CLAIMING MY REVENGE (THE EX WIFE RISE)

A second chance

Chapter 3: A Second Chance

Aubrey’s POV

The doctor’s words echoed in my head. “You’re pregnant.”

I stared at him, my eyes widening in disbelief. “Pregnant?”

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Yesterday, my world had shattered. Edward’s betrayal, Lily’s laughter, it all came crashing back at once.

A sharp ache spread through my chest, and disappointment hit me with full force.

Then my hand moved to my stomach. Slowly, another feeling pushed through the pain.

Hope.

If Edward knew I was carrying his child, he would never leave me. He had promised to love me forever.

Maybe this was the reason everything would go back to normal. Maybe this baby was our second chance.

A shaky smile found its way to my lips.

“Doctor… you have no idea what this means to me.”

The elderly man’s expression softened.

“I understand this is important news.” He handed me a file and a prescription slip.

“These are your test results and the medications I’d like you to start taking. You’re free to leave, but please don’t skip your follow-up appointments.”

I took the papers with trembling fingers and opened the report immediately.

Positive.

The result stared back at me, confirming every word he had said.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“Thank you, Doctor.”

I looked up at Henry, excitement replacing the fear that had consumed me all night.

“Come on, Henry. We don’t have time.”

……………..

“I can’t wait to show this result to Edward.”

I smiled as I watched the city pass by through the car window. The morning sunlight spilled across the buildings, making everything look brighter than it had a few hours ago.

“He’ll definitely be happy to hear it,” Henry said carefully. “And… congratulations, ma.”

I turned to him with a grin. “ I know, right?”

I held the pregnancy report against my chest.

“I knew it. Everything that happened yesterday was just a terrible nightmare.”

Silence filled the car for a few seconds before Henry spoke again.

“What happened yesterday?”

His voice carried the same cautious respect he always used whenever he wasn’t sure he should ask a question.

I rolled my eyes lightly.

“How many times have I told you to stop sounding so scared when you talk to me? I don’t bite.”

He chuckled softly. “Sorry, ma. I just didn’t think it was my place to ask.”

“You can ask me anything.” I leaned back in my seat. “We’re more than just boss and driver. I told you before, we’re practically friends.”

Henry shook his head with a faint smile.

“You’re still my boss.”

“Fine.” I laughed. “But right now, the important thing is getting this result to Edward.”

I glanced at the dashboard clock. “What time is it?”

“Nine o’clock, ma.”

“Nine?” I sat up straighter. “Wasn’t it just six when I asked you earlier? We’re wasting time. Hurry up, I need to see Edward immediately.”

“Yes, ma.” A moment later, he hesitated. “I…”

I turned to him. “What is it?”

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

“I hope you won’t be offended by this question.”

“Ask it, Henry.” Another brief silence passed before he finally spoke.

“I was just wondering why none of your family members visited or called to check on you.”

The question hit harder than I expected.

I forced out a small laugh. “They’re probably busy with the wedding preparations.”

The words sounded convincing enough, but a sharp pain still pierced my chest. Even Henry had noticed how little my parents thought about me.

“Maybe they just haven’t had time.”

Henry opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something else, then stopped himself.

“Ma…”

He shook his head. “Never mind.”

I looked back out the window and held the pregnancy report a little tighter.

“It’s fine, Henry. Just take me home so I can get dressed for my wedding.”

“Alright, ma.”

After a brief pause, he added quietly, “And I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

“You didn’t.” I gave him a tired smile.

“Just drive.”

…………………

The beautiful decorations of the wedding hall welcomed me with warmth, unlike the thousands of eyes that landed on me as though I were an unwanted guest.

I frowned lightly.

Why was the hall already filled to the brim? The wedding wasn’t supposed to have started yet.

“Ma, your gown. Be careful.”

Henry, who had followed closely behind, quickly lifted the long train of my wedding dress before it brushed against the floor.

“Thank you,” I said softly before continuing toward the entrance.

The whispers started almost immediately.

“Why is the bride’s sister wearing a wedding gown?”

I turned toward the woman who had spoken.

“I’m not the bride’s sister,” I corrected gently. “I am the bride.”

She looked at me strangely before exchanging glances with the woman beside her.

“Isn’t she the evil twin who tried to steal her own sister’s fiancé?”

