Caught Between my Ex-fiance and his best friend

The room was filled with laughter, buzzing in the air as family and friends gathered to celebrate. But in an instant, that celebration was snuffed out, replaced by a cold, senile voice.

"That's not my baby." Roy yelled.

The words landed like a slap, heavy enough to freeze the moment in time. All eyes turned toward Darla, their gazes shifting from joy to uncertainty. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him, searching for some sign that she had misheard.

"What?" The word barely escaped her lips, trembling.

But there was no hesitation in Roy's stance. No second-guessing. Instead, he repeated himself, louder this time, ensuring that everyone in the room heard him.

"That is not my baby."

The walls seemed to close in around her, the air suddenly too thick to breathe. The man she had loved for years, the man she had trusted with everything, was looking at her as though she were a stranger-no, worse, a liar.

And then, his next words hunted deeper than she thought possible.

"Do you think you can trap me with this?"

Shock flashed across Darla's face. Trap him?

She had given him everything, trusting his love, believing in the life they were supposed to share. But now, those memories felt like a cruel joke.

Roy had been her first love. The man she thought she would marry. But the way he looked at her now made it clear-everything she thought they had meant nothing to him.

"Son, what is going on?" Roy's father, Mr. Claus, stepped forward, his face clouded in disapproval.

Roy barely spared Darla a glance before turning to his father. "This bitch thinks she can sleep around and pin the baby on me."

The room gasped. The word-bitch-felt like a stain to her image. Roy had never spoken to her like that before. He had never looked at her with such disgust.

Every eye in the room was on her, judgment seeping from them and pressing against her fragile heart.

Roy straightened his shoulders, his voice filled with anger. "You always told me to find a woman who would keep herself for her husband, right? Well, I thought I had." His eyes turned back to Darla, now void of any love or warmth. "But I guess I was wrong. How am I supposed to uphold the family image when she's trying to ruin it with a bastard child?"

Darla's heart pounded so hard she felt dizzy, her body swaying like she was tossed to the corner.

"Roy, what is the meaning of this? You know this is your baby. You were the one who-" Her voice cracked, trying to reason with him, trying to hold onto whatever was left.

But before she could finish, the sharp crack of his palm against her cheek stole her words.

A gasp erupted from the crowd as she staggered back, clutching her face. The sting of the slap burned through her skin, but it was nothing compared to the pain tearing through her heart.

"Get this woman out of my house," Mr. Claus commanded

Darla's legs gave out beneath her. She crumbled to the floor in despair.

And then Roy did something that shattered whatever was left.

With a cold, detached finality, he pulled the engagement ring from his finger and tossed it onto the ground between them. Without another word, without even looking at her again, he turned and walked away.

It was over.

Everything she had dreamed of, every plan they had made-it had all been crushed.

Before she could fully process it, sharp fingers twisted into her hair, yanking her off the floor. Pain burst through her scalp as she was dragged across the cold marble, gasps and murmurs followed behind her.

Mrs. Claus loomed above her, her expression as icy as her husband's voice.

And then, she shoved Darla out the front door.

The door slammed shut behind her, sealing her fate.

Darla lay there for what felt like an eternity, curled on the ground, sobbing as her ruined life crashed down around her.

Three minutes passed.

Then four.

She forced herself to stand, her body shaking, her face wet with tears. She had to leave before they humiliated her further, before something even worse happened.

And then, she heard a voice.

"Need a ride?"

Darla turned sharply, wiping at her swollen eyes. Ethan stood a few feet away, watching her with an unreadable expression. A glass of wine rested in one hand, the other tucked casually into his pocket, as if he had been standing there the whole time.

Roy's best friend.

Darla hesitated. The last thing she wanted was to be accused of running off with Ethan too. But she had no other choice.

Wordlessly, she got into the car.

The ride was silent, aside from the quiet sounds of her muffled sobs. Ethan didn't speak, didn't pry. He simply drove, his gaze steady on the road, giving her the space to drown in her grief.

When they finally pulled up to her family's mansion, Darla stepped out, her legs shaky beneath her. She turned back to Ethan, about to thank him, but before she could, a deafening explosion tore through the air.

The shockwave knocked her off her feet, sending her sprawling onto the pavement.

Flames erupted from the mansion, licking at the nightsky. Smoke billowed, thick and suffocating, as a second explosion rocked the ground beneath them.

