The Wedding is Off: Let His Pregnant Friend Have Him!

Chloe is pregnant, Julian said, his voice barely a whisper, standing in the dim shadows of the wedding rehearsal hall.

The wedding goes on as scheduled. After we're married, Ill just spend a few days a week taking care of her. Once shes stable, everything will go back to normal.

I clenched the velvet ring box, my knuckles turning white. "And what about me? What am I in this little arrangement of yours?"

"You're my fiance. Tomorrow, you'll be Mrs. Carter."

He frowned, looking at me as if he were trying to reason with a spoiled, throwing-a-tantrum child. "Isn't that title enough for you?"

Chloe stood nearby, wearing an oversized coat that perfectly accentuated her pale, fragile face. She chimed in softly, "Natalie, please. Im not trying to steal the title of Mrs. Carter from you. I just... I just want my baby to have a father."

I placed the ring box quietly on the table.

"Then whoever wants this title can have it."

A man who had already been touched by someone else? I didn't want him anymore.

***

**1**

**Natalie Vances POV**

I was supposed to marry Julian Carter, the man I had loved for years.

I had spent the last six months obsessing over every detail of this wedding, down to the exact shade of the customized crystal glasses for our new home.

But tonight, during our wedding rehearsal, the giant screen in the ballroom suddenly flickered, playing an unnamed video file.

On the screen, Chloe SterlingJulians childhood best friendwas gently rubbing her barely visible baby bump, her voice dripping with sweet innocence: "Julian, the doctor said the baby is doing great. Don't drink too much at the wedding tomorrow. You promised me you'd spend a few days a week with us after you're married. Don't you dare forget."

In the top right corner of the screen, Julians contact name for her was saved as: *My Chloe & Baby*.

The entire ballroom fell dead silent.

Julian, who had arrived late, didn't even look panicked. He just frowned at me and said, "Don't make a scene here. Don't make us a laughingstock."

I stood in the shadows, the corners of the ring box digging painfully into my palm.

One of Julian's groomsmen quickly tried to save face, awkwardly laughing as he blocked the projector. "Hey, this is just a misunderstanding! Chloes just joking around like she always does. Natalie, don't take it to heart. Chloe grew up with us. Shes just a close friend!"

The next second, the doors to the hall pushed open, and Chloe walked in.

She was wearing an oversized beige coat, holding a thermos, looking perfectly pale and vulnerable.

Seeing me, she managed a fragile smile. "Natalie, don't be upset. Julian and I... its really not what you think. The baby was an accident. I never wanted to come between you two."

"An accident?" I asked, my voice calm but cold.

Julian stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Stop it, Natalie. There are too many people here tonight."

I looked up at him. "Shes pregnant with your child, and you're telling me to stop?"

Julian scowled, as if my reaction was incredibly uncalled for. "I wasn't planning on keeping it from you. But now that the baby is here, I can't just abandon them. The wedding will go on. After were married, Ill spend a few days a week taking care of her. Once shes stable, everything will go back to how it was."

Chloe chimed in right on cue. "Yes, Natalie, please don't worry. I won't steal your place. Im not greedy. I just want my baby to have a father."

"And what about me?" I let out a soft, humorless laugh. "What am I in this perfect little plan of yours?"

Losing his patience, Julian snapped, "Youre my fiance. Tomorrow, you'll be Mrs. Carter. Isn't that enough? Chloe has no family left. Im just helping her out. Why do you have to act like such a victim?"

Around me, some of Julians relatives started whispering. They murmured that a man making one mistake before marriage wasn't the end of the world, that Julian was being honest now, and that since Chloe was being so 'sensible,' I shouldn't make things difficult.

I placed the ring box on the table. My voice wasn't loud, but it was crystal clear.

"The wedding is cancelled."

Julians face darkened instantly. "Natalie Vance, think carefully before you speak."

"I have thought about it." I grabbed my designer clutch, stepping around him. "You two can keep rehearsing. Enjoy the show."

As I reached the exit, my phone buzzed.

Tristan Brookss voice came through the speaker, laced with a rare, tense urgency. "Natalie, if you don't want to marry him, walk out. Now. Im parked right outside."

The cold night air hit my face, and my eyes stung with unshed tears.

"Wait for me," I whispered.

Standing at the end of the corridor, I called the wedding coordinator. "Don't open the bridal suite tomorrow. Cancel every single event associated with my name. If there are any cancellation fees, send the bill directly to my email."

