He Thought He Could Let Her Go, Until She Left

"Ms. Chancellor, are you sure you want to cancel the wedding? This venue took a year to secure. If you back out now, it’ll be at least another two years before you can book it again. Shouldn’t you speak with Mr. Davidson first?"

Athena Chancellor’s pale face betrayed her exhaustion, but her eyes were resolute. She gave a firm nod.

"There’s nothing to discuss. Cancel it."

The sharp pain in her lower abdomen surged as the anesthesia wore off, gripping her body with unrelenting intensity. Each word she spoke felt like a battle, her strength barely holding.

Yet, the moment she regained consciousness, her first action was clear. She reached for her phone and canceled the wedding, her decision unwavering despite the storm raging through her body.

After all, if she hadn’t canceled, the thought of two weddings with the same groom would have been nothing short of a farce.

The receptionist on the line hesitated but quickly processed Athena's request, adhering to the golden rule of customer first.

Within a minute, a text message confirming the cancellation appeared on her phone.

Staring at the message, a year of effort crumbled before her eyes. Yet, instead of heartbreak, Athena felt an unexpected sense of liberation, as though a weight she hadn’t realized she was carrying had been lifted.

"Please ensure this remains confidential. Don’t breathe a word of it to Emmett."

The staff assured her repeatedly, though their curiosity lingered. Just a month ago, on Athena’s birthday, Emmett Davidson made headlines by lighting up the skies of Ravenloch with fireworks. This grand display captivated social media.

At the time, everyone marveled at how Emmett and Athena, after five years together, still seemed wrapped in the warmth of love, the perfect couple in everyone’s eyes. How could things have spiraled so quickly, ending in the cancellation of their wedding just weeks later?

Athena hung up the phone, her fingers already reaching for a ticket, when the door to her hospital room creaked open, cutting through her thoughts.

Emmett had just returned from an international conference, his suit still creased from the long journey. Without a moment’s hesitation, he rushed to Athena and enveloped her in a tight embrace, his voice full of regret.

"Athena, I’m sorry. I’m late."

"How are you feeling? Does it still hurt? I was only gone for two days, and now you're in the hospital. What did the doctor say?"

Athena was held so tightly she had no chance to catch her breath. Just as she opened her mouth to respond, a faint, nearly undetectable scent filled the air.

It was the same scent she had once noticed on another woman.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her, settling in her stomach like a stone.

Wasn’t it more likely that he had spent that so-called international conference in someone else’s bed?

The thought hit Athena like a punch to the gut, and in an instant, she broke free from Emmett’s embrace. Gripping the bed railing, she doubled over, dry heaving violently.

Emmett froze, a look of shock crossing his face before he rushed to her side. His beautiful eyes were filled with a mixture of concern and something darker, almost like excitement.

"Athena, could you be pregnant?"

Athena straightened up, carefully distancing herself from him.

"No, my stomach’s just been a little off lately."

"Really?"

Emmett’s voice dripped with disbelief, and just as he opened his mouth to press further, his phone rang.

The moment he saw the name on the screen, all his questions vanished, replaced by a faint smile that crept across his lips.

But instead of replying to the message, Emmett quickly powered off his phone and, like a clingy puppy, leaned in closer to Athena, completely abandoning his earlier concerns.

"Athena, I’ve already sent out all the wedding invitations. Soon, we’ll be married!"

"Let’s have a son first, okay? We’ll raise him right, and when he’s grown, I’ll retire early and spend every day with you."

Emmett spoke with such enthusiasm, oblivious to Athena’s pale face, as if everything were perfectly fine.

Meanwhile, the television broadcasted Aliana Forbes’s first interview since returning to the country.

Just half a month ago, Aliana had walked away from her thriving career in the Canadian film industry; her decision was firm and resolute as she chose to return home. Upon her arrival, she wasted no time in announcing her plans to marry.