Mom, Dad’s Getting Married Today. My Anniversary Call From The Future Chapter 04

Mom, Dad’s Getting Married Today. My Anniversary Call From The Future Chapter 04

Behind me, Rory started to follow—but Lena grabbed his arm.

I didn’t stay to hear what came next.

My phone rang. Ruby.

She was trying not to cry. “Mom, are you okay?”

I took a breath and forced a smile into my voice.

“I’m fine. At least now I know who they really are. I’m going home tomorrow to spend time with your grandparents.”

But the next morning, before I could leave, my phone rang again.

The hospital.

“Ms. Hale? Your parents were brought in this morning. It’s urgent. Please come as soon as possible.”

I ran.

On the way, the doctor told me what happened.

My mother had been pushed at the market—her leg was broken.

My father had a heart attack after seeing something online.

He was still in surgery.

I opened my phone.

Trending. The headline hit me like a punch.

#Teacher’s Daughter Exposed as Mistress#

Lena had posted a long statement on Instagram, using Rory’s company to give it weight.

She painted me as the woman who’d broken up her marriage.

My photo. My workplace. My parents’ school. All of it—doxxed.

The comments were brutal.

“Her parents are teachers? No wonder she turned out like this.”

“She should be fired.”

“Parents, demand the school take action.”

I felt sick. I’d dragged my parents into this.

At the hospital, I found the doctor.

“How are they?”

His face was grim. “Your mother’s leg is set. She’ll recover.”

“But your father needs surgery—and with follow-up care, you’re looking at about two hundred thousand. Start preparing.”

Two hundred thousand.

I looked at my bank balance. My hands went cold.

Then Rory called.

His voice was calm, almost kind. “I heard about your parents, Maren. I can’t just stand by.”

“If you apologize to Lena publicly—admit you were the one who came between us—I’ll cover the medical bills.”

“And I’ll make the online backlash go away.”

The fluorescent lights buzzed above me.

I thought about my father on that operating table.

I bit down hard on my lip and swallowed what was left of my pride.

“Fine. I’ll do it.”

He sounded satisfied.

I found a corner and started a livestream.

The moment I went live, people flooded in.

I looked into the camera and bowed my head.

“I’m Maren. I was wrong to insert myself into someone else’s marriage.”

“I want to formally apologize to Ms. Park.”

The comments exploded.

“Finally she admits it.”

“Homewrecker.”

Rory’s friends piled on.

“Lena waited years for this apology.”

“Lena is Rory’s real wife. Hope she finally backs off.”

Then Gemma commented: “I’ve been her friend for ten years. I tried to warn her, but she wouldn’t listen. I really did my best.”

I closed the stream.

Twenty thousand hit my account.

Rory sent a voice message. His tone was almost gentle.

“You didn’t have to go through this, Maren. You forced my hand by showing up at Lena’s party. I just had to teach you a small lesson.”

“I know you love me. We can still go back to how things were.”

I bit down hard and didn’t make a sound.

He added: “Your parents have their pride. Think about that next time.”

I closed my eyes, hatred churning in my chest.

The man who used to bring my parents supplements during the holidays and go with them to their checkups—

now he was using their lives to threaten me.

I paid the bill. Then I went to see my father.

When I reached his room, Gemma and Lena were already there.

They were standing over his bed, playing my apology video on a loop.

“Look at what your daughter did. This is who she really is.”