My Fiancé Left Me Alone When His First Love Slit Her Wrists

On the day of our engagement party, my fiancs beloved first love slit her wrists.

He told me a life was on the line and that I needed to grow up and understand.

Oh, I was very understanding.

The guests had already arrived, and I wasn't about to let a perfectly good venue go to waste.

So, I swapped the groom right then and there.

Why stop at an engagement? Lets just go all the way.

Draped in an exquisite lace gown, I sat in the bridal suite, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Instead of the coordinator coming to lead me down the aisle, the door flew open to reveal my best friend, Tess, her face pale with fury.

"What's wrong?"

My chest tightened as a cold wave of dread washed over me.

Tess stared at me, silent for a long moment, before her teeth clenched.

"I told you to dump George months ago. You wouldn't listen. Now, right before the biggest moment of your life, hes about to run off to his precious little ex."

The room went dead silent for a count of five.

"Ann?" I asked.

"Who else?"

Tess let out a harsh, bitter laugh, her eyes darting to the door where my fianc, George, had just appeared.

"Look at the great romantic. His fiance is waiting in her gown, but his heart takes flight the second his ex sheds a few tears over the phone."

George flinched at the sarcasm, his expression darkening.

"Ann slit her wrists," he said, his voice tense. "The situation is critical. I need to be there."

"Be there? For what?" Tess mocked, stepping in front of me. "You aren't her family, and you aren't her boyfriend. Why on earth is it your job to save her?"

She squeezed my hand gently, turning her glare back to him.

"You're still obsessed with her. Trying to get engaged to one woman while rushing off to hold the hand of another. Quite the gentleman, aren't you, Mr. Vance?"

George ignored her, focusing his pleading eyes entirely on me.

"Audie, I know today is our day. If it weren't an emergency, I swear I wouldn't leave. But a human life is at stake. I need you to be reasonable."

I looked at the man I had been dating for the last six months. Slowly, the tension left my shoulders, and a quiet smile touched my lips.

"Alright. I'm reasonable. Go ahead."

"Audrey!" Tess gasped, spinning around to look at me in absolute disbelief. "You're letting your groom walk out on your own engagement to comfort another woman? Do you want to be the laughingstock of the city for the rest of your life?"

I stood up, wrapping my arm around Tess's shoulders and gently pinching her cheek to keep her from saying another word.

"Go on, George," I said, my voice sweet and calm. "Hurry up. If you're too late, her scratches might actually heal on their own."

George hesitated, sensing something off in my tone, but his desperation won. Without another word, he turned and ran down the corridor.

Tess broke free from my grip, her eyes wide with rage. Just as she opened her mouth to scream at me, I smiled.

"The party is still happening today."

"With what groom?" Tess threw her hands in the air. "The man just ran out. Who are you going to stand there with? A ghost?"

I raised a finger, shaking it gently with a mysterious grin.

"Who said the groom has to be George?"

Leaving Tess completely bewildered, I smoothed down my dress, stepped into my heels, and walked toward the grand double doors of the ballroom.

If the groom wanted to bail, I didn't mind finding a better one.

I peeked through the crack of the double doors, scanning the ballroom.

The ceremony was supposed to start in ten minutes, and the guests were already seated. I looked from left to right, front to back, but there wasn't a single eligible bachelor in sight.

Even my best guy friend wasn't picking up his phone. Panic started to creep in. I needed to salvage my dignity, and I needed to do it fast.

Just as I was about to lose hope, I saw my father walking toward the VIP section, laughing heartily as he guided a tall, striking man.

"Gideon, my friend! You honor me by coming straight from the airport..."

My father was beaming, introducing the handsome man to everyone nearby.

Gideon Pierce.

He was impeccably dressed in a tailored charcoal suit, his sharp features softened by a subtle, enigmatic smile.

In that instant, my problem solved itself.

He was someone we knew, someone respectable, and undeniably gorgeous. Who could be more perfect than my father's close friend?

I rushed back to my dressing table, grabbed my phone, and frantically scrolled through my contacts.

When I finally found Gideon's name, I hesitated. It was his private number, and the last time I had called it was when I was studying abroad.

Gideon and my father were old chess rivals. Years ago, they had fought their way to the finals of a major amateur tournament. My father had lost, but the defeat had sparked a deep friendship.

