He Ruined Our Anniversary for His "Bestie," So I Married My Billionaire Crush Instead

On our first wedding anniversary, Carter and his childhood best friend’s couple vlog went viral all over the internet. Chloe’s caption on TikTok was loud and proud: *Finally, my dream came true.* In the video, they kissed in a sea of roses and hugged under the moonlight. Even our mutual friends commented, calling them a match made in heaven. Seeing my scowl, Carter snapped impatiently, "Can you stop overreacting? This is just her job. What’s wrong with me helping her shoot a video?" Later, when Julian and I were filming our civil ceremony at City Hall, Carter saw us. He sneered at me. "Don't think this will make me jealous. You're delusional!" But the moment he saw our signed marriage certificate, his eyes turned bloodshot. He whispered, "It's all fake, right?" ### 1 The vlog reached a hundred million views. Tens of thousands of comments praised their chemistry, wishing them a happy life together. Among them was one of Carter’s close friends, who asked: "So, when are you guys making it legal at City Hall?" Carter replied instantly: "Soon." Meanwhile, the Snapchat messages I sent him this morning remained unread. When I tried to call him, he declined it immediately. Clutching my stomach, which was cramping from hunger, I dialed Chloe’s number. "Summer, please don't be mad," Chloe’s sweet, innocent voice came through. "Carter is just helping me shoot a video. It’s not what you think." Before I could say a word, Carter snatched the phone from her. "Summer, what the hell is wrong with you?" Carter yelled. "I told you Chloe has severe depression! She can't handle stress. Are you trying to kill her?" It was our first wedding anniversary. Yet, he was screaming at me because of another woman. "You know Chloe is a TikToker. Her videos are just for her fans. I’m just helping her with her work. What's the big deal?" In the video, he went down on one knee and slid a diamond ring onto Chloe’s ring finger. That was a custom-made ring he had pre-ordered from Europe six months ago. I had foolishly thought he hid it under our bed to surprise me today. A year ago, he said he was too busy with work and proposed to me with a cheap ring he bought on a whim. Even he felt it was too pathetic, so he promised that on our first anniversary—today—he would give me a proposal I’d never forget. Suddenly, I lost all energy to fight. I hung up, reheated the cold dinner on the counter, and forced myself to eat it, bite by bite. By the time Carter came home, I was already packing my bags. He kicked my suitcase open. "Cut the act. If you leave this apartment, do you even have a home to go back to?" He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and threw it at me. "Chloe insisted I bring this back to make it up to you. She was worried you'd be mad. When will you learn to be as mature as her? Hurry up and text her an apology!" I opened the box. It was indeed the custom ring from the video. But the ring was tarnished now. And so was Carter. "Carter, let's break up. You can go shoot videos with her from now until you're six feet under." He didn't take my words seriously. He stared at me with a mocking smirk, as if I were just throwing another tantrum. But when I tossed the ring onto the couch like trash, he lost it. "I’ve spoiled you too much! Don't push your luck, Summer. If Chloe hadn't begged me to come home, do you think I’d even be standing here?" I couldn't remember when it started, but Chloe’s name was now constantly on his lips. No wonder even his friends thought they were the ones getting married. Carter stormed over and grabbed my arm tightly. Instantly, his hand was covered in fresh blood. Earlier, while washing the dishes, I had gotten so angry that I smashed a plate, cutting my hand deeply on a piece of porcelain. There was a band-aid right there, but Carter had grabbed me so violently he didn't even notice. He quickly let go, panic flitting across his face. "What happened? Where’s the first-aid kit? Let me bandage it." Suddenly, Chloe’s custom ringtone blared from his phone. His hand froze on the medical box, and he put the call on speaker. "Carter! I hear someone scratching at my front door! Please come save me, I'm so scared!" "The power went out too! What should I do? Am I going to die?" Carter dropped the medical box right onto my lap. Chloe always claimed she was being stalked by crazy fans just to lure Carter away from me. And it worked every single time. I grabbed his jacket. Before he left, there