My Groom Abandoned Me on Our Wedding Day, Now He Begs for Mercy

I was born with a failing heart. Out of sheer desperation, my parents turned to an old superstition. They adopted Chloe Mercer, a girl born at the exact same hour as me, believing she could act as my "astrological shield" to absorb my bad luck and illness. My parents gave her everything. They sent her to an elite private school, introduced her to New York’s high society, and gave her an endless allowance. They raised her as their second daughter. But on my wedding day with my childhood sweetheart, Ethan Cole. Chloe stood in front of everyone, holding a medical report showing terminal gastric cancer. "Summer Vance! Your family only adopted me to be your spiritual scapegoat!" "And now, your sick ritual worked! Your illness was transferred to me! You get to marry the love of your life in perfect health, while I’m left here to die in agony!" "I don’t have much time left! I beg the Vance family, please, set me free!" Hearing this, Ethan rushed forward. He scooped the frail, trembling Chloe into his arms right in front of the crowd. "To cure yourself, you actually used dark superstitions to transfer your illness to an innocent girl? Summer! You utterly disgust me!" I didn’t know when Ethan’s feelings for me had started to rot because of Chloe. But today, he chose to completely humiliate me. Watching his retreating figure, a sudden wave of nausea hit me, and I coughed up a mouth of bright red blood. But Ethan... the "shielding" plan was stopped years ago. My illness had never actually gotten better. Chloe fell to her knees, weeping hysterically. "Please, stop forcing me to eat leftovers! Stop locking me in the basement and beating me! I’ve already played my part as Summer’s shield! Why won’t you just let me go?!" My dad frowned, his face darkening. "What kind of nonsense are you talking about? When has our family ever treated you like that?!" Chloe bit her trembling lip, suddenly slapping her own face and bowing her head to the floor. "Mr. Vance, I didn’t even complain when you tried to push me onto older men for business deals! I didn’t complain when Summer burned me with a curling iron just because Ethan looked at me! I don’t care about any of that anymore! Just please, let me go! I want my freedom!" Instantly, the wedding guests erupted into whispers. "Stop twisting the truth and making up lies! If you want to accuse us, show everyone the evidence!" It all happened so fast, and I was too stunned to react. But then, my groom, Ethan, knelt down and wrapped Chloe protectively in his arms. "I’m so sorry, Chloe. If I had known what the Vance family was doing to you behind closed doors, I would have taken you away a long time ago!" With that, he lifted her up, ready to walk out. "I, Ethan Cole, will never marry a woman with such a wicked, rotten heart!" "Summer, you reap what you sow!" I stumbled after him, holding up my heavy wedding gown. "Ethan, I didn’t do any of those things! Today is our wedding!" "I can explain everything. Please..." Ethan finally tore his eyes away from Chloe’s face. He looked at me, his eyes filled with a cold, venomous hatred I had never seen before. "Your entire family is made of monsters. Chloe was only eight when you brought her in. You used her as a curse-breaker. Are you even human?" His words pierced my heart like a dagger. My hands gripped my dress so tightly my knuckles turned white. "It’s not like that," I whispered, my lips trembling. Ethan let out a harsh, mocking laugh. "My parents regretted adopting her after a week. They stopped all those superstitious rituals. Can't you believe me?" "Then why is she the one dying of cancer now?! Summer, are you still going to lie to me?" "You expect me to marry a woman like you? You make me sick." He tightened his grip around the shivering Chloe, each word he spoke cutting deeper into my chest. "Just last week, you magically found a perfect heart donor for your transplant. Meanwhile, Chloe, who has always been perfectly healthy, is suddenly diagnosed with terminal cancer. You expect me to believe that’s a coincidence?" "If Chloe hadn’t told me a week ago, how much longer was your family planning on hiding this?!" Chloe looked up at that moment, her pale face streaked with silent tears. She looked at me, her voice trembling but clear enough for everyone to hear: "Ethan, please don't blame Summer... I did this willingly. The doctors said... I don't have much time left. I just... I just want to live my last days in freedom..." With every word she spoke, Ethan’s grip on her tightened, and the look he gave me grew colder. The whispers of the guests rushed over me like a suffocating wave. Their judging, disgusted, and pitying eyes felt like they were drowning me. "Enough!" My father was shaking with rage. My mother was already in tears, pulling me protectively into her arms. My dad stepped forward, furious. "Ethan, have you lost your mind? How dare you treat my daughter like this! Don’t forget, your family was the one begging for this merger!" "And you, Chloe! When we brought you in, we were desperate enough to believe in those superstitions. But we have a clear conscience. We never starved you, we never locked you up, and we stopped all those ridiculous rituals after your first week with us!" "If we hadn't, how could our Summer still be..." "Dad!" I cried out, cutting him off, my tears spilling over. "Just... let them go."Chloe looked back at me, intentionally shrinking closer into Ethan's chest, wiping away fake tears. Ethan let out a cold snort, his eyes