Panic gripped her chest.

"My family-" Her voice cracked as she tried to push herself up, but before she could move, strong arms wrapped around her, holding her back.

"Let me go!" She screamed, kicking, thrashing against Ethan's grip, but he didn't loosen his hold.

"You can't do anything," he said, his voice low but firm.

"My family is in there!" Her pleas turned into sobs, her body shaking violently. She couldn't just stand there. She had to save them.

And then, as if the universe itself had turned against her, a third explosion shattered what little hope she had left.

Glass and debris rained down around them. Darla barely had time to shield herself before Ethan's body pressed against hers, shielding her from the impact.

When everything settled, she opened her eyes to find him inches from her, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

The world was crumbling around them-flames devouring the only home she had ever known.

She tried to stand, but her body refused to obey.

Warm blood trickled down her legs, but she barely noticed.

The pain in her heart was far worse.

Her vision blurred. Her legs buckled.

And then, at last, everything faded to black.

Darla's eyes opened to a new environment. It took her a minute to confirm that it was a hospital.

The doctor in front of her opened and the doctor walked in, his face full of pity as he stared at her. Dread formed on her face as she embraced her heart for the worse.

"Did anything happen to my baby?" Her voice barely escaped.

The doctor hesitated, his gaze lowering for a moment before he spoke. "I'm sorry, miss... but you lost the baby."

The words slammed into her, knocking the air from her lungs. Her heart clenched, the ache expanding, suffocating. A strangled sob tore through her as tears trickled down her cheeks.

It hurt her to know that a child that she could have loved dearly was already gone before she could show the child to the world. Maybe it was for the best, probably the world was telling her that she wasn't ready. Just as the thoughts rumbled in her head, another thought caught her attention.

Ethan.

He was in the wreckage with her, what happened to him?

"What about Ethan?" she whispered, barely able to form the words.

The doctor's expression softened slightly. "He's unconscious. We're monitoring him closely, but it's too soon to tell."

Darla nodded absently, her thoughts slipping away from her.

Just as she was about to close her eyes, a familiar face appeared on the screen. Across the room, a television screen displayed footage that reminded her why she was there.

The mansion-her family's home-reduced to smoldering ruins.

Her breath stilled. The bold letters at the bottom of the screen confirmed the nightmare. No survivors.

Her mother. Her father. Her sister.

Gone.

It wasn't just a dream, it was real. Her family was all gone, and she was the only one left behind.

What use was she to this earth when all her family was gone?

Just in a single night, she had lost everything that was dear to her.

It hurts.

It broke a part of her that she could never fix back. A scream escaped her lips as her arms wrapped around her own body as if she could somehow hold herself together. But it was futile.

All she could do was cry; the tears streamed down with no mercy.

A vibration from the bedside table pulled her back to reality.

Her phone.

Darla hesitated before picking it up, her fingers trembling. The screen illuminated a name she never expected-Roy.

Her pulse quickened as she opened the message. It was a message.

No, a wedding invitation.

A digital wedding invitation.

Roy was getting married in two days, but not to her.

To the woman he had once introduced as his cousin.

Darla's breath came in uneven gasps. It was impossible. Yet the evidence was undeniable, staring her down, right in her face. Her fingers hovered over the call button; she tapped it and waited for Roy to pick it up.

It rang once.

Twice.

Then straight to voicemail.

Darla bit her finger furiously; there was no one on earth her fiancé was getting married.

Her stomach churned as she tried again, only to be met with the same cold response. A moment later, the message vanished from her phone-deleted. Then, the final blow came.

She was blocked.

For three hours, she remained frozen in place, staring blankly at the phone, her mind playing over everything she had lost.

Slowly, she pulled the IV from her arm.

She may have lost everyone, but that was someone whose life mattered just as hers, and he had risked his to save hers.

She had to see Ethan.

The walk down the hall felt endless, her body weak, drained of all energy. When she reached his room, she hesitated before stepping inside.

Ethan lay still, his chest rising and falling steadily. In sleep, he looked untouched by pain-his sharp jawline relaxed, dark lashes resting against pale cheeks.

For the third time, Darla wondered how a man like Ethan had ever befriended Roy. In college, Ethan had always seemed cold and distant in a way that made him stand apart from everyone else. Yet, somehow, he had ended up in Roy's orbit.

