Chapter 1

I got pregnant before our wedding. I specifically warned Ethan that his friends weren't allowed to play any stupid pranks at his bachelor party or on our big day.

But on the day of the wedding, those frat bros of his splashed paint all over us.

Shocked and furious, I lost my temper on the spot.

Yet, to avoid offending his precious friends, Ethan turned around and started blaming me.

"It’s just a joke, Chloe. Is it really that big of a deal? Just clean it up."

I took a deep breath, booked an appointment at the abortion clinic, and coldly shook off his hand.

"This wedding is off!"

After the unexpected pregnancy, Ethan rushed to propose to me.

When our families sat down for dinner, his mother suddenly said,

"Since she’s pregnant, we need to get married quickly. It’ll be inconvenient once her belly starts showing."

My mom obviously shared the same concern. She exchanged a look with me and nodded in agreement.

Seeing my family relent, Mrs. Davis abruptly shifted the topic to a prenup.

"Even though we’ll be one family after marriage, it’s still better to keep our finances separate."

I frowned, feeling a tight knot of frustration in my chest.

My family wasn't short on money, but being rushed into marriage just because of a pregnancy already made me uncomfortable.

For a moment, the room fell dead silent.

My mom sighed, trying to smooth things over. "We aren't after your money. As long as Ethan treats my daughter well, nothing else matters."

I glanced at Ethan. After a moment of thought, for the sake of the baby, I chose to back down.

The conversation then turned to the guest list.

Thinking of Ethan’s core group of friends, my right eyelid began to twitch.

"Ethan, you know I can't stand people who don't know their boundaries. Make sure your friends behave. I just want a simple, quiet wedding."

He smiled and pulled me into his arms.

"Yes, yes, whatever my beautiful wife says. My boys aren't that clueless. Don't worry."

I didn't say anything.

On Ethan’s last birthday, his friends got dead drunk, trashed the VIP lounge at the bar, and left me to bail them out of the precinct at midnight.

But since he repeatedly promised that the wedding would go smoothly, I finally nodded, letting my guard down.

For this wedding, I ran myself ragged, personally handling everything from the photographers to the venue decor.

The night before the wedding, I went over the schedule with Ethan one last time.

Ethan suddenly mentioned he wanted to plan a surprise for me during the ceremony.

Being naturally introverted, I rejected the idea immediately. I didn't want to be put on display like a circus animal.

Seeing that I disagreed, he went to my parents.

My parents, who loved a lively atmosphere, persuaded me, "You only get married once, Chloe. You’re all young. A little fun is good."

Ethan promised me multiple times that it wouldn't cross any lines. So, I compromised.

Knowing I was getting married the next day, I couldn't sleep at all. I ended up staying awake until 4:00 AM.

I had hired the most expensive makeup artist in town, and the session took over two hours.

But thinking that I was marrying the love of my life, no amount of exhaustion felt bitter.

The makeup was perfect. I finally put on my custom wedding dress, which had been ordered six months ago.

Before Ethan came to pick me up, I mentally rehearsed every possible mishap to prevent any chaos.

But I never, in my wildest dreams, expected that the biggest disaster would come from Ethan’s own friends.

At the venue, his group of friends swaggered in, looking rowdy. I thought they were going to cause trouble right away.

But they just looked at me with smirks full of hidden meaning.

Nothing happened even after we exchanged rings. I finally let out a small sigh of relief.

But just as I was about to sit down and rest, Tyler, one of his friends, suddenly spoke up.

"Hey, according to our college tradition, the bride has to feed the groom's best buds cake. One bite for each of us, or you don't get to leave!"