An ESPN special is interviewing Sienna Hayes. The hottest sports reporter in the country. She stands by the noisy ice rink. She gently tells the camera about the man who made her fearless.He is a top hockey player. She says he often flew across North America. Just for a brief reunion. Whenever her work trips ended with no set return date,he waited at the airport. Once,he waited for three whole months. I was deeply moved,watching their love story unfold on screen. Until tonight.The night before my wedding. I see the rerun. Her eyes are red.She whispers to the camera: "You said I was your courage...but I don't have the courage to keep you." "But I don't regret it.At least we had our wildest youth." She accidentally lights up her phone. The lock screen shows a man kissing her passionately. He is Caleb Vance,my groom tomorrow. ... My blood freezes instantly. I turn my head. I look at the sleeping face on my pillow. Identical features. The same star athlete I thought I knew.But how?How is this possible? He is the untouchable"Gentleman on Ice." New York's ultimate good man. On rainy days,he'd carry me down the whole street. Just so my shoes wouldn't get muddy. When my fingers cramped from late-night piano practice,he never just told me to rest. He'd wrap his warm hands around mine.He'd massage them gently. For a second,I even have an absurd thought. Does he have a secret twin brother? I call everyone overnight. Family,friends,wedding planners. I say my dad is sick. I delay the wedding by a week. Before I find the truth,I won't ruin our three years of sweet memories. Three years.I at least owe those three years a real answer.
My best friend Chloe picks up on it right away."Aurora,did you and Caleb have a fight?" "No,"I pause.I decide to tell her everything. She is a top business lawyer. Maybe she can help me. She listens to the whole story. A long silence follows. Finally,she says softly: "Don't worry.I will find the truth." hat night,we slept side by side like strangers.I lay awake in the dark,listening to him breathe.In the morning,Caleb woke up and pulled me into his arms. "Baby,today you're supposed to be the most beautiful bride in the world." I pull away and glance at the abstract painting on the wall—part of his collection. I can't help but ask,"When will you paint a portrait of me?" He rubs his morning stubble against my cheek. His voice is lazy,teasing. "Baby,I told you.I'm an athlete.Zero artistic talent. I only know how to appreciate art." My chest tightens. In that interview,Sienna proudly showed a sketchbook— a gift from her lover. Every single page was a sketch of her, from quiet college libraries to crowded locker room hallways. My voice comes out tight."My dad is sick.We have to postpone the wedding." I met Caleb at a charity gala. Even then,he was already a league superstar. Now that I think about it... Did he take every single exclusive interview just to be near her? Then why did he ever choose me?
Caleb's throat tightens. "Baby,I know your dad's health comes first,but can we..." I cut him off. "I already told everyone.The wedding is postponed for one week." Just one week. Caleb visibly relaxes. He turns and heads to the kitchen to make me breakfast. I watch his figure. Just like always. I ask softly: "If I had a terrible accident on tour,would it break you?" He freezes. The avocado toast rested in his hands.His eyes are intense and sincere. "If anything ever happened to you,I wouldn't want to go on.Heaven or hell,I will go with you." Without that interview,I would have thrown myself into his arms. I would have kissed him fiercely. But now,I just stand still,watching him."Do you know Sienna Hayes?"
Panic flashes across Caleb's face. A look I've never seen on him before. He looks like he wants to deny it. But in the end,he nods. Even though I suspected it,the confirmation still hollows me out. I force the words out of my throat. "So,she said you two are together.Is it true?" "Of course not!" Caleb grabs my hand,his grip tight and nervous. "Where did you hear that?Sienna and I are just college classmates." "If there is anything else...she came from a poor family. I anonymously paid her college tuition back then." Is this really all just Sienna's delusion? But something still feels wrong. "Caleb.Did you do all those exclusive ESPN interviews...just to see Sienna at work?" He looks at me,helpless and a little wounded. "Baby,you are overthinking this. She's a sports reporter.We cross paths at the arena. But there are so many teams in the league,so many reporters. Why would I go exclusive with one network just for her?" He gently pinches my nose. I used to love when he did that. Now my skin feels wrong. "Are you just having pre-wedding anxiety?Don't let your mind run wild."