The coordinators voice shook with panic. "Miss Vance, are you sure we can't work this out?"

I stared at my reflection in the glass window. My makeup was still flawless, but I felt entirely hollowed out. "Theres nothing to work out. The groom has someone else to take care of now. Im stepping aside."

After hanging up, I opened the wedding group chat on Snapchat. People were still texting about arrival times, joking about Julian not drinking too much tonight.

I renamed the group to *Wedding Cancelled* and left the chat.

"Go find someone else who's 'broad-minded' enough to be your Mrs. Carter."

With that, I threw the ring box onto the console table. It made a sharp clatter. "We are done."

Ignoring Julians furious face, I turned my back on him. I sent one final message to the Snapchat wedding group: *Wedding is off.* Then, I blocked everyone and left the group.

***

**2**

**Natalie Vances POV**

The moment I stepped out of the hotel lobby, Tristans black Maybach was already idling at the curb.

"If you really want out, get in," Tristan said, looking at me through the open window. That was all he said. No judgment, just safety.

My eyes burned as I pulled open the door. "I need to go back to the penthouse to get my passport and papers."

That penthouse was a place I had poured my heart into for six months. But when I pushed the door open, the foyer was cluttered with baby sleeping bags and unopened boxes of prenatal vitamins.

Julians mother, Victoria Carter, was busy directing the movers to clear out the guest bedroom. Seeing me walk in, she smiled as if nothing had happened. "Oh, Natalie, perfect timing. Chloe is in her first trimester, and she has no one to look after her. Im having her move in here for a few weeks. You're going to be the real Mrs. Carter, so you need to be understanding. A good wife keeps the peace at home."

I stared at her coldly. "This is my wedding home with Julian."

"The Carter family trust bought this place, and Chloe is carrying a Carter heir. What's wrong with her staying here for a bit?" Victorias smile vanished, replaced by an icy glare. "Julian is an incredibly successful man. It's only natural for men like him to have distractions. Do you really not understand how high society works?"

"Then go find someone who does, and let her marry your son."

I didn't waste another breath. I walked straight into the master bedroom, packing my passport, ID, and important documents into a suitcase.

Heavy, hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway.

Julian burst into the room, his face pale with rage as he slammed his hand against the doorframe to block me. "How long are you going to keep throwing this tantrum? If you walk out that door tonight, what are we supposed to do tomorrow?"

"Did you think about what I was supposed to do when you let Chloe move into our home?" I shoved past him, my eyes filled with absolute disgust. "I am not throwing a tantrum, Julian. I am leaving. Did you honestly expect me to stay, give up my guest room, drive her to her OB-GYN appointments, and smile while taking care of her?"

Victoria piped up from the living room, "Chloe is pregnant! Watch your mouth, Natalie!"

"That's why Im leaving!" I snapped back.

Julian didn't believe I would actually walk away.

Everyone in our social circle knew I had chased him for four years. I was the one who brought him homemade soup when he worked late, the one who remembered every single food allergy he had, and the one who kept track of his family's birthdays. Julian was used to my gentle nature. He was used to me hiding my own scars just to keep him happy.

He reached out to grab my suitcase. "Go stay at a hotel tonight to cool off. The makeup artists are coming at six in the morning."

I pulled the suitcase back, out of his reach. "Cancel them."

"Natalie Vance," Julian warned, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Don't make me say something ugly in front of my mother."

"Go ahead. I'd love to hear it too."

Tristans voice cut through the tension. He walked out of the elevator and casually took the handle of my suitcase.

Julians face contorted the moment he saw him. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Picking her up," Tristan replied smoothly. "She doesn't want to stay here, so Im taking her with me."

Julian let out a harsh laugh. "This is between me and my fiance. Since when do you get a say, Tristan?"

Tristan looked down at me. "Is he still your fianc?"

My answer was instant. "No."

Victoria stood up, trembling with rage. "Natalie! Do you have any idea what you are doing? Marriage isn't a game. If you run off with another man tonight, do you know what people will say about you tomorrow?"

"They'll say I found out my fianc got another woman pregnant before the wedding, and I was smart enough to trash the trash." I looked her dead in the eye. "I'm perfectly fine with that."

Julian stared at me, a cold smile forming on his lips. "Trash the trash? Natalie, you're talking tough right now, but don't come crying back to me in two days."

I didn't look back.