“I can’t believe a popular model like her would do something so disgusting.”

“She posted that she was getting married but never showed her fiancé’s face.”

“And now we know why.”

Their words came one after another like tiny knives stabbing into my chest.

Why were they saying those things?

Why was everyone staring at their phones before looking back at me with disgust?

Unable to ignore it any longer, I reached for the phone in the nearest woman’s hand.

My eyes immediately landed on the headline.

THE TRUTH IS FINALLY OUT! POPULAR MODEL AUBREY TRIES TO KILL HER SISTER TO STEAL HER FIANCÉ.

I scrolled.

Another headline appeared.

TOP MODEL AUBREY DRUGS HER SISTER’S FIANCÉ IN A FAILED ATTEMPT TO SEDUCE HIM.

Then another.

INSIDE THE SECRET LIFE OF MODEL AUBREY, THE OBSESSED TWIN WHO REFUSED TO LET GO.

Photos, edited videos, fake screenshots, manufactured evidence.

Post after post. News page after news page.

Every single one painted me as a monster.

“No…” I whispered, my fingers trembling. “This… this isn’t true.”

I looked around desperately. “It’s all fake. I never did any of this.”

Nobody believed me. “She’s still lying.”

“Look at her acting innocent. She’s disgusting.”

“She even came to her sister’s wedding wearing a bridal gown.”

“I used to admire her.”

“What a shameless woman.”

Their voices blended into one loud noise until I could barely hear my own thoughts.

No! No! Edward would fix this.

He would tell everyone the truth. He would explain everything.

Clutching the pregnancy report tightly against my chest, I pushed through the crowd and hurried toward the altar.

As soon as I reached the entrance, a familiar voice echoed through the hall.

“You may now kiss the bride.” My legs failed me.

The entire world seemed to stop moving.

Standing before the priest were Edward… and Lily.

Smiles spread across their faces as they slowly leaned toward each other.

Their lips met and the applause that followed shattered whatever hope I still had left.

“Stop!” The word tore out of my throat before I even realized I had spoken.

Every head turned toward me.

“What are you doing?” I shouted, rushing toward the altar. “Edward… Lily… what is going on?”

I stopped a few feet away from them, my entire body trembling.

“You two…” I looked from Edward to Lily, praying my eyes were somehow lying to me.

“You two are really getting married?”

Edward grabbed my wrist with so much force that pain shot through my veins.

He leaned closer until his lips were almost against my ear. “What are you doing here?” he whispered, his voice low and dangerous.

“Don’t you dare ruin this wedding. Get out.”

“Why are you here, Aubrey?” Lily suddenly sobbed, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks.

“To ruin my life again? Do you hate me so much that you want to destroy the happiest day of my life too?”

“Lily…” I stared at my sister in complete disbelief, my lips trembling uncontrollably.

“Why are you doing this to me? So yesterday wasn’t a joke… it wasn’t a dream… it was all real?”

Before she could answer, someone grabbed my arm so harshly that I almost lost my balance.

“Get out of here, you little witch!” Mom barked into my face, her eyes blazing with anger.

“How dare you show your face here after everything you’ve done to your own sister?”

Slap!

A burning pain exploded across my cheek, making my head snap to one side.

“That’s exactly how you’ve always been,” she spat. “Ever since you were little… nothing but a wicked witch.”

“How much more damage do you intend to cause?” Dad growled, glaring at me with undisguised hatred. “Get out of here already!”

“I can’t believe she still has the guts to show her face after all the evil news circulating online,” Mom continued bitterly. “Don’t you have any shame at all?”

“All those news articles are lies…” My voice cracked as tears rolled helplessly down my face. “Mom… Dad… you both know they’re lies. All of them. So why are you doing this to me?”

“A lie?” Mom scoffed mockingly before shoving my forehead so hard that I staggered backward. “How shameless can you be?”

Behind them, Lily wiped away another fake tear before looking at me with a pitiful expression.

“Please leave,” she cried softly. “Don’t cause another scene at my wedding. Why are you doing this to me, Aubrey? I still love you even after everything.”

Something inside me finally snapped.

Rage surged through my body as I shoved her away without thinking.

She stumbled backward and landed heavily on the floor.

“How dare you!” Edward roared, rushing forward and placing himself protectively in front of Lily. His eyes burned with fury as he pointed directly at me. “Stay away from my wife!”