I can't find any flaws in his words. Maybe I really was just overthinking. Just then,his phone rings. It's an unsaved number. He listens for only a moment before rushing out. He doesn't even say goodbye. The doubts I just buried come rushing back. I walk into Caleb's study. I rarely come in here. But now,I begin searching,even though I don't even know what I'm looking for. Shelves full of trophies and sports magazines. Clean,neat.No trace of Sienna. I almost laugh at my own paranoia. But then I accidentally knock a locked wooden box off the desk. It hits the floor and snaps open.My heart stops. Inside the box is a thick sketchbook. My hands shake. I cover my mouth to stifle a scream. The man who swore he had no artistic talent lied to me. A cold dread crawls over me.I flip through the pages. Page one,page two...no exceptions. Page one.Page two.Every single page is Sienna.I collapse onto the floor.I can't even cry. My phone vibrates.A text from Chloe: “Aurora,I hacked into Sienna's Finsta...Something is wrong.” My hands shake so hard I can barely hold the phone. It takes me a moment to tap the link. The latest post reads: 【Flew back during the Christmas break just to wish him a happy wedding in person. Didn't expect to get trapped at JFK for three days because of a blizzard.】 Posted three hours ago. I suddenly remember a detail from the interview. Whenever Sienna's flights were uncertain,Caleb would wait for her at the airport. With trembling fingers,I open the location-sharing app on my phone. On the map,the blue dot is pulsing clearly at: 【JFK International Airport】
Caleb's location stays at the airport hotel for three days. During those three days,Caleb sends me only one text: “Baby,the league called an emergency meeting.I'll be back soon.” I pack my bags,ignoring the message. Chloe thinks there must be some misunderstanding,some hidden explanation. But I don't care anymore. I scroll through Sienna's secret account from the very beginning.Every word hits like an ice pick straight to the heart. 【Today he learned to make my favorite vanilla roasted chicken to welcome me home.】 That was the same stretch of time Caleb spent an entire week in the kitchen,burning batch after batch until he finally got it right. At the time,he smiled and told me, "I have to practice until it's perfect.Only the best is worthy of my baby's precious cellist hands." ... 【I want to have a daughter with him.We'll name her Hope.】 That night,Caleb pressed close to my ear,his breath hot against my skin. "Baby,let's have a child.Let's name her Hope,okay?" ... 【Always secretly wishing for a forever with you.Luckily,you want the same.】 That was the day I slipped Caleb's engagement ring onto my finger. And in the photo attached,two hands clasped together under a streetlight.I recognized the watch on the man's wrist.It was the limited-edition watch Caleb never took off.
Every single word matched up perfectly. It turned out I had been living in Sienna's shadow all along. I drove to the airport. Even if it was over,I wanted to say it to his face. But the moment I stepped into the arrivals hall,I froze. Through the crowd,I saw them. Caleb's back was to me. He was down on one knee,carefully tending to Sienna's sprained ankle. After applying some ointment,he bowed his head,held her foot,and gently blew on it. Caleb had never once knelt down for me. Not like that. Swallowing the bitter burning in my throat,I walked toward them,step by step. "Caleb,the wedding is off." He snapped his head up,panic instantly flooding his eyes when he saw me. "Ba—"He glanced quickly at Sienna and corrected himself. "Aurora,what are you doing here?" "Don't get the wrong idea.I just bumped into an old college classmate at the airport." My gaze bypassed Caleb and landed squarely on Sienna. She was indeed a seasoned reporter— she didn't show a single trace of embarrassment or shame. Instead,she gracefully offered me her hand,her smile open and candid. "You must be Aurora.Hi,I'm Sienna,Caleb's friend from college." Like she had nothing to do with any of it. I didn't take her hand. I kept my eyes on Caleb and repeated,"Cancel the wedding." Caleb stiffened. "Just because I ran into an old classmate?Stop making a scene,Aurora." Sienna let out a soft chuckle. "Aurora,please don't misunderstand. I'm flying back to the West Coast right after the wedding." Almost instinctively,Caleb grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going again?" "The Finals." "Don't go.Those events are way too chaotic." Sienna pulled her hand out of his grip. "I just...need to see you happy with my own eyes before I can finally let go." What a performance.Suddenly,my stomach violently churned.I bent over,dry-heaving. Only then did Caleb shift his attention to me,helping me sit down. He reached into his duffel bag,looking for something to help. I was about to tell him I was fine,when his eyes suddenly lit up,and he pulled me into his arms. "Aurora,you might be pregnant." I froze.What a cruel,twisted joke the universe was playing on me. I looked over at Sienna. Sure enough,the color drained from her face. But a second later,she turned to Caleb,her voice going ice cold."Caleb,Aurora is pregnant,and you're still stressing her out? What kind of fiancéare you!" There wasn't a single trace of pretense in her outrage.
