MARRIED TO HER EX'S FIANCE STEPBROTHER

CHAPTER 2: THE UNRAVELING

Ivy couldn't sleep.

She spent the rest of the night sitting in the penthouse living room, replaying the video over and over until every word was etched into her mind.

"I only want her because of what her father has."

Again. And again.

By the time it was morning she could barely remember what Ethan's voice had sounded like before that recording. Every memory of him was tainted by those words.

Around four in the morning, she made up her mind.

She had to tell her parents.

There was no wedding anymore. She couldn't marry Ethan. She wouldn't. But she couldn't carry the weight of it alone either.

Before the sun came up, she left the penthouse.

She didn't want to give Ethan the chance to find her. She didn't want to hear another excuse or let him twist the truth until she questioned what she'd seen with her own eyes.

The house was still quiet when she arrived.

Using her spare key, she let herself in and headed upstairs.

Her mother stirred awake first. The moment she saw Ivy standing in the doorway, the sleep disappeared from her face.

"Ivy?" she asked, sitting up. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"I need you to wake Dad."

Something in her voice made her mother stop asking questions.

A few minutes later, both of her parents were sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her with growing concern.

Without saying a word, Ivy handed her father the phone.

The video began to play.

She watched the emotions cross his face one after another confusion anger... then heartbreak.

Beside him, her mother covered her mouth with both hands.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "Oh my God..."

I can't marry him, Ivy said quietly. I won't. But the wedding is today. We have to decide what happens next.

We cancel it, her father said without hesitation. is voice was colder than she'd ever heard it. We tell everyone exactly what he did."

The truth? Ivy looked at him. "Do you know what happens if we do that?"

He frowned, but she didn't give him the chance to answer.

"People already know he cheated. If the wedding is called off because of that, I'll be remembered as the woman who got betrayed on her wedding day. I'll be the bride everyone pities."

Ivy... her mother reached for her hand.

"They'll talk," Ivy continued, her voice breaking. "And it won't stop with me. They'll drag Dad into it too. His reputation, his business... people will say he couldn't even see through the man marrying his daughter."

Her father looked hurt.

"I don't care what people think."

"But I do," she whispered. "I can't be the reason everything you've built becomes gossip."

She walked to the window, wrapping her arms around herself.

Outside, the city was slowly waking up.People were getting ready for work.Shops were opening.

In a few hours, those same people would hear about the wedding that never happened.

"There has to be another way," her mother said softly. "There has to be."

Ivy's phone buzzed.

She ignored it.

A few seconds later, it rang again.

Then again.

Maybe it was Ethan.Maybe the wedding planner.Maybe someone asking why the bride hadn't arrived.

She couldn't bring herself to look.

"I just need time to think," she murmured. "There has to be a way to end this without destroying everything."

The next six hours passed so fast.

Ivy stayed in her childhood bedroom, staring at the ceiling as if it might somehow hold the answer she couldn't find.

The wedding was only four hours away.

Four hours before three hundred guests arrived expecting to celebrate a marriage that would never happen.

Four hours before the whispers began.

Her mother brought her tea, but it went untouched.

Outside the room, she could hear her father pacing the hallway. Every now and then, his voice drifted through the door as he spoke to lawyers, the venue, and people she didn't even want to think about.

By noon, Ivy forced herself out of bed.

She took a shower.

She cried until there were no tears left.When she finally looked into the mirror, the woman staring back at her felt like a stranger.

Today was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.Instead, it was the day everything fell apart.

A soft knock sounded at her bedroom door.

"Come in," she said quietly.

Her mother stepped inside. Her eyes were swollen, the traces of her own tears impossible to hide.

"The venue is being taken care of," she said gently. "Your father is calling the guests. We're telling everyone the wedding has been cancelled because of... unforeseen circumstances."

They're going to ask questions.

"I know."

"What are you telling them?"

Her mother hesitated.

"That Ethan had to leave town because of a family emergency. Nothing more."

Ivy closed her eyes."So we're lying."We're protecting you."

But it didn't feel that way.

Keeping the truth hidden only meant people would make up their own version of events.

Rumors spread faster than facts.

Soon enough, everyone would have a story about why the wedding had been called off.

And somehow, she knew most of them would end with her being the one blamed.

At exactly 2:47 p.m., her phone rang.

Unknown number.

She stared at the screen for several seconds before answering.

"Hello?"

"Ivy."

The voice was deep and calm. Familiar, though she couldn't immediately place it.

"Who is this?"

Anthony Jake.

She froze.

"Ethan's stepbrother," he added. "I need to see you. Today. Right now."

Her grip tightened around the phone.

"How did you get my number?"

"I know people."

His answer was so matter of fact it only irritated her more.

"I also know what happened, he continued. I know about the video. I know the wedding has been cancelled.

Her chest tightened.

"I know you need help."

"I don't need help from you," she said coldly. "And I definitely don't need anything from someone connected to Ethan."

"I'm not connected to Ethan," Anthony replied, his voice sharpening. "The only thing we share is a last name. He's my stepbrother, and I have more reasons than most to hate him."

She said nothing.

"I have a solution," he continued. "One that solves your problem."

"I don't have a problem you can solve."

"You do."

His tone remained steady.

"In a few hours, you'll be remembered as the bride who was abandoned at the altar. Your family's name will be dragged through every conversation in this city."

The words landed harder than she wanted to admit.

She didn't argue.

Her silence said enough.

"I can stop that from happening," Anthony said. "But we need to meet before everyone realizes how bad this really is."

"Why?" Ivy asked. Why would you help me?

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Anthony finally answered.

"Because I can't stand by and watch this happen to you."