He Cheated 99 Times, Then Begged at My Wedding

Ninety-nine times I'd caught Duncan cheating. By now, panic was a thing of the past. All that was left in his eyes was irritation：

“How many times is this now? Sure, I can apologize—but I already told you I'm not changing. Next time I'll just be smarter about hiding it.”

I pressed my hand against the tight knot in my belly, eyes stinging so badly I could barely keep them open：

“I don't need an apology. You know that when you cheat, I can only……”

He cut me off, impatient：“Your people will die of shame on your behalf, and you'll get dragged back for an arranged marriage, right?”

“God, I am so tired of that line. It's faker than you whimpering 'no' in bed! You want to leave? Leave tomorrow. And don't ever come back.”

The tears dried on my cheeks. In my pocket, my phone kept buzzing.

A message from my mother：

【Bina, you're the only daughter our family has. Carrying on the bloodline isn't something you can walk away from. We agreed—one hundred chances for him to turn around. There's only one left. We're waiting for you at home.】

When Duncan saw I wasn't speaking, the contempt in his eyes deepened：

“Bad luck this time—you caught me. I wasn't even finished. Stand guard if you want.”

The door closed, and the image of their bodies tangled together on the other side drove through me like a blade.

I typed back to my mother with a bitter smile：【Mom, I'm not giving him the last chance. I'm coming home for the arranged marriage.】

The moment I sent it, I mailed him the appointment slip for the abortion. Then I walked away and never looked back.

A man who wouldn't cherish ninety-nine chances didn't deserve a hundredth.

……

I left the hotel and went straight to the hospital for the procedure.

Even as the doctor frowned and tried to talk me out of it：

“This baby's healthy—growing well. And very bonded to you. On the ultrasound, even when it's sleeping, it's gripping the cord. Are you sure about this? Have you talked it over with your family?”

I shook my head：

“There's no father in the picture. My family doesn't accept the relationship, either. I won't bring a child into the world just to suffer.”

Something like regret flickered in the doctor's eyes.

“It's okay. You've got a long road ahead of you, and you can walk it wide even on your own.”

I managed a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.

Even a perfect stranger could see it that clearly. So why had I wasted all that time on Duncan Delgado?

Three days in the hospital after the procedure, and I dragged myself home on shaky legs.

Dust on the table. Dust on everything he would have touched.

Duncan hadn't been back once in three days.

Not a single message on my phone.

The appointment slip I'd sent—he'd probably kicked it aside like trash without a second look.

I frowned and wiped the dust away.

After packing up the few things that were actually mine, I looked around. Nothing in the apartment was missing. As if I'd never belonged here at all.

I was about to call for a pickup when Duncan stumbled through the door, reeking of alcohol.

His gaze landed on the packed suitcases. He squinted, face flushed：

“Where do you think you're going?”

I didn't ask where he'd been for the past three days. Not the way I always used to.

I didn't ask about the cloying perfume clinging to him, either.

I just kept walking toward the door.

He lifted his foot, waiting. When I didn't kneel down to take off his shoes the way I always had—

That was when Duncan finally noticed something was wrong. He frowned：

“I had a big deal overseas, had to fly out personally. That's why I wasn't around. You're really going to throw a fit over that?”

“Next time I'll bring you along, okay? Knock it off.”

Listening to lies that rolled off his tongue like breathing, I just shook my head. Cold. Quiet.

Nothing like the woman who used to cling to him the moment he vanished for half a day, screaming, begging him to tell her whether he loved her or not.

One phone call. That was all it would have taken. He never made it.

He just didn't care.

His hand clamped down on my arm, and for the first time, real panic bled into his voice：