Selfless bride

"Emily, we need to talk," Michael said hesitantly. "What is it, Michael?" Emily's voice trembled. "I... I don't know how to say this, but I've been seeing Anna again," Michael confessed. "What? Anna? Your ex-lover?" Emily's eyes welled up with tears. "Emily. I didn't plan for any of this to happen," Michael's voice cracked. "How could you, Michael? After three years together?" Emily's voice quivered. "Emily, please listen. It's more complicated than that. Anna is pregnant," Michael revealed. "What? Pregnant? Is it... is it yours?" Emily's voice wavered. "Yes, it's mine. I never meant for any of this to happen, Emily," Michael's guilt was palpable. "You cheated on me and got her pregnant? How could you do this to me?" Emily's voice turned bitter. "I'm so sorry, Emily. I know I messed up," Michael's voice was filled with remorse. "You not only cheated on me but you're going to be a father with her? This is unbelievable," Emily's anger surged. Before Michael could respond, the door swung open, and Anna stormed in. "Hold on just a minute," Anna's voice was sharp. "Anna, what are you doing here?" Michael's voice was taken aback. "I heard everything, Michael. And I can't let her twist the story like this," Anna's voice was determined. "Who are you?" Emily's voice was defensive, her eyes narrowing at Anna. Anna's eyes locked onto Emily's, her gaze unyielding. "You need to get your facts straight before you start accusing Michael of cheating. I was here before you even came into the picture." Michael's expression remained conflicted, caught between the two women. Emily's confusion turned to anger. "You're the one who's mistaken. Michael and I were in a relationship for three years." Anna crossed her arms, an incredulous smile forming. "Three years, huh? Well, it's funny how you conveniently forgot that Michael was with me before you barged into his life and stole him away." Michael shifted uncomfortably, his guilt and past actions hanging in the air. Emily's voice grew sharper. "You're just trying to defend him. He cheated on you with me, and now he cheated on me with you." Anna's laughter was mirthless. "Cheated? You think sleeping with me is cheating? Honey, I was here before you. Michael was mine long before you snatched him away." Emily's face flushed with anger. "So, what? You're saying that I'm the other woman?" "Exactly," Anna replied coldly. "I'm officially moving in with Michael. This is my home. You need to pack your bags and leave." Emily's voice trembled with rage. "No, you can't just come in here and take over. He was with me." Michael finally spoke up, his voice strained. "Emily, you should listen to Anna. She's right. I should have been honest with you from the start." Tears welled up in Emily's eyes as the reality of the situation sunk in. "So, this was all a lie? Our entire relationship?" Anna stepped forward, her tone unrelenting. "You were the other woman. And now it's time for you to go." Emily's voice cracked as she turned towards the door. "I can't believe I fell for your lies, Michael." Michael's voice was heavy with regret. "Emily, please, just pack your things and leave." Tears streaming down her face, Emily collected her belongings and walked out of the apartment, her heart shattered into pieces. Emily's life had taken an unexpected turn after the devastating end of her relationship with Michael. The pain of betrayal and loss had led her down a path she never imagined she would tread. She found herself entangled in a contract marriage arrangement with Billionaire Martin, a man she barely knew. The reasons that had pushed her into this unconventional decision flashed through her mind as she now sat in church side by side with Billionaire Martin ready to take the marital vows after the ongoing homily. She couldn’t help but allow the tears that welled up in her eyes to just flow freely. The flashes of those memories seemed like everything was happening all over again. The need for stability, the desire to escape the haunting memories of Michael, and most importantly, the need to cover her shame of having to give birth to a child whose father had already ended their relationship with her, the hope for a fresh start and protection for her child from Michael had driven her into this arrangement. As Emily sat there, dressed in her wedding attire, the weight of her choices bore down on her shoulders. The grandeur of the church and the opulence of the occasion contrasted starkly with the memories that had led her here. She stole a glance at Martin, who was seated beside her. His composed demeanour was a stark reminder of the life she was about to step into. The homily continued, the officiant's voice a soothing hum in the background. Emily's thoughts drifted back to the ultimate event that finally left her with no choice but to choose this path. She had nowhere to spend the night the day Michael sent her packing, and so happened take abode in a deserted dilapidated building where some bad guys took advantage of her vulnerability and r***d