Engaged to Me, but His Heart Is Hers

After hanging up, I left the hospital room without so much as a backward glance, then called my best friend and had her wait for me at our usual haunt.

It was my birthday that day. Before I showed up at the hospital, I'd been making a wish at my birthday party when Caleb Gallagher's mother, Portia Brown, called me. She told me Caleb had been stabbed and grievously injured while he was on his way to my party.

I didn't even have time to blow out the candles before rushing to the hospital.

Portia even slapped me earlier when we were outside the operating room, furious that I'd insisted on celebrating my birthday. I was so guilt-ridden that I didn't dare to argue with her.

Yet, as it turned out, I'd been made the clown all along.

Before arriving at the hospital, I'd wondered why Caleb had been stabbed out of the blue while on his way to my birthday party.

I had my doubts, but I chalked it up to a business rival's bitter grudge. However, Caleb was stabbed in the opposite direction from the hotel where I was celebrating my birthday.

I was too concerned for Caleb's life to dwell on it, but I didn't think I'd come so close to taking the fall for Naomi Whitmore, his precious first love, once again.

When I got into the car, Portia called me and demanded to know why I'd left Caleb alone at the hospital.

"Of course he was spewing nonsense! The anesthesia hasn't worn off yet! Besides, you're his fiancee, and you'll be his wife in the future! You should've tried to help him save face when he slipped up instead of storming off so irresponsibly! What will people think of him?"

I retorted coolly, "They'll think of him as a prick, that's what."

I ended the call before Portia could snap, then pulled up Naomi's Instagram stories out of habit.

Sure enough, she'd posted something just before Caleb got stabbed. "The happiest feeling in the world is looking back after years of aimless wandering and realizing you're still by my side and that you had never left my side."

That caption came with a photo of a pair of intertwined hands. There was a faint scar on the pinky of the man's well-defined hand. I could tell right away that it was Caleb's.

In the background was one-half of a building's blurry signage. I recognized it as the mall where Caleb was stabbed.

And yet, I didn't feel a flicker of emotion. I'd lost count of the times such a farce had happened.

Caleb had been giving Naomi all his time and attention since she returned.

The Gallaghers were a powerful business family with some influence in this city. Portia disapproved of Naomi's humble background and did all she could to keep Caleb away from her. Consequently, Naomi was so heartbroken that she went abroad and stayed there for five years.

Naomi had made a strong comeback this time, believing Portia might have more respect for her.

But when Caleb proposed that he call off his engagement with me and get back together with Naomi, Portia was so apoplectic that she threatened to kill herself.

Caleb came from a single-parent family and adored Portia, but he didn't want to upset Naomi, either. So, he'd been using me to cover up his and Naomi's trysts.

Once, he showed up late to Portia's birthday party because he was busy shopping with Naomi. When Portia furiously demanded an explanation, he stayed quiet and shot me a long look. There was none of his usual hostility in his dark, depthless eyes.

I was caught off guard and couldn't explain myself in time.

Portia ended up believing I was the reason her son was late to her party, but it would have looked bad if she lectured me in front of her guests and my parents. So she sighed and let me off with a stern warning.

That day, Caleb discovered the perfect solution. He knew I loved him and used it to his advantage, begging me to cover for him.

"I don't love Naomi anymore, but I need to give her proper closure. I promise I'llmake everything clear to her. This is the last time. You'll help your fiance, won't you?" He spoke slowly and solemnly.

At that point, I actually believed he and Naomi had ended things for good, so I stupidly kept helping him, time and time again.