was something he needed to know. But he shoved me off irritably. "Chloe is in danger! And you're still trying to use this cheap sympathy play to keep me here? If something happens to her because I'm late, you'll be a murderer!" He pushed me hard. My knees buckled, and my lower back slammed violently against the sharp corner of the coffee table. A sharp, agonizing pain shot through my abdomen, causing it to spasm. I gasped, clutching my stomach. "Carter... I'm hurt. Take me to the hospital, please." Seeing my face turn pale and covered in cold sweat, a flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes. But Chloe’s cries for help on the phone grew louder. After a two-second pause, he made his choice. He tossed my phone onto the couch. "It was just a bump. Stop being so dramatic. Chloe’s life is actually on the line!" He snatched his car keys and bolted out the door. I collapsed onto the floor, and slowly, a pool of blood began to spread beneath me. That was my baby. Two months old. Gone. --- ### 2 When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital bed. Carter had always wanted a child. I used to look forward to the day we would welcome a baby into the world. But when the doctor told me the baby was gone, I actually felt a wave of relief. I felt so selfish. My best friend, Maya, held me tight, gently stroking my hair. "It’s not your fault, Summer. It's those two toxic trash bags, Carter and Chloe. They killed your baby. The baby is in heaven now, and they will pay for this." Carter hadn’t contacted me all night. During the summer of my sophomore year in college, I didn't go home. My abusive father had tracked me down to campus and attacked me. It was Carter who threw himself in front of me, took the blows, and helped me call the police. With his bright, warm smile, he pulled me out of the darkness and gave me the courage to escape my father's control. But I had only escaped one trap to fall into another—one named Carter Miller. Just like he said, without him, I had no home to return to. So every time we fought, I was always the first to bow my head and apologize. But this time, Carter actually initiated the conversation. He sent me a message on Snapchat. "Babe, still mad?" Attached was a photo. In a messy bedroom, he and Chloe were lying in bed together, their necks covered in dark hickeys. It was clear how intense their night had been. I didn't even need to ask. Chloe must have taken Carter's phone to send this to me. I screenshotted the photo immediately. "Thanks for sending me the evidence of your infidelity. And thanks for taking out the trash for me." Sure enough, a few minutes later, Carter called me. "How many times do I have to tell you? Chloe has depression! Stop harassing her! Do you want to drive her to suicide?" Carter always used Chloe’s depression as a weapon to hurt me. But six months ago, I was the one diagnosed with severe depression. At the time, he had sneered, "You're such a copycat, Summer. Chloe gets diagnosed, and suddenly you have it too? You're disgusting." Ever since Chloe came back into his life, he never believed a word I said. Maya couldn't stand it anymore. She snatched the phone from my hand. "You disgusting piece of trash! Summer miscarried because you pushed her! She just lost her baby while you two were busy hooking up! Aren't you afraid of getting hit by a car when you step outside?" Carter instantly flared up. "A miscarriage? Are you seriously using a fake pregnancy to guilt-trip me now? How can you guys be so wicked as to curse a non-existent child? If you're telling the truth, why don't you bring the baby's corpse to show me!" Who was the one actually cursing the child? What did I do in my past life to deserve falling for such a monster? My baby couldn't be born, probably because they didn't want me to stay tied to this pathetic man. "I'll bring you the proof, Carter. The question is, do you actually have the guts to look at it?" "Also, I told you yesterday I wanted a divorce. You didn't think I was joking, did you?" "Oh, wait. A year ago, we only had a wedding ceremony. We never actually signed the papers at City Hall. We aren't even legally married." "So I don't even need a divorce. I’m just dumping you. Go to hell!" The other end of the line went dead silent, save for his heavy, ragged breathing. After a long pause, Carter screamed, "Don't you dare come crawling back to me crying!" --- ### 3 After we hung up, Maya hugged me tightly, her eyes full of worry. I told her I was fine, but hearing her comforting voice made