MILLION DOLLAR WIFE

LYRA VALE

I slammed the car door shut and hurried toward the apartment I shared with my fiancé, my pulse racing with excitement. A grin tugged at my lips as I climbed the steps, my heels clicking softly against the concrete.

Ethan thought I was working late, which was obviously a lie. Tonight was his birthday and after weeks of stress and wedding chaos, I wanted to surprise him, just the two of us, like old times.

With a cake that sat snugly in its box on the passenger seat. chocolate with his favourite hazelnut filling, I could already picture the look on his face when he saw it.

Five years. That was how long Ethan and I had been together.

Five years of love built carefully after heartbreak.

When I’d first met him, I’d been guarded, cynical even, afraid of trusting anyone with my heart again, my past had taught me how easily promises could crumble.

But Ethan had been patient, he had loved me through my walls, through my doubts, until one day I realized I no longer flinched when he said forever.

We weren’t perfect, we have argued countless of times, hurt each other sometimes but we always found our way back. Stronger... Wiser.

That was why I hadn’t hesitated when he proposed three months ago and In one week, I would be his wife.

I reached the porch and froze, the front door was slightly open, a flicker of unease curled in my stomach.

Ethan was careful to a fault, he would never leave the door unlocked.

It’s nothing Lyra, you’re probably just over thinking...

I brushed the feeling aside, blaming wedding nerves, and pushed the door open, apartment was silent. Maybe way too silent.

I set the cake down on the dining table and climbed the stairs, my steps slowing as an unfamiliar sound drifted through the hallway.

A low groan, then another, breathless....intimate.

Confusion knit my brows together. Was he watching p*rn?

Just the thought of it felt absurd, but right now that was the only explanation that made any sense. At least right up till I reached our bedroom door.

I could feel my hand begin to tremble as I turned the knob and the world around me shatter.

Ethan was in our bed, the sheets tangled around him, and beneath him was my stepsister, Alina. They screamed when they saw me, with her shrieking , clutching the duvet to her bare body, while Ethan scrambled away, fumbling with his boxers like a guilty child caught stealing.

“What are you doing home?” he blurted out, “I thought you were working late.”

I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, not when the pain hollowed in my chest, sharp and unforgiving.

“Just hear me out, Lyra,” he said desperately. “It’s not what it looks like,” a laugh slipped out of me, bitter and broken.

“Oh, you’re right,” I said. “It’s not like I walked in on you having s*x with my sister,” my voice surprised me, steady, almost cold. when inside I was unravelling.

“I can explain,” he pleaded. “Please.” I turned my gaze to Alina.

She sat against the headboard, arms crossed, watching me like this was a show meant for her amusement, and when our eyes met, her lips curved into a slow, deliberate smirk.

Something ugly twisted in my stomach.

“I can’t look at either of you,” I said quietly. “You disgust me.” her smile only grew.

And this made my anger surged and for a split moment, I wanted to hurt her, I wanted to scream, to break something, but forced myself to inhale slowly.

The last thing I wanted was to give them that, to let them....her know just how deep she had gotten to me.

I felt a hand grasped mine. “I’m sorry,” Ethan whispered. “It was a mistake.”

Yanking my hand free. “A mistake?” my voice rose. “Is that what you call this? did she force you, Ethan, did she hold a gun to your head, huh.” The laughter that followed tasted like ash. “Oh…. Poor you, how defenceless you were to her advances, you couldn’t stop it.” I stared at them as I say, “I’m guessing this wasn’t the first time. was it.”

Right on cue Alina clapped, “Took you long enough,” she said lazily. “Four years, and you never noticed.” her words punched the air from my lungs.

“How long did you say?” I asked, barely audible.

She smiled. “Four years.”

Four years.

This was a year after Ethan and I started dating.

“And since we are all being honest,” she continued, tilting her head, “I guess this is the perfect time to let you know that I’m pregnant.”

The room tilted violently, causing me to stumble back. I grip the doorframe, my knees threatened to give out, my fingers curled into fists so tight my nails broke skin.

“Ethan and I are having a baby,” she said. “He was going to leave your sorry *ss anyway, saves him the trouble of having to tell you.” she glanced at my hand. “But don’t worry, I’ll be sure to send you our wedding invitation.” she squeals, “maybe you can be my maid of honour.”

Right at this moment, I feel something inside me being to go numb. Pulling the engagement ring from my finger, I threw it at Ethan’s chest.

“I won’t let you see me break,” and with that I walked out, the cake remained untouched on the table, a silent witness to the life I had lost.

I drove until the city lights blurred into darkness, and when I finally did stop, the sobs came... uncontrollable. My body shook as grief tore through me.

Seven days.

I was supposed to be a bride..... his bride.

Yet here I was, alone again, standing in the ruins of a love I thought and hoped would last forever

Was this my fate? To love deeply, only to lose everything.

The sharp ringing of my phone dragged me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen, my chest tightening when I saw the name flashing back at me.

Mila Hart, my best friend since diapers.

I answered before it could ring again. “Heyyy girl,” Mila’s cheerful voice chimed through the phone. “So…. how did it go? was he flustered?. I bet he thought you forgot his birthday.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but instead, a broken sob escaped.

“Lyra….” her tone shifted instantly. “Why do you sound like you’ve been crying?. What’s wrong?.”

“I…..” my throat closed. “I caught them, Mi.”

There was a pause. “Caught who?.”

“I caught him,” I whispered. “I walked in on him, literally having s*x on our bed”

Another beat of silence.

“With who?” she asked carefully.

My hands tightened around the steering wheel. “With…..with Alina.”

The line went dead quiet.

For a moment, I thought the call had dropped, not until I heard the sharp sound of glass shattering, followed by Mila’s furious voice.

“That f*ck*ng b*tch,” she spat. “Why won’t she ever let you be? She just can’t stand you being not even a tiny bit happy before she thinks to ruin it. Crazy b*tch… and Ethan… oh God, I don’t even know where to start and how freaking disappointed I am at myself for thinking he was going to be different and wouldn’t fall for her ruse. Turns out he’s just another pathetic excuse for a man.” Tears blurred my vision.

“Same, I can’t believe he did this to me,” I whispered. “Betrayed my trust, a week to our wedding at that.”

“There is no point asking if you are okay, bestie, because I know the answer to that,” she said softly; the fury she once had was replaced by worry. “I’m going to try and book the earliest flight back and should be back home to New York, hopefully by tomorrow evening.”

“What…Mila…no.”

“This isn’t up for deb