Peter stopped the intern who'd talked to Yuna that day."Is she off today?"Emma stepped back like he reeked. "Dr. Zander already quit.""What? Why?"She laughed—mean and loud. "You and your little mistress have a kid now. Why would you care?"Chill hit him like ice water.Then she shoulder-checked him and walked off.His ears rang. Blood pounded.Yuna wasn't supposed to know.Cindy swore it was safe doing her checkups there. Said no one would ever notice—hidden in plain sight.Peter didn't even remember getting home.The living room looked like a graveyard—Floyd roses wilted, birthday cake in the trash.Even the ring? Yuna had tossed it.He stumbled into the closet. Her clothes? Cleared out. Books, docs—vanished.The study door creaked open. Divorce papers sat on the desk, signed.The screen still glowed with his chat history with Cindy.A flash drive sat on top. Hands shaking, he plugged it in.Photos. Videos. Messages. All from Cindy—sent to Yuna.One video played.
Peter lunged, hand clamping around her neck. "You? You think you're even in her league?"Cindy hit the floor, realization sinking in—he knew. He knew she went to Yuna.Desperate, she played her last card.Tears spilled as she looked up at him, voice trembling. "But we have a baby. Yuna's gone, and I'm still here—with your kid. You said you'd take care of me, remember? You promised my dad."Peter's face twisted, eyes wild. "A baby? That little trap you pulled? You really think it's mine? Yeah, I made a promise—but don't ever compare yourself to Yuna."He slapped her.Cindy hit the floor, curled up, sobbing.Peter just stared, ice-cold. Then he pulled out his phone, hit record."Yuna, look. I put this trash in her place. She's nothing. I'll only ever love you."He didn't waste a second. Burned cash, called in favors, did everything to find Yuna.Nothing.She was gone—like she'd never existed.If it weren't for the things she left behind, he might've thought he imagined it all
Lionel handed me a lobster. "Try it. It's our chef's specialty."I blushed. "Thanks."The Rineharts had that cozy, wholesome vibe—like, instant comfort. By dessert, I actually felt... okay.After dinner, Aunt Sophia gave me a little shove toward the patio."Yuna."Lionel's voice—low, smooth—floated over from behind me.He was standing in the glow like some kind of angel. Annoyingly perfect.I crossed my arms. "What? Here to roast my ex or my trash taste in guys?"He laughed, then gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Why would I mock you? You didn't wreck your marriage—he did.""Lionel..."His smile messed with my head. My heart was basically a marching band.We didn't say anything. Just stood there on the porch while crickets did their thing in the background."Yuna," he said quietly, "I'm honestly glad you finally saw Peter for who he is."I turned, caught off guard.He chuckled, soft and low.Then—"Because now I finally get to stand next to you and say... Yun
I looked up—and there he was.Peter. Just standing there, staring.He looked rough. Way thinner, face sunken, eyes bloodshot, lips all chapped and pale.And yeah, the jealousy in his eyes? Blazing."Yuna, how could you fall for someone else so fast?"Like I was the cheater.Lionel stepped in, ready to block him, but I touched his arm. Chill, I got this.Honestly, the whole scene was a joke. I didn't even flinch."So what? I'm divorcing you."Then Peter grabbed me from behind, arms tight like he thought that'd fix things.Voice all cracked and raw. "I haven't signed the papers. It's been forever. Aren't you done being mad? I gave up everything at the firm to find you. Just come home with me."I yanked myself free, heart hammering. "Don't touch me. You're just some guy to me now."Peter froze, eyes full of that sad puppy look. "You don't mean that. I can't be a stranger. Yeah, I screwed up, but Cindy meant nothing. It was a stupid fling. She came on to me—I said no at first.
