Runaway Bride: Singles' Party With the Wrong Man

The moment I sent the message, every group chat blew up. People began speculating about why I had suddenly called off the wedding. After all, everyone knew how much it meant to me.Before long, my parents called. Mom's voice carried a trace of confusion and worry as she asked, "Nat, what's going on? Why did you suddenly call off the wedding? Did something happen?"I thought I had already grown numb, but the moment I heard my parents' voices, tears still welled up in my eyes. For my wedding, they had spent most of the savings they'd built over a lifetime. By most people's standards, the wedding I had planned for my fiancee, Olivia Smith, was already impressive.But she had expensive tastes and wanted everything to be the best. She demanded an extravagant reception, a custom-made wedding gown, and a diamond ring designed just for her. As someone at the very start of my career, the pressure was almost too much. Yet, Mom and Dad could see how much I loved Olivia. Without hesitatio

That was the tone Olivia always used after she did something wrong. And whenever she spoke in that soft, coaxing tone, my anger would vanish without a trace."Of course not," I replied coldly.It was the response of someone utterly disappointed. I realized there was no point in getting angry anymore. But Olivia didn't seem to notice anything amiss. Instead, she launched straight into her latest ideas. "Babe, thank you for being so understanding. I think we still need to refine some of the wedding details."She went on, "Aiden said we could do a helicopter bouquet drop. It wouldn't just make you look good—it would make us both look good in front of everyone. "Also, he said my custom wedding gown doesn't show off my figure well enough. Since the wedding's been postponed, maybe we should switch to another one?"Olivia babbled on and on over the phone. Her ideas were completely ridiculous, and every other sentence revolved around Aiden. A helicopter bouquet drop? Swapping out a c

Having said that, I threw all the luggage in front of Olivia, along with the half-used box of condoms I had found in the bedside drawer. I had never used that brand myself. As for who had, I didn't care to find out. When Olivia realized I was serious, a flicker of panic crossed her features. Her hands trembled as she reached for mine, but I avoided her touch. "Babe, what are you doing?" she began. "I was just joking. Don't take it so seriously. If you're upset about what happened yesterday, I'm sorry. Please don't do this to me."As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes, and she wore that same pitiful expression that I had seen countless times before. But this time, I wouldn't give in. "There's no point in apologizing. It's over between us."Olivia's eyes widened in disbelief, and tears streamed down her cheeks. "Nathaniel, we've been together for so many years. How can you be so cruel? It was just a small matter. Are you really going to throw away everything we've shared

Everyone in the office knew I was allergic to eggs. Yet, my partner of five years had no idea. Olivia's hands froze midair. Then, she turned to Ella, her eyes glinting with malice."Who are you? How do you know about that? I can see through your schemes. Nathaniel is an exceptional man, and any woman would have her eye on him. But don't forget your place," Olivia spat through gritted teeth.Ella was left speechless. People only realized the value of something once it was gone. Hearing Olivia admit that I was exceptional was something rare. Olivia was ready to tear into Ella once more, but I snapped, "Enough, Olivia! We're done. Don't come looking for me again."Disbelief crossed her features for a moment, then her hostility faltered. In the next instant, she stepped forward to take my hand, but I brushed her away."Babe, let's get back together. You've been angry at me for far too long. I promise I won't do anything stupid again," said Olivia.I looked at her, my eyes devoid

Just then, Olivia appeared, clutching a test result. The moment she laid eyes on me, she froze. The paper slipped from her hand and fell to the floor. I glanced down at it, only to realize she was pregnant. My chest clenched sharply. I had thought about having a child with her before, but she had always found some excuse to turn me down. And now, she was pregnant. Guilt flickered in her eyes, but it vanished just as quickly. Then, her voice took on a sharp edge as she spoke. "Nathaniel, what are you doing here? You were the one who said we were done, so why did you come all the way here after me?"She continued, "Could it be that you're not over me yet? Don't bother. I've thought it through and realized that Aiden is the one for me. Stop wasting your time."Olivia was as confident as ever, still seeing me as the lovesick fool I used to be. Since she wanted to be with Aiden, I wasn't about to interfere.Just as I was about to leave, she grabbed my arm. "Nathaniel, you've