Congrats, ‘Daddy’! Just Kidding—My BFF Stole You, I Got the Abortion Chapter 01

Congrats, ‘Daddy’! Just Kidding—My BFF Stole You, I Got the Abortion Chapter 01

The night my boyfriend proposed, I somehow called him. Five years into the future.

I’m sitting there. Ring on my finger. Can’t stop smiling.

Telling him about the fireworks. The proposal. How perfect tonight was.

He just listens. Doesn’t say anything.

Then I hear her. This breathy little moan in the background.

I freeze. Then laugh it off. “Wait—is that ME? Oh my god, do I sound like that? Are we happy? Please tell me we’re happy.”

He still doesn’t answer. Just flips the camera.

And there she was. My bestie. In OUR bed. Under him.

I couldn’t look away. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.

He turns the camera back. Still catching his breath.

“Yeah. Fucked her an hour after I proposed.”

“So now past-you knows, Sloane. Stay and play mistress, or get the fuck out. Your call.”

—

“Your call.”

Those words were still ringing in my ears when the call dropped.

I just sat there, could still see him on one knee from a few hours ago.

My hand just kept twisting the ring, round and round.

I didn’t believe it.

Holden and I’ve known each other for twenty years. He’s been following me around since we were six.

No way he’d cheat on me.

I tried calling him. Wouldn’t go through.

Called Joelle. First time, no answer.

Second time, straight to voicemail.

I grabbed my jacket and drove to her place.

Got to her apartment building, saw her lights were still on.

She gave me a spare key ages ago, said I could come over whenever.

I walked up to her door, stood there in the hallway.

Two pairs of shoes by the door—hers and a pair of men’s dress shoes.

Custom ones. Three hours ago when Holden got down on one knee, those were the exact shoes I was staring at.

The hallway was dead quiet.

Except my phone buzzed. New message from future Holden.

“You’re at her place, aren’t you? Forget it. Just flip over your ring and look inside.”

My fingers went stiff.

Then slowly took the ring off, held my phone light up to the inside.

Tiny engraving: J&H, forever.

Joelle and Holden.

Not S&H.

Sloane and Holden.

I slid down to the floor, clutching that ring.

Texted future him, hands shaking so bad I could barely type.

“Why the fuck is her name on MY ring?”

Took forever for him to reply.

“‘Cause I was gonna propose to her first. Then figured you’d make a better wife. Didn’t have time to get the ring re-engraved.”

Felt like I got punched in the stomach.

All I could think about was tonight—fireworks going off, Holden down on one knee, Joelle up front just losing it, mascara everywhere.

I grabbed her hand and said thank you for being happy for me.

She just cried harder.

Yeah. That wasn’t happy crying.

I buried my face in my knees and just laughed. Sounded insane.

Stumbled back home around 2 a.m.

Holden was already there, sound asleep.

I just stood there looking at him.

Six to twenty-six. Known this dude my whole life.

I put the ring on the nightstand and sat on the couch all night.

Morning came, he woke up and saw the ring.

Picked it up, stared at it a minute, then walked over and put it back on.

Leaned down and kissed my forehead.

“Why’d you take it off? I told you when I put this on—don’t ever take it off.”

A tear came down my face. He wiped it away with his thumb, smiled.

“Happy tears?”

I just looked down. Didn’t say anything.

That night I texted future him.

[so when did you guys first hook up]

He hit me back pretty quick.

[same night i proposed to you. remember i said i had to go deal with work stuff? went straight to her place]

[and yeah. never stopped]

Felt like I was gonna puke.

That night after he proposed, he told me he had to run back to the office real quick. I was annoyed as hell.

Then Joelle texts me: [sloane dont be sad ok. just go to bed. hes working so hard for you]

I even texted back: [thanks jo]