My Husband Turned Our Wedding Night into a Disaster – Story of the Day

On our wedding night, my husband Scott wanted to get intimate with me, but I turned him down, saying I was tired. He understandingly agreed and kissed me goodnight. Suddenly, at midnight, I felt the bed shake and turned to my side, only to freeze at what Scott was doing on our bed.

It was my wedding night—the moment my husband and I had been eagerly anticipating to celebrate after a long, exhausting traditional church wedding.

My heart fluttered as Scott's lips moved from my forehead to my lips as we settled into our grand honeymoon suite. "Everly, I've waited so long for this moment," he whispered, his voice tinged with excitement and tenderness.

I drew back slightly, my heart racing as I adjusted my dress. "Scott, can we... can we talk for a bit?" My voice was a whisper, barely audible over the thumping of my heart. It was an arranged marriage, after all, and there were layers of Scott I was yet to peel.

His brows furrowed, a shadow of disappointment crossing his face. "Talk? Now?" He seemed puzzled, his voice laced with a hint of frustration.

"Yes, just... just to get to know each other a little more..." I fumbled with the hem of my dress, trying to find the right words.

Scott sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Everly, I thought... I mean, we've waited enough, haven't we? Countless phone calls, dates... I thought you were excited about this moment..."

"I am. But I still feel like there's more," I insisted, feeling an ache in my feet, a sharp reminder of the day's fatigue. "Besides, I'm really tired, Scott. Standing all day... you know… Uhm, shall we call it a night...if you don't feel like talking?"

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He stared at me, his expression softening. I could see the disappointment in his eyes. "Alright, Everly. Let's rest. This can wait." He tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes as he leaned and pecked a kiss on my cheek.

I felt a pang of guilt but also relief. Lying down, I watched Scott turn off the lights, his silhouette outlined by the moonlight pouring into our lavender-scented suite.

I drifted into sleep, comforted by the thought of understanding and love. But then, the world turned upside down.

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I suddenly woke up to the bed shaking faintly. It was midnight. I groggily turned, expecting Scott's peaceful face, but my breath hitched at the sight.

Scott was kneeling by the bed, cradling a tiny baby in a pink fur blanket.

My heart stopped for a second.

"Scott?" I trembled, disbelief and confusion intertwining. "What's going on?"

Scott's eyes met mine, filled with an emotion I couldn't read as he gently placed the baby on the bed.

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My eyes were fixated on the tiny bundle on the bed. A baby? Here? Now? My mind raced, trying to piece together a puzzle I didn't even know existed.

"Scott," my voice was barely a whisper. Confusion and disbelief brimmed in my eyes. "What... what is this? What's this baby doing here?"

"Our daughter?" The words echoed in the room, absurd and impossible. "How? I don't understand. This is our wedding night, Scott. Where did this baby come from?"

Scott's hands trembled as he cradled the little one closer. "I... I should've told you earlier. I just couldn't find the right moment. Ella… she is my orphaned niece. I found out just a few weeks ago."

I felt the room spin. "A few weeks ago?" My voice rose, a mixture of anger and hurt. "What do you mean? You... you had a sibling…. and you didn't think to tell me? Before our wedding?"

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"I was shattered to bits, Everly. I was scared you wouldn't accept..." Scott's voice was a mere whisper, his gaze dropping to the baby.

"Scared of what? So you chose to hide a child from me?" I struggled to keep my voice steady, to make sense of the chaos unfolding before me.

"Ella's mother passed away recently. I... I didn't know about the baby until then. I mean... my stepsister was estranged," Scott's words were heavy, laden with a feeling of sorrow I hadn't seen before.

I sank onto the bed, the weight of the revelation pressing down on me. "So, on our wedding night, you decide to bring your... baby niece here?"

"I had no choice. She's my responsibility now, Everly. And I thought... I thought we could be a family." Scott's plea was heartfelt, but it only added to the turmoil swirling inside me.

A family? This wasn't the family I had envisioned on my wedding night. This was a reality I wasn't prepared for. A reality that was now staring me in the face, babbling in her baby language, oblivious to the storm she had just unleashed.

