Not A Dream Bride

“Fagan never loved you.”

The words came from the mouth of a beautiful woman with a pale face.

She was Megan Elvero—my husband’s former fiancée.

“I’m the only woman who has ever been in his heart,” she added.

Was I really that foolish—to immediately believe the words of the woman I hated most?

Of course not. Only an idiot would instantly trust the provocation of her husband’s ex-fiancée.

Though anger burned inside me, I let her keep talking as she pleased.

“The gentle attitude Fagan shows is only meant to hurt Ardiaz. You may not realize it, but Ardiaz loves you very much.”

“Ardiaz tried to stop you from marrying Fagan. But you were too naïve—playing the late-coming hero just to protect the reputation of that honor-obsessed family.”

Ardiaz.

She had started bringing up my brother-in-law’s name. She said Ardiaz loved me? Impossible. Ardiaz and I were like best friends. There was no love between us.

This woman had never changed. Even now, when her condition was so dire, her heart remained cruel. Her mouth still spewed slander, trying to destroy my marriage with Fagan.

When would she ever repent?

Fagan was right. I should never have come here. He had already forbidden me. But I came anyway, driven by curiosity.

Two days ago, a nurse came to my house with a message from Megan. She wanted to see me.

The nurse also said that Megan’s condition was incurable. She was only waiting for time.

Fagan immediately forbade me from going. He said Megan’s life or death was none of our concern.

Seeing my husband’s reaction only made me more curious. And now, here I was. Accompanied by Rachel—Fagan’s cousin—I came to meet Megan.

Megan’s body looked thinner than the last time I had seen her. Her face was pale, her eyes dull.

“You’re foolish, Zura,” she said with a faint smile.

Rachel, who had been silent all this time, began to grow irritated by the woman’s nonsense. She clicked her tongue in annoyance several times.

“Let’s just go.”

“Be patient for a moment. I want to know what Megan actually wants,” I whispered to Rachel.

“Fagan must have forbidden you to come see me,” Megan spoke again. “That’s because he’s afraid I’ll tell you the truth.”

I frowned. Megan smiled at once. She had successfully stirred my curiosity.

“All this time, he’s only been pretending to love you so that Ardiaz would be hurt. Believe it or not, Ardiaz loves you deeply. He’d do anything for you. Even his departure abroad was because of you.” Megan’s voice grew louder, her breathing rapid.

“Your husband is using you as a tool to take revenge on Ardiaz—for cheating on him with me.”

Boom—

Like a lightning strike exploding above my head. Megan’s confession made my ears ring.

Cheating? Revenge?

“Yes, I had an affair with Ardiaz, and the child I was carrying was Ardiaz’s. But they forced me to abort it,” Megan screamed. Her face flushed red.

I remained frozen in place. My eyes were fixed on her. Her pale face had turned crimson. There was pain in her gaze, now brimming with tears.

Megan cried.

“I’m almost dead. So I won’t lie. If you don’t believe me, ask Rachel.” Megan pointed at Rachel, making the girl nervous.

“The whole family knows. My wedding to Fagan was called off because I cheated with Ardiaz.”

I turned to look at Rachel. The girl who had been holding my hand looked at me with sorrow.

“Brother Fagan forbade us from telling you,” she said softly—yet her words were like a knife slicing through my heart.

Thump—

My chest throbbed painfully. I let out a bitter laugh. So everyone had lied to me?

Megan’s confession began to poison my mind and heart. Why did Fagan deceive me? What was my fault?

He married me just to use me as a tool for revenge against Ardiaz—how cruel!

With all my strength, I held back the tears pooling in my eyes. I couldn’t appear weak in front of my husband’s former lover.

“Do you remember my last visit to Fagan’s parents’ house?” she asked.

This time, I nodded.

“At that time, Fagan deliberately let me push you to provoke Ardiaz’s anger. He also deliberately let Ardiaz help you, so I could see how gentle Ardiaz was toward you. When you two left, Fagan whispered, ‘Ardiaz is only gentle to the people he loves—first his mother, second Meizura.’”

Tears—

No longer restrained, clear streams poured down my cheeks. I could no longer hold back the pain in my chest.

At that moment, I saw Megan smile in satisfaction.

“Are you okay?” Rachel asked, holding my arm.

I nodded. “I’m fine.”

Even so, the tears kept flowing, soaking the maroon-red shirt I was wearing.

“If you still don’t believe me, go home! Ask Fagan yourself!”

“Why are you only telling me all this now?” I asked. I wanted to know her purpose.

“Because I feel guilty—for dragging you into the circle of revenge between me, Ardiaz, and Fagan.”

I laughed bitterly again. Feeling guilty? Should I believe the confession of a woman who didn’t have much time left?

“Did they know that the fetus you were carrying was Ardiaz’s?” I asked, curious as to why my in-laws had forced Megan to have an abortion.

She lowered her head briefly, then looked at me flatly.

“They knew, but they didn’t believe it. They thought the fetus was Hendrick’s,” she answered in a choked voice.

I gasped. Hendrick? She mentioned my husband’s cousin.

“Hendrick—Fagan’s cousin, you mean?”

Megan nodded.

“You also had an affair with Hendrick?” I widened my eyes, hardly believing the thought that suddenly crossed my mind.

“Yes,” Megan replied, turning her face toward the window. She looked ashamed and sorrowful.

My God… How pitiful. Truly insane.

“No wonder they didn’t believe you! You’re that cheap,” I sneered, certain my words struck her hard.

Megan glared at me sharply. Her breathing grew rapid, her face flushed red again. And I smiled in satisfaction.

People might think I was cruel. But Megan’s actions were far beyond the pale—having affairs with both Fagan’s brother and cousin, and dragging me into the chaos of their twisted love.

Honestly, I didn’t blame Fagan for hating her. But he never should have dragged me into it—never should have used me as a tool for revenge.

“There was a reason I cheated on Fagan too,” Megan said.

I smiled cynically. How naïve—to justify a mistake by blaming the victim.

“Fagan was too busy with college and work. Almost every day he spent his time on campus and at the office. He didn’t even have time to answer my calls. It was different with Ardiaz. Whenever I asked, he would come and take me wherever I wanted to go.”

Her excuses didn’t change my judgment in the slightest. I hated this woman—a wicked woman whose tongue was venomous.

She was wrong if she thought she could gain my sympathy. Too bad I wasn’t a soft-hearted woman easily swayed by tears and a pitiful face.

“Are you done talking? If so, I’m leaving. I hope you recover soon and find time to repent,” I concluded.

Without waiting for an answer, I turned around and walked out of the treatment room, heavy with the smell of medicine and disinfectant.

“I have to see Fagan. He must explain everything.