A quiet voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"Who are you?" A voice asked.

Darla turned, meeting the gaze of a woman standing in the doorway. Elegantly composed, with dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, she carried a blue bowl in her hands. Darla could see the resemblance in their eyes; Ethan was her son.

"How do you know my son?" The woman asked.

Darla swallowed. "We went to the same college." She said.

A small, knowing smile touched the woman's lips as she gestured for Darla to sit with her. But Darla shook her head. She didn't belong here. She knew Ethan would be safe with his mother, so she turned and walked away.

Two days had passed already, two days of mourning her parents and everyone she had lost. Darla stood before her mirror, staring at her reflection, unable to recognize the woman in front of her. She had grown thinner in the past two days. Maybe because all she had to herself was several bottles of alcohol and a wet bed from all her tears.

Her eyes were sad and puffy but there was no make-up in the world that couldn't cover all that sadness.

The white dress she had chosen fit perfectly, draping elegantly over her frame. A wide-brimmed hat shadowed her features, her makeup sharp, accentuating the hollowness beneath her eyes. She barely recognized herself, but perhaps that was the point.

Today was the day she would do something reckless.

Roy had stolen everything from her-her future, her dignity, her child. And now, he was parading his perfect wedding in front of the world, as if she had never existed. As if her pain was nothing. Well, she would make him remember.

Darla didn't need a GPS to remember where the venue was, she had kept it in the back of mind for days. Her photographic memory made sure of that. Every detail of the venue seared in her mind-the venue where she was supposed to be the bride.

As she pulled up, the mere extravagance of it made her stomach twist. The beach setting, the floral arrangements, the soft golden glow of fairy lights-everything she had begged Roy for. Everything he had refused her, only to give it all away to someone else.

Guests arrived in clusters, seated in rows and columns, smiling and laughing at an event that should have been hers. Darla stepped forward, determined to ruin whats left of Roy's happy day.

Before she could get to the entrance, a man stopped her.

"You can't go in, ma'am." The security guard said. The wedding was strictly by invitation only but the invitation she had was taken before she had the chance to save it.

How would she have an invitation to her own fiancé's wedding?

Just as she opened her mouth to argue, a familiar voice spoke from behind her.

"She's with me." Darla turned sharply to find Ethan standing behind her.

He's alive. She thought to herself. Thrilled to see him again.

Dressed in a sleek black tux, he stood beside her. The last time she had seen him, he had been unconscious, clinging to life. Now, he was here. Not a single sign on him that said he was struggling for his life two days ago.

She felt relieved, but she forced it down. This was not the time for sentiment.

Ethan stepped forward, and without another word, the guard moved aside.

And just like that, Darla stepped into the wedding that was supposed to be hers, with the man who should have been Roy's best friend at her side.

The security guard gave a curt nod, and the grand doors swung open. The room beyond was breathtaking-an opulent hall bathed in golden light, with several floral arrangements and crystal chandeliers that caught every glimmer. It was everything Darla had dreamed of. Every single detail was perfect.

But none of it was for her.

She walked beside Ethan, her pulse pounding in her ears as she took in the scene before her.

"Thank you for letting me in," she murmured, glancing at him. She had no intention of staying by his side-she just wanted to slip into the shadows, watch from a distance, and witness the wedding unfold.

Ethan caught her gaze, amusement in his eyes. "Wanna crash it?"

She was shocked that he would even think she could do such a thing.

Darla hesitated, the hint of a smirk playing at his lips throwing her off guard. Heat rose to her cheeks as she gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. Just enough to show she wasn't backing down.

Ethan tilted his head slightly. "I won't stop you," he said simply. And then, with a casual nod, he walked forward, leaving her alone at the back of the room.

Darla inhaled deeply, steadying herself. This was something she had never done before, it was strange to her but yet she felt like she had to do it.

The wedding slowly began.

She folded her arms, lingering in the corner as she watched the bride glide down the aisle in a gown that sparkled under the chandeliers. The fabric clung to her frame in a way that made her look flawless.

It pissed her off. The dress, the flowers, the soft candlelit glow-it was all meant to be hers.

Roy stood at the altar, grinning as if he had won the grandest prize. His eager hand stretched toward his bride, his fingers curling around hers as she met his gaze with nothing but love and trust.

All lies.