lingering on my pale face one last time. "Until Chloe gets better, I will be by her side. Consider it my way of paying for your sins. As for our wedding... we'll talk about it later." A sharp, stabbing pain shot through my chest. Seeing me gasp for air, my parents frantically rushed to support me. "And stop acting, Summer. Your performance is pathetic." Ethan walked out of the venue without looking back. My childhood sweetheart, the boy I loved for years, had intentionally ruined our wedding just to get revenge for Chloe. The wedding I had spent a whole year dreaming of ended in a humiliating farce. "Summer, why did you stop me from speaking? You haven't found a heart donor at all! You only lied about the donor to make Ethan stop worrying about you, didn't you?" "And Chloe! She lied through her teeth! Our family gave her everything, and she knows it!" My dad was furious, unable to understand why I let them go. "Dad..." I opened my mouth, but my throat felt like it was lined with glass. Before I could say another word, a warm rush of metallic taste filled my mouth, and I coughed up a pool of dark blood. Looking up at the glittering crystal chandeliers, my mind drifted back to a few months ago... Right here, in this very hall, Ethan had snuck me in while the venue was only half-decorated. He had awkwardly re-enacted his proposal just to make me smile for my birthday. The lights had been so warm then. His ears had turned red as he smiled and said: "Summer, I’ve finally waited long enough to make you my wife." But that same boy had just personally destroyed every ounce of love I had for him. When we got back to our estate, I saw Ethan walking out, his arm wrapped around Chloe. Seeing me, Ethan’s face immediately twisted with impatience. "Following me here won’t change anything. It won't undo what you did to Chloe." "Ethan, the three of us grew up together. How can you say you don't know how I treated her?" "When she had a high fever, I was the one who carried her on my back to the clinic!" "When she was cornered by thugs in that alley, I was the one who grabbed a baseball bat and ran in to save her!" "And..." There were too many memories to count. My words seemed to strike a chord, and a flicker of doubt finally crossed Ethan’s eyes. His footsteps paused. The arm holding Chloe loosened just a fraction. That tiny detail made my dead heart spark with a tiny, foolish shred of hope. He was remembering. Chloe, of course, noticed the shift in his tension. A flash of pure malice crossed her eyes. Suddenly, she let out a soft, pained gasp, her body trembling violently. Both Ethan and I looked at her. Chloe looked up at Ethan with tear-filled eyes, her lips pale. "Ethan... I... I can't breathe..." Ethan instantly tightened his grip, pulling her flush against him. When he looked back at me, the brief doubt in his eyes was replaced by an even deeper disgust and irritation. "Stop bringing up the past to guilt-trip me. Who knows if you were just playing the good sister to cover up your sick secrets!" "I didn't do it! Chloe, stop lying!" Chloe wept, clutching the lapel of Ethan's jacket. "Ethan, please don't be mad at Summer. Maybe I was just born unlucky, and God wants to take my life back." Hearing her venomous lies, a cold shiver ran down my spine. "Enough, Summer. I don’t want to hear your excuses." "I didn't officially cancel the wedding because I used to love you. I wanted to believe the sweet, innocent girl I grew up with was still in there. Don't make me regret giving you a chance." "Otherwise, we are completely done." He walked away, choosing to doubt me yet again. Chloe’s cancer was real. But it was only stage-one gastric cancer. It was nowhere near as fatal or dramatic as she had made it sound at the wedding. "We raised a viper," my mom sobbed by my hospital bed. "Yes, your father and I were desperate enough to adopt her for that stupid superstition, but your health never even improved. We treated her like our own daughter, and this is how she repays us." I lay on the bed, my body aching all over. "Mom, I want to go to London. I want to see the rose gardens." My mom stared at me for a long time before slowly nodding. My parents had wanted to send me abroad for treatment years ago, but I had refused, wanting to stay close to Ethan. This time, I had absolutely nothing keeping me here.My family began preparing to emigrate for my medical treatment. While sorting through my personal assets, I returned to the penthouse Ethan and I were supposed to share after our wedding. As I was packing, I heard the sound of the digital lock clicking open. Ethan walked in. In one hand, he held a bag of prescription drugs from the hospital. With the other, he was gently, naturally supporting Chloe. Chloe was wearing a oversized hospital cardigan, leaning softly against his shoulder. Ethan sneered when he saw me. "I knew you’d come crawling back here. Hmph, you really are obsessed with me." "The wedding is off, yet you still come to our marital home. Well, at least it saves me the trouble of looking for you." The apartment already had clear signs of Chloe living here. "Sign this." Ethan threw a piece of paper onto the kitchen island. It was a bizarre spiritual contract with occult runic symbols drawn on it. "A spiritual healer told me that since you stole Chloe's life force to cure your heart, she will only get better if you sign this contract and return her destiny to her!" "You owe her this." "I told you, I never used her as a shield! Why would I sign this garbage?" "And what about you two? Who gave you the right to