After four years of dating and six months of engagement, the eve of my wedding had finally arrived. In a moment of both curiosity and dread, I used the key pendant that my boyfriend, Hudson Reid always wore around his neck to unlock his safe. What I found inside shattered my heart: countless photos of my best friend, Harper Davidson, chronicling her journey from youthful innocence to graceful maturity. My breath caught in my throat as a wave of heartache washed over me. Each image revealed the depth of his feelings for her—feelings I had never fully acknowledged.
Clutching the photos to my chest, I rushed to the hotel where our wedding was set to take place, panic fueling my steps. But nothing could have prepared me for what I encountered upon arrival. There, in the glow of the soft lights, Hudson was kneeling before Harper, his eyes brimming with adoration as he proposed to her.
"Harper, marry me," he declared passionately. "For you, I'm willing to defy the world and show everyone that you're my true love!"
Tears blurred my vision, each drop a testament to my heartache. If Harper was his true love, then what was I? My hand trembled as I grasped the door handle, but slowly I released it. I would rather face the storm alone than seek shelter under an umbrella that wasn’t meant for me. If their love was genuine, then this wedding should rightfully be theirs. With that thought in mind, I turned and slipped away quietly, my heart heavy but resolute.
Later, I could hear Hudson searching for me frantically, but by then, I was already gone.
——
He and Harper stood together beneath the dazzling lights, the electric ambiance with anticipation. I watched from a distance as tears streamed down Harper's face, her joy palpable as she accepted his proposal.
"Hudson, I will," she whispered, and in that moment, I knew I had made the right choice.
In the five years I’d known Hudson, I had never seen him so radiant. He slid a sparkling diamond ring onto Harper’s finger, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"I’ve waited for this day for so long, Harper. My Harper."
Their kiss was passionate, a fervent seal on their commitment. My gaze fell to the modest sterling silver ring on my own finger—the one Hudson had given me with promises of an upgrade once my mother’s medical treatment was sorted out. He had insisted we save money for her care, and I had trusted him, clinging to the hope of a brighter future. But now, as I watched their love unfold, the truth crashed over me like a cold wave. He had been living a double life, and I was the one left in the shadows, unaware and heartbroken.
Harper hesitated, her brow furrowing with concern. “Hudson, aren’t we being unfair to Aubrey?”
Hudson gently stroked her back, his expression calm. “It’s precisely because we’ve been together for five years that I’m determined to marry you. After everything we’ve been through, I don’t want to leave any regrets behind. As for Aubrey, I’ve done my part. I’ve taken her and her mother to hospitals across the country. I’ve done everything I could for her.”
“But what if she finds out?” Harper’s voice wavered, a hint of worry creasing her brow.
Hudson met her gaze with unwavering confidence. “She loves me too much,” he assured her. “Even if she discovers the truth, I can easily talk her down. She’s too soft-hearted to walk away from me.”
Harper laughed softly, but unease lingered in her eyes. “But your parents don’t approve of me, especially since I’ve been married before.”
“Don’t worry about them,” Hudson reassured her, his voice steady. “The wedding will go on as planned, and I’ll declare in front of everyone that you’re my wife. Once it’s done, my parents will have no choice but to accept it. And Aubrey… she’ll simply fade away.”
Every word felt like a dagger to my heart, each one driving deeper into my chest. Hudson had orchestrated this betrayal with chilling precision. I stumbled back, tears blurring my vision. As I turned to flee, I collided with a waiter carrying a tray of boiling water. The scalding liquid splashed across my arm, but I didn’t cry out. Apologies rang in my ears as I dashed away, my arm burning, yet my heart felt numbed.
Once home, I locked myself in my room and dialed Dr. Morris at the Cancer Hospital. “Dr. Morris, this is Aubrey, Lucy Shaw’s daughter. I’ve decided to sign up for the overseas Phase II clinical trial program.”
There was a brief pause on the line. “But didn’t your mother want to wait for Phase III?”
“She did,” I replied, my voice steady despite the storm raging within me. “But the wedding is off, and my mother’s health is the priority now.”
After a moment, Dr. Morris responded gently, “I had my suspicions about your fiancé. He didn’t seem very concerned during your visits. It’s better this way, Aubrey.”