The two of them in front of me only leave me deeper in confusion. If they're so clearly in love,why drag me into the middle of it? And Sienna's reaction didn't seem like acting at all. In a daze,I let Caleb take me to get checked. Two months pregnant. There are only three days left until our wedding. The resolve I had to walk away begins to crack. When we get back to the house,Caleb stops dead.Sienna's sketches are scattered across the floor,right beside my packed suitcase.He stared at them like he'd been struck by lightning. Then,right in front of me,he tears the sketchbook apart. "Sienna has always had a secret crush on me,"he says,desperate. "This has to be nothing but her own delusion." "If you don't want me anywhere near her,I'll block her on everything after the wedding.No contact.Ever again." Three years together.A new life growing inside me.In the end,I give in.I take my wedding leave and stay home to rest,taking it easy for the baby.I open Sienna's secret account. The page has just been updated. 【Received the love letter he wrote.】 A love letter? My eyes instinctively drift toward the kitchen, where Caleb is carefully preparing food for me. My fingertips begin to tremble. Could it be that they...still haven't cut ties?
Just then,my phone rings.It's Chloe,her voice low and heavy."Aurora,I need to see you right now." In a quiet corner of a café,she slides an encrypted USB drive across the table to me. Just as I am about to plug it into my laptop,her hand presses down on mine. "Think carefully,"Chloe warns,her eyes searching mine. "Once you open Pandora's box,there's no going back." I don't hesitate for a second.I plug it in and go through every file.When I finally look up,my voice comes out shaking. "Chloe,help me book a doctor's appointment." When we return from the clinic,Chloe's eyes are a mix of intense heartache and burning fury."Aurora,let's call off the wedding.I'll help you." "No."A cold smirk plays at the corner of my lips. "Caleb has prepared such a grand,romantic gift for Sienna. How could I possibly not help him deliver it?" "Chloe,on the wedding day,help me contact all the major media outlets. Let's have everyone witness this epic romance that played out across every arena in the country." On the day of the wedding,the entire estate Caleb booked in the Hamptons is bustling with high-society guests. I had once tried to turn down such an extravagant affair. "Caleb,a simple wedding is enough." But he had playfully pinched my nose,his voice dripping with affection. "Aurora,I want to give you the grandest wedding.I want all of New York to celebrate us." I used to think this was his ultimate devotion. Only now do I realize that the person he wanted the world to see him with was someone else entirely. In the bridal suite,Sienna is waiting for me. She does my makeup with her own hands, and carefully helps me slip into the Vera Wang wedding gown she personally picked out for me. The makeup is flawless,the white dress breathtaking. Even the makeup artists standing by can't help but gasp in admiration. But Sienna has no idea. The more perfect the illusion,the more lethal the poison hidden underneath.
Watch? https://cps-front.novelix.live/app-api/ext/new/20260718eje0tOyDmI ? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "Novelix" app ? search for "ni911922", and watch the full series ✨! #Novelix