redecorate my penthouse and move in without my permission?!" Ethan’s brows knitted in deep annoyance. "Your penthouse? Summer, we agreed this would be our home after we got married." "Chloe is sick. I only let her stay here to recover. Once she’s cured, she’ll move out." "Is that what you’re throwing a tantrum about? I haven't even called off the wedding yet! What more do you want?!" "Your family owes her this! I am only helping you pay off your moral debt!" Ethan spoke with such righteous conviction, genuinely believing I would submit to him like I always did. Chloe let out a soft whimper. "Ethan, don't argue with her. If Summer doesn't want to sign, don't force her. I just... I didn't expect her to be so greedy that she’d kick me out of your house too." "My name is the only one on the deed of this property, Ethan. What right do you have to let anyone live here?" "And let's not forget, you were the one who ruined our wedding. Did you lose your memory?" "I’m giving you both two minutes. Pack your things and get out of my sight!" It had been a long time since I had yelled like this. My heart was beginning to throb painfully, and my legs felt weak and unsteady. Ethan was visibly angered by my attitude. He took a threatening step forward, his eyes full of disappointment. "Summer Vance, I never realized you were this petty and selfish! It’s just an empty apartment. Are you, the great heiress of the Vance family, really that desperate for one piece of real estate?" "And have you forgotten why Chloe is sick in the first place? Your family—you—owe her! Now we’re just using this place so she can rest in peace, and you show this ugly face? Where is your decency? Where is your upbringing?" "You don't love me anymore, Ethan. If you did, you would have believed me..." As if his ego had been bruised, he cut me off coldly. "I told you, I'm taking care of Chloe to redeem *you*. There is nothing going on between us." Chloe pulled gently at his sleeve, her voice barely a whisper. "Ethan, please stop... It's my fault. I shouldn't have moved in. I'll pack my bags tomorrow..." "You don't have to leave! And she *is* signing this paper today! She is taking her bad luck back!" Ethan's voice was firm, his cold eyes locking onto me. Ignoring my struggles, he grabbed my wrist and dragged my hand down onto the kitchen island. "Sign it, Summer!"I refused to move my fingers, so he tightly clamped his hand over mine, forcing the pen down. His breath was hot against my neck, but his grip was terrifyingly forceful. "Be a good girl. Once she’s cured, I’ll marry you." "No! Ethan, my illness was never cured!" Tears spilled from my eyes, staining the spiritual paper as Ethan forced my hand to scribble my signature onto the document. Once it was done, he folded the paper carefully and handed it to Chloe like a prize. "Chloe, you're going to get better now. Don't worry." "I've returned the curse back to her." Our breathing echoed in the empty room. Looking at the man standing in front of me, I felt a complete, chilling numbness. I slumped against the wall, completely exhausted. "Get out of my house. If you don't leave, I'm calling the police." Ethan looked at me, momentarily startled by the dead, cold look in my eyes. "As you wish." Regaining his composure, he gave me one last look, turned around, and walked into the master bedroom to pack Chloe’s things. Only Chloe and I were left in the living room. The weak, pathetic act vanished from her face instantly. She slowly walked over to me. "Must hurt like hell, seeing your fiancé completely devoted to someone else, huh?" I looked at her coldly. "Chloe, my family never did you wrong." Chloe’s face twisted into something utterly hideous. "Oh, please. I’ve known for a long time that your family stopped those stupid rituals. But the Vance family is so hypocritical! Acting like saints when you brought me in just to extend your precious daughter’s life!" "Did you really think I’d be grateful just because you bought me expensive clothes? No. I want to destroy you. I want you to feel what it's like to have your life stolen from you!" "I’m going to ruin the Vance family’s reputation, and I’m going to take the man you love most!" *Slap!* A sharp slap cut off her venomous whispering. That slap took the very last of my strength. My vision went black, and I slid down the wall, collapsing onto the hardwood floor. Almost instantly, the bedroom door flew open. "Chloe!" "Oh, Ethan! I know Summer is angry with me... I’ll take the curse back! Please just tell her not to ruin my life in the city!" "Summer! Not only did you hit her, but you’re still abusing her?!" I clutched my chest, unable to utter a single word. Ethan looked at my deathly pale face and the cold sweat dripping down my forehead. For a second, a flash of panic crossed his eyes. He knew how fatal my heart attacks could be. "Summer? What’s wrong? Are you okay?" "Ethan... it hurts..." Chloe suddenly clutched Ethan's arm, her face turning pale as she slumped against him. "Chloe! Don't worry, I'm taking you to the hospital right now!" His voice was so tender it made my ears ring. I reached out with trembling fingers, grabbing the hem of his jeans. I knew that if he left me now, I wouldn't survive the night. "Help me... Ethan..." Ethan kicked my hand away. "Stop acting, Summer. You already had your heart transplant, didn't you? Overacting makes it look cheap." "Since I promised I’d still marry you, just wait for me." Tears slipped down my cheeks as I slowly closed my eyes. Ethan, there won't be a wedding. And I won't be here anymore.