My skin prickled with the weight of every gaze, every hushed whisper swirling around me.Josh’s words still hung in the air."I never knew the Montgomerys go back on their word."Sophia’s grip on Kenneth’s arm tightened. Her fake sobs had stopped. Her performance had failed.The pity she had tried to wring out of the crowd had turned into suspicion. Whispers crept through the room, each one sharper than the last."She’s lying.""She was so confident a moment ago.""If she’s pregnant, why is she acting this way?"I stood there, my heart steady. For once, I wasn’t the one breaking. It was strange—watching Sophia squirm, watching her confidence crack.And it wasn’t just me who noticed.Josh smirked, taking a lazy step forward, hands in his pockets like he had all the time in the world. “So?” His voice was casual, almost teasing. “Are you going to prove that the Montgomery name means nothing?”Sophia’s head snapped up, her nostrils flaring. She turned to K
Josh blinked at me, as if he hadn’t heard me right. Then, his expression shifted—confusion, then disbelief, then something else entirely."You want me to get you a what?"I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. "A tampon," I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.Josh exhaled, running a hand through his hair like I had just asked him to rob a bank. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, staring at me like I had completely derailed his night.“I don’t—” He shook his head, rubbing his temples. “Where am I supposed to get that?”I folded my arms, shifting uncomfortably. "I don’t know. A store? A housekeeper?"Josh let out a short, humorless laugh. “Right. So, you want me to march through my father’s mansion in the middle of the night and ask a maid for that?"I scowled. "Well, unless you have a better idea, yes."Josh groaned, tilting his head back against the couch. He looked completely defeated. This was Josh William—always in control. And yet, one small request had h
The ballroom was dazzling. Glittering chandeliers, delicate floral arrangements, and the soft hum of classical music filled the air. Laughter and murmured conversations blended into an elegant symphony of celebration.But for me, this night was nothing short of a nightmare.At the center of the room stood Kenneth Williams, the man I had loved for seven years. The man I had sacrificed my future for.And beside him, Sophia Montgomery, draped in a stunning silver engagement dress, her fingers entwined with his.My breath hitched as I took an unsteady step forward.No. This isn’t happening.Then, the voice of the event host shattered my last shred of hope.“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the engagement ceremony of Kenneth Williams and Sophia Montgomery!”Applause erupted. The sound slammed into my chest like a hammer.I felt lightheaded.I must have misheard.This was a joke. A misunderstanding.Kenneth turned, and our eyes met.For a split second, something flickered in his gaze—guilt?
I picked up the card and tucked it into my purse.The cold night air bit at my skin as I walked home from the railway station. My heels clicked against the pavement, each step heavier than the last. My head pounded, my body ached, and my heart was in shambles.By the time I reached my apartment, exhaustion weighed me down like a lead blanket. I collapsed onto the couch, staring at the ceiling. I wanted to forget the humiliation, the betrayal, the jeering laughter still ringing in my ears. But my mind was a battleground, replaying every single moment.I pulled out my phone and typed a message to my best friend, Silver."I lost everything. I don’t know what to do."The message sent, but there was no immediate reply. Not that I expected one—it was late.Curling up on the couch, I hugged a pillow to my chest.Kenneth’s betrayal wasn’t just about the engagement.It was about all the years I had wasted.All the sacrifices.All the love I thought was real.Tears slipped down my face, but thi
"I mean, she has no standards and is classless," Sophia sneered, her voice loud enough to draw attention from nearby shoppers.My fingers curled around the mannequin’s waist, gripping it to keep myself from shaking. The boutique was packed, and now, thanks to her, I had become the center of attention.Kenneth stood beside her, looking amused, his arms crossed over his chest. His expensive watch gleamed under the store lights.I wanted to tell her to shut up, to wipe that smug look off her face, but I knew the rules. Customers were always right.So, I stayed silent.Sophia smirked, taking my silence as weakness. "Honestly, Kenneth, it’s shocking that you ever dated her. What did you even see in her?"Kenneth chuckled. "A temporary distraction."A sharp pain stabbed at my chest, but I refused to show it.A murmur spread through the store as other customers watched, whispering behind their hands. I could feel their eyes on me—some sympathetic, others entertained.Sophia leaned in, her vo