Julian lunged forward to grab my wrist. "Natalie, I said don't leave with him!"

I stepped back, slapping his hand away with utter disgust.

"Don't touch me. You make me sick."

The elevator doors slowly slid shut, completely locking away Julians furious, panicked face.

Only when the elevator began to descend did my tense shoulders finally drop. Tristan stood beside me. After a long silence, he asked softly, "Does it hurt?"

"Where?"

"Everywhere."

I looked up at him, tears finally threatening to spill. I forced them back, whispering, "Even if it hurts, Im never going back."

Tristan switched the suitcase to his other hand. "Then we don't look back."

The next morning, the Carter family tried to push through with the wedding anyway.

Victoria kept calling my mother, screaming about how I was ruining their family's reputation.

My father took the phone and gave a cold, single-sentence reply: "The wedding is cancelled. Never contact my daughter again."

Julian tried to call me, but his number was already blocked.

He used his assistant's phone to dial. This time, Tristan answered.

"Shes resting," Tristan said. "Mr. Carter, stop calling."

Julian roared through the speaker, "Put her on the phone!"

"Why should I?" Tristan paused, his voice like ice. "You owe her some peace."

He hung up.

Richard Carter tried to call my father to negotiate. He barely got half a sentence out before my father cut him off.

"My daughter is not marrying into your family," my father said. "If the Carters feel humiliated, you should ask your son what he chose to display on the screen at the wedding rehearsal."

***

**3**

**Natalie Vances POV**

The news of the cancelled wedding spread through high society like wildfire.

Some said I was too dramatic, while others said Julian had crossed a line. Most people stayed quiet, waiting to see if the Vance and Carter families would officially go to war.

I didn't make any public statements.

I slept for a full twelve hours in the penthouse apartment Tristan had lent me. When I woke up, I texted my parents to let them know I was safe, and then I settled all the remaining bills with the wedding vendors. The wedding was off, but the florists, photographers, and coordinators had worked hard. I wasn't going to let my personal disaster affect innocent people.

The lead florist called me, her voice incredibly tentative. "Miss Vance, the floral arrangements for the main stage are still fresh. Would you like us to repurpose them for a charity gala instead? Didn't you mention the Vance Foundation has an event next week?"

I held the phone, quiet for a moment. "Yes. Do that. But change the theme completely. No wedding colors."

When Tristan walked out of the kitchen holding a bowl of warm oatmeal, I was busy typing out a checklist on my iPad.

"You're not resting?" he asked.

"Someone has to clean up the mess." I handed him the tablet. "The hotel is taken care of. If the Carters try to harass me, tell them to talk to my fathers lawyers."

Tristan scanned the list, a soft smile playing on his lips. "You're much more resilient than I expected."

I smiled faintly. "I used to spend all my resilience keeping Julian happy."

That afternoon, Chloe posted on Instagram.

It was a photo of her sitting in a hospital corridor, a warm latte in hand. The caption was short but pointed: *Sometimes, true companionship doesn't need a legal title. Those who understand, understand.*

A mutual friend immediately sent me a screenshot.

I looked at it and didn't bother replying.

But then, Julian called me from an unknown number.

"What exactly do you want, Natalie?" he demanded the second I picked up. "You cancelled the wedding, made our guests fly in for nothing, and the hotel deposit is gone. Are you happy now?"

I replied calmly, "I paid the vendors in full."

Julian choked on his words for a second, then hissed, "You think throwing money around makes you right? Chloe almost had a miscarriage today because of the stress, and you haven't even called to ask how she is!"

I actually laughed. "What does her baby have to do with me?"

"You know she has no one else!"

"She has you," I said. "Julian, you don't get to play the doting father for her child while demanding I play the understanding fiance. Im out of the game. You're free."

Silence fell over the line.

Julians tone finally softened, a hint of desperation creeping in. "Natalie... I never wanted to lose you."

"But every single thing you did ensured that you would."

I hung up and blocked the number.

Tristan stood by the kitchen counter. Seeing me set the phone down, he asked, "What do you want for dinner?"

No lectures. No analysis of what I should do. No telling me to "be the bigger person." Just a simple question about dinner.

My nose tickled, and my eyes grew warm. "Something sweet."

Tristan rolled up his sleeves. "You got it. I'm cooking tonight."

Halfway through the delicious dinner, I suddenly stopped eating.

Tristan looked up. "Stomach hurt?"

