Marrying My Ex-boyfriend's Rival

Chapter 1

[1]

I broke up with Darren in the year he was most deeply in love with me.

He kept telling his friends that the one he wanted to marry was his idealized first love.

The eight years I spent with him became a cruel joke.

My child was tragically lost because of his first love.

Yet, he coldly pushed me away, saying he had never seen someone as manipulative as me, using a fabricated story about a child to frame others.

When I married someone else.

He tearfully begged me, "I stayed by your side for eight years, how could you marry another man so suddenly?"

[2]

Darren and I had been together for eight years. We had agreed to get our marriage license on my 25th birthday.

This was the fourth time he had stood me up.

Darren had repeatedly assured me that on my birthday, he would definitely get the marriage license with me.

But he broke his promise again.

I waited at the registry office from morning until 3 PM, making countless calls that went unanswered.

My heart sank at that moment.

A sense of dread and betrayal began to grow inside me.

I scrolled through social media, searching for any clues, and stumbled upon unexpected news.

Beth had returned to the country.

Beth, Darren's long-lost love, whom he had cherished in his heart for many years.

In the photo, Beth was pushing a suitcase, and behind her, a man was holding a little girl. Although the man's face wasn't visible, I instantly recognized the watch on his wrist.

A Cartier PASHA DE.

I had bought it for Darren with my first bonus. He loved it and had worn it for many years.

I desperately tried to convince myself that it wasn't Darren, just someone with the same watch.

But being stood up for the fifth time left me feeling utterly devastated.

I sent Darren a message.

"Darren, if we don't get the marriage license today, then maybe we should just call it quits."

[3]

Until the early hours of the morning, I heard the door creak open.

I turned my back to the door, pretending to be asleep.

Darren changed into his pajamas and lay down beside me, kissing my neck.

I struggled to avoid him, not wanting his touch.

Darren chuckled softly, "Still mad? There was an urgent issue at the company today, an urgent issue that could make or break the company. It delayed us from getting the license. How about we do it another day?"

"I'm tired of waiting. I don't want to wait anymore. Let's break up."

In the pitch-black night, my face was expressionless, and my voice was cold.

A glistening diamond necklace fell in front of me, but unfortunately, it wasn't what I wanted.

"I specially got this at an auction. Do you like it? How about wearing it at our wedding?"

Seeing him trying to appease me, I felt my resolve weakening.

After all, I had waited for eight years. It was hard to accept that all my efforts would go to waste after Beth's return.

"So, when do you plan to get the license?"

"Friday. I had someone check, and Friday is a perfect day according to the calendar."

Darren sounded serious, not like he was joking.

"What if you stand me up again?"

Darren kissed my earlobe, "Then you can do whatever you want with me. You can torment me as much as you like."

I wasn't in the mood to play around, avoiding his kisses. "If you stand me up again, I won't wait for you anymore. I'll pack up and move back home."

Darren kissed my cheek, "Just remember to pack me up too. Put me in your suitcase, and I'll go wherever you go."

He made me laugh, and I quickly pushed him away, "Stop it."

I remembered that my period was late, so I tentatively asked, "Do you prefer a boy or a girl?"

Darren turned on the light, looking warily at my stomach, "Are we expecting?"

[4]

I felt a sudden pang of anxiety, unsure of his thoughts.

"Are you unhappy?"

Darren realized his tone was off and explained, "The company is about to go public. I have a lot on my plate right now. This isn't the best time to have a child."

I was upset, unable to accept his reasoning.

He hugged me gently, trying to soothe me. "Sweetheart, we're still young, and we have a long road ahead. Once the company goes public, you can have as many children as you want. I just don't want to neglect you and the baby right now, making you feel unbalanced."

"I'm not pregnant. I was just asking."

Darren sighed in relief. "That's good."

I felt even worse.

He didn't want to marry me, and he didn't want to have children with me.

I still wanted to break up, but I couldn't bring myself to say it.

I had spent eight years, pouring all my effort and savings into supporting him.

Back then, he was penniless and dreamed of starting his own business. I gave him all my money and borrowed a lot from my parents to help him build the company.

Giving up now felt impossible.

The next day, I went to the hospital for a check-up.

When the results came out, I was stunned.

I was really pregnant.

But Darren wouldn't want this child.

I didn't know what to do.

I couldn't bring myself to terminate the pregnancy.

But keeping the baby, knowing its father didn't want it, was devastating.

I pulled out my phone and called Darren. It rang for ages before he finally picked up.

Just as I was about to speak, I heard a lot of noise on his end. What I overheard left me utterly speechless.

"Darren, you already missed one chance back then. Now that Beth is back, do you want to miss another?"