Chapter 5

Eleanor arranged her features into a poised, chilling smile.

"Lauren, you're a bright young woman. Couples fight---that's normal. But don't use an innocent baby and your future marriage as bargaining chips in a petty game."

Her smile vanished, her eyes turning razor-sharp.

"Take my advice: know your place, and don't stray down the wrong path."

Know your place.

Those words hit me like needles, piercing straight through my chest.

Five years of relentless devotion to the Vance family, and that was their final judgment of my character.

I stood up.

"Eleanor, this isn't a petty game."

"I am officially informing you that the wedding is off."

"I've already notified my side of the family. As for your guests, you can handle them yourselves."

I turned and walked toward the grand double doors.

Behind me, the sharp crash of fine porcelain shattering echoed across the marble floor.

I didn't flinch, nor did I look back.

Chloe's shrill voice trailed after me. "See that? The more you try to reason with her, the more dramatic she gets! Classic histrionic personality disorder..."

Julian called out to his parents, his tone dripping with arrogant certainty. "Mom, Dad, just let her go. Once she gets tired of playing the martyr, she'll come back and apologize."

Come back? Apologize?

Not this time.

Not ever again.

With five days left until my monitoring procedure, I moved back into my parents' home.

When they learned the wedding was off and that I was at risk of losing the pregnancy, they didn't utter a single word of blame.

They had watched me suffer in silence for five long years. They knew the toll it had taken.

Within hours, my parents had contacted all our relatives to cancel their travel plans, moving faster than I ever expected.

Meanwhile, the wedding planner, photographers, and catering company kept blowing up my phone.

When I told them the wedding was canceled, they were thoroughly confused.

"Wait, but Mr. Vance hasn't canceled anything. He instructed us to proceed as planned..."

"He paid the deposit, so you can answer to him. But you do not need to contact me again," I replied.

I hung up.

That evening, Chloe posted a poll in our mutual Snapchat group chat.

The title was bold and humiliating: Taking bets: How many days until Lauren crawls back?

The options were: 1 Day, 1 Week, 1 Month.

Over twenty mutual friends had already voted, almost unanimously selecting 1 Day.

I scrolled through the names. Julian hadn't voted, but he hadn't told her to take it down either.

I tapped Leave Group.

A few minutes later, Chloe added me right back.

Don't be shy, Lauren! If you're brave enough to put on a show, why are you afraid of an audience?

I exited the group permanently and blocked both Chloe and Julian across all platforms.

Tomorrow was supposed to be our wedding day.

It was also the day of my emergency procedure.

Everything was finally coming to an end.

The next morning, my parents and I arrived at the hospital just as Julian's fleet of bridal luxury cars pulled up outside my parents' apartment building.

Julian rang the doorbell repeatedly, but no one answered.

Chloe stood beside him, dressed in a sharp black tailored suit, playing the part of his best woman.

"Called it! She's still putting on a show on the actual wedding day!" Chloe scoffed. "She's playing the runaway bride trope to perfection."

Julian frowned, pulling out his phone to dial my number.

It went straight to voicemail.

He sent a text, only for a red exclamation mark to pop up instantly.

Chloe smirked. "Don't panic! She's definitely hiding somewhere nearby, watching you. She's waiting until you get desperate enough to beg, and then she'll make her grand entrance!"

Julian's frustration boiled over. His attendants and business associates were all watching. This was a direct slap to his pride.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

He answered immediately, snapping in fury, "Lauren, have you lost your damn mind? Where the hell are you?"

The voice on the other end sputtered in shock.

"Julian, it's Lucas!"

Lucas's voice was breathless with panic.

"I just saw Lauren at the hospital! She's hemorrhaging! Dr. Evelyn Harper, the Chief of OB/GYN, is personally taking her into surgery! They just wheeled her into the OR!"

Julian froze, his mind momentarily going blank.

Chloe jumped up instantly, waving her arms.

"It's fake! She specifically picked today of all days to have a medical emergency? How melodramatic can she get?!"