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The room was suddenly awash with light, harsh and unyielding. Ella's eyes sparkled in the brightness, a beautiful, innocent contrast to the chaos unfurling around her.

"Scott, how could you not tell me about her... you stepsister?" My voice was a mix of anger and incredulity, my hands shaking.

Scott's face was a mask of sorrow and fatigue. "Everly, please, let me explain." His voice was steady, but his eyes betrayed a deep-seated worry.

"You say she's your niece, but I never knew you had a stepsister. How do you expect me to believe this?" I pressed, my heart racing with fear and disbelief.

"Everly, I..." Scott paused, cradling Ella closer. "Like I said, my stepsister and I were estranged. We barely spoke. Her death was sudden, and I... I didn't know how to bring it up."

I paced the room, my thoughts a whirlwind. "Until tonight of all nights? And Ella? Why bring her here, to our honeymoon suite?"

Scott sighed, the weight of the moment etching deeper lines onto his face. "There was no one else. With my stepsister gone, Ella's all alone. I had to bring her here. I couldn't leave her. We're the only family she's got."

"But why keep it a secret? Why spring this on me now, Scott?" My voice cracked, the room feeling smaller, closing in on me. "You had all the time in the world to inform me earlier. Why now?"

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"I was scared, Everly. Scared you'd leave me if you knew I was bringing my niece along," Scott's words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating.

I stopped pacing, my mind a tangled mess of emotions. The beautiful, serene wedding night I had envisioned was crumbling around me, replaced by secrets and sudden responsibilities.

"How can I trust you, Scott? How can we start our life together with secrets and lies?" My voice was a mere whisper, the strength draining from me.

Scott reached out, but I stepped back, my heart torn between love and betrayal. "I don't know what to believe anymore. And this baby? Is she going to stay here... with us?"

Scott sighed, telling me we'd sort this out in the morning. The room was silent, save for Ella's soft coos — a stark reminder of the reality that had just shattered my dreams.

The crying of baby Ella pierced the stillness of the morning. I watched, bleary-eyed, as Scott tenderly changed her diaper. The room was filled with the unmistakable scent of soiled diapers. This wasn't the morning I had wanted... waking up to the fresh, strong odor of baby poop lingering around me.

"Scott, what's the plan here?" I asked, my voice heavy with frustration and lingering doubts. "Are you... wait, are we going to adopt Ella?"

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Scott didn't meet my eyes as he disposed of the soiled diaper. "I haven't thought that far, Everly. Right now, I just need to take care of her."

I didn't know what to think. Should I have left him then and there? I couldn't. I loved him too much to give up so quickly.

And so days passed, blurring into a rhythm of baby cries and coos. Scott had brought in a crib, setting it up right next to our bed in our honeymoon suite.

I watched him with Ella, a mix of admiration and resentment brewing inside me. Their bond was undeniable, and it tugged at something deep within me.

One evening, with Ella nestled in my arms, I broached the topic that had been gnawing at me. "Scott, why won't you tell me more about your stepsister, Maya? About your past with her?"

Scott, who had been softly humming a lullaby, stopped. His face was a mask of discomfort. "Everly, it's complicated. Maya and I... we were never on good terms."

"But she's Ella's mother, right? What else do you know about her?" I pressed, feeling the weight of Ella against my chest, a constant reminder of the secrets between us.

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Scott sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Maya was a chapter my family closed long before I met you. She ran away with her boyfriend and tried contacting us after he dumped her while she was pregnant. Then we heard she gave birth to a baby girl...I'm sorry things are so complicated..."

His words felt hollow, and I couldn't shake the feeling that he was still hiding something. Every smile, every tender moment he shared with Ella seemed to have an underlying script, a performance meant to placate or distract.

"Scott," I said, my voice firm despite the turmoil inside me, "I can't live with half-truths and shadows. Ella's here, in our lives now. I need honesty, for her sake... and for ours."

Scott met my gaze, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. The room was silent, save for the soft breathing of Ella, an innocent soul caught in the crossfire of our unraveling lives.

"Darling, please trust me," he said. "Hurry up. We need to finish with the packing. We're checking out tomorrow."