At the time, Gideon was only nineteen, becoming a close confidant to my forty-three-year-old father. Even though Gideon was only eight years older than me, my father had always insisted I call him "Uncle Gideon."

At thirty-four, Gideon had everything: wealth, looks, a brilliant career, and status. The only thing he lacked was a wife.

Sometimes, my father would browse through social media, hoping to find a suitable match for his dear younger friend.

As it turned out, fate was finally playing along.

I dialed the number, keeping my eyes glued to the crack in the door.

Across the room, Gideon felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out, his brow furrowing slightly as he looked at the screen.

Please tell me he didn't delete my number, I prayed.

To my relief, he swiped to answer. "Hello?"

"Uncle Gideon," I whispered urgently. "Can you come to the bridal suite in the back? Right now?"

"Is there an emergency?" he asked, his deep voice instantly grounded and calm.

"Yes. A very big one."

"I'll be right there."

He hung up. I watched through the gap as Gideon stood, politely excused himself without alerting my father, and walked toward the hallway.

Before he could even knock, I pulled the door open and yanked him inside. I had already sent Tess out. If I was going to be rejected, I wanted to keep whatever dignity I had left.

"Uncle Gideon, I need a massive favor."

"Tell me."

I pointed to George's spare tuxedo hanging on the rack, using the gentlest, most persuasive tone I could muster.

"If you aren't in a rush to leave today, would you mind getting engaged to me?"

His brow arched, his sharp mind putting the pieces together instantly.

"Did he run, or did you change your mind?"

Having thirty-four years of life experience meant he wasn't easily fooled.

Looking at him, I was suddenly reminded of my teenage years. I had tried to play a prank on him with some friends, only for him to completely turn the tables on us. When my friends blamed me and walked away, I had angrily confronted him.

He had simply looked at me and said, A partnership requires trust, Audrey. If suspicion outweighs belief, the bond crumbles.

So, I decided to be completely honest. I told him everything about George and Ann.

"The truth is," I concluded, "he ran, and I don't regret letting him go for a second."

"Are you certain?"

I nodded vigorously. "Absolutely. George can be someone else's headache. I will never look back."

"Even if I have to stay single for the rest of my life," I muttered, "I wouldn't marry him."

A warm, gentle palm pressed lightly against my lips, silencing me. Gideon smiled down at me, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"Alright. I accept."

He glanced at George's spare tuxedo, dismissing it with a critical eye.

"The fabric is cheap, the cut is outdated, and the sleeves are far too short. I can't wear this."

I took a proper look at Gideon. He was indeed much taller and broader than George. Thanks to Ann's drama, my new groom was not only more mature, but he was also a much better fit in every possible way.

Gideon pulled out his phone and dialed his assistant. "Tommy, fetch the spare suit from my car. Bring it to the groom's changing room immediately."

Once the arrangements were made, he patted my shoulder gently.

"See you at the altar, my future fiance."

Gideon's assistant, Tommy, was incredibly efficient.

Not only did he accept his boss's sudden engagement without batting an eye, but he also stepped in as the master of ceremonies. With a professional coordinator taking the reins, the engagement party proceeded without a hitch.

Since Tess had already warned my parents, they managed to look composed when they joined us on stage.

As for George's family, they had quietly slipped out of the venue earlier. I later found out that the moment George received Ann's call, he had already instructed his parents to leave. He knew he was in the wrong and wanted to avoid a scene, choosing the most cowardly exit possible.

The moment the microphones were turned off, my father rushed over to us.

"Gideon, my friend, what is the meaning of this?"

My mother quickly pinched his arm, whispering, "Stop calling him your friend, dear. The family hierarchy is completely ruined now."

"But this is so sudden," my father stammered.

Faced with my father's confusion, Gideon wrapped a protective arm around my shoulder and began weaving a beautiful, entirely fabricated story.

He spoke of a deep, secret love we had shared for years, a silent devotion we had kept hidden until the very last moment when we realized we couldn't live without each other.

He spoke with such sincerity that I almost believed him myself.

As a prominent figure in the city's business community, handling a minor crisis like this was child's play for him. Soon, he had the entire room charmed. The few skeptical guests were quickly placated by my father's finest wine.

The party ended in absolute success.

Back in the dressing room, Tess finally let out a massive sigh of relief.

"George is a bastard, but he did one good thing today by running away," she said, helping me unzip my dress. "You traded a piece of gravel for a mountain of gold."

I couldn't help but laugh at her dramatics.