“Edward…” Lily cried louder, clinging to his arm. “Don’t let her hurt me. Please don’t let her hurt me. I still love her even though she has never loved me.”

Edward immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his chest.

“How can you still care about someone who has never cared about you?” he said, glaring at me as though I were the monster standing between them.

“I’ll handle her,” Mom snapped before grabbing my wrist again. “Come with me while I’m still being nice.”

“No!” I yanked my hand away so violently that her grip slipped. “You can’t do this to me! I won’t let all of you keep treating me like I’m nothing.”

Edward’s mother suddenly stood up from her seat, glaring at me with pure disgust.

“Can somebody control this mad dog?” she snapped.

His father nodded in agreement. “Yes. She’s ruining the wedding.”

“I’m trying my best, I will get her out of here,” Mom snapped before another slap landed across my face. She grabbed my wrist again and dragged me toward the exit. “Let’s go.”

I pulled my hand away once more.

“No! I won’t let this happen.” I pushed her aside and walked straight back to Edward. “How could you do this to me?”

I searched his eyes desperately, hoping to find even the tiniest trace of sympathy, but there was nothing.

Nothing at all.

I searched again, refusing to believe the man standing before me was the same Edward I had loved all these years.

I wasn’t ready to lose him.

If I lost Edward, who would love me again? Who would support me? Who would hold my hand whenever I was scared and assure me that everything would be alright? Who would stand by me at my weakest?

“Tell me, Edward.” I grabbed the front of his suit, my hands trembling uncontrollably. “Tell me you don’t love me anymore. Tell me!”

He slowly removed my hands from his clothes as though my touch disgusted him.

“I don’t love you,” he said coldly. “I never did.”

Every word pierced my heart.

“I have always loved Lily, and you…” He looked at me with eyes completely void of emotion. “…you’re nothing but a desperate b***h who can’t stand seeing your own sister happy.”

I shook my head repeatedly. “No… that’s not true.”

I refused to believe it. He wasn’t in his right senses.

There had to be something that would make him remember us.

Then it hit me. Our baby.

With trembling fingers, I quickly pulled the pregnancy report from my handbag.

“What if…” My voice shook violently. “…what if I tell you I’m pregnant with your child?”

The entire hall fell silent. Gasps and whispers spread through the crowd.

For a brief second, shock flashed across Edward’s face.

Hope bloomed inside me. I knew it. He still cared.

But the hope lasted only a second.

His expression darkened. “How dare you tell such a disgusting lie?

Before I could react, he shoved me with all his strength.

I crashed onto the marble floor, my stomach hitting the hard surface first.

A sharp pain tore through my abdomen.

“Ahh…” I cried out, clutching my stomach instinctively

.

Lily scrambled to her feet, her face twisted with rage.

“You lying b***h!” she screamed, charging toward me like a madwoman.

Before I could react, her foot slammed hard into my stomach.

“Get out!” Another kick landed. “And never come back!”

“Ahhh!” I screamed, instinctively wrapping my arms around my stomach as another sharp pain tore through my abdomen.

She wasn’t stopping. Again and again

Every kick landed on the same spot.

The pain became unbearable.

I curled into myself, trying to shield my stomach with my hands, but it was useless. Every movement sent another wave of pain through my body.

“Stop! Please…” I cried, my voice breaking, but no one came to help me.

Edward simply stood there, watching.

My parents didn’t move. Nobody did.

I felt something warm slowly trickle down my thighs.

No…My breathing hitched.

What was that? I slowly lowered my trembling hand beneath me.

When I pulled it back, my heart nearly stopped.

It couldn’t be… No… This couldn’t be happening.

I stared at the red stain on my trembling fingers, refusing to believe what my eyes were seeing.

“Ma…” Henry’s horrified voice echoed through the hall as he pushed through the crowd and dropped to his knees beside me.

His eyes widened in horror. “Ma… you’re bleeding.”

His words shattered the little hope I had left.

I looked down again. This time there was no denying it.

Blood slowly spread across the white marble beneath me.

“Who cares?” Mom spat coldly. “Take that piece of bad luck out of here.”

“How dare you bleed on the altar during your sister’s wedding?” Dad’s voice sounded distant, almost like an echo.

My vision blurred. The voices around me slowly faded.

Everything around me turned black.