Chapter 02~ A Deadly Choice

ALVINA

Gasps rippled the air.

The priest’s Bible slipped from his hands and thudded against the tiled floor. Vivienne took a step forward, like being there wasn't enough to understand what was actually going on. “What… what did you just say?” She stuttered in unbelief.

"You heard me right," he repeated with every confidence in him. "This young lady here, she is my fiancée. And she is carrying my child."

For a second, I forgot how to breathe. “Your what?” I croaked, shaking my head. “What are you talking about? I—I don’t even know you!”

But the man only smiled faintly, his gaze never leaving mine. “Oh, you do,” he said, almost whispering. “Even if you don’t remember, you do.”

The next thing, everyone was whispering.

Vivienne’s bouquet fell to the floor. I could see the roll of tears streaming down her eyes as she stared directly at Ethan. “Ethan, please—tell me this is a joke. Tell me this is one of those silly play you always make.”

He looked at her, his face wearing a mean expression I didn't see coming. "Why would I be joking with you in a church?"

"You..." she pointed at him. "You knew this would happen, why then did you approve this wedding?" She questioned. "Why didn't you say it to my face from the start that there's another before me?"

"Because I didn't think it was necessary." I hated that he had to be this mean to her. "And like I earlier said, I thought I could spend the rest of my life with you. I guess I was wrong."

She frowned. "So, you're going to leave me... just like that?"

"I'm sorry, Vivienne. I have to."

Poor Vivienne stood frozen, like her world had suddenly come to an end. She broke into tears, falling to the ground. Women ran towards her, pulling her into a tight hug. I wish I could convince her, every single one of them, that none of this was real. But what can I say? They already believe a little lie at a go.

Then facing the crowd, he said. “There’s no need for unnecessary drama,” he said calmly, but his deep voice echoed the church. “This ceremony is over.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“I’m sorry to everyone who came here to celebrate this union,” he continued, unbothered by the chaos he’d caused. “I didn’t plan for things to turn out this way, but… it is what it is.” His gaze flickered back to me, that unreadable look in his eyes making my stomach twist.

I just sat there, numb. My heart raced, and all I could hear was the thunder of whispers that surrounded me. I didn’t even understand what was happening. How had my attempt to hide turned into this? Why was he doing this to me?

Then, to make everything worse, he was standing right before me. He bent slightly with a soft expression, like he was enjoying what was happening. “Come on, darling,” he said, his voice deceptively tender. “It’s time we go home.”

Home? “No,” I blurted out, shaking my head. “No, no, no—you’re mistaken. I’m not going anywhere with you!

This was becoming more real than I thought. Vivienne's voice grew louder, like she was going to rip the roof if she kept wailing. Annoying enough, the bastard before me didn’t even flinch.

"Please!" Vivienne yelled. "You're not doing this to me, Ethan. You're not leaving me for her, are you? After all we've been through together? After all the pain and happiness, you want to trade it off to her like none of that meant anything to you?"

"Calm down, Vi," I heard her mother say, tapping her back gently. "Everything is going to be alright."

"No, mom," she cried the more. "Don't tell me that. After years of hoping, and now I have finally gotten it, you want me to live like nothing happened?"

I was expecting a sign of remorse – pain, guilt, or anything that can make him change his mind. Rather, he stood straight, those cold gray eyes still fixed on me.

“There’s no need to deny it, Sweetheart,” he said to me, like whatever going on behind him remained behind him. “You and I both know the truth.”

“The truth?” I repeated, almost laughing in disbelief. “What truth? Excuse you, stop framing me for something I have no idea of!”

He took a step closer, his presence suffocating. “You really want to play that game, do you?” His voice dropped to a whisper that only I could hear. “Because it’s either you go home with me now… or you go home with them," he said even without looking at the men behind me. "And we both know what they’ll do when they do.”

My body froze at that moment. He knew, didn't he? He must have been paying attention to what was going on.

“How—” I started, but he cut me off again, his expression hardening as he reached out a hand toward me.

“Your choice, darling,” he said softly, but the warning in his voice was enough to ring signals. “You can walk out of here as my fiancée… or you walk out as their prey.”