Part 1My CEO Fiancé Let His Assistant Wear My Wedding Dress

I'd been with my CEO boyfriend, Stefan Walsh, for seven years, and we'd finally set a wedding date. But whenever it mattered, he was never there—and somehow, he always had a good excuse.

On the day of our civil ceremony, his intern assistant, Caroline Doyle, messed up a contract, so Stefan rushed off to deal with it, leaving me alone at the courthouse all day.

On the day of our engagement photo shoot, I'd barely started on my makeup when he took off. Apparently someone at a partner company was giving Caroline a hard time.

After that, it didn't matter if we were booking the venue or shopping for the wedding. All she had to do was ask for help. One word from her and he'd walk away. Every single time.

Then I saw it with my own eyes: he was trying on his wedding suit beside another woman wearing my dress.

"How do I look?" Caroline did a little spin. "Do I look better than Nina?"

"Of course. It looks like it was made for you." Stefan clapped, beaming.

That was when it finally hit me.

I'm done. The wedding's off.

* * *

Stefan and Caroline stood at the far end of the bridal shop.

He was wearing the custom suit made for our wedding day. She was wearing my custom wedding dress.

Side by side in front of the huge full-length mirror, they looked like a real bride and groom.

Caroline twirled, all smiles. "Stefan, it's so gorgeous!"

Stefan gazed at her so tenderly.

He used to look at me like that.

"I'll make you the happiest woman in the world, my princess," he'd told me once.

He hadn't made a big show of it, but back then, I thought it was the most beautiful declaration of love in the world.

I'd thought that look was only ever meant for me.

But now his heart clearly belonged to someone else.

Maybe he sensed me watching, because suddenly he looked up and saw me.

Panic, guilt and nervousness flashed across his face.

"Nina, what are you still doing here?"

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

He hurried over and lowered his voice. "Caroline said she's never worn a wedding dress before. She just wanted to try one on. Don't read too much into it.

"Next time, I'll be there for your fitting. I mean it."

I looked at him.

At the suit he was wearing, the one made to match my dress.

At Caroline behind him and the smug little smile she couldn't quite hide.

"No need," I said.

That caught him off guard. "I'll take you to dinner tonight. French food, your favorite."

In that moment, the whole thing felt like a sick joke.

When we first started dating, he swore he'd remember everything I liked.

But now he only remembered what Caroline liked.

I turned and pushed through the bridal shop's glass door.

Outside, it was drizzling, and the October cold in Minnesota cut right through me.

"Nina!" He ran out after me, grabbed my wrist and pulled me under his umbrella. "It's raining out here!"

I stopped.

"Just listen to me. Caroline's uncle, Martin Hale, is a manager at Orbis. Orbis is the client our company wants most. Every nice thing I do for her, I do for the company." He was talking faster now. "We're about to get married. Can't you try to understand, just this once?"

I turned to look at him. "Just because her uncle is a manager at Orbis?"

"Yes. So I—"

"It's fine. Go back in." I slipped out of his arms. "Don't keep Caroline waiting."

I even managed a smile.

The rain soaked my hair.

He froze, like he wanted to say something.

But in the end, he still looked back at the bridal shop, where Caroline was watching us through the glass.

"Sorry, Nina. Why don't you grab a cab home? The rain's picking up."

Before I could say a word, he shoved the umbrella into my hand and hurried back inside.

I watched him walk away and let out a cold laugh. I had finally run out of patience with this man.

I took out my phone and called Mom.

"Mom."

"Nina? What's wrong? You sound..."

"Cancel the flights. You don't need to come out here anymore."

The line went quiet for three seconds.

"The wedding's off."

Mom didn't push.

"Okay." Her voice was warm. "Come home. Come back to New Jersey. Come back to us.

"We've always kept a place for you at the company."

The rain blurred my vision.

Orbis Medical Technologies was the biggest medical technology company in the world.

My parents founded it.

Seven years ago, I graduated from a top university. Taking over the company was the obvious next step, but then I met Stefan.

I followed him to Minnesota and kept my identity a secret. I started out as an ordinary product manager and worked my way up to head of North American operations.

He worked his way up too, from an entry-level job all the way to CEO.

I didn't want to hurt his pride. I never dared to breathe a word about my family.

Then he told me Martin was a manager at Orbis, and that he needed Caroline to get his foot in the door there.

So I told him who I really was.

But all he did was scoff. "Nina, when did you become just like everyone else? Vain and shallow."

So I stopped trying to explain.

I figured the truth would come out after we were married.

He'd be in for such a surprise.

Except there wasn't going to be an after.

"Okay," I said into the phone. "As soon as they announce the promotion, I'll come home."