As soon as I hung up, my phone buzzed again. It was Hudson.
“Aubrey, the wedding venue is set. When will you come to check it out? If there’s anything that needs changing, I’ll call the planner right away.”
I inhaled deeply, summoning my strength. “Hudson, I know everything. I saw the photos, and I witnessed your proposal to Harper. The wedding is off. Please don’t contact me again.”
Silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating. Then, his voice, tinged with regret, broke through. “I’m sorry, Aubrey. I never meant to hurt you.”
With tears streaming down my face, I hung up. It was time to shift my focus back to my mother’s health and reclaim my life, free from the shadows of deceit that had clouded my heart.
Chapter 2“Hudson...”
As soon as I spoke, my voice cracked, heavy with the weight of unspoken emotions. The wedding venue, undeniably adorned with Harper's tastes, felt like a cruel reminder of my insignificance in this entire charade. Yet, Hudson had the audacity to ask if I liked it, his tone dripping with feigned sincerity.
For five years, I had never imagined Hudson could be so hypocritical. To the outside world, he was the perfect, considerate man. I had never envisioned he would betray me. But what cut deeper was the realization that the person he had cheated with was my best friend, Harper.
He knew we had ended our friendship. He was aware that it was her parents who had pressured my father to his death. He had often shared my disdain for the Davidson family. And now, as I stared at the crumpled photographs in my hands, everything began to fall into place.
Hudson and Harper had been childhood friends, but she had never lacked attention from men. Hudson lingered in the background, always her backup. During college, Harper cycled through boyfriends like outfits, yet Hudson was never one of them. Instead, he turned to me, using our connection as a way to gather information about her. He only agreed to get engaged to me after learning that Harper had married into a wealthy family. Now that she was divorced, he saw his chance once more.
Noticing the shift in my demeanor, Hudson leaned in with concern. “Aubrey, are you crying? Is it about your mother? I promise, once we’re married, we’ll take her to the best hospital in New York.”
If I hadn’t witnessed him propose to Harper with my own eyes, I might have been swayed by his words again. But now, realizing they wanted to use my pain to fuel their love story, I decided to play along—let’s see who ends up embarrassed.
I swallowed the rage bubbling inside me and replied as calmly as I could, "I won’t come over. I like everything you’ve done." I could hear the satisfaction in Hudson's voice as he hummed in response. "Aubrey, I ran into Harper earlier. She heard your mom was sick and insisted on coming to visit her at the hospital."
"Pack up. We’ll pick you up soon," he added.
I felt a surge of defiance. I wasn’t about to let Harper anywhere near my mother again. But before I could voice my protest, Hudson had already hung up. I called him back, but there was no answer. With a deep breath, I went to the kitchen, packed the soup I had prepared earlier, slung my bag over my shoulder, and hurried out.
Before leaving, I returned to my bedroom to stash the crumpled photos back into the safe. When I got downstairs, Hudson's car was already parked on the street. From a distance, I could see Harper sitting inside, the door slightly ajar.
As I approached, Hudson's head appeared from beneath Harper's legs. The moment our eyes met, I noticed him holding her ankle. He quickly offered an excuse. "Harper’s foot was scraped. I was just putting a band-aid on it." Harper hurriedly withdrew her leg, blushing yet proud. "Aubrey, you’re so lucky. Hudson is always so thoughtful."
Their smiles radiated affection, a blatant display that cut through me like a knife. Were they really that eager to flaunt their relationship in front of me?
Standing there, watching them, I felt a deep, gnawing pain, as if my heart were being crushed in a vice. I gripped the lunch box tightly in my hand, forcing myself to stay calm. My voice trembled with barely contained fury as I pointed at Harper. "Why is she coming to see my mother? Don’t you know she can’t handle being provoked like this again? Get her out of the car!"
Harper's smirk faltered, quickly replaced by a facade of innocence. "Aubrey, don’t blame Hudson. I insisted on coming to see your mom. I’ve always wanted to apologize for what my parents did. I hope you can forgive me."
"Never!" I shouted, losing all semblance of control. "The only way you could ever repay us is if your parents drop dead to make up for my father’s life! That’s the only way you’ll deserve forgiveness!" In a surge of rage, I grabbed her hair, yanking her down toward me.
