The Groom Who Wasn't Invited
At the Sterling Foundation's annual charity gala, the grand ballroom hushed as the final auction item—an exclusive weekend at a five-star private desert resort—came up for bid.
My best friend, Sloane, shot me a conspiratorial wink. This had to be the long-planned surprise from my boyfriend of eight years, the tech world's golden boy, Corbin Sterling. All eyes were on him. He casually lifted his paddle, clinching the bid without effort.
But he walked right past me, inviting his star project manager, Peyton Shaw, onto the stage. "For an employee who gives her all to the company," he announced into the microphone, handing her the voucher.
He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear as he murmured, "Relax, Auden. It's just a business move. What I have planned for us is a hundred times better than this."
As the spotlight bathed Peyton’s triumphant face, my hand drifted to my still-flat stomach. The cool silk of my gown seemed to hum with the secret I was keeping. A smile—bitter, relieved, and entirely my own—touched my lips, unnoticed by anyone.
Corbin didn't know there would be no "better" celebration for us. Because I'd already promised my parents I would be coming home next week. For good.