Darla exhaled sharply, a hiss slipping through her clenched teeth before she could stop herself. Some heads were turned. A few guests casted pointed glances at her-afterall she was the woman wearing white in a wedding where only the bride was supposed to wear white.

Darla didn't care, it was her way of letting them know that it should have been her up there.

The ceremony pressed on,

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."

Roy's warm gaze was locked onto his bride, the same gaze that had once been reserved for her. The betrayal, the lies, the loss-became too much.

Before she could stop herself, the words tore from her lips.

"Stop the wedding!" She yelled.

Darla walked down the aisle, her white dress flowing around her like a ghost of the wedding she was never meant to have. It wasn't a bridal gown-not exactly-but it was close enough to make a statement. A statement she intended to make.

She could feel Roy's glare, burning into her, filled with a rage barely contained beneath him. A part of her-a quieter, more rational part-warned that this was reckless, that she was walking straight into the lion's den.

But she had already lost too much and she would not let Roy stand at that altar, smiling over the evil he had caused her.

As she moved closer, her gaze moved to Ethan, standing just behind Roy. His face was indifferent, his posture stiff.Staring at him gave her confidence, his eyes held support for her in a way she couldn't understand.

Then there was her.

Mrs. Claus.

The woman's glare could melt through steel. Her pearl necklace sat primly around her neck, her hair was pristine, not a single strand was out of place, but none of it softened the fury in her face.

She looked like she wanted to tear Darla apart.

Darla met her gaze head-on. Daring her to speak, to intervene. She wasn't going to back down without a fight, not after she had lost everything.

This was what Roy deserved. Every second of humiliation that was about to unfold-she would make sure he felt it.

"Is that Darla?"

"She's wearing white. The audacity."

"What is she doing here?" she could hear them murmur. Half of the guests knew her to be Roy's fiance yet they accepted this foolishness of a wedding.

Still, Darla kept walking, her gaze shifting between the altar and Ethan. He remained motionless, watching her as she walked towards them. He wasn't stopping her.

She finally shifted her eyes back to Roy, the way his jaw tightened, anger creeping up his neck. The bride at his side gave his sleeve a soft tug, whispering something urgently, but Roy didn't acknowledge her.

His focus was entirely on Darla.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, his voice rang out like a bell.

"What the hell are you doing, Darla?"

Darla tilted her head, a smile formed on her lips. The kind of smile she knew would drive him insane.

"Oh, don't mind me," she said shrugging her shoulders. "I just wanted to congratulate the happy couple."

Roy took a sharp step forward, his hand grabbing her wrist before she could move any closer. His grip was tight, fingers digging into her skin.

"How did you even get in here?" he seethed. Darla yanked her hand free, stepping back. She turned her attention to her-the woman in the strapless dress standing at the altar, the one wearing her ring, the one stealing the future she had once been promised.

The bride's lips curled into a smug, satisfied smile. As if Darla was nothing. As if nothing she said or did could shake her perfect little world and that only made Darla angrier.

She turned toward the guests, making sure het voice was clear enough for them to hear.

"Did you think you could knock me up and then marry another bitch?"

"Lord have mercy" a woman yelled from the middle. Her words circulated like wildfire among the guests. The hall exploded into frenzy.

Roy's entire body went rigid.

"Darla," he hissed, stepping closer. "You are testing my patience. Leave. Now. Or I'll have my men throw you out."

Darla leaned her head, unbothered. "Throw me out?" she scoffed. "You've already thrown me out of your life, Roy. What's one more shove?"

"Enough!" he snapped, his eyes flickering toward his family who were already insulted by what was going on.

Darla smiled.

"Does she know?" she asked, "Does she know what you've done, Roy? Or were you planning to keep this little secret buried? Just like you did me?"

"Stop," Roy demanded.

"I'll stop when everyone here knows the truth." She stated, her eyes never leaving his. "So, what's it gonna be? Do you want to tell them, or should I?"

Roy clenched his jaw, his eyes darting toward Ethan. "Get her out of here." He commanded but Ethan didn't move. He only stood there, arms crossed, watching in silence. No one dares order him around, much less Roy.

Darla froze thinking that she would get kicked out by Ethan but when she saw he didn't move she continued.

Her eyes locked onto Roy's,. "What's wrong, Roy?" she taunted. "Cat got your tongue? Or is it guilt?"