Peter knew I was dodging his calls, so he blew up my phone with texts. Like we were back in the honeymoon phase or something—nonstop chatter.Then he got desperate. Started showing up at Aunt Sophia's with gifts, swearing he'd changed, begging her and Uncle Arthur to talk me out of the divorce.Too bad for him, Aunt Sophia never liked the guy. If I hadn't been tied up with him, I'd have moved to Hampsburg ages ago.She shut him down hard."Peter, sign the divorce papers. You're the one who messed up. Even if you don't, Yuna's made up her mind—we'll take it to court."No clue what else she told him, but he packed up and left Hampsburg.***Life went back to chill. Things with Lionel? Just kept leveling up.Peter came back, but he didn't try anything. Just signed the divorce papers, no drama.He even offered me money and tried to return the pricey jewelry he gave me.I shut it all down.Yeah, I loved him once—like, for real—but it was never about the cash.I've got my own hus
Peter stared at our wedding photo—the only thing still standing—and whispered, "Yuna, I'm not going anywhere. I'll wait right here. When you come back, I'll be here."***Lionel's voice stayed steady.Lionel spoke calmly."Peter died on that floor. Staring at your photo. By the time his guys broke down the door, he was already gone."The neon lights outside smeared like paint in the rain.After a long silence, I finally said, "It's okay. You don't have to tell me anything else about him."***Two years later, I said yes to Lionel's proposal.That spring, we got married—just like we planned.My best friend Lily stood by me as my only bridesmaid, like we swore back when we were kids.The Rinehart heir's wedding? Total fairytale. My dress was custom-made, a whole piece commissioned by the family.Spending a year with the Rineharts felt like finding the kind of love and peace I didn't think was real. Stuff Peter could never give me.I slipped into the Jimmy Choos Aunt Sophia h
Silver Creek Hospital, RiveraWhen someone said Peter Cooke showed up at OB-GYN with a girl, I laughed it off.Then I saw him—arm around a sobbing Cindy Bisch, his mentor's daughter—and my stomach tanked.Phoebe Palmer, my old classmate from our PhD days abroad, came out with the prenatal report. She shot Peter a look as she handed it over. "Baby's fine. But she needs to chill. She's close to her due date, so watch her diet."She kept it professional, but yeah, the tone had teeth.Peter, totally unaware Phoebe and I went way back, just nodded all cool and thanked her.I stood there, watching him walk off with his arm around Cindy. That's when my phone buzzed.Hands shaking, I pulled it out.Phoebe.She shouldn't have sent it, but she did—an ultrasound, then a message:[How long has Peter been hiding this from you?]I didn't answer. Just opened the image.[Gestational age: 38 weeks.]So yeah. He'd been lying to me for a year. From the second he slept with Cindy to now—he ne
I closed the video, and bam—Cindy had dropped another message:[Every time Peter comes to see me, I'm sore all over afterward.]Before I could bail from the chat, a text from Peter popped up.[Babe, what kind of cake do you want today? Strawberry, chocolate, or matcha?]I just stared at it. How did he have time to play house with her and still pretend to care about me?Didn't answer. Just shoved my phone deep into my pocket.By the time my shift was almost over, my stomach was in knots—I'd skipped lunch. That's when a young nurse pushed into the lounge, grinning."Dr. Zander, your husband's here!"And there he was—Peter. Flowers in one arm, cake and milk tea in the other.I didn't even know what I felt. Just knew the smile on his face looked painfully fake.He set the milk tea on the table, calling out to my coworkers to help themselves. Then he dropped the cake and flowers on my desk."I know you're not into milk tea, so I didn't get you one. Got you a matcha cake. Saw some