The Girl from the Railway Station, I Continued"Oh," his deep voice came through, smooth but indifferent. "I thought you weren’t going to call."I swallowed hard, gripping the phone tightly. "I’m willing to be your bride for one year."Silence.There was a brief pause, and for a moment, I thought he had hung up. Then, his reply came, calm and collected."Okay."That was it. No questions, no hesitation."Let's meet at a café," he added before the call disconnected.I sat frozen for a moment before shaking myself out of it. This was happening. I flagged down a cab and arrived at the nearest café within minutes.Josh was already there. He sat in a private corner, legs crossed, one arm resting lazily on the table. His gaze was cold, unreadable.I slid into the seat across from him."Being my bride isn’t easy," he began, voice firm. "But you will be richly paid on a weekly basis, and all your expenses will be covered by me."I listened silently as he continued."You will attend family gath
My fingers trembled as I scrolled through the article, the words carving into me like a knife."A young woman was caught attempting to steal an expensive wedding gown at Tarren’s Mall, owned by the prestigious Williams family. The suspect, identity unknown, was publicly confronted by Sophia Montgomery and her fiancé, Kenneth Williams. Witnesses claim the woman was desperate to obtain a luxurious dress beyond her means. Security was called in to remove her from the premises…”Below it was a photo of me, kneeling on the ground, my face streaked with tears, surrounded by security guards. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest.I felt my stomach drop.I read it again. Then again.The bile rose in my throat, hot and bitter.They had done it again.Kenneth. Sophia. They had set me up, just like before.A shaky breath left my lips as I clenched my phone, my nails digging into my palm. I should have known this wasn’t over. I should have known they wouldn’t let me wal
Josh blinked at me, as if he hadn’t heard me right. Then, his expression shifted—confusion, then disbelief, then something else entirely."You want me to get you a what?"I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. "A tampon," I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.Josh exhaled, running a hand through his hair like I had just asked him to rob a bank. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, staring at me like I had completely derailed his night.“I don’t—” He shook his head, rubbing his temples. “Where am I supposed to get that?”I folded my arms, shifting uncomfortably. "I don’t know. A store? A housekeeper?"Josh let out a short, humorless laugh. “Right. So, you want me to march through my father’s mansion in the middle of the night and ask a maid for that?"I scowled. "Well, unless you have a better idea, yes."Josh groaned, tilting his head back against the couch. He looked completely defeated. This was Josh William—always in control. And yet, one small request had h
A heavy silence filled the room. My skin prickled with the weight of every gaze, every hushed whisper swirling around me.Josh’s words still hung in the air."I never knew the Montgomerys go back on their word."Sophia’s grip on Kenneth’s arm tightened. Her fake sobs had stopped. Her performance had failed.The pity she had tried to wring out of the crowd had turned into suspicion. Whispers crept through the room, each one sharper than the last."She’s lying.""She was so confident a moment ago.""If she’s pregnant, why is she acting this way?"I stood there, my heart steady. For once, I wasn’t the one breaking. It was strange—watching Sophia squirm, watching her confidence crack.And it wasn’t just me who noticed.Josh smirked, taking a lazy step forward, hands in his pockets like he had all the time in the world. “So?” His voice was casual, almost teasing. “Are you going to prove that the Montgomery name means nothing?”Sophia’s head snapped up, her nostrils flaring. She turned to K
Sophia’s lips curled into a mocking smirk as she folded her arms. “She’s a thief,” she repeated, her voice dripping with amusement. “Her headlines are all over the news.”I stood still, my nails pressing into my palms. The humiliation from earlier still clung to me like a second skin, but I refused to let it show. That was exactly what she wanted, she wants to see me crumble.Josh, beside me, let out a short laugh, stepping forward with ease, as if this entire confrontation was nothing more than a mild inconvenience. “What if there’s nothing like that?” His tone was calm, but there was an edge to it—one that sent a ripple of unease through the room.Sophia raised a brow, her confidence unshaken. “Then I’ll lick her foot.” Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, the mockery behind it making my stomach twist.Josh’s smirk deepened. “I’d love to see that.”Sophia let out an impatient sigh before pulling out her phone. With a confident flick of her fingers, she tapped on the scree
