Part 3I Gave My Future to Another Man

Back in the car, I showed Clifford the photo and the prenatal records. "The baby isn't Jeffrey's."

"Why didn't you just tell him?" Clifford asked as he pulled away from the curb.

I watched the scenery blur past me and replied, "I wanted to see if he'd still choose her if the baby weren't in the picture."

Clifford gave the steering wheel a light tap. "How much longer are you going to wait?"

I closed my eyes, forcing down the ache inside me.

"Until I've had enough of waiting."

…

Three days before the wedding, Mom invited relatives from both families to dinner.

On the surface, it was a dinner to discuss the final wedding details. But in reality, Mom was making sure everyone stuck to the same story about Harper and Jeffrey.

It wasn't until I reached the door of the private room that I realized what Mom had done. She'd already told everyone that Harper was the bride-to-be.

According to her, I'd called off the engagement because Jeffrey and I simply weren't right for each other.

During the dinner, one of our relatives asked about the house Jeffrey and I shared.

"Barbara's always been so understanding. She's letting Harper stay there for now. It's close to the hospital, so it'll be easier for her," Mom replied before I could answer.

At that, I set my utensil down.

"I'm the one who paid the down payment on that house," I said, my voice icy.

The entire room fell silent.

Under the table, Jeffrey gripped my hand and muttered, "She's pregnant. What's wrong with letting her stay there for a while? Don't make this awkward for everyone."

I looked at him. "Then where am I supposed to stay?"

"A hotel, or a friend's place. What's the big deal?" He sounded irritated. "I'll figure something out for you after Harper gives birth."

Just then, my phone lit up with a message from a friend who had originally agreed to be my bridesmaid.

The text read, "Barbara, your mom said Harper's the bride now. Are we supposed to go with her to get her hair and makeup done?"

I tapped open the group chat. The name had already been changed to "Jeffrey and Harper's Wedding".

The chat was filled with messages about Harper's hair, makeup, and wedding shoes. She'd even posted photos from my wedding dress fitting.

She'd written, "I had the dress altered a little, and now it hides my bump perfectly."

Everyone was gushing about how sweet and beautiful she looked. Yet, not one person asked about me.

At that moment, Harper walked up to me with a sheet of paper.

"Barbara, I've never been very good at putting my feelings into words," she began. "Could I use the vows you wrote? After all, you know Jeffrey better than anyone."

I'd spent several nights working on those vows.

I looked at Jeffrey and asked, "Did anything else happen between you after that night?"

The others were deep in conversation, paying no attention to us.

He was silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "I held and kissed her. And later, it happened again. I was sober that time. But Barbara, I never meant to leave you."

I forced a smile, but it felt like something inside me had been ripped away.

"You held her. You kissed her. You're going to marry her and move her into my house, but now, you're telling me you never meant to leave me?"

When I refused to hand it over, Harper reached for the draft in front of me. Then, her elbow accidentally knocked over the bowl, sending scalding soup spilling across my wrist.

My skin turned red almost instantly, and a searing pain shot through my wrist.

Startled by the heat, Harper stumbled back and hit the chair. She immediately clutched her stomach and cried out in pain.

Jeffrey had seen me clutching my wrist, my hand trembling. Yet, he walked right past me and caught Harper.

"Go run your wrist under cold water!" he barked.

Then, he anxiously asked Harper if she was okay.

Mom, too, rushed over. She grabbed Harper's hand and shot me a glare. "Couldn't you be more careful? You know she can't be frightened like that!"

I looked down at my blistered wrist.

Harper had knocked over the soup. I was the one who got burned, and somehow, I was still the one being blamed.

Both Jeffrey and Mom took Harper to the hospital, leaving me alone in the private room.

A server handed me an ice pack. I took it, held it against my wrist, and left the wedding group chat.