Chapter 5: The Wedding He Promised Someone Else

Callum stayed quiet for a moment.

Then he crouched down in front of Poppy and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Mommy is just joking," he said softly.

"Of course we love each other. We love each other, and we love you even more."

He brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

"Be a good girl. Don't cry. You're going to be our little flower girl later. If your eyes are red, the pictures won't look pretty."

I stood in the living room.

Once again, completely useless.

The wedding I had spent months planning suddenly felt like someone else's celebration.

Every decoration I had chosen.

Every appointment I had booked.

Every dream I had quietly built around Callum.

None of it seemed to matter anymore.

Right before they left, Callum finally looked at me.

"Maren, get some good rest at home. When I get back, we'll have a proper talk."

As if he felt something coming, he stopped at the door and turned around.

"I know you feel wronged. After the wedding, we'll go to Hawaii for our honeymoon."

I didn't say anything.

I just grabbed the handle and shut the door.

***

Outside, Brielle's voice sounded incredibly down.

"Callum, with everything you're doing for Poppy and me... is this going to ruin things between you and Maren? She looks like she hates my guts."

"Don't overthink it. She's just throwing a little tantrum."

"But she was packing her things last night! What if she really leaves you?"

Callum was silent for a moment.

Then he spoke in a low, confident voice.

"She won't."

Brielle paused.

"Are you that sure?"

"Maren loves me. She always gives in to me. We've been together for seven years. She could never bear to walk away."

I stood behind the closed door, listening to every word.

My constant giving in had made Callum so bold that he could hurt me without a single second thought.

Seven years of love.

It had become his bargaining chip to guarantee I would never leave.

In that moment, the last trace of my foolish hesitation shattered into dust.

I dragged my packed suitcase to the entryway.

Then I walked back into the nursery.

I looked at the crib I had carefully chosen.

The tiny clothes folded neatly inside the drawers.

The stuffed animals lined up on the shelf.

Everything I had prepared for the twins I had never gotten the chance to tell Callum about.

I stared at the room for a long time.

Then I picked up my phone.

I called a demolition crew and told them to completely gut the nursery.

The person on the other end hesitated.

"Are you sure you want everything removed?"

"Yes."

My voice didn't shake.

"Everything."

I hung up.

Finally, I closed the door behind me and left.

***

I had barely reached the building entrance when my phone rang.

Callum.

I answered without saying anything.

His breathing was rushed.

"Maren, Poppy passed out."

I closed my eyes.

Of course.

Even now, some part of me still reacted whenever I heard that child's name.

"She's in the waiting area right now. I'm not sure if she needs a transfusion yet. Get to the hospital right now—"

I cut him off.

"Callum."

He stopped.

"We're done."

Silence filled the line.

Then his voice came back, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said."

"Maren, this isn't the time to be angry. Poppy just passed out. I need you here."

I almost laughed.

Even now, he still believed I would come running.

Brielle's crying voice suddenly bled through the phone.

"Maren, it's all my fault and Poppy's fault! Don't scare Callum with a breakup..."

I stared at the wedding photo Brielle had posted on Instagram just half an hour ago.

The picture showed her smiling beside Callum.

They looked like a perfect little family.

It was so horribly ironic that it was almost funny.

Callum was about to speak, but a rushed voice came through the line first.

"Dr. Merrick! You just had me check the records to see if Ms. Ellis was cleared for a blood draw."

"The report says she underwent a termination of pregnancy yesterday morning. It caused massive post-op hemorrhaging..."