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Settling into Scott's mansion the next day felt like walking through a dream, albeit one tinged with shades of disillusionment. The grandeur of the place couldn't mask the unease settling in my heart.

One evening, as I rocked Ella to sleep, I couldn't help but voice the doubts plaguing me. "Scott, if you and your family cut ties with your stepsister, why insist on raising her baby?"

Scott, who was lounging on the sofa, looked up, a flicker of something indefinable crossing his face. "Everly, it's not about Maya anymore. It's about Ella. She's innocent in all this. And she has no one but us."

"But you don't even know where her father is. Don't you think he has a right to know?" I prodded, my arms tightening around Ella.

Scott's gaze hardened. "The less said about him, the better. He's out of the picture, and that's how it should stay."

His words settled in the room, heavy with unspoken truths. I found myself grappling with more questions than answers. Scott's family's past, once a closed book, was now a mystery I couldn't resist unraveling.

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A couple of weeks later, curiosity led me to Scott's study while he was away at work. The room was a trove of memories, each shelf holding onto secrets of the past. A dusty photo album in an old box caught my eye, and I carefully flipped through its pages.

My heart stopped at a particular photograph. Scott, charming and unmistakably him, his arm wrapped around a radiant, pregnant woman. The caption below read: "We are family!"

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. The woman in the picture bore a striking resemblance to baby Ella. The realization hit me like a freight train. This wasn't just some woman. She was part of Scott's life, a part he had deliberately kept hidden.

Was she Maya, my husband's estranged stepsister? But something didn't feel right. Scott told me he and his sister had a sour relationship. But the happy faces staring back at me from the picture told me otherwise.

The photo clutched in my hand felt like a ticking time bomb as I waited for Scott in the living room.

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When Scott walked in with his briefcase, his smile faded as he noticed my stern expression. "Everly, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

I held up the photo, my voice steady but cold. "Explain this, Scott. And I want the truth this time. You told me you and your sister were estranged. But this picture tells me otherwise."

Scott's eyes widened as he took in the picture. His usual composure slipped, revealing a flicker of panic. "Everly, it's not what it looks like..."

"No more lies, Scott!" I interrupted, my frustration boiling over. "You say you had a strained relationship with your stepsister. But the pregnant woman in this picture, your happy faces... and the caption tell a different story."

Scott sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, you're right. That's Maya, Ella's mother. Although my family cut ties with her, I used to secretly meet her… and help her."

I shook my head, the betrayal stinging. "Okay, so why didn't you tell me you were still talking to your sister after she ran away? Why hide it? Why are you revealing things in bits and pieces?"

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Scott's gaze dropped. "I was afraid, Everly. Afraid you'd leave if you knew the truth. I wanted you to love Ella, to see her as our future...without getting caught up in the complications of her origins."

I bit my lip, trying to process his words. The love I had started to feel for Ella battled with the anger towards Scott.

"You really thought it would be that easy? And what about your stepmother? Can she verify this?" I asked, desperate for some semblance of truth.

Scott's expression hardened. "My stepmother and I don't talk. She won't help you or us."

Frustration swirled inside me. Despite his confession, I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to the story. "Scott, again, how can we build a life on secrets and half-truths? I need to trust you, for Ella's sake, for our sake."

Scott looked at me, his eyes reflecting a mix of regret and longing. "I know, Everly. And I'm sorry. I'll do everything to earn your trust."

The room fell silent, the tension evident. Ella's peaceful slumber was a stark contrast to the storm raging in my heart.

I knew Scott was hiding something from me. I could see it in his eyes. But there was no way to get him to confess.

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So I proposed the unthinkable about Ella, my heart turning to ice within me. "Scott, maybe we should consider putting Ella up for adoption," I said, my voice trembling despite my feigned resolve.

I steeled myself and pushed him further. "Maybe it's for the best. I mean, considering our situation... we're just married with our own lives to take care of. We can always visit Ella, you know. Maybe find a loving foster family for her and—"

Scott stepped closer, his voice rising. "Is this your way of testing me? You think I married you just to have a mother for Ella? Is that what you think of me?"

His words cut through me, sharp and painful. "Isn't that the truth, Scott? After all the secrets you've been hiding, what am I supposed to think?"