This car—my father had left it to me—and she dared to sit in it? Hudson reacted instantly, grabbing my wrist and twisting it painfully until I released my grip. He shoved me to the ground, the lunch box tumbling from my hands, its contents spilling out like my shattered composure. My already burned arm scraped against the rough pavement, tearing the skin open and drawing fresh blood.
It was clear. Hudson had chosen his side. He stood defiantly between me and Harper, glaring with a mixture of anger and protectiveness. "Aubrey, are you out of your mind? What do your family’s issues have to do with Harper? Why can’t you stop being so unreasonable?"
He pulled Harper into his arms, framing me as the villain in this twisted narrative. Fury surged through me, fueling my glare at them both. "If it wasn’t for her shallow obsession with luxury, my father would never have been framed by her parents. He wouldn’t have had to jump from that building to prove his innocence!" I spat, my voice raw with grief. "You were there, Hudson! You witnessed how horrifically he died! You swore you’d never forgive them!"
Hudson's expression twisted in irritation. "Do you plan on living in hatred forever? What kind of life is that? The dead are gone, Aubrey. Can’t you move on and find some peace?"
"Harper’s trying to make amends! Why are you being so ungrateful and cruel?"
"Ungrateful?" I choked, incredulous. "You think my father’s death was his fault? That he was weak?"
The realization struck me like a freight train. I had never truly known this man. The one I had spent five years loving was now a stranger, and a profound emptiness settled in my chest, as if something within me had finally shattered.
I no longer had the strength to argue. The fight, the love, the pain—it all felt pointless. I reached for the lunch box on the ground, then extended my hand to Hudson. "Of course, you can stand on your moral high ground—you’re not the one who lost your family. Now give me the keys. I’ll go to the hospital on my own."
Hudson’s gaze fell to my bloodied arm, concern flickering across his face. "Aubrey, how did you hurt your arm? You can’t drive like this. Let me take you."
But just then, Harper dramatically swooned, collapsing to the ground. Hudson rushed to her side without hesitation, cradling her in his arms. "Harper, what’s wrong?"
Weakly, she pressed a hand to her forehead. "I feel lightheaded. It’s probably my low blood sugar."
Without missing a beat, Hudson pulled a piece of candy from his pocket, peeling it open and feeding it to her. "There’s a restaurant up ahead. I’ll get you something to eat."
He carried her off, leaving me standing there, abandoned and numb.
I watched them disappear, an unexpected calm settling over me. That was it. I realized, in that moment, I stopped loving him.
With a deep breath, I pulled out my spare key, got into the car, and drove away.
Chapter 3Before entering the ward, I asked the nurse to bandage my wound. When my mother saw the bumpy lunch box and my forearm wrapped in gauze, tears of heartache filled her eyes. I smiled and wiped them away, trying to comfort her. "It's okay, Mom. It’s just a fall. Every time you fall, you learn a lesson—you won’t fall again next time."
Despite my reassurances, Mom wasn’t in a good mood and fell asleep shortly after dinner.
In the afternoon, Hudson visited the hospital. He settled next to me, wrapping his arm around my waist as if nothing had happened. "You were too impulsive today, hitting people like that. I apologized to Harper on your behalf. She doesn’t blame you anymore."
I rolled my eyes, too exhausted to argue. "I always thought you were a generous person. Harper even said she’s willing to do anything to help make peace between you and your mom."
Hudson sighed, his voice laced with frustration. "If you could avoid seeing each other, I wouldn’t push this, but your families’ old houses are next to each other. You’ll run into her every day."
"She also wants to attend our wedding, and I agreed with you. This could be a chance for our families to reconcile. Her parents are willing to help with your mom’s care, too."
I realized then that Hudson no longer belonged to me, and arguing would be pointless. With only five days left before I’d be gone, I decided to play along. "Okay, I’ll do whatever you say."
Hudson was taken aback, clearly not expecting my compliance. His eyebrows lifted in surprise before a smile broke across his face. "Good. Aubrey, the company’s really busy lately. I’ll have to leave on a three-day business trip. You can go pick out the wedding photos yourself."
"Yeah, okay."
"Just rent the wedding dress you like. You’ll only wear it for one day anyway—no need to buy one. Save the money for your mom’s treatment."