Peter stared at our wedding photo—the only thing still standing—and whispered, "Yuna, I'm not going anywhere. I'll wait right here. When you come back, I'll be here."***Lionel's voice stayed steady.Lionel spoke calmly."Peter died on that floor. Staring at your photo. By the time his guys broke down the door, he was already gone."The neon lights outside smeared like paint in the rain.After a long silence, I finally said, "It's okay. You don't have to tell me anything else about him."***Two years later, I said yes to Lionel's proposal.That spring, we got married—just like we planned.My best friend Lily stood by me as my only bridesmaid, like we swore back when we were kids.The Rinehart heir's wedding? Total fairytale. My dress was custom-made, a whole piece commissioned by the family.Spending a year with the Rineharts felt like finding the kind of love and peace I didn't think was real. Stuff Peter could never give me.I slipped into the Jimmy Choos Aunt Sophia h
Peter knew I was dodging his calls, so he blew up my phone with texts. Like we were back in the honeymoon phase or something—nonstop chatter.Then he got desperate. Started showing up at Aunt Sophia's with gifts, swearing he'd changed, begging her and Uncle Arthur to talk me out of the divorce.Too bad for him, Aunt Sophia never liked the guy. If I hadn't been tied up with him, I'd have moved to Hampsburg ages ago.She shut him down hard."Peter, sign the divorce papers. You're the one who messed up. Even if you don't, Yuna's made up her mind—we'll take it to court."No clue what else she told him, but he packed up and left Hampsburg.***Life went back to chill. Things with Lionel? Just kept leveling up.Peter came back, but he didn't try anything. Just signed the divorce papers, no drama.He even offered me money and tried to return the pricey jewelry he gave me.I shut it all down.Yeah, I loved him once—like, for real—but it was never about the cash.I've got my own hus
I looked up—and there he was.Peter. Just standing there, staring.He looked rough. Way thinner, face sunken, eyes bloodshot, lips all chapped and pale.And yeah, the jealousy in his eyes? Blazing."Yuna, how could you fall for someone else so fast?"Like I was the cheater.Lionel stepped in, ready to block him, but I touched his arm. Chill, I got this.Honestly, the whole scene was a joke. I didn't even flinch."So what? I'm divorcing you."Then Peter grabbed me from behind, arms tight like he thought that'd fix things.Voice all cracked and raw. "I haven't signed the papers. It's been forever. Aren't you done being mad? I gave up everything at the firm to find you. Just come home with me."I yanked myself free, heart hammering. "Don't touch me. You're just some guy to me now."Peter froze, eyes full of that sad puppy look. "You don't mean that. I can't be a stranger. Yeah, I screwed up, but Cindy meant nothing. It was a stupid fling. She came on to me—I said no at first.
Lionel handed me a lobster. "Try it. It's our chef's specialty."I blushed. "Thanks."The Rineharts had that cozy, wholesome vibe—like, instant comfort. By dessert, I actually felt... okay.After dinner, Aunt Sophia gave me a little shove toward the patio."Yuna."Lionel's voice—low, smooth—floated over from behind me.He was standing in the glow like some kind of angel. Annoyingly perfect.I crossed my arms. "What? Here to roast my ex or my trash taste in guys?"He laughed, then gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Why would I mock you? You didn't wreck your marriage—he did.""Lionel..."His smile messed with my head. My heart was basically a marching band.We didn't say anything. Just stood there on the porch while crickets did their thing in the background."Yuna," he said quietly, "I'm honestly glad you finally saw Peter for who he is."I turned, caught off guard.He chuckled, soft and low.Then—"Because now I finally get to stand next to you and say... Yun
Peter lunged, hand clamping around her neck. "You? You think you're even in her league?"Cindy hit the floor, realization sinking in—he knew. He knew she went to Yuna.Desperate, she played her last card.Tears spilled as she looked up at him, voice trembling. "But we have a baby. Yuna's gone, and I'm still here—with your kid. You said you'd take care of me, remember? You promised my dad."Peter's face twisted, eyes wild. "A baby? That little trap you pulled? You really think it's mine? Yeah, I made a promise—but don't ever compare yourself to Yuna."He slapped her.Cindy hit the floor, curled up, sobbing.Peter just stared, ice-cold. Then he pulled out his phone, hit record."Yuna, look. I put this trash in her place. She's nothing. I'll only ever love you."He didn't waste a second. Burned cash, called in favors, did everything to find Yuna.Nothing.She was gone—like she'd never existed.If it weren't for the things she left behind, he might've thought he imagined it all
