I Sent My Ashes to His Wedding

Evelyn's POV

Three months ago, I was kidnapped. When Alexander rescued me, I woke up in a hospital bed with my clothes disheveled and bruises covering my body. What happened during those hours? I don't remember any of it.

A week ago, I found out I was pregnant. He held me as I shook and told me that it wasn't my fault. That he failed to protect me. Even if the baby wasn't his, he'd raise it. He'd still give me the perfect wedding.

But the guilt ate me alive until depression took hold.

Every night, sleep stays out of reach. Nightmares find me the moment I close my eyes. I've tried to end it. Three times now. Each time, someone found me just in time.

After the third failed attempt, I make tea and head toward his study to apologize. Voices drift through the door before I reach it.

"Are you out of your mind? Evelyn's your fiancée!" His friend sounds disbelieving. "You actually hired someone to kidnap her? Made her think she was assaulted? Just so Lily could take her place? Do you know how messed up that is? What that does to someone?"

Alexander's voice comes out calm. "Lily got sick because of me. Her dying wish is to marry me once before she goes. If I didn't push Evelyn out of the picture, her father would never let Lily take her place."

The teacup slips from my hands. Tears stream down my face.

All those nights. All those nightmares. All those times I scrubbed my hands raw until they bled. It was all a lie. A setup.

For another woman.

I pull out my phone and call my father.

"Dad. I'll agree to the arrangement."

The line goes quiet for two seconds.

"Alright," he says, then hangs up.

Inside the study, they keep talking.

"So nothing actually happened?" His friend's voice pitches higher. "Then what about the baby? She's pregnant now! You hired those guys, but things went sideways. What if they actually—"

"There's no 'what if.'" Alexander cuts him off. "I made it clear. Scare her, that's it. Don't touch her."

He pauses. "The baby? Good. Let her feel guilty for a while. She's always looked down on Lily, talked behind her back. Call it a lesson."

My nails dig into my palms.

That "lesson"? That was me slitting my wrists in the bathtub. Swallowing an entire bottle of sleeping pills. Standing at the edge of the balcony, ready to jump.

"After the wedding with Lily, I'll send Evelyn abroad for treatment," he continues. "She'll have the baby there. Once she's stable, I'll tell her the truth—that the baby's actually mine. Won't take long. Then I'll make it up to her."

He laughs softly. "After all, she's the only one I love."

All that devotion I thought he felt for me? Just him playing the hero in his own twisted story. And me? Nothing but a prop.

"She's tried to kill herself three times!" His friend sounds incredulous. "Sure, someone saved her each time, but what if one time no one—"

"She's just putting on a show." Alexander's voice goes cold. "Trying to make me feel bad. Otherwise it's pretty convenient someone always finds her, right?"

I cover my mouth, forcing myself to stay silent.

I meant it every time. Every attempt was real, born from complete despair.

And he thinks it's all an act.

The friend stays quiet for a long moment, then sighs. "You're insane. All this for some debt you think you owe Lily? Aren't you afraid Evelyn will find out and leave you for good? You know she will. That's exactly what she'd do."

"She won't find out." Alexander sounds completely confident. "She loves me too much. I'll sweet-talk her a bit, and she'll just think I'm being generous, that I don't care about what 'happened.'"

I close my eyes and turn away.

He destroyed everything I had just to give Lily her dream wedding.

But he couldn't tell me the truth.

All those days and nights, I thought he was saving me. Thought his tenderness was love.

Turns out it was just another performance. Him directing and starring in his own redemption story.

And I was nothing but the prop he used to make himself look good.

My body gave out. My mind shattered.

I became someone even I couldn't stand. Living every day believing I'd been violated.

Carrying a baby I thought came from assault.

All of it so he could give my engagement to Lily.

For his "fragile, dying little sister," he threw me into hell without a second thought. Watched me spiral in nightmares, hurt myself from guilt, try to end my life again and again.

My whole body starts shaking. Sharp pain tears through my chest.

I clutch at my heart and double over, tears streaming down before I can stop them.

I thought I'd gone numb. Thought after everything, I had no tears left.

But right now, I realize my heart can still hurt this much.

After a moment, footsteps approach from outside.

Alexander rushes in, brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"

He crouches down to help me up. I turn my face away, can't stand the thought of him touching me.

But he lifts me anyway, movements careful and gentle.

"Why are you still up? You're so pale. Another nightmare?" He carries me back to bed. "Baby, I found you the best therapist. You're going to get better soon, I promise."

His hand rests against my forehead, warm and familiar.

Before, I would've craved that warmth. Would've buried my face in his chest for comfort.

Now, it just makes me sick.

I lean against him, voice cracking. "Alex... do you really want me to have this baby?"