"Everly, get back in here..." Scott hurried after me.

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A torrent of emotions raged within me as I grabbed Ella's carrier and stormed out of the house.

The baby might have been the source of the entire complication in my wedding, but I needed Ella's presence to be able to process my emotions and make certain decisions. To understand what had propelled Scott into bringing her into our lives under these circumstances.

As I walked with Ella cooing softly against me, Scott followed, his footsteps heavy with desperation.

"Everly, wait! Don't take her away like this."

I turned to face him, my eyes brimming with tears. "I need time, Scott. Time to think, to understand... to decide if I can be a mother to Ella."

Soon, I was at the beach with baby Ella cradled in my arms. The ocean seemed like the only place I could find some semblance of peace.

As I whispered an apology to the little bundle in my arms, promising to be there for her, a figure approached us on the beach. The silhouette grew clearer, a woman with an unfamiliar aura that unsettled me.

As the mysterious woman approached, her presence felt unsettling, like a shadow creeping over the sunlit beach.

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"Scott's daughter?" she scoffed, her gaze fixed on Ella. Her warm smile twisted into a frown that sent a chill down my spine.

I instinctively pulled Ella closer. "No, she's his niece. Who are you? How do you know Scott?" My voice was firm, yet laced with apprehension.

The woman's laughter was sharp, almost mocking. "His niece? Oh, dear. That child is the spitting image of Scott and Maya..."

Her words struck me like a slap. "What do you mean? Please, if you know something, tell me."

Frustration boiled inside me. "Know what? What are you talking about?"

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Instead of answering, she pulled out a small, crumpled note and pressed it into my hand. "Run for your life," it read. The handwriting was hurried, almost frantic.

My heart pounded in my ears. "Wait! Please, explain this. Who are you? Hey, come back... hey..." I demanded, but she hurriedly walked away, her figure blending into the sea of people.

I stood there, frozen, the note burning in my palm like a dying ember. My mind raced, piecing together the woman's cryptic warning with the web of lies Scott had seemingly woven.

The ocean's soothing rhythm did little to calm my racing heart. I looked down at Ella, her innocent eyes staring back at me.

What secrets was she born into? And what danger lurked in the shadows of Scott's past? Why did the woman ask me if Ella was his daughter? I knew one thing for certain—I couldn't ignore this warning. I needed answers, and I needed them fast.

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My heart pounded as I faced Scott in our living room that evening. The weight of the cryptic note in my pocket felt like a leaden secret, pulling me down into an abyss of doubt and fear.

"Scott, we need to talk," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me as I gently placed Ella in her crib.

Scott looked up, his face a mask of calm I knew was probably fake. "Everly, I've told you everything. There are no more secrets."

I bit my lip, the note burning a hole in my pocket. "No, Scott. There's something you're not telling me. I know about your dirty secret."

His complexion paled, a visible crack in his composed exterior. "What dirty secret, Everly?" His voice wavered slightly, betraying his nerves.

I watched as Scott's eyes narrowed, a moment of panic flickering before he composed himself and turned away, seeking refuge by the window.

The room was engulfed in a heavy silence, the kind that preludes a storm. I approached him, my heart aching with a mix of fear and desperation. "Scott, please. Tell me the truth. Who is Ella? What's your relationship with her?"

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He turned to face me, his eyes meeting mine. The vulnerability in them was something I had never seen before. "Yes, Everly," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

His confession hit me like a thunderbolt, shattering the last vestiges of trust and hope I clung to.

"Your… your daughter?? Scott, how could you?" My voice cracked, tears welling up in my eyes. "How could you lie to me about your own baby? How could you... how could you betray me like this?"

Scott's face crumpled, a mixture of regret and sorrow brimming in his eyes. "I was scared, Everly. Scared of losing you. I thought if you loved her as my niece, eventually, we could be a family."

"But based on a lie?" I asked, my voice painful and cracking. "You wanted me to be your baby's mother? God, how could you?"

As I stood there, the revelation of Scott's betrayal echoing in the once peaceful room, I knew our lives would never be the same again.

Collapsing to my knees, a tidal wave of shock and betrayal washed over me. The room spun, each revelation from Scott hitting like a physical blow I could possibly never recover from.