her to unconsciousness. "Emily, can you hear me? You're awake now," a soft voice reached Emily's ears. She groggily opened her eyes, blinking against the harsh hospital light. "Where... where am I?" "You're in the hospital, Emily. You had a medical emergency. Do you remember what happened?" the voice, belonging to a doctor, replied gently. "I... I was in that building... and then everything went dark," Emily managed to say, her voice weak. "You were found unconscious. You're safe now. We've been able to stabilise your condition," the doctor reassured her. Memories of the past flooded back, the pain and desperation still fresh. "The building... I was just trying to find a place to stay... after everything fell apart." "I'm sorry to hear that, Emily. Can you tell me what happened before you lost consciousness?" The doctor's tone was compassionate. Emily's voice shook as she recounted, "I was... sent away by my ex-boyfriend, Michael. I had nowhere to go, so I found this old, abandoned building to stay for the night. Some men... they took advantage of me... they..." "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. You're in a safe place now. We'll make sure you're cared for," the doctor's words carried comfort. "Thank you. But... there's something else. I haven't been feeling well for a while," Emily hesitated, her eyes filling with tears. The doctor's concern was evident as they asked, "What kind of symptoms have you been experiencing?" Emily took a deep breath, her voice trembling. "Nausea, fatigue, and... I've been feeling off." The doctor nodded, understanding. "I see. We conducted some tests, and I wanted to let you know that based on our findings, you're about five weeks pregnant." Emily's eyes widened, shock and disbelief washing over her. "Pregnant? Are you sure?" The doctor's gaze was kind as they affirmed, "Yes, Emily. It seems you were pregnant before the incident." As the homily's words merged with her episodes of flashbacks, Emily's tears seemed to fall more freely. She wiped them away with a delicate hand, her emotions bared for all to see. The journey that had led her to this point had been a tumultuous one, and the rawness of her emotions was a testament to the challenges she had faced. “Five weeks” she whispered to herself within her throat. Even though situations had favoured her to craftily pin the pregnancy on Billionaire Martin, she was much happier that she did not get pregnant for those rapists. Having to choose between the devil and Satan, she was much more at home knowing that she carried Michael’s child. She remembered the discussions about the terms of their contract, the boundaries they had set, and the expectations they had for each other. The marriage they were entering was not a result of love, but a calculated arrangement. Martin leaned in, his voice soft. "Are you okay?" Emily sniffled, her voice quivering. "Yeah, just a lot of emotions right now." She quickly came up with the somewhat dishonest answer. Martin's gaze held empathy. "I understand." He replied gullibly. "Remember when we first talked about this arrangement?" Martin whispered, his hand gently touching hers. She nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It feels like a lifetime ago." She mindlessly replied, not knowing exactly what to say. "We both had our reasons," Martin said, his eyes focused on the front. Emily wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. "Stability, a fresh start, companionship." Martin's grip on her hand tightened. "Exactly." The homily's message of commitment and partnership resonated in the background as Emily thought about their discussions on the terms of their contract. "Boundaries were crucial," Emily murmured, almost to herself. Martin nodded. "We both knew what we were getting into." Emily's gaze shifted to the elaborate decorations and the faces of their guests. "Sometimes, I wonder if this is real." Martin turned to her, his voice earnest. "It's our reality now." The officiant's voice grew more pronounced, drawing Emily's attention back to the present. "Martin, do you want Emily to be your lawfully wedded wife?" the officiant asked. Martin's voice was steady as he answered, "I do." Emily's heart raced as her turn came. "Emily, do you want Martin to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she looked at Martin, her voice filled with deceitful conviction. "I do." "If anyone here has a reason why these two should not be united together in holy matrimony, they should speak now or forever remain silent." The officiant continued, his eyes raising up from the pamphlet he was reading from, to face the congregation. The room held its breath, the silence thick with expectation. Suddenly, from the back pew, a figure began to rise, drawing the gaze of everyone present. The young woman was like a vision, her curves and elegance reminiscent of a classic Coca-Cola bottle. With each graceful step, the tension in the room seemed to amplify, a mixture of shock and curiosity painting the expressions of those in attendance.