Peter stopped the intern who'd talked to Yuna that day."Is she off today?"Emma stepped back like he reeked. "Dr. Zander already quit.""What? Why?"She laughed—mean and loud. "You and your little mistress have a kid now. Why would you care?"Chill hit him like ice water.Then she shoulder-checked him and walked off.His ears rang. Blood pounded.Yuna wasn't supposed to know.Cindy swore it was safe doing her checkups there. Said no one would ever notice—hidden in plain sight.Peter didn't even remember getting home.The living room looked like a graveyard—Floyd roses wilted, birthday cake in the trash.Even the ring? Yuna had tossed it.He stumbled into the closet. Her clothes? Cleared out. Books, docs—vanished.The study door creaked open. Divorce papers sat on the desk, signed.The screen still glowed with his chat history with Cindy.A flash drive sat on top. Hands shaking, he plugged it in.Photos. Videos. Messages. All from Cindy—sent to Yuna.One video played.
Peter sounded panicked. I could hear chairs scraping, something crashing, his voice cracking."You're at the airport? Where are you going? Wait—I'll come with you!"I handed over my boarding pass and walked through the gate."Peter, I left something for you. I signed the divorce papers. You should too."Hung up. Blocked him. Then sent that photo to both him and Cindy.[Cindy, since you want the title of Peter's wife so bad, it's all yours.]***The plane touched down in Hampsburg. First thing I saw was Aunt Sophia, waving like crazy with a bouquet in her arms.She hadn't changed a bit.Next to her stood Lionel—tall, quiet, black trench coat, jeans."Aunt Sophia."Her eyes were red when she hugged me, patting my back through tears. "You're home now. You're home."Lionel had already grabbed my suitcase without a word.After Aunt Sophia and I caught up a little, he finally spoke. "Yuna just got here. Let's get her home so she can rest."His voice matched his vibe—calm, warm.
I stared at the cold pasta. "I've decided. I'm going. But I'm divorcing Peter."She paused, then said softly, "Alright."She never liked him—not even from the start. I probably should've seen it sooner—Peter ditching his morals the second Cindy snapped her fingers.She was his late mentor's only daughter. Peter, ever the responsible guy, had promised to look after her. So whatever she wanted, he gave.Even if it meant giving her a kid."I'll book your ticket. Lionel will be there to pick you up."Lionel Rinehart. Childhood friend. Aunt Sophia's golden student.After the call, the divorce agreement hit my inbox. I headed to Peter's study to print it and found a folder full of his chats with Cindy.All sweet words and flirty messages. He kept telling her not to hope for more—but I knew better.Cindy already owned a part of him.He let her believe in the fantasy. Let her stomp all over me.But I didn't love him anymore. Not even a little. Calm, steady, I copied every single mes
Peter must've set all this up earlier. I stood there, staring at the table, dazed, when the restaurant called."Hi there, just checking in—what time can we expect your arrival?"I watched the curtain flutter in the breeze. "Sorry. Change of plans. Please cancel the reservation."Next to the cake sat a tiny velvet box. I opened it—a diamond ring.My chest tightened. I ended the call, but my phone wouldn't stop buzzing.Somehow, Cindy found the energy to text mid-labor.The first message was a photo—Peter peeling an apple at her hospital bedside.[See? One word from me, and he's right here taking care of me.]Then another pic—her huge baby bump.[Our little one can't wait to meet the world. Yuna, Peter's REAL family now? That's me and our baby.]***I shut the jewelry box and chucked it straight into the trash.Bottle of Romanée-Conti in hand, I stepped onto the balcony, letting the wind smack my face while the city lights blinked like nothing had happened.Inside, my phone