Chapter 1
Zaiden Gwinnett, Cynthia Shepherd’s crush for ten years, turned her into the butt of a cruel joke.
At their wedding, he left her at the altar in front of all the guests after just one phone call from his first love.
His parents blamed her for not keeping him there, for embarrassing the Gwinnett family. So they slapped her hard across the face in full view of the crowd.
Cynthia curled up on the couch in their new house and stayed up the entire night.
By morning, Zaiden returned. His expression was laced with guilt, his voice soft and coaxing.
“Still angry with me?”
Cynthia acted like she didn’t hear him. She stood up, ready to leave.
Zaiden continued, “I know what I did at the wedding was unforgivable. But Belinda broke up with her boyfriend, wouldn’t even acknowledge their baby. She’s got nobody else. I had to step up.”
“I was with her last night. She said she was sorry for ruining our wedding and that she hoped she could apologize to you in person next time you visited her.
You girls understand each other better. There are things I just can’t talk about with her. Maybe you could have a chat with her?”
Cynthia stopped in her tracks. Holding back the anger in her eyes, she asked slowly, “Zaiden, you want me to go visit her?”
Zaiden paused and met her gaze.
In his eyes, Cynthia had always been considerare. But now, she was throwing a tantrum.
Zaiden’s face darkened as he added, “If you don’t go, she’ll just keep blaming herself. You know the bond between me and her. You don’t want things to get awkward after we’re married, do you?
I’m going to get some sleep. When I wake up, we’ll go to visit her together.” He turned and headed upstairs.
Cynthia let out a bitter laugh
In the ten minutes since Zaiden had come home, all he talked about was Belinda. Not once did he ask Cynthia what had happened after he left.
Maybe, to him, she never mattered.
Two hours later, Zaiden had changed into a fresh outfit and came downstairs,
He glanced at her and, seeing that she’d got dressed and was waiting, gave an approving nod. “Let’s go.”
At the hospital.
Before they even reached the room, a nurse came running toward them, flustered.
“Mr. Gwinnett, thank goodness you’re here! We’re at our wits‘ end. Ms. Raymond is having another episode and only responds. to you. We could really use your help calming her down!”
Zaiden strode ahead, his face filled with concem, forgetting Cynthia entirely.
When Cynthia reached the door, she saw him speaking to Belinda in the gentlest tone she’d ever heard.
Belinda’s tears streamed down her cheeks, her delicate appearance practically begging for sympathy.
Then Belinda noticed Cynthia at the door and quickly wiped her tears.
‘Cynthia, you are here, too.”
4 Chapter 1
Zaiden shot Cynthia an impatient look, motioning for her to come in.
Cynthia felt like a sharp blade had pierced her chest.
“I’m so sorry, Cynthia. I didn’t mean to ruin your wedding with Zaiden. If it makes you feel better, you can yell at me… She burst
into tears.
Zaiden immediately grabbed a tissue and gently wiped her face.
You just underwent a miscarriage. You can’t cry. It’s bad for your eyes.”
Belinda took the tissue and looked at Zaiden with teary eyes that only fell faster.
Zaiden, after I lost my family, I thought I could depend on my boyfriend. But he left me too. You’re all I have left in this world.”
Zaiden’s heart ached. He quickly pulled her into a comforting hug.
Cynthia was not in the mood for watching the touching scene and she turned to leave.
Belinda let go of Zaiden just in time and looked toward Cynthia.
“It’s all my fault. I made you a joke in front of the whole city. I’ve already called my agent. We’ll release a statement to clear things up for you. I won’t let your reputation suffer because of me.”
Zaiden snapped, ‘Do you want to ruin your career? A celebrity having a miscarriage out of wedlock. Do you have any idea how this will trash your reputation?”
“My reputation doesn’t matter. I can’t let Cynthia take the fall for my mistake.”
“She’s fine. You don’t need to worry. Just have a good rest and don’t need to worry about anything,” said Zaiden.
Zaiden’s parents soon arrived.
When they heard about Belinda’s miscarriage, they cursed her ex–boyfriend and even warned Zaiden, “If that celebrity dares to mess with Belinda, he’s gonna pay for it.”
Cynthia suddenly felt like such an outsider that she turned and walked away without a word.
“Cynthia
Amanda Gwinnett, Zaiden’s mother, clicked her heels as she strutted our after her, her tone arrogant.
“You’re upset, aren’t you? I saw your face yesterday. You were practically seething. It was wrong of Zaiden to cancel the wedding and humiliate you like that. But are you really going to make a big deal out of this? It was not all his fault.”
Cynthia let out a light laugh.
Amanda didn’t like that reaction. Her face turned cold..
“If Zaiden didn’t like you and insisted on marrying you, I would’ve never agreed to your marriage.”
“Mrs. Gwinnett, are you sure he really likes me?”
Amanda noticed Cynthia had changed how she addressed her and looked at Cynthia with growing dislike.
“I know my son. Years ago, I told him that if he had feelings for Belinda, he should break up with you. But he refused. Let’s be
honest, our kindness to you has always depended on how he treated you.”
Cynthia only felt ridiculous when she heard that Zaiden still cared about her.
Over the years, Belinda had dated a string of boyfriends, but never Zaiden.
Today Cynthia finally realized that Zaiden had only kept her around to make Belinda jealous.
Now that he’d succeeded, Cynthia was ready to let them have each other.
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Zaiden came e out with Arthur Gwinnett, his father, and saw the tension between the women.
He frowned. “Mom, did you say anything sharp to Cynthia?”
“What if I did? She’s your wife and my daughter–in–law. Why can’t I criticize her when she makes a mistake?”
Zaiden didn’t argue. He just took Cynthia’s hand and left with her.
Back home, Zaiden fell silent for a moment. “You know Belinda’s situation. My mom treats her as her own. She might’ve been a bit harsh on you. I apologize, on my mother’s behalf.”
Cynthia said nothing-
Zaiden took the silence as a sign that she accepted his apology.
Last night was our wedding night but I wasn’t there with you…”
Cynthia looked up into his eyes and spoke softly, Zaiden, let’s get a divorce.”
Chapter 2
