Semua Bab The Bride Was Not Me: Bab 1 - Bab 9

I set the papers down and looked up, studying the girl sitting across from me.She was very young, pale, and a little too thin.My prolonged silence had clearly made her nervous.Anna Greenfield spoke carefully, her voice tentative. "Ms. Shaw, is there something wrong with the information I gave you?"I leaned back in my chair, my eyes drifting once more to the groom's name printed on the page."No. There's nothing wrong," I said. "I just thought the groom's name looked familiar."Anna lowered her head guiltily and denied it on instinct. "I-I don't think so. You must be mistaken. My boyfriend has never been married."The moment the words left her mouth, she realized what she had said. Her entire body stiffened.I lowered my gaze and let out a soft laugh.One casual sentence was all it took to scare her into exposing herself as a mistress. Victor's taste in women really was terrible.I pretended not to hear her slip. Tapping the venue photos with my finger, I smoothly steered

I never imagined he could be so cruel to his own son.In the video, Victor forced the child's limbs apart while Anna calmly drove needles into his small body. My son's cries grew weaker and weaker, and my heart hurt so badly it felt like I couldn't breathe. I wanted to smash through the screen and kill that vile man and woman with my own hands.Then, in the very next second, my phone rang.I answered, and Anna's shy, sugary voice came through the line. "Ms. Shaw, the wedding may need to be moved up. My future mother-in-law had the date specially chosen for us. We'll get married in three days. It's the perfect timing. It'll help us conceive a child in one go."Almost at the same time, Victor sent me a message.'Honey, my business trip got moved up. I might have to leave as early as tomorrow. You and the baby stay home. I'll bring you both presents.'I looked at the wallpaper on my phone, my son sleeping peacefully, his face soft and innocent, and suddenly, I smiled.Since my hu

Victor's anger vanished in an instant, replaced by sheer panic. He tried to force a smile, but it looked far worse than crying. "Vanessa… what are you doing here?"Before he could finish, fresh red paint dripped from above onto his face, making his feeble attempt at composure look utterly ridiculous.Anna stood frozen, hands instinctively clutching her lower belly, her face pale as paper. She glanced at me, then at Victor, unable to speak a single word.Olivia reacted first, plastering a nervous, flattering smile on her face. She lunged to grab my hand, but her foot landed in the spilled paint. With a harsh slip, she crashed to the floor.She struggled to rise, only to slip again on the slick paint, hitting the ground hard once more.The relatives who had just surrounded Anna with congratulations and sneaky jabs at me now lowered their heads, exchanging uneasy glances. The once-boisterous church fell into a stunned silence.Then, a sharp female voice cut through the quiet.It wa

My best friend looked at me, worry flickering in her eyes. "Vanessa, once you submit this, Victor won't be facing a light sentence. Are you sure? This could affect your son's future security clearances or any jobs requiring background checks."I took the file bag from her—heavy, almost as if it carried the weight of all the years of deceit.I gazed out the window at the bright sunlight, drew a deep breath, and let it out slowly."My mind's made up," I said, my voice steady. "My son will inherit wealth and a trust fund that most people can't even dream of in a lifetime. He doesn't need a father with a ruined name to give him any so-called love or connections."My friend nodded silently, offering no more objections.That afternoon, every piece of evidence against Victor was neatly submitted to the authorities.…Meanwhile, Anna, delayed in getting medical care, lost the baby.On the plane, Victor sat slumped, exhausted and brooding, replaying the chaos of the wedding and the mess

"Victor, listen carefully. I will never let my son know that he has a father as vile as you. His birth certificate will soon have a blank space where the father's name should be. His life does not need your stain."Victor looked as if he had been struck by lightning. The color drained from his face in an instant.Watching his despair, it suddenly occurred to me that he still had no idea what his so-called true love really was."Still, since you're being so devoted in your repentance, I'll share a piece of news with you. Anna confessed to everything. From the very beginning, she got close to you for your money. Oh, and that child of hers…"I paused on purpose, watching his expression tighten with sudden panic, then spoke slowly. "Based on the timeline and some chat records she carelessly left behind, the child wasn't yours at all.""That's impossible! You're lying!" Victor jerked his head up, his eyes bloodshot, as if he might break through the glass. "She loves me! She did all tha