I shook my head. "I was just thinking... was I really that easy to appease before?"

Whenever Julian told me I was being "annoying," I would immediately doubt myself and think I was being too sensitive. Whenever he bought me a generic holiday gift, I would instantly forgive him for ignoring me for days. I used to call it "making compromises for love." Looking back, I was just managing his bad temper for him.

Tristan didn't trash-talk Julian. He just said, "That wasn't your fault, Natalie. The fault lies with the person who knew how easily you loved him, and chose to hurt you anyway."

I took a sip of the warm soup, the rich flavor making my throat tight. I refused to cry, so I forced a laugh. "Since when did you become such a smooth talker?"

Tristans hand paused. "I've had practice."

"With who?"

"With someone I've been trying to win over," he said, staring directly into my eyes. "For a very long time."

As Tristan cleared the table, I sat there in silence.

I suddenly remembered the first time I brought Julian home to meet my parents. My mother had pulled me aside and asked, "Does he treat you well, sweetheart?" Back then, I defended him fiercely, saying he just wasn't good with words, and that successful men always had a bit of a temper.

Now, I realized those weren't explanations. They were excuses I made to protect my own pride.

"What are you thinking about?" Tristan asked.

I looked up. "I think my mom saw right through him back then. She just didn't want to break my heart."

Tristan set a warm mug of tea next to my hand. "Well, you don't have to make excuses for anyone anymore."

***

**4**

**Julian Carters POV**

The reality didn't hit me until the third day.

When I went back to our penthouse, the security code had been changed. The building manager informed me that Miss Vance had authorized her lawyers to handle her half of the property, and all her personal belongings had been moved out overnight.

I stood in the empty hallway, holding a box of the tiramisu Natalie loved.

In the past, whenever I bought her something sweet, she would always forgive me. She would nag me for a bit, but then shed open the door, hang up my coat, and ask if I wanted a glass of water.

But this time, there were no lights on inside. No one was waiting.

I called our mutual friends. One of them sighed over the phone. "Julian, you really messed up this time. Natalie's family handled all the cancellation logistics. They didn't even ask the Carters to pay for a single dime. They were incredibly classy about it."

I snapped, "Where is she?"

"I don't know. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

The line went dead.

I sat in my car, my chest tightening. My phone buzzedit was Chloe. She said she had no appetite and wanted the creme brulee from that bakery uptown.

I ignored it.

Chloe quickly sent a string of texts: *Are you blaming me, Julian? If it weren't for me, Natalie wouldn't have left. But the baby is kicking, and I'm so scared.*

Staring at the word "baby," my head throbbed.

I had never intended to shirk my responsibility.

That night at the college reunion, everyone had had too much to drink. Chloe had cried on my shoulder, talking about how lonely she was, asking me to just hold her for a while. I remembered pushing her away at first. I also remembered waking up next to her. She had smiled through her tears, saying, "Its okay, Julian. It was just a one-night stand. Let's just pretend it never happened."

I believed her.

Or rather, I wanted to believe her.

Because as long as I kept calling her my "friend," I didn't have to admit to myself how dirty the situation was.

But now that Natalie was gone, that excuse sounded pathetic even to my own ears.

That evening, my father, Richard, called me into his study.

The Vance family's lawyer was already sitting there. He pushed a stack of legal documents toward me. "Miss Vance's terms are clear. Since no marriage license was filed, this is a simple dissolution of an engagement. She has covered all wedding expenses. Here is the list of gifts exchanged during the engagement; everything from the Carter family will be returned to your address."

My mother, Victoria, slammed her hand on the table. "What is she trying to do? Is she trying to run off with another man?"

The lawyer raised an eye, his tone polite but firm. "Mrs. Carter, watch your words. Miss Vance is currently single. Who she associates with is none of Mr. Carter's business."

I stared at the paperwork, my fingers turning numb. "Tell her to come say that to my face."

The lawyer capped his pen. "She has no desire to see you."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Fine. Let's see how long she can hide."

After the lawyer left, my mother continued to rant about how heartless the Vance family was.

But my eyes were glued to the return list. Natalie had returned everything. The engagement necklace, the heirloom bracelet my mother gave her, the designer bags I had casually bought hereven a pair of silver cufflinks I had left behind. She didn't keep a single thing. She was clearing me out of her life like a tenant cleaning out a rental.

"She wasn't like this before," I muttered.

My mother frowned. "What did you say?"