"Okay."
"Once the wedding’s over, we’ll get the marriage certificate and choose a good date."
"Okay."
Hudson rattled off a list of instructions, detailing every role I had to play. Then, leaning in, he kissed me on the forehead and said, "Aubrey, when I get back, I’ll give you a wedding you’ll never forget!"
I scoffed inwardly. If I didn’t already know the truth, I would’ve felt humiliated and abandoned on my wedding day, reduced to mere cannon fodder in their celebration of love. It truly would’ve been unforgettable.
As Hudson finished speaking, he hurried out, eager to leave as if staying even a moment longer would burden him. Not a single word of concern for me or my mother was offered.
Once he was gone, I sat there in a daze. My mother stirred awake, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Aubrey, you and Hudson..."
Thank God she hadn’t overheard the name "Harper."
"We’re fine. Hudson said he’d give me an unforgettable wedding."
"But we have to fly abroad that day, so we’ll be pressed for time. You don’t need to come. You can watch the live stream instead."
My mother sighed, her hand reaching for mine, her expression tinged with sadness. "Is it my illness that’s holding you back…?"
I knew my emotions weighed heavily on her. She couldn’t bear any more stress. With a smile, I squeezed her hand reassuringly. "No, Mom. The wedding date is just approaching, and I’m a little nervous."
As I picked up my phone to schedule an appointment with the studio to select the wedding photos, a notification caught my eye. I opened it and was greeted by a status update from Harper.
It was a photo of her and Hudson, accompanied by two plane tickets to Bali. The caption read: The happiest thing in the world is going to a dreamlike place with the one you love to take beautiful wedding photos.
After ending my friendship with Harper, I had deleted all her contact information. I didn’t use social media much anymore, and it slipped my mind that I was still following her through an old college account I had set up to chase after my favorite male idols. I hadn’t thought to clean it up.
Chapter 4I made an appointment to select the wedding photos the next morning. As the woman assisting me in the studio noticed Hudson's absence, she asked, "Why didn’t Hudson come with you for such an important occasion?"
I responded blankly, "He’s dead, and his body is torn apart."
Her face fell in shock, eyes widening with horror. "I’m so sorry, Miss Aubrey. This is so sudden. Please accept my condolences."
I smiled, a cold twist of irony creeping into my expression. "It’s okay. He deserved it."
Flustered and unsure how to respond, she quickly led me to the VIP room.
When it came time to select the photos, I made only one request: delete every group shot and keep only my individual portraits. I chose just two photos of Hudson—a full-body shot and a headshot. Both were printed in black and white, framed, and prepared to be sent to the banquet hall on the second floor of the Royal No. 1 Hotel in four days—for a funeral.
The wedding photos I had taken turned out beautifully, and I decided to repurpose them as my personal portraits.
Later, I reached out to a few small influencers online, hinting that there would be explosive drama at the wedding—something reminiscent of a "catfishing bride" scandal. I encouraged them to seize the opportunity for the traffic it would generate.
These would be the wedding gifts I had prepared for Hudson and Harper. If everything went as planned, an even bigger surprise awaited them on the day of the ceremony.
I returned to the wedding suite that I had shared with Hudson and began packing all my belongings, including the carefully selected wedding items that now felt meaningless. I moved out that same day.
Hudson was right about one thing: the houses in our hometown were uncomfortably close to the Harpers’. It made my stomach churn to see them everywhere. After discussing it with my mother, we decided to hire a local agent to help us sell the property.
Before leaving, my mother and I visited my father’s grave, where I placed a bottle of his favorite whiskey. This trip abroad was meant to help manage my mother’s condition, but upon my return, I planned to take her traveling across the country, allowing us to enjoy wherever the road led us.
Once everything was settled, I checked into a hotel near the hospital.
Three days later, in the early morning, Hudson called me. "Aubrey, why aren’t you home this late?"
"I just got back from a business trip, and I’m starving. I want some of those shredded pork noodles you make," he said.
I replied groggily, "I’m staying at a hotel. The wedding is soon, and it’s tradition for the bride and groom not to see each other before the ceremony. An old rule, you know."
“Check the fridge and make something for yourself,” I replied coolly.
“If that’s all, I’m hanging up,” Hudson said.