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"How could you, Scott?" My voice was a hoarse whisper, tears streaming down my face. "How could you use me like this? That means... Maya... she was your—"

"She wasn't my stepsister," Scott confessed, his words landing on my heart like a sledgehammer.

He sank down beside me, his own facade shattered. "I'm sorry, Everly. I was desperate. After my ex-girlfriend Maya died, I was lost. Our baby Ella needed a mother, and I... I thought you could be that for her."

I looked up at him, anger and heartbreak warring within me. "So our marriage, our vows... it was all just a convenient arrangement for you? To bring your baby a mother?"

Scott's eyes were filled with regret. "I thought you would grow to love my baby, that we could be a real family. But I was wrong to deceive you. I should've told you."

His words, meant to be confessional, only fueled my anguish. "You thought you could play God with our lives? Decide what I should be without my consent?"

I stood up, wiping my tears, my heart hardening. "And what about Ella? She's an innocent child caught in your web of lies."

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Scott reached out, but I recoiled. "I wanted to protect her, to give her a stable life," he said, his voice breaking.

"By building it on a lie?" I shot back, my voice rising. "You've not only betrayed me, Scott, but you've also betrayed your own daughter."

The air was thick with unspoken words and broken trust. I looked over at Ella, sleeping peacefully, unaware of the turmoil surrounding her.

"I can't forgive you, Scott. I don't know if I ever can," I said, my voice resolute yet heavy with sorrow.

Scott's shoulders slumped, a man defeated by his own choices. "I understand, Everly. I'm so sorry."

As I turned away, the magnitude of what lay ahead loomed over me. A marriage built on deception, a child caught in the crossfire, and a future that seemed more uncertain than ever.

This marriage was my dream, and at first, I thought I could seamlessly work through these difficulties. I wasn't yet sure if I'd be willing to forgive my husband and rebuild trust. I needed time to think, and I knew even Scott needed that time to convince me to stay.

The days blurred into a montage of heartache and forced smiles, the only genuine ones reserved for Ella. Her innocent laughter was a balm to my fractured heart, her tiny fingers wrapping around mine, a fleeting moment of joy in the heartbreak.

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As I cared for Ella, stepping into a role I never imagined, I felt a strange mixture of fulfillment and heartbreak. Her smile, so pure and unburdened, contrasted sharply with the pain Scott's deceit had sown in my heart.

My husband, once a symbol of my dreams, now seemed like a walking embodiment of betrayal. His presence suffocated me, turning even the happiest moments with Ella into reminders of the life built on lies and betrayal.

I wept often, my tears a mix of anger at Scott and fear for Ella, an innocent little life caught in our broken story.

One evening, as the sunset cast long shadows in the living room, I made my decision. I could no longer take this pain. This heartbreak... it was eating me alive. My suitcases stood as silent sentinels by the couch as I waited for my husband.

Scott walked in, his face lighting up at the sight of Ella, then falling as he noticed the luggage beside me. "Everly, what's this? Where are you going?"

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He rushed over, his eyes pleading. "Please, Everly, think about Ella. She needs you."

The words hung heavy between us, a cold truth that shattered any remaining illusions.

"Everly, you can't just walk away from us," Scott implored, desperation lacing his words. "Please give me a chance. I beg you."

But I was resolute. "I'm not walking away from the baby, Scott. I'm walking away from a lie. You made your choice. Now I'm making mine."

With a heavy heart, I picked up my suitcase, leaving behind the echoes of a love that never was and a family that could never be.

In my new solitude, the days stretched long and empty, punctuated only by the rhythmic click of my sewing machine.

The small apartment downtown became both my sanctuary and my prison, walls echoing with the turmoil of my thoughts as I busied myself with designing garments for an upcoming fashion gala in New York.

Each day, I battled with the decision of whether to divorce Scott. It wasn't just about me; my parents, my dreams, my entire world was entangled in this. The thought of hurting them was almost as unbearable as my own pain.

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As a fashion designer, I tried to lose myself in fabrics and designs, but my mind constantly wandered back to Ella. Her giggles, her curious eyes, the way she clung to me—they haunted me, a bittersweet reminder of what I'd left behind.

