After Seven Years of Loving You, I Choose Myself

The wedding rehearsal was over. Warren Stephens knelt at my feet, massaging my swollen toes, and spoke without looking up.

"Georgie's back. She's pregnant, and there was no wedding first. I have to protect her reputation."

"The rehearsal counts as your ceremony. I won't be attending the banquet in three days."

"Let Georgie wear the ring for now. She is, after all, my legal wife."

"But you're still the one I love most. Once the baby's born and registered, I'll divorce her and give you a real home."

It took me a long time to process what he'd said.

I didn't make a scene. I slipped the pigeon-egg diamond off my ring finger and placed it in his palm.

It was the Stephens family heirloom, passed down to each bride. He'd taken ninety-nine lashes in the family chapel just to claim it for his proposal to me.

Warren looked at the ring, then at me, and nodded with satisfaction. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my lips.

"I knew you'd be good about this. Ten more months. I promise I'll marry you with all the fanfare you deserve."

Four years ago, he said to wait until he'd secured every share of Stephens Group. Two years ago, he said to wait until his mother accepted me.

I'd lost count of how many times I'd waited.

I watched his back as he walked away.

I drew a deep breath, took the pregnancy test results I'd planned to surprise him with, and tore them in half.

My goal had always been to marry by twenty-eight.

Warren, this time I wasn't going to wait.

Because one month ago, my memories had come back.

I was the long-lost daughter of the wealthiest man in the Capital.

In three days, my eldest brother's private fleet would come to take me home.

...

The moment I stepped out of the wedding gown, the event coordinator rushed over to confirm the venue setup and itinerary one last time.

I didn't look up. I dropped the gown into the trash.

"The wedding's off. Don't worry, Mr. Stephens will cover the deposit and the cancellation fee."

I turned and walked out under the stunned stares of everyone in the room.

I'd barely made it through the door when a message from my brother lit up my phone.

Eudora, the private clearance has been approved. Three days, and I'm coming to bring you home. Every wrong the Stephens family did to you, every ounce of pain Warren caused, I will make them answer for.

The words blurred. Tears flooded my eyes before I could stop them.

I lifted my hand, wiped the corners of my eyes, typed three words, and hit send.

I'll be waiting!

But before I left, there was one more thing I had to do.

Get rid of the baby.

After I submitted the appointment request, I went home.

The house was blazing with light. The smell of wine and the hum of voices spilled through every window.

Warren was throwing a celebration banquet for Georgina Pruitt. They'd just signed the marriage certificate, and he was introducing his lawful Mrs. Stephens to every guest in the room.

I pushed the door open. The living room fell silent in an instant.

Every pair of eyes turned to me. They were all waiting for the spectacle, waiting for me to lose it so Warren could throw me out.

I ignored them and kept walking.

A notification chimed on my phone, cutting through the silence.

Warren stepped in front of me immediately, brow furrowed, eyes sharp with warning. "Don't make a scene."

He blocked my path, certain I was about to go after Georgina.

The old me would have. Without question, I would have made her pay.

When a young model had tried to crawl into his bed, I'd plastered her photos across every trending page for three straight days until she was finished in the industry for good.

When his personal secretary slipped something into my drink at a birthday party, I'd sent her photos to every major firm in the city and destroyed her career beyond repair.

But this time I didn't move. I just glanced down at my phone.

The appointment for tomorrow's procedure had been confirmed.

The last thread of attachment inside me snapped clean. I smiled, quiet and free.

Warren stared at me, his expression blank with confusion. He had never seen me like this. It was as if he were looking at a stranger.

He reached for my phone on instinct, but the screen went dark just before his fingers touched it.

I stepped back, opening a cold distance between us.

His face darkened. He was about to erupt.

Georgina hurried forward, raising the hand that now wore the heirloom ring, her voice silk-soft. "Eudora, thank you for stepping aside so Warren and I could be together."

She reached out and pulled me into a hug, the picture of sisterly warmth.

But the moment she was close enough, her lips grazed my ear, dripping with triumph and venom:

"Seven years by his side, and what did it get you? Everything you had, everything I wanted, it all ends up mine."

When she released me, her gaze drifted to my neck. "Eudora," she murmured, "Warren and I are married now. That unity locket around your neck... it's not really appropriate anymore, is it?"

My chest tightened. I looked down at the necklace.

This locket. Years ago, when Warren's enemies came for him, I'd stepped in front of the bullet. I'd flatlined more than once on that hospital bed.

He'd told the doctors that if they couldn't save me, every last one of them would follow me into the ground.

Then this man who had never believed in God or fate dropped to his knees, bowed three times, and climbed a mountain temple to beg for it.

One locket for each of us, binding our lives together.

Heaven saw his devotion and couldn't bear to take me.

From the day it was clasped around my neck, I had never once removed it.

My eyes burned. I said nothing.

Georgina suddenly toppled backward, hitting the floor hard, her eyes instantly red with tears.

"Eudora, if you didn't want to give it up, you could've just said so. Why did you push me..."

The room erupted.

Warren's pupils contracted. He lunged forward, shoved me aside, scooped Georgina into his arms, and roared at me.

"Eudora Fox! She's carrying a child! How can you be so vicious?"

Vicious.

I looked at the undisguised hatred in his eyes and swallowed the explanation rising in my throat.

It wouldn't matter what I said. He would never believe me.

Once, he'd trusted me without question, stood in front of me, shielded me from every whisper and rumor. Now all he saw was Georgina, and all he felt was heartache for her.

So nothing I said would make a difference.

Georgina nestled against his chest, sobbing in small, pitiful hiccups.

"Warren, don't blame her. She just doesn't like me, that's all. I don't need the locket."

I steadied myself. A dry, bitter laugh slipped out before I could stop it, and I pressed down the tears clawing their way up.

Under every contemptuous stare in the room, I reached up, gripped the unity locket at my throat, and yanked. The red cord snapped.

I held the locket out to Georgina. My voice was flat, stripped of every last trace of warmth:

"You're right. It should be yours. I wish you both eternal devotion."