He murmured something else, but I hung up before he could finish. In the past, no matter how late he returned, if he said he was hungry, I would drag myself out of bed to prepare him a hot bowl of noodles. Too bad for him—he wouldn’t be getting that anymore.
The next morning, I picked up my phone and saw another Weibo update from Harper. It turned out Hudson had brought her back to our wedding suite the previous night. Harper had made him a bowl of crayfish noodles, and they shared noodles until their lips met in a kiss.
It was his way of showing me just how little I meant to him.
Hudson hadn’t called or messaged me in the last couple of days. He’d been too busy picking out wedding dresses for Harper and preparing souvenirs for the entire town, as well as writing invitations for her family.
It wasn’t until the night before the wedding that he finally sent me a message: “Wife, rest well tonight. Your husband will pick you up tomorrow.”
I simply replied, “OK.”
The next morning, my mother, accompanied by a medical team, and I boarded a plane to a foreign country. Throughout the journey, my phone buzzed non-stop.
Hudson had probably received the "gift" I sent him by then—and he was livid.
Just before I turned my phone off, a Facebook message popped up: “Aubrey, no matter where you hide, I will find you. Just wait.”
Chapter 5Then, my phone erupted with dozens of text messages from Hudson, each one dripping with impotent rage. A smirk tugged at my lips as I powered down the device. Ignoring him felt like the best response I could muster. I chose to treat these five wasted years as a hard-earned lesson. Moving forward, I would focus on loving myself and caring for my mother.
After more than ten hours of flying, we finally touched down at our destination. Only then did I switch on my phone, and it buzzed incessantly with countless unread messages. My hands tingled from the relentless vibrations. Tossing the phone onto the table, I took a full ten minutes to unpack, deliberately regaining my composure.
I didn’t even bother opening Hudson’s 99+ unread Facebook messages. Instead, I blocked him and deleted our chat history without a second thought. But I found myself replaying the live streams sent by the small influencers, captivated by the unfolding drama.
When the moment finally arrived for the bride to make her grand entrance, I was, of course, nowhere to be found. Hudson stood at the altar, confusion etched on his face, waiting for a bride who would never come. The delivery of a black-and-white cardboard cutout of him, accompanied by an oversized portrait, shattered his illusion, revealing my clever ruse.
The guests erupted in disbelief, their murmurs echoing throughout the venue. Hudson’s parents were livid, their faces flushed with fury. Thankfully, they had a backup plan: Harper, waiting in the wings. In a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, Hudson abandoned the traditional wedding sequence and dragged Harper onto the stage.
Though Hudson’s parents were furious, they held their tongues—at least for a while. But halfway through the ceremony, the simmering tension erupted. Someone in the crowd recognized Harper and exposed her true identity. She wasn’t marrying into wealth. She was a woman discarded by a previous wealthy suitor, burdened with debts totaling two or three million. Far from being a mistress, she was merely someone left to fend for herself, using Hudson as her means of escape.
The humiliation was too much for Hudson’s parents. In a fit of rage, they began hurling plates and dishes at Harper, their faces contorted with fury. Still oblivious, Hudson threw himself in front of her, shielding her with his body. In the scuffle, both ended up with bleeding foreheads, a testament to the chaos unfolding around them.
Harper’s family, witnessing their daughter attacked at her own wedding, retaliated by flinging anything they could grab back at Hudson’s parents. Chaos erupted as both sides descended into a full-blown brawl. The venue transformed into a war zone, with plates and glasses shattering and guests screaming in panic.
As I watched the mayhem unfold through the live streams, I couldn’t help but grin. Hudson had believed he could have it all—a perfect bride and a flawless wedding. Instead, he had unwittingly dug his own grave.
I scrolled through the thank-you messages from the influencers, feeling a sense of satisfaction washed over me.
“Miss, you’re incredible! I only had 20,000 followers before, and now I’ve skyrocketed to 150,000!”
“If you have any more juicy drama, please reach out. You’re my lucky charm!”
“You’re a goddess! This is my new traffic goldmine.”
After settling my mother in and preparing for bed, my phone rang again. It was Hudson. I braced myself for the tirade I expected but was taken aback by the grievance and helplessness in his voice.
“Aubrey, why are you being so cruel to me?”