One night, as I scrolled through Ella's pictures on my phone, the ache in my heart grew unbearable. I missed her, more than I could have imagined.

A close friend who knew about my heartbreak called, her voice a lifeline in the silence of my rented apartment. "Everly, how are you holding up?" she asked, her concern evident even through the phone.

I sighed, staring at Ella's picture on the screen. "I miss her, Miranda. I miss Ella so much it hurts."

Miranda's voice softened. "But what about Scott? Can you really go back to him after everything?"

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I shook my head, even though she couldn't see me. "I don't know. The thought of seeing him, sharing a space with him... it feels impossible. I can't bring myself to see him the same way again."

"You need to think about what's best for you, Everly," Miranda advised, her words a gentle nudge.

I knew she was right. But the decision felt like an insurmountable mountain, each option leading to its own valley of uncertainty.

Scott's texts and calls were a constant presence, his pleas for reconciliation filling my voicemail. But I couldn't bring myself to respond, the wound still too fresh, the betrayal too deep.

As I lay awake at night, the silent apartment felt like a cocoon, shielding me from the outside world. But in the quiet, Ella's absence was louder than ever, a void filled with memories and tears.

The following morning, a loud knock jolted me from my fitful sleep, my heart pounding as I peered through the peephole.

Scott stood there, a look of desperation etched on his face, Ella cradled in his arms. Her innocent giggle pierced through my resolve, melting the barriers I had built around my heart.

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Reluctantly, I opened the door, allowing them to step into the tiny space that had become my refuge. Our eyes met, his filled with remorse and longing, mine a swirling storm of pain and betrayal.

I couldn't bear the intensity of his gaze and turned to the window, watching the autumn leaves dance in the wind, a silent reflection of my tumultuous thoughts.

"Scott, if I had done what you did, would you have forgiven me?" I asked.

Scott's reply was a string of apologies and promises, words that felt hollow and insufficient. "Everly, I'm sorry. I was wrong. I'll give anything to build a future with you and Ella."

I faced him, my eyes searching his. "And how can I trust you, Scott? After everything?"

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He held Ella closer, her bright eyes fixed on me. "I know I've hurt you, Everly. I can't change the past, but I promise… no more secrets. I want us to be a family."

The sincerity in his voice tugged at my heart, but the scars of his deceit ran deep. "A family built on truth, Scott, not lies."

He nodded, a silent vow hanging in the air. "I understand, and I'll do everything to earn your trust back."

I looked down at Ella, at her joyful innocence. In her eyes, I saw a glimpse of the family we could be, yet the path to that future was clouded with uncertainty.

Then, I looked at Scott. I wanted to yell at him, demanding an explanation about his and Maya's shared past, but I decided not to. There was no point in crying over something that had caused my heartbreak.

"Please come home, Everly," Scott snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked at him and the baby. Something emotional tugged at my heartstrings.

The decision loomed over me, a crossroads between forgiveness and self-preservation. Could I find it in my heart to forgive Scott? To be a mother to Ella, a child who had unwittingly become the center of our fractured world? Was Scott worth trusting again?

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Months had passed since I made the decision to move back home with Scott and baby Ella. The beach, with its golden sands and calming waves, had become a place of solace for us. As the sun warmed our skin, Scott and I walked hand in hand, while baby Ella giggled in her stroller.

"I can't believe how far we've come," Scott said, his eyes filled with warmth as he glanced at me.

I smiled, squeezing his hand. "Yeah, it's been quite a journey."

Suddenly, Scott's expression shifted, his brow furrowing as he fished out his buzzing phone. "Everly, I hate to do this, but I need to run. It's an emergency involving a friend. I promise I'll make it up to you and Ella."

I felt a knot form in my stomach. "Scott, it's your day off, and we had plans for the weekend. Can't it wait?"

He hesitated, his eyes darting away for a moment. "I wish it could, but this is really important. I promise I'll explain everything later. I gotta go."

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I reluctantly nodded, watching as he hurriedly placed Ella in the stroller. As he stormed away, my mind started racing.

What kind of emergency could be so urgent that he had to leave us on his day off? Doubts began to creep in, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was still hiding something from me.

