“She did,” I replied, my voice steady despite the storm raging within me. “But the wedding is off, and my mother’s health is the priority now.”
After a moment, Dr. Morris responded gently, “I had my suspicions about your fiancé. He didn’t seem very concerned during your visits. It’s better this way, Aubrey.”
As soon as I hung up, my phone buzzed again. It was Hudson.
“Aubrey, the wedding venue is set. When will you come to check it out? If there’s anything that needs changing, I’ll call the planner right away.”
I inhaled deeply, summoning my strength. “Hudson, I know everything. I saw the photos, and I witnessed your proposal to Harper. The wedding is off. Please don’t contact me again.”
Silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating. Then, his voice, tinged with regret, broke through. “I’m sorry, Aubrey. I never meant to hurt you.”
With tears streaming down my face, I hung up. It was time to shift my focus back to my mother’s health and reclaim my life, free from the shadows of deceit that had clouded my heart.
“Hudson...”
As soon as I spoke, my voice cracked, heavy with the weight of unspoken emotions. The wedding venue, undeniably adorned with Harper's tastes, felt like a cruel reminder of my insignificance in this entire charade. Yet, Hudson had the audacity to ask if I liked it, his tone dripping with feigned sincerity.
For five years, I had never imagined Hudson could be so hypocritical. To the outside world, he was the perfect, considerate man. I had never envisioned he would betray me. But what cut deeper was the realization that the person he had cheated with was my best friend, Harper.
He knew we had ended our friendship. He was aware that it was her parents who had pressured my father to his death. He had often shared my disdain for the Davidson family. And now, as I stared at the crumpled photographs in my hands, everything began to fall into place.
Hudson and Harper had been childhood friends, but she had never lacked attention from men. Hudson lingered in the background, always her backup. During college, Harper cycled through boyfriends like outfits, yet Hudson was never one of them. Instead, he turned to me, using our connection as a way to gather information about her. He only agreed to get engaged to me after learning that Harper had married into a wealthy family. Now that she was divorced, he saw his chance once more.