MARRIED TO HER EX'S FIANCEE BROTHER

It had been Ethan's idea to spend their last night before the wedding in a penthouse but before that, he'd taken her out for dinner. The restaurant had been one of the most beautiful places ivy had ever been to. Ethan had reserved a private corner of the restaurant just for the two of them. This is perfect, ivy had whispered as she looked around. Ethan smiled across the table, reaching for her hand. "Only the best for my future wife." She had spent the entire evening believing she was the luckiest woman alive. They talked about their wedding plans, laughed about small memories from their two together and toasted to the life they were about to begin. After dinner, Ethan had taken her to the penthouse. He'd called it one final romantic getaway before they officially became husband and wife. Just a few hours earlier, Ivy had thought it was perfect. Now, every bouquet, every candle, and every carefully planned detail made her stomach churn. She sat on the edge of the bed, absentmindedly scrolling through her phone while Ethan showered. The steady sound of running water echoed through the luxurious suite as she caught herself smiling. Tomorrow she will walk down the aisle. By this time tomorrow, she will be Mrs. Ivy Jake. Three hundred guests would gather to watch her promise forever to the man she'd loved for the past two years. Her phone vibrated. An unknown number. She almost ignored it, assuming it was another vendor or a last-minute wedding message. Instead, she glanced at the screen. A single video appeared on her screen. There was no caption, no explanation, just a file waiting to be opened. A strange feeling settled in her chest. After a brief hesitation, she tapped play. The footage was shaky, as though someone had recorded it in secret, but the voices were unmistakably clear. The first voice made her blood run cold. Ethan. There was no mistaking it. He was sitting in what looked like a hotel room. Across from him sat a woman Ivy had never seen before. Tears streamed down the woman's face as she struggled to keep her voice steady. "You're really going through with it?" she asked. "You're actually marrying her?" Ethan let out a quiet laugh. It was a laugh Ivy had once loved. Now it sounded cruel. "Of course I am," he replied. "Why wouldn't I?" The woman stared at him in disbelief. "Because you love me," she whispered. "You told me you were leaving her." Without the slightest hint of guilt, Ethan leaned back in his chair. "I was never leaving her." The words hit Ivy like a slap. "Why would I?" he continued. "Her father owns half the real estate in this city. Her family has money, influence, and connections. Marrying Ivy is the smartest decision I'll ever make." Ivy's fingers tightened around her phone. Her heartbeat pounded painfully against her ribs. "I only want her because of what her father has," Ethan said with a careless shrug. "The money. The power. That's all." The woman broke down completely. "What about us?" she cried. He sighed, almost as if she were wasting his time. "You were fun," he said. "You still are. But you can't give me what Ivy can." A faint smile crossed his face. "You simply don't have the same value." Value. The word echoed painfully in her mind. Not love. Not loyalty. Not a future together. To Ethan, she wasn't a woman he wanted to spend his life with. She was an opportunity Her phone slipped from her trembling fingers and crashed onto the marble floor. The sharp sound echoed through the suite. She couldn't breathe or think. Everything she'd believed over the last two years shattered in an instant. Behind her, the shower stopped. A few seconds later, she heard Ethan humming softly as he dried himself. The sound turned her stomach. How could someone sound so normal after saying those things? The bathroom door opened, and steam drifted into the bedroom as Ethan stepped out with a towel wrapped around his waist. The moment he saw her, he smiled. It was the same smile she'd fallen in love with.The same smile she'd trusted without question. Now it looked rehearsed. Like a mask he'd worn so well that she'd never questioned it. "Baby?" he asked as he walked toward her. "What's wrong? You don't look okay." She couldn't answer. She simply stared at him. The man she'd trusted with her heart. The man she'd defended countless times. The man she'd imagined spending the rest of her life with. She wasn't even sure she knew him anymore. "Ivy?" Concern creased his forehead. Slowly, she bent down, picked up her phone, and held it out to him. The video was still playing. His own face stared back at him. His own voice filled the room. "I only want her because of what her father has." The smile disappeared from Ethan's face. The color drained from it just as quickly. For several long seconds, neither of them spoke. Then he lunged for the phone. "Where did you get that?" he demanded. Ivy stepped back before he could reach her. "Who sent it?" His voice had turned cold. "Tell me who sent this." "I don't know," she whispered. His eyes narrowed. "Don't lie to me." "I'm not." He moved closer. "Who recorded it?" "I said I don't know." Ivy repeated, her voice shaking." How many times do I have to say that?" Without warning, he grabbed her wrist. His grip was painfully tight. "Ivy, listen to me," he said through clenched teeth. "Whatever you think you heard..." "I heard everything." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it didn't shake. "I heard you say you were never leaving her." His jaw tightened. "I heard you admit you only wanted me because of my father's money." "I can explain." A bitter laugh escaped her. "No." "Ivy..." "No." She pulled her wrist free and glanced at the angry red marks already forming beneath his fingers. "You've lied to me for two years," she said quietly. "Don't insult me by pretending there's an explanation that could ever make this okay." Silence filled the room. Her gaze swept across the room. The roses, the candles, the champagne chilling in the silver bucket... every romantic detail suddenly felt staged. Every thoughtful gesture seemed calculated.Every loving word sounded rehearsed.Even her happiest memories suddenly felt like lies. She looked back at Ethan. For the first time since she'd met him, all she felt was exhaustion. "I need you to leave." He stared at her. "What?" "Leave." "We can fix this." Ivy looked at him for a long moment before slowly shaking her head. "No." She whispered. You can't "Ivy, you're emotional. Let's sit down and talk." "There is nothing left to talk about." He took another step toward her. "I love you." She shook her head slowly. "No," she whispered. "You love what my last name can do for you." His expression hardened. "You're making a mistake." She almost smiled. "No," she said softly. "I almost made one." For a long moment, they simply stared at each other. Then Ethan grabbed his clothes from the chair. Without another word, he disappeared into the bathroom to get dressed. Minutes later, the front door slammed shut behind him. The silence that followed felt overwhelming. Ivy stood alone in the middle of the penthouse, surrounded by roses that suddenly smelled rotten. Her phone was still in her hand. The video replayed automatically. "I only want her because of what her father has." Again. And again. And again. Tomorrow, hundreds of people would gather expecting to celebrate the happiest day of her life. Instead, she was standing in the ruins of a future that had never been real. The man she'd planned to marry didn't exist. He had only been pretending. And for the first time in her life, Ivy had no idea what came next. All she knew was that by tomorrow, she wouldn't be Ethan Jake's bride.