My fingers trembled as I scrolled through the article, the words carving into me like a knife."A young woman was caught attempting to steal an expensive wedding gown at Tarren’s Mall, owned by the prestigious Williams family. The suspect, identity unknown, was publicly confronted by Sophia Montgomery and her fiancé, Kenneth Williams. Witnesses claim the woman was desperate to obtain a luxurious dress beyond her means. Security was called in to remove her from the premises…”Below it was a photo of me, kneeling on the ground, my face streaked with tears, surrounded by security guards. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest.I felt my stomach drop.I read it again. Then again.The bile rose in my throat, hot and bitter.They had done it again.Kenneth. Sophia. They had set me up, just like before.A shaky breath left my lips as I clenched my phone, my nails digging into my palm. I should have known this wasn’t over. I should have known they wouldn’t let me wal
The Girl from the Railway Station, I Continued"Oh," his deep voice came through, smooth but indifferent. "I thought you weren’t going to call."I swallowed hard, gripping the phone tightly. "I’m willing to be your bride for one year."Silence.There was a brief pause, and for a moment, I thought he had hung up. Then, his reply came, calm and collected."Okay."That was it. No questions, no hesitation."Let's meet at a café," he added before the call disconnected.I sat frozen for a moment before shaking myself out of it. This was happening. I flagged down a cab and arrived at the nearest café within minutes.Josh was already there. He sat in a private corner, legs crossed, one arm resting lazily on the table. His gaze was cold, unreadable.I slid into the seat across from him."Being my bride isn’t easy," he began, voice firm. "But you will be richly paid on a weekly basis, and all your expenses will be covered by me."I listened silently as he continued."You will attend family gath
"I mean, she has no standards and is classless," Sophia sneered, her voice loud enough to draw attention from nearby shoppers.My fingers curled around the mannequin’s waist, gripping it to keep myself from shaking. The boutique was packed, and now, thanks to her, I had become the center of attention.Kenneth stood beside her, looking amused, his arms crossed over his chest. His expensive watch gleamed under the store lights.I wanted to tell her to shut up, to wipe that smug look off her face, but I knew the rules. Customers were always right.So, I stayed silent.Sophia smirked, taking my silence as weakness. "Honestly, Kenneth, it’s shocking that you ever dated her. What did you even see in her?"Kenneth chuckled. "A temporary distraction."A sharp pain stabbed at my chest, but I refused to show it.A murmur spread through the store as other customers watched, whispering behind their hands. I could feel their eyes on me—some sympathetic, others entertained.Sophia leaned in, her vo
I picked up the card and tucked it into my purse.The cold night air bit at my skin as I walked home from the railway station. My heels clicked against the pavement, each step heavier than the last. My head pounded, my body ached, and my heart was in shambles.By the time I reached my apartment, exhaustion weighed me down like a lead blanket. I collapsed onto the couch, staring at the ceiling. I wanted to forget the humiliation, the betrayal, the jeering laughter still ringing in my ears. But my mind was a battleground, replaying every single moment.I pulled out my phone and typed a message to my best friend, Silver."I lost everything. I don’t know what to do."The message sent, but there was no immediate reply. Not that I expected one—it was late.Curling up on the couch, I hugged a pillow to my chest.Kenneth’s betrayal wasn’t just about the engagement.It was about all the years I had wasted.All the sacrifices.All the love I thought was real.Tears slipped down my face, but thi
The ballroom was dazzling. Glittering chandeliers, delicate floral arrangements, and the soft hum of classical music filled the air. Laughter and murmured conversations blended into an elegant symphony of celebration.But for me, this night was nothing short of a nightmare.At the center of the room stood Kenneth Williams, the man I had loved for seven years. The man I had sacrificed my future for.And beside him, Sophia Montgomery, draped in a stunning silver engagement dress, her fingers entwined with his.My breath hitched as I took an unsteady step forward.No. This isn’t happening.Then, the voice of the event host shattered my last shred of hope.“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the engagement ceremony of Kenneth Williams and Sophia Montgomery!”Applause erupted. The sound slammed into my chest like a hammer.I felt lightheaded.I must have misheard.This was a joke. A misunderstanding.Kenneth turned, and our eyes met.For a split second, something flickered in his gaze—guilt?