He Set Me Up at the Wedding, I Took Him Down Chapter 04

He Set Me Up at the Wedding, I Took Him Down Chapter 04

Lies.

“Only twenty days left until we get married. I’ll stay home with you every second. Make you my most beautiful bride. Okay?”

But Jaxon, there is no “us” anymore.

He brushed the tears off my face with his thumb.

When those almond eyes looked at you, you’d think he was the most devoted man alive.

“I’m going out for a smoke. Then we’ll check out.”

Jaxon trusted me too much.

Or maybe he just didn’t care. He was only going through with the act his friends had suggested.

So I picked up his phone—messages kept popping up.

The password was my birthday.

I’d always known it, but I’d never checked.

I unlocked it.

A contact named PeachBlossom had sent dozens of messages.

They’d added each other yesterday.

[Jaxon, come home late. Rest well!]

[Heard you’re getting married. Can you send me an invitation? I want to share your happiness!]

[I saw you holding your stomach at the airport. Are you okay]

[I made millet congee overnight for your stomach! Praise me!]

He didn’t reply to any of the earlier ones—only the last.

He wrote:[ Send it to this address.]

I glanced at the pink thermos on the table. Nausea hit me again.

More messages from the girl.

[Are you sick? Can I stay at the hospital with you?]

[I’ll make more congee when you finish.]

[Take care of yourself.]

[I sat in the lobby all night. My legs are numb. My period hurts so bad.]

I locked the phone, marked the messages unread, and climbed out of bed.

In the lobby, I saw Jaxon.

And the girl from yesterday.

I stood apart, watching them laugh and talk.

The girl gestured excitedly, her ponytail bouncing.

She pouted and touched her stomach, and Jaxon reached out and ruffled her hair.

For a second, I felt like the other woman—peeking in on someone else’s life.

Kissing her last night, ruffling her hair today.

Jaxon really seemed to like her.

Why wouldn’t he?

Who wouldn’t love someone who loved them quietly, selflessly, with their whole world centered on you?

I smiled bitterly to myself.

I turned the corner—and ran into Kian Voss.

He stepped out of the shadows, his gaze dark as he stared at Jaxon.

“This is who you chose over me?”

I looked straight at him. “

Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Chloe, why did you stop chasing me?”

I thought it was ridiculous. Hadn’t ten years been enough?

Ever since I let him go, he’d been showing up everywhere.

He probably didn’t even love me. Like Jaxon, he just couldn’t stand losing.

“Are you still going to marry him, even after this?” Kian asked.

I curled my lip. “Mind your own business.”

“I gave up on you a long time ago. I really, truly never want to see you again.”

I walked past him.

Kian said. “Even if he’s with someone else?”

It did matter.

I pressed a hand to my chest.

It hurt.

But I knew the pain would fade.

Only twenty more days, Chloe. Just hold on.

On the way home with Jaxon, I told him I’d accidentally ruined my custom wedding dress.

“Does this mean something bad is going to happen?”

I watched his face closely.

He frowned slightly, then turned to hold my hand, smiling gently as always. “

We’ll go pick out a new one tomorrow, okay?”

That dress had taken six months to make, designed by my favorite artist—one of a kind.

It had arrived a week earlier. I’d tried it on and it fit perfectly. Jaxon had been gone, so he never saw me in it.

I didn’t want it anymore.

Regret? I felt none.

You want to play games, Jaxon? We’ve only just started.