The beach stretched before me, a vast expanse of uncertainty. I thought about the trust I had rebuilt with Scott and the love we had nurtured. Was this just a temporary setback, or was it a sign that our relationship was still tainted by secrets and lies?

Hours passed, and Scott didn't return. As I walked back home with baby Ella, a feeling of unease settled in my chest. The sun had started to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows that mirrored the doubts in my heart.

The following day, I watched Scott as he kissed me and baby Ella goodbye before heading off for work. The events from the beach still gnawed at my mind, but I was too preoccupied with caring for Ella to confront him about his sudden departure.

In the midst of feeding Ella, I heard sharp knocks on the door. My heart raced as I rushed to answer it, only to find an empty doorstep with an ominous envelope on the doormat.

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My hands trembled as I retrieved the contents—a single photograph of the mysterious woman from the beach, holding a child. The cryptic message beneath it sent shivers down my spine:

Dread and confusion consumed me. What did this mean? What other secrets was Scott hiding from me? I noticed a phone number beneath the unsettling caption, and my curiosity mingled with fear. Whoever had left this message wanted me to make contact.

Without wasting another moment, I darted outside, scanning the street in both directions, but there was no sign of anyone. It was as if they had disappeared into thin air.

With a racing heart, I retreated indoors and dialed the number. A woman's voice answered, its familiarity sending chills down my spine.

"This is Amanda. We've met once at the beach. Meet me at Brown Beans Café," she instructed urgently, "and don't breathe a word to Scott. It's crucial."

I agreed hastily, fear propelling me into action. As I hung up the phone, I couldn't help but wonder how deep the rabbit hole went.

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With my mind clouded by a barrage of unanswered questions, I knew that the secrets surrounding Scott and our family were far from being unraveled.

Doubt clawed its way back into my thoughts, casting dark shadows over the facade of normalcy as I hailed a cab and brought baby Ella with me to the café. What was happening? Were there more secrets lurking beneath the surface, waiting to be unveiled?

At the café, my eyes settled on Amanda seated on a bench, her stroller parked beside her with a peacefully sleeping baby inside. She was no stranger to me. But her presence sent shockwaves through my world.

With my heart pounding, I approached her cautiously. "Amanda?" I ventured, my voice trembling and eyes nervous.

The revelation hit me like a bag of bricks.

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First, Maya, his deceased ex-girlfriend, and now Amanda, his ex-wife, suddenly appearing in my life out of nowhere. My initial smile gave way to a tempest of anguish, heartbreak, and anger.

"Sco-Scott's ex-wife??" I gasped, unable to contain my rage as I whispered vehemently, not wanting to wake the sleeping babies nearby, "What do you mean?"

Amanda, seemingly unfazed by my outburst, reached into her bag and produced an old photo album. With trembling hands, she turned the pages and showed me pictures of her wedding day—pictures of Scott, my husband, standing beside her as her groom.

My world shattered at that moment.

I sank onto the bench, clutching the armrest for support as a searing pain tore through my chest. Tears welled up in my eyes as I gazed at the undeniable evidence before me.

The man I thought I knew was entangled in a web of deception, and the life I had been building with him was hanging by the thinnest of threads.

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Amanda's revelations about my husband, Scott, sent a chilling wave of terror through me. I couldn't believe what I was hearing—Scott was a member of a cult that practiced bizarre rituals and sought to increase the number of their male members.

Amanda looked into my eyes, her voice trembling with emotion. "Everly, you need to understand the danger you're in. Scott's not who he seems. He's just using you."

I stammered, my voice trembling as I tried to process the shocking information. "But why? How did you find out about all this?"

Amanda explained, "Maya, the woman who was with Scott before me, had figured it out somehow. She tried to expose him, and that's when she had her accident."

I gasped, my heart aching for Maya. "So, what does he want with me? Why did he bring Ella into our lives?"

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Amanda's eyes filled with sadness.

My mind raced as I struggled to comprehend the extent of Scott's deceit. "What should I do now? How do I protect myself and the baby?"

Amanda urged, "You need to be careful. Don't let him know what you've discovered. Just play along until we figure out an escape plan."