I didn't answer.

Natalie used to take photos of every little thing I gave her, keeping them like treasures. She would be thrilled for days over a simple, mismatched bracelet. She didn't care about the price; she cared about the thought.

Now, she had converted all that love into a cold, neat inventory list.

For the first time, I realized that the girl who used to run to me with open arms was truly gone.

My father was calmer than my mother, but his expression was grim.

Since the Vance family had pulled out of our joint ventures, several major deals we were negotiating had suddenly gone cold. Our partners wouldn't give us a straight answer, only saying they needed "more time." But in business, "more time" meant they were backing out.

Richard stared at me. "What exactly do you plan to do with Chloe?"

I couldn't answer.

Before, I thought I could handle the baby, marry Natalie, and keep everyone happy. Now, looking at those three things, each one felt like a slap in the face.

My father sneered, "You always pride yourself on being rational, Julian. How did you manage to fail to calculate the most obvious consequences of your actions?"

***

**5**

**Julian Carters POV**

Natalie wasn't hiding.

She had simply erased me from her life.

The Vance Foundation's charity gala went ahead as scheduled. The stage, originally intended for our wedding, had been transformed into a gorgeous spring garden theme. Natalie stood at the entrance wearing a simple, elegant black gown, helping her mother welcome the guests. She looked stunning, her smile poised and effortless.

I crashed the event that night.

I didn't have an invitation, and the security guards stopped me at the entrance. My face burned with humiliation. "I'm Natalie Vance's fianc."

The guards voice was strictly professional. "Your name is not on the guest list, sir."

Those words felt like a physical slap.

In the past, whenever I attended a Vance event, I was treated like the guest of honor. Natalie would always register my name weeks in advance, have a driver wait for me, and wave to me from across the room.

Now, my name wasn't even on the list.

Tristan walked out of the main hall, his tuxedo jacket casually draped over his arm. "Mr. Carter, tonight is a charity event. Don't make things difficult for the staff."

I glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Im a co-sponsor," Tristan said, flashing his VIP badge. "Which means I actually have a right to be here."

Furious, I stepped forward to shove him, but a soft voice stopped me. "Julian."

Natalie walked over. Her pace was slow, but it made me freeze.

"You're finally willing to see me," I said, trying to suppress my anger. "Come home with me."

"I am home," Natalie said quietly.

"Are you still throwing a fit?" My eyes were bloodshot. "Just because Chloe is pregnant, you're going to throw away all our years together?"

"Its not because she's pregnant," Natalie said, looking at me with pity. "Its because after you betrayed me, you expected me to clean up your mess."

My breath hitched.

Guests at the entrance were already starting to stare. My mother, Victoria, rushed over, sighing dramatically. "Natalie, whatever fight you and Julian are having, keep it private. Why make a scene in front of everyone? It's incredibly disrespectful to us."

Eleanor Vance, Natalie's mother, walked out of the hall, her face cold. "Disrespectful? My daughter was humiliated by your son and his little friend right before her wedding. We haven't even made a scene, Victoria, and you're already playing the victim?"

Victoria gasped, unable to find her words.

Natalie handed me a small, velvet box. "Your engagement necklace. Consider it returned. The legal papers for the dissolution are inside. Whether you sign them or not doesn't change the outcome."

I refused to take it. "I don't agree to this."

Natalie casually handed the box to a nearby staff member. "Then let the lawyers handle it."

She turned and walked back into the hall.

Tristan didn't follow her immediately. He stepped up to me, his voice low. "She made herself clear. If you keep pushing, you're only going to embarrass yourself further."

I clenched my fists. For the first time, I felt the door to Natalie's heart close firmly in my face.

Inside the hall, Natalie stood gracefully by her mother's side. When guests subtly brought up the wedding, she didn't dodge the questions. She simply smiled and said, "If it's not the right fit, it's best to stop. Walking away early is better than staying in a mistake."

Those words drifted to my ears just as security escorted me and my mother out through the side exit. Some business associates passed by; they initially wanted to say hello, but seeing my mother and me being escorted out, they quickly looked away.

Victoria couldn't handle the humiliation. "Look at her! Look how she's humiliating us!"

But I could only look at Natalie through the glass doors. She was talking to a donor, her posture straight and confident. There were no tears, no dramatic breakdowns, no desperate pleas for attention.

She wasn't trying to humiliate me.

She had just stopped protecting me.