His face twisted in fury. "You don't belong here." Her lips curled in disgust. "And you don't deserve to stand up here, pretending to be some kind of noble groom."

She slowly turned her attention to the bride,

"And you," she said coldly. "I treated you like a sister. I trusted you. But you were nothing more than a snake."

Roy immediately stood in front of her, covering his bride, something he had never done for her. It was hurtful to see him act that way, to treat another woman much better than he treated her.

"I swear to you, Darla," he growled, reaching for her arm again. "If you don't leave, I will do something bad to you."

She took a step back before he could touch her, then she let out a laugh.

"Something bad?" she echoed. "You've already done your worst. Or have you forgotten? 'Please, Darla,'" she mocked, mimicking his desperate voice. "'I'll give you everything. Just once, Darla. Please, prove your love to me.'"

Roy's face burned red,he was humiliated in his own wedding. It was true that he had pleaded with her to sleep with him, despite her several rejection, he finally got her to agree with him.

"Enough!"

A voice roared from the crowd, causing them to pause.

It was Mrs. Claus.

She stormed forward, ready to pounce on Darla. For a second, it seemed like she would rip Darla apart right there in the middle of the ceremony but stopped. Instantly froze in her tracks like she had seen a ghost.

Darla had prepared herself for the worst the moment she spoke but she was so confused when she returned to her seat without uttering another world.

Like a defeated dog.

Darla smirked before turning back to Roy.

"Do you think you'll be happy in this marriage?" she asked. "You'll only know hell. I curse you, Roy Claus. You will never find happiness, not in this life, not in the next. Not even with this woman."

She swore.

Pissed off by her words, Roy had no intentions to let her go freely without saying his mind.

"What about you?" he sneered. "You threw yourself at me the same way you throw yourself at every other man. No one wants you, Darla. No one would be dumb enough to want a woman like you. You'll never get married. You'll never walk down the aisle like a real bride. You have no family-you're just a petty little orphan now. Used and discarded."

"Roy, please," the bride grabbed his hand, all she wanted was for Darla to leave but Roy was adding more injury to the fire and ruining their special day.

Instead Roy shoved her aside without a glance. Ethan pulled back making sure he had no part in that.

She stumbled, crashing into the priest. He barely caught her, his expression one of pure disbelief. Her white dress crumpled in the fall.

Yet Roy didn't even look at her.

His glare stayed fixed on Darla.

"You're wasted, Darla," he continued coldly. "Nobody wants trash like you."

The words hit her, caused her to freeze, maybe he was right, maybe no one wanted her and that was why she settled for trash like him. She thought to herself.

Six years of her life was dedicated to a complete and total bastard.

Still,

She straightened her spine and lifted her chin.

"No one wants me?" she repeated, her tone daring. Sweeping her eyes across the crowd.

"I bet you-right here, right now-that there are men in this room who would marry me in a heartbeat."

"Does any one want to marry me?" she asked facing the crowd.

The guests shifted uneasily. No one moved. No one spoke.

No one wanted to go against the Claus family, it meant doom for whoever that was.

Roy laughed, basking in his victory.

"See?" he sneered. "I told you. No one wants-"

"I will."

A voice said.

Every head turned.

Darla's own chest tightened as she turned toward the voice.

And there-stepping forward, stood Ethan.

All eyes landed on him but Ethan wasn't looking at them.

He was looking at her.

Darla's pulse pounded in her ears as he stopped in front of her, his gaze locked onto hers. Then, slowly, he extended his hand.

"What about you, Darla?" His voice was steady. "Are you willing to marry me?"

His words shocked her.

But all Darla could hear was her own heartbeat.

She searched his face, waiting for hesitation, for doubt-for any sign that this was a mistake yet there was none.

Ethan didn't look uncertain. He didn't look like he had just made a rash, impulsive decision. He looked sure.

His fingers wrapped around her waist, firm, warm, pulling her closer. Steadying her.

Her breathing spiked.

Had the room always been this hot?

Or was it just her?

Or was it the way his touch sent a shiver down her spine?

He spoke again, louder this time. Loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Do you accept to marry me, Darla Hitva?" He said her full name to show how serious he was.

Her breath caught in her throat.

The world began spinning. She tried blinking to make sure it wasn't a dream. Her lips parted but no words came out.

Every eye in the room was on her, waiting for her, waiting for her answer.