The revelation was too much to bear. After I rose to leave the café, barely taking a few steps, my head spun, and I blacked out. As I lay in the hospital bed an hour later, the doctor delivered another shocking piece of news—I was pregnant.

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Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about the innocent life growing inside me. The happiest moment of my life became my weakest turning point. I knew I had to protect my unborn child and Ella from the danger that had ensnared us all.

As Amanda waited with me for my taxi outside the hospital, she observed the helplessness in my eyes and told me, "Alright. This is going to get crazier if he finds out you're pregnant. This madness has to end. I have a plan..."

***

I returned home, my heart pounding, and after putting baby Ella in her crib, I quickly turned off the lights and settled in the living room, waiting for Scott's return.

The sound of gravel crunching under the tires hinted at his arrival, making my heart race even faster like a flock of birds fleeing after a gunshot.

As Scott opened the front door and entered the dimly lit room, he saw me sitting there, his face displaying a mix of curiosity and surprise. "What are you doing in the dark, Everly?" he asked, his voice puzzled.

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I looked up at him, my voice steady but filled with feigned sadness. "I need to talk to you, Scott. I'm pregnant."

"You did what? Everly, that's unforgivable!" Scott barked, his eyes blazing with fury I'd never seen before.

He charged at me, clenching his fists, and yelled about the termination of the pregnancy. At that moment, a terrifying side of him emerged—a darkness and ferocity that I had never seen before.

"You killed our baby? How could you, you—" He grabbed a ceramic vase and approached me, his intentions clear.

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But just as he was about to strike me, a loud voice burst from the stairs. Police officers surrounded my husband, handcuffs restraining him.

"You're under arrest, Mr. Anderson, for assault and the murder of your ex-partner," a cop declared.

Scott's face contorted with terror and rage as the officers escorted him to the police cruiser outside. "This isn't over, Everly," he hissed, glaring at me.

Amanda emerged from the guest room, her face filled with relief as I gently rubbed my belly. My baby was safe. Nothing could have made me happier.

Our attention was quickly drawn upstairs by the sound of baby Ella's cries. I rushed to her room, my heart racing.

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As I tended to baby Ella, changing her soiled diaper, Amanda watched with warmth in her eyes. "You'll make a wonderful mother," she said softly, offering me a comforting smile.

I returned her smile, genuine and real tears that needed no glycerin streaming down my cheeks. Suddenly, the director called out, "Cut! That was a perfect shot!"

I had surprised even myself with how well I had brought out my emotions. Scott rushed upstairs, pulling me into a tight hug.

"You did an incredible job, Everly… I'm so proud of you!" he praised, his eyes filled with pride as we all cheered and toasted the completion of our short film project.

When Scott and I were asked to play major roles in this short film, we were delighted. It was a welcome change from the memory of our disastrous wedding night, which had taken an unexpected turn when I found my husband cradling a baby on our bed.

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Scott playfully joked that Ella was his own baby, leading to a heated confrontation between us, only for him to reveal it was a joke and that Ella was his niece!

That hilarious moment gave Scott a creative spark. He was a screenwriter who had been struggling with a short film script for a while, and this little misunderstanding, our real-life encounter with his niece, baby Ella, provided the perfect inspiration he needed.

Our chaotic wedding night gave Scott and me the inspiration to demystify the idea of a perfect marriage. Life is complex, and relationships are even more so. Our story that started off with a humorous note in our honeymoon suite, with all its fictional twists and turns, is for anyone who's ever found themselves in a situation far from what they'd imagined. It's a reminder that we're not alone in our struggles.

As our short film was released to positive reviews, my phone buzzed with a text from an anonymous number: "He is not who he claims he is. Run for your life!"

The newfound smile on my face crumpled, and my gaze shifted to Scott, who was chatting with the film crew. Dread gnawed at me as I wondered who had sent that message and what it meant.

The realization that Scott might really be hiding something filled me with unease, only to later realize it was a promotional stunt for our short film!

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My mother-in-law turned what was supposed to have been a joyous Thanksgiving into a disaster. I completely lost it when she also destroyed something sentimental I inherited from my late Grandma. I'm Andrea, and this is my story.

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