After Being Shamed, My Lover Broke Our Engagement

At the same time, inside the Turner family villa—

Caleb had just glanced at the incoming message on his phone when Elena covered his eyes with her hands.

“You promised to focus on me and the baby before the ceremony today,” she murmured.

Caleb replied calmly, though a hint of impatience crept into his voice.

“It looks like a message from Elena. Let me check it first.”

Reluctantly, Elena withdrew her hand, looking aggrieved. Her tears fell silently onto his shoulder.

“Caleb, Elena has always been jealous because you’re so good to me. She constantly insults me behind your back—calling me a parentless bastard. I know my engagement to Caleb hurt her deeply, but it’s not my fault she dressed provocatively and drew the wrong kind of attention. She wanted me tainted just because she felt ruined herself. If she’s messaged you to complain, then fine—I’ll take the blame if it’ll make her feel better. Just… don’t argue with her over me.”

She often said things like this. In the past, Caleb usually brushed it off without thought.

But yesterday, Elena’s words had stirred something in him.

A strange unease lingered—like she’d discovered something he wasn’t ready to face.

He was about to respond, but then Elena turned away, tears still glistening in her eyes. Her delicate hands slowly moved to caress her barely visible belly.

His frustration softened instantly. A wave of guilt and tenderness surged within him.

“Alright, alright,” he said gently. “I won’t check it. I’ll go make cakes for you and the baby now, okay?”

As soon as Caleb stepped out, Elena grabbed his phone and checked the screen.

The moment she read my last message, her expression darkened. Her lips curved with disdain as her fingers quickly slid across the screen to delete it without hesitation.

She was just about to put the phone down when a new message popped up—this time, a chilling threat:

"Caleb, your wife and child are in my hands. Ransom is 100 million by 7 PM. One cent short, and you can pick up their corpses.”

Elena recognized the number immediately.

She’d been by Caleb’s side long enough to know—it was the rival gang boss’s burner line.

Her lips twisted into a cruel smirk as she swiftly typed back:

“That bitch and her bastard aren’t worth a single cent. I’m done playing with them. Do what you want. When you’re finished, feed the bodies to the fish. I don’t care.”

Feeling victorious, she chuckled quietly.

She was certain I was in the rival gang’s hands now. Escape was impossible. Death was guaranteed tonight.

And once I was gone, no one would ever learn the truth—that I was the one who had saved Caleb five years ago.

She could go on pretending to be his savior, gaining sympathy, privilege, and power.

As long as she kept the Turner brothers in check, the Turner family fortune would eventually be hers alone.

Humming contentedly, she leaned back in satisfaction.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Caleb gave a casual order to the staff.

“Elena’s pregnant and craving sweets. Make a rum cheesecake.”

The servants looked surprised.

“But sir, rum cheesecake has alcohol. Pregnant women shouldn’t eat much of that. The lady is expecting? Why weren’t we informed?”

Caleb froze.

Suspicion crept in.

Just yesterday, they were drinking champagne.

His stomach churned. He turned and walked briskly back to the room, intending to confront Elena.

As he approached, laughter spilled from the other side of the door—Elena’s voice, light and triumphant.

“Thanks for helping me teach that bitch a lesson yesterday. I’ll definitely reward you.”

Caleb stopped in his tracks.

“Reward me? For what? Caleb’s stuck babysitting that little whore tonight. Caleb won’t be back for a month. If you want your reward, come to me tonight.”

Each word was lewd, explicit.

It sent a chill straight through him.

The woman he thought had risked everything to save his life—the woman he believed to be kind, pure, and courageous—was… like this?

And yet, she had saved him.

So he had promised himself to protect her for life.

But the game she was playing… it had to end now.

He gave a bitter, self-deprecating laugh.

For the first time, he ignored her flirting and coldly ordered his younger brother to retrieve the phone from the room.

Then he left the villa without a word.

At the church, Caleb sat restlessly.

He adjusted his tie. Checked the bouquet again.

He and Elena had been married for so long, yet today, he felt like a nervous schoolboy.

The heavy wooden door creaked open. His breath caught.

But it wasn’t Elena.

It was his younger brother, pale and trembling, clutching the phone in his hand.

“Boss… bad news,” he stammered.

“Sister-in-law… she… she’s been kidnapped!”