Chapter 3 A Wedding That Was Never Mine

As I drank in his sanctimonious expression, I couldn't help but let out a mocking laugh. "Didn't you just say the house was too small? I'm making space for you now."

Ethan froze for a moment, his brows knitting together as irritation and warning flashed across his eyes. "Nicole, don't you think you're overdoing it? I've been exhausted dealing with the company's IPO. I don't have time to entertain your tantrums.

"Where can you even go after leaving me? Back to the farmers' market to run your food truck?"

Before he could finish, Daisy came stumbling over, one hand on her belly. She was even wearing my silk nightgown.

Her eyes were red, her expression pitiful. "Nicole… are you upset because of me? You know what? You're right. It's all my fault. I should've just died earlier. I can't be a burden anymore. If it'll stop you two from arguing, I can give up the baby and leave the house right away…"

Ethan fell for it immediately. A trace of pity flickered in his eyes. Still, that pity turned into nothing but scorn and disgust when he looked at me. "Nicole, look at how considerate Daisy is and then look at you!"

He supported Daisy, putting on a conflicted yet helpless expression as he coaxed her. "If you insist on leaving, then go. The house can't keep turning into a battlefield because of you every day. Let's take a breather for a few days to cool off."

As he spoke, he pulled out a black card from his wallet and forced it into my hand. "Take it. Don't let yourself suffer out there. Come back once you've calmed down."

I looked down at the card, nausea churning in my stomach. The next second, I flung it straight at his face and turned to leave without another word.

The night rain was icy as I dragged my suitcase through the cold wind.

Before I left, I took one last look at the house. The wooden plaque we had made together when we first moved in, engraved with the words Happy Home, still hung by the door. Now, it felt like a slap across my face. The words might as well be mocking my pitiful state.

The rain grew heavier, soaking into my bones.

A street vendor selling chowder noticed how drenched I was and sighed, pressing a warm pot into my hands. "Miss, it's freezing out here. Things might be hard, you've got to have something warm to keep going."

My eyes stung slightly as I held the steaming chowder. Even a stranger could offer kindness. Yet, the Taylors, whom I had given everything to for five years, were nothing but heartless ingrates.

I swallowed the bitterness in my throat, found a budget hotel nearby, and checked in. That very night, I contacted a lawyer and had a divorce agreement drafted.

The next morning, I went to a real estate agency and listed the small apartment I had bought years ago. It was my final clean break from this city.

The rain started pouring again just after I signed the contract. I hastily clutched the documents to my chest as I hurried under the awning of a private hospital to take shelter.

A familiar luxury car pulled up at the steps. Sure enough, Ethan stepped out, carefully helping Daisy down. Meanwhile, Mabel hovered beside them, holding an umbrella with exaggerated attentiveness.

Daisy spotted me immediately, her gaze landing on the contract in my hand as she exclaimed, "Nicole? What are you doing here? Don't tell me you've fallen so far that you have to sell your house? You look awful. Did you really spend the night on the streets?"

Mabel rolled her eyes and spat in disdain, "Disgusting. The cheek of you to keep haunting us like a ghost. You even followed us here to put on this miserable act. If you're trying to force my son to take you back, then you can forget it!"

Ethan walked over with an impatient frown written all over his face. "Nicole, how long are you going to keep this up? If you think playing hard to get will make me give up on Daisy and the baby, you're delusional.

"Consider the money from selling your house as pocket money, I'll buy you a new one later."

He looked at me with what he clearly thought was affection mixed with resignation. "The wedding is in three days, at St. Alban's Cathedral in the western suburbs. I've been swamped with work and wedding preparations.

"If you still have any sense, you should come home and help. Stop making things harder for me, alright?"

As I gazed at this self-righteous face before me, I suddenly had nothing left to say.

Back when we were so poor we could only squeeze into a tiny rental, I used to watch brides holding weddings in churches with envy. I had once joked, "Listen, I'm an angel sent from heaven, so you have to treat me well. One day, I want to have my wedding there."

Ethan had pulled me into his arms, his eyes red rimmed as he swore, "Nicole, I'll give you the grandest wedding in that church."

Now, the church was still there. There would still be a grand wedding as well.

Alas, I was no longer the bride.

Apparently, he took my silence as an invitation as he kept nattering on, "Nicole, behave, alright? Daisy isn't even holding this against you anymore. She's even inviting you to the wedding."

I lifted my head and met his utterly selfish gaze. "Alright. I'll stop."

Ethan visibly relaxed. I could see his lips quirking into a self-satisfied smile, but I quickly put a stop to that when I continued evenly, "I'll have a special gift prepared for you two on your wedding day."

Before he could process my words, I spun on my heel and walked into the rain without a trace of hesitation.

The moment I turned away, my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a message from my father.

"Nicole, I'll arrive with my men in three days. I'll be meeting your partner for the first time. Do you think I should get him a gift?"