I Left My Cheating Fiancé at His Fake Wedding

During my solo portrait shoot, the photographer was nudging me to pick a style. But I was frozen, staring at the couple on the cover of the studio's lookbook. Seeing that I couldn't take my eyes off it, the photographer smiled and leaned in. "You have great taste, Ms. Miller. This is our premium sample set." "There’s actually a really touching story behind this shoot. They’ve been together for seven years, and they’re getting married next month." Looking at the painfully familiar face in the photos, my fingertips trembled. I forced myself to open the client feedback book. A handwriting I knew all too well slapped me in the face once again. [Give this photographer a fat bonus! He made my wife look absolutely stunning.] My tears blurred the ink on the paper, but I laughed. So, my boyfriend of nine years was getting married. And the bride wasn’t me. The photographer handed me a few more sample albums. Every single one featured Ethan and this other girl, posing in various romantic settings. The assistant next to me couldn't stop gushing about him either. "This guy was so incredibly sweet to his girlfriend. He stayed through the whole shoot, helped her change into four or five outfits." "He was bringing her water, even helping her put in her colored contacts." "Seriously, the perfect man!" Yet, I had never seen this side of Ethan. Not once. I fought to keep my emotions under wraps and squeezed out a smile for the photographer. "Something came up. I have to cancel today's shoot." I grabbed my phone, snapped a photo of the sample album, and sent it to Ethan via Snapchat. The next second, my phone rang. It was Ethan. I answered. After a few agonizing seconds of silence, Ethan spoke first. I gripped my phone tightly. Even though I was prepared, it still felt like a thousand needles were stabbing my heart. When I didn't say anything, Ethan went on. "Clara, listen to me. I had no choice." "I didn't mean to keep this from you. Can we please talk about this when I get home tonight?" I sniffled, trying to clear the burning sensation in my nose. "Ethan, let's break up." Before he could utter another word, I hung up. Ethan tried calling me back several times. I declined every single call. Eventually, he stopped calling. Instead, a voice note popped up on Snapchat and started playing automatically. "Clara, I'm really busy right now. Stop throwing a tantrum." But in the background of that voice note, I clearly heard a girl's voice. "Ethan, look at these wedding venues. Which one do you like?" I took a deep breath, trying with all my might to stop my tears from falling. I walked out of the photo studio in a daze. Like a masochist, I kept opening my phone, staring at Ethan's wedding photos over and over. In the photos, Ethan was wrapping his arms around that girl, smiling with pure, unadulterated happiness. I hadn't seen that smile on his face in years. Looking at his familiar face, I felt lost. I had been a fashion model for years and had shot countless high-end editorials. But he had never taken a single professional photo with me. Every time I suggested we do a couple's shoot, he would just hug me. He would ruffle my hair and say: "I'm not handsome, baby. I'm totally camera-shy." "Let's not do it." "Don't waste your gorgeous face on a photo with me." Back then, hearing those words only made my heart ache for him. _I bought him skincare products, took him to spa treatments._ Now I realized. It wasn't that he hated photos. He just hated taking them with me. Pulling myself together, my numb fingers scrolled through TikTok. The very first video on my feed was a "wedding prep vlog." My breath hitched as I tapped on it. The video showed a man and a woman shopping for wedding dresses. When the woman turned around in her gown, the man looked absolutely spellbound. And that spellbound man was none other than Ethan! Because I wanted to learn about wedding planning beforehand, I had been searching for wedding content lately. That must have triggered the algorithm. Whenever I brought up marriage to him, he would always say impatiently: "What's the rush? I want to enjoy our time as a couple for a few more years." "Stop wasting your time looking at that stuff." "I don't plan on getting married for at least another five years!" The TikTok account was named @Chloe_and_Ethan_Prep. It was only at this moment that I finally understood. Why Ethan's private Snapchat handle had always been `ChloeOnMyMind`. I used to tease him about it, asking him who Chloe was and why she was on his mind. He would just smile, say nothing, and never change it. I tapped on the girl’s profile. Her bio read: *7 days until the big day.*The video panned across several locations that held precious memories for Ethan and me. Finally, the camera stopped at the proposal spot. It was the exact place where Ethan and I first met. My mind flashed back to three years ago. We had gone back to visit that place. "Ethan, when we get married, will you propose to me here?" "Of course." "I'll fill this entire place with roses and make you the happiest woman in the world." The memory overlapped with the video. But the woman in his arms wasn't me. The video cut to their new house. There was an entire walk-in closet wall filled with designer bags. That wall of luxury made my eyes sting. I looked down at the faded canvas tote bag in my lap. It was a free gift from a grocery store that Ethan had given me years ago. Every year on my birthday, he would buy me a cheap purse from a street vendor. "Baby, you already have so many nice things from work. Let's just go with something cute and practical." I would always accept them with a bright smile. I never wanted to hurt his pride. He used to tell me: "Baby, when I make it big..." "I'll buy you a whole wall of Chanel and Birkins." I waited nine years for that promise. Now, he had fulfilled it for someone else. My finger scrolled down automatically. In the next video: Ethan was wearing a white apron, skillfully flipping food in a pan. He smiled at the camera, talking to the girl behind it. "Chloe, I'm going to cook you the best meals every single day." "I'm going to make sure you're the happiest woman alive." We had lived together for five years since college graduation. Every single meal was prepared by me. I was the one who woke up early and rushed to the grocery store right after work. Ethan barely even washed a dish. The last time I talked to my mom, I lied to keep her from worrying. "Mom, Ethan is so good to me. He cooks for me every day." "He treats me like a princess." My mom had smiled happily. Back at home, I was spoiled rotten; I barely knew how to boil water. I replayed the video several times. And I finally realized. It wasn't that he didn't know how to cook. He just didn't want to cook for me. Their latest video was posted a week ago. At a jewelry counter, Ethan was gently holding the girl's hand, examining two diamond rings. The caption read: *Couldn't decide which one looked better, so Ethan bought me both!