Chapter 1

On my first wedding anniversary, I woke up pregnant and thrilled, waiting for my husband, Carter.

But a trending TikTok video shattered my world. It showed Carter celebrating the same anniversary with a famous influencer, Kenley Mendez. He had lied to me for an entire year with a fake marriage certificate while being legally married to her.

When I confronted him, he spun a story about Kenley dying of cancer, begging for my sympathy.

But his lies quickly turned to violence. During a fight, he struck me so hard that I collapsed, and later that day, I miscarried our baby.

To protect his perfect public image, Carter' s company then released a statement branding me as a delusional mistress. The internet exploded with hate, and I became the villain in his tragic love story.

I had lost my baby, my husband, and my reputation. The man I had loved and supported for eight years had not only betrayed me but systematically destroyed my life.

Lying in that cold hospital bed, with nothing left to lose, I picked up my phone. I turned off the beauty filters, looked straight into the camera, and hit 'Go Live.'

Chapter 1

Alicia POV:

My first wedding anniversary. I woke up with a quiet thrill, the kind that settles deep in your chest and hums. Carter was already gone, probably at the office. That was typical. He was always working.

I scrolled through TikTok, sipping my lukewarm coffee. A video popped up, trending. It was Kenley Mendez, the fitness influencer. Her smile was blinding, all perfect teeth and sculpted cheeks. She was talking about her own anniversary.

"Can you believe it's been one year already?" she gushed, holding up a bouquet of red roses. "One year since I married the man of my dreams."

My hand froze mid-air. One year. The same day as my anniversary. A strange chill ran down my spine, but I brushed it off. Coincidence, right? Plenty of people get married on the same day.

She zoomed in on the flowers. A small white card was tucked in, handwritten. "To my dearest Carter."

My breath hitched. My dearest Carter. My husband, Carter. The name echoed in my head, a jarring, unwelcome sound.

I felt a sudden wave of nausea, cold sweat breaking on my forehead. It couldn't be. Not him.

Kenley kept talking, her voice chirpy. "It's been a long road for us, you know? I chased him for years, since high school. He was always so oblivious, but I knew he was the one."

My stomach clenched. I knew that story. Everyone knew that story. Kenley' s unrequited crush on Carter was legendary in our high school. But Carter had always been with me.

I tried to swallow, but my throat was dry. My head started to spin. My morning sickness, always a cruel reminder of the tiny life growing inside me, felt amplified. I gripped the phone, my knuckles white.

I scrolled down to the comments section. The top comment, pinned by Kenley herself, led to a carousel of images. Letters. Dozens of them. They were old, yellowed, some with smudged ink. Each one signed, "Your Kenley."

My heart pounded against my ribs. I knew that handwriting. I remembered Kenley sending Carter letters every week in high school, even after we started dating. He always laughed them off, said she was harmless.

I scrolled through the photos, my eyes darting. One letter had a phrase underlined: "...even if you don't love me, I'll wait for you."

Then, a picture of Kenley. She looked so different now, not just the makeup and filters. Her jawline was sharper, her lips fuller. I almost didn't recognize the desperate girl from our school days.

The video continued to play, Kenley' s voice a distant buzz. Then, she held up a document. A marriage certificate. My blood ran cold. The names were clear: Kenley Mendez and Carter Burks. The date was exactly one year ago today.

No. This had to be fake. A prank. A cruel joke.

I scrambled out of bed, my vision blurring at the edges. My own marriage certificate. Where did I put it? The one Carter and I signed at the courthouse, a quiet ceremony because his startup was taking off and he couldn't spare time for a big wedding. He promised a grand celebration later, when things settled down.

I found the elegant cream-colored envelope in my bedside drawer. My fingers trembled as I pulled out the certificate. The paper felt heavy, real. My name, Alicia McClure, next to Carter Burks. The same date.

My head pulsed. How could two marriage certificates exist for the same man on the same day?

The doorbell chimed, a bright, intrusive sound. I blinked, my heart still racing. I pulled on a robe and stumbled to the door. A delivery guy stood there, holding a small, rather sad-looking bouquet of red roses. Not the lush, extravagant bouquet Kenley had.

"Anniversary flowers for Alicia McClure," he said, handing them over. The card was small, tucked haphazardly into the petals. "To my dearest Alicia."

The same words. But the flowers were... pathetic. A stark contrast to the ones Kenley flaunted.

My phone vibrated. Carter.

"Hey, anniversary queen!" he chirped, his voice sounding a little too forced. "Did you get the flowers? Sorry I'm not there. Big meeting. You know how it is."

My voice felt thick, caught in my throat. "Yeah, I got them."

"What's wrong? You sound down." There was a hint of irritation in his tone. "It's our anniversary, Lish. Smile!"

I took a deep, shuddering breath. "Carter, when are we going to have our actual wedding? We've been putting it off for a year."

A sigh. "Look, babe, you're pregnant. We can't exactly plan a big wedding right now, can we? Let's wait until after the baby comes. It'll be perfect, I promise."

"Where are you right now?" The question slipped out before I could stop it.

"At the office, obviously. Pitch prep is a nightmare. Gotta go, okay? Love you." He sounded rushed, already distracted.

"Wait, Carter-"

But he hung up.

As the line disconnected, I heard it. A faint, muffled giggle. A woman' s giggle. And it wasn't mine.

My mind went blank. The flowers slipped from my hand, scattering petals on the floor.