Left Out in the Cold

Aria now carried herself as if she were above everyone else, demanding the best of everything.

She insisted I buy her the most expensive loungewear, the finest non-slip slippers, and the rarest health supplements.

Before leaving for work, I had to simmer chicken soup for her; after work, I was expected to present imported fruit the moment I stepped through the door. Even her drinking water had to be spring water.

As for my parents, they watched it all with indulgent smiles.

"Hurry up! If Aria or the baby in her belly suffers because of you, we'll hold you accountable!"

"Pathetic! You're not even a fraction of what Aria is!"

I didn't resist. For two days straight, I kept running myself ragged until finally, news broke of Alexander and Luna's grand wedding.

"Aria, look at this!" I called out.

Aria's brows furrowed sharply before she snapped at me. "Why are you screeching like that? Are you trying to kill me? What if you startled Mr. Moore's child?

"Move that phone away! It gives off radiation. Wealthy families take prenatal education seriously. If your phone harms my baby, my future in-laws may smile in my face, but deep down they won't forgive me!"

I listened to her tirade, fighting hard to keep a straight face. "Aria, Alexander's getting married. You might not get to meet those in-laws you keep talking about."

Her exaggerated expression froze in an instant. She collapsed onto the floor, stunned. "What did you say? He's getting married? That's impossible. I don't believe it. How could he do this to me?"

I dug my nails into my thigh to stop myself from laughing.

"See for yourself. The Moore family's heir is marrying Luna Summers. The funny thing is she came from a modest background, just like you. And she's also pregnant with Mr. Moore's baby."

Aria's face twisted with anger.

Radiation forgotten, she snatched my phone and held it inches from her eyes, reading and rereading the article.

Then, her fingers went slack. The phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a loud crack.

A moment later came the hysterical wail.

"How could Alexander do this to me? I'm pregnant with his child, just like she is! Why would he marry her instead of me?"

Our parents rushed in, but instead of comforting Aria, they immediately lunged for the fallen phone.

Once they saw the headline themselves, they, too, sank helplessly to the floor.

"All those rare delicacies, all for nothing! How could Alexander marry someone else?"

My stomach hurt from holding in my laughter.

They thought Alexander needed their permission to marry when he came from a family with a fortune beyond measure?

When their chorus of complaints finally died down, I pinched my thigh again and squeezed out a few tears.

"Aria, I just don't understand. Is he betraying you just because we were late to acknowledge our ties? This isn't fair. We can't let it end like this."

Aria's eyes were bloodshot, but at my words, a flicker of desperate hope lit up her vacant stare.

"You're right. We can't let it end like this. I've been carrying Alexander's baby, I've gained five pounds for him, and yet he…" She choked on her words and began to sob again.

Fearing she'd spiral deeper, I cut in quickly. "Mom, Dad, stop just standing there! Think of something! Are we really going to sit back and watch them throw the grand wedding while Aria gets left out in the cold?"

This Wedding Is Mine

Our parents stammered and couldn't find the words, but Aria's eyes cleared, as if someone had wiped the fog away.

She pushed herself up against the wall and stood slowly, voice firm and steady. "No. I can't just stand here and watch them get married. This was supposed to be my wedding."

Then, the tears came again, raw and loud.

I hurried forward and patted her shoulder gently. "Now's not the time to fall apart. Pull yourself together. Whatever you decide to do, I'll back you."

Under my urging, Aria's gaze hardened. Her hands clenched without her meaning to.

"I'm going to crash the wedding and take him back," she said.

I almost applauded. Of course, she had spent years devouring those CEO romance novels. Who would think like that normally?

My chest filled with a fierce kind of pride, but my face stayed outraged. "Aria, you're right. But what are we going to do now?"

She snorted, grabbed a coat, and flung open the front door with anger pouring off her.

"How dare that woman steal my wedding? Of course I'm going to take it back. I've heard Mr. Moore keeps a distance from other women, but that night, he was unusually warm with me.

"That means that woman must have impersonated me to get close. Today, in front of everyone, I'll expose that homewrecker who stole my identity."

She ran toward the gate, flagging down a car. I climbed into the back seat and flashed my phone at the driver. "Please hurry. My sister says she's Alexander Moore's true love. If we're late, she'll miss reclaiming her groom."

The driver looked at me like I was joking. "Your sister? Mr. Moore's wife, Luna, isn't just pretty; she used to be a top student too. You sure Mr. Moore likes your sister…"

He hesitated, unable to find a polite word, and swallowed it.

Aria had been pampered at home for days, treated like a queen and fed nothing but praise. Hearing the driver say she didn't measure up to Luna blew her fuse.

"What would a cab driver like you know? Mr. Moore and I truly love each other. He promised he'd only marry me. Now, I'm carrying his child, and he's marrying someone else.

"How can I stand for that? Drive! If I lose my shot at marrying into that family, you and I won't be finished."

The driver gaped at me. I tapped my forehead to signal that Aria had lost her mind. He gave me a helpless look, turned, and drove on in silence.

The whole ride was quiet except for Aria's frantic urging. The driver, not wanting to argue with a woman who'd clearly snapped, floored it and got us to the venue fast.

Fireworks lit the sky. Aria opened the car door and sprinted toward the ceremony as if love itself waited at the altar. I paid with a calm, methodical scan, then followed her.

When I reached the entrance, Aria was already in a shouting match with security.

"Let me in!" she demanded. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Ma'am, do you know whose wedding this is? Without an invitation, you can't just barge in. You'd be asking for trouble," one guard replied.

"Barge in? The person getting married in there is my man. I am Alexander's wife. I'm carrying his child. Let me in, or I'll make Alexander fire every one of you idiots."