* In the background, I could clearly hear his voice. "I'll never let you feel envious of anyone else." I suddenly remembered that morning. Before leaving, he had kissed my forehead, claiming he had an urgent business trip. He told me not to call him unless it was an emergency. I had agreed obediently. I didn't send a single text all day, terrified of distracting him. The only message I got from him that day was: "Baby, do you have any spare cash? I need to advance some money for this project." "My account is a bit tight right now." Without a second thought, I wired $10,000 to his card. After receiving the money, he never texted back. It turned out he was using my money to buy wedding rings for another woman.It wasn't until dusk that I gathered enough courage to go back to our apartment. The moment I stepped inside, my wrist was grabbed. The next second, Ethan pulled me tightly into his embrace. The strong scent of women's perfume instantly filled my nose. My stomach churned with nausea. Ethan didn't seem to notice how stiff my body was. "Baby, don't overthink this." "Getting married to her is just a formality. I'm just helping her fulfill a long-held family wish." "You're the only one I truly love." If I had heard this in the past, I would have forgiven him without hesitation. But now, I just felt sick. I pushed him away with all my strength. "Ethan, let's break up." I turned around, walked into the bedroom, and started packing my bags. Ethan's brow furrowed, his voice dripping with impatience. "Do you really have to make a scene out of this? Can you stop being so unreasonable?" "It’s just a minor issue, and you want to break up? Can you even survive without me?" "I haven't done anything to wrong you." My hands froze as I was folding a shirt. I bit my lip, and after a long silence, I forced the words out. "You haven't done anything wrong." "So, I won't stand in the way of your wedding." Suddenly, Ethan's phone buzzed. As he looked at the screen, his expression instantly softened into pure tenderness. He typed a quick reply, then quickly put on his usual indifferent face. Seeing this, my heart went completely cold. I hastily threw my things into my suitcase and zipped it up. Ethan, who had been silent, suddenly kicked my suitcase into the living room. With a thud, he dropped to his knees, grabbing my hands. I looked at him as if he were a stranger. I pulled my hands back. He was squeezing so hard that my wrists were turning red. "Ethan, do you still love me?" As soon as the question left my mouth, his phone started buzzing nonstop again. He immediately stood up to answer the text. His voice was so gentle, so patient. "I’ve already picked out the reception dress. I'll take you to try it on tomorrow, don't worry." "I've got everything covered." I hadn't seen that kind of patience from him in years. I clenched my fists, hiding my trembling hands. I said nothing. He turned around, explaining impatiently: "She's just asking about the wedding schedule. Don't be so paranoid." "She's young, she needs more guidance." I didn't want to argue anymore. I bent down to continue packing. A woven grass ring fell out of my bag. It was from the first time he told me he wanted to marry me, promising to build a home together. Ethan glanced at the ring and let out a mocking laugh. "You actually kept that trash?" "Don't tell me you took that college joke seriously?" I saw the mockery in his eyes. "A joke?" My voice shook. "So, marrying me was a joke. But marrying her is a commitment." Ethan sneered. "It's just a fake marriage! Once the ceremony is over, I'll cut ties with her." "I haven't physically cheated on you!" But I had clearly seen them kissing passionately in Chloe's TikTok videos. Seeing that I wasn't backing down, he sighed and tried to push me toward the dining room."I cooked a whole table of food for you. Stop being mad." "They’re all your favorites." I didn't say a word, letting him drag me to the table. When I saw the dishes, I froze. Ethan was still rambling on. "I spent the whole afternoon making tomato pasta, lamb stew, and these fresh oysters." "Come on, take a bite." My favorites? I am severely allergic to lamb and shellfish. And I absolutely loathe cooked tomatoes. "Ethan, who were you thinking of when you made this?" Looking at him, I recalled how he used to memorize my food allergies like the back of his hand. I didn't know when he had started forgetting. His smile stiffened, but he still put a piece of lamb into my bowl. I raised my hand and slammed the ceramic bowl onto the floor. It shattered into a million pieces. Ethan’s first reaction wasn't to check if I was hurt. He screamed at me: "Clara Miller! What is wrong with you?" "I worked so hard to cook for you, and you just waste it!" "You're becoming so toxic compared to Chloe." I couldn't hear whatever else he was shouting. My ears were ringing. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from sobbing. "Ethan, did you forget I'm allergic to lamb? Did you forget I can't eat cooked tomatoes? Did you forget that eating shellfish could literally kill me?" "I’ve been with you for nine years. You've been with her for seven." "Do you even have a heart?" I turned, grabbed my suitcase, and walked away from the place I had called home for seven years. As I passed the hallway, I noticed a pair of women's slippers that didn't belong to me. And on the shoe rack lay a few newly printed wedding photos. I let out a cold laugh. I just wanted to escape. Ethan rushed over to stop me, but right then, his phone rang. The caller ID flashed: *Wife*. Ethan instinctively looked at me. In a fit of anger, I snatched the phone. And declined the call. Ethan, who had never raised his voice at me before, aggressively grabbed the phone back. "If I don't answer, she'll worry!" "Who gave you the right to hang up on her?" "How many times do I have to tell you it's just a fake marriage? Are you deaf?" Was this furious man really the same person who used to treat me like his entire world? My mouth opened, but no sound came out. I opened the door, walked out without looking back, and booked the earliest flight out of the city. By the time Ethan finished his call, the apartment was empty. He searched every corner, but there was no trace of me left. Panicking, he called me dozens of times. I didn't answer. I blocked his number. This time, I was erasing myself from his life completely.