my throat tighten. Logically, I knew leaving him was the best thing for me. But my heart still ached. I swore to myself that from this day on, I would never shed another tear for them. My past seven years of love were just dog food. After graduation, the moment Carter found out Chloe was starting a couple's vlog, he volunteered to be her partner. First, it was lending his shoulder for her to lean on, then holding hands, and finally taking romantic couple photos. At first, he would explain and check in with me. But later, when I was sick and asked him to take me to the ER, he said he was busy helping Chloe. When I threw him a surprise birthday party with all our friends, he stood us up because Chloe needed him. Once, his friend called me to pick up a drunk Carter from a bar. When I arrived, I saw Chloe crying in his arms. "Summer is going to be mad again," Chloe sobbed. "I only asked you to film a video with me. You shouldn't come anymore, Carter. I'll find someone else." Carter frantically wiped her tears. "No way! You worked so hard to get these followers, and they all love us as a couple. Don't worry about her. If she makes trouble, just tell me. We've known each other for twenty years. Who is she to dictate my life?" Chloe didn't even have to try. Carter was always eager to bite the hook, terrified that she might look at someone else. "Besides, if Summer hadn't kept begging me, I would never have married her. She doesn't even compare to a single hair on your head!" Those were his true thoughts. Six years of dating, one year of living like a married couple. I was nothing but a clown. Perhaps I had seen this end coming long ago. Which was why accepting his betrayal was easier than I expected. Maya fed me a spoonful of warm soup, trying to cheer me up. "Once you're discharged, I'm taking you to see the sunrise in Aspen, and then we're going to see the Northern Lights in Norway. It’ll be a million times better than their fake rose garden!" Listening to her vivid descriptions, I couldn't help but smile. Just then, a tall, handsome man in a white doctor's coat walked into my hospital room. My smile froze, and my heart skipped a beat. It was Julian Sterling—my high school crush. Back in high school, I had always wanted to look perfect in front of him. But unfortunately, he was the one who saw my ugly, bloody wounds from my father's abuse. And now, meeting him again, I was in a pathetic state once more. Julian asked me how I was feeling. I quickly shook my head, my hands gripping the bedsheets tightly. After he finished the check-up and left, Maya nudged me with a gossipy smirk. "Well, well. Isn't this the perfect chance for a second-chance romance? I asked around—he’s single, and so are you." I tapped her forehead. "Stop playing matchmaker. We were only lab partners for half a semester. After he moved to the UK for college, we didn't even keep in touch." She looked at me like I was an idiot. "When I brought you in yesterday and you were covered in blood, his face went completely pale. He was terrified." She pointed to the soup on the table. "He bought this for you this morning. And the way he looks at you? Trust me, it’s definitely not just 'high school nostalgia.'" Because of Maya's words, my heart raced every time Julian walked into my room over the next three days. But he was strictly professional, making me feel like I was just flattering myself. On my last day, I ran into him in the stairwell. I got so nervous that my feet tangled, and I missed a step. Just as I was about to tumble backward, he caught my hand and pulled me firmly into his chest. The clean scent of his cologne filled my nose, and my ears burned. He let out a soft, low chuckle. "Still as clumsy as you were in high school, Summer." He pulled out his phone and opened his Snapchat QR code. "Add me. I heard you're working at an ad agency now. I actually need your professional help with a project." --- ### 4 Leaving Carter was much easier than I thought. It took me only half a day to pack my things. And another half a day to sign a lease on a cute new apartment. Then, I took my annual leave and went hiking in the mountains. When I came back, Maya and I drank late into the night to celebrate my new life. The next day, when I saw Julian standing outside my office, I thought I was still drunk and hallucinating. By the time I fully processed what was happening, I was already standing outside City Hall with my ID in hand. A bit dazed, I asked him, "Wait, am I being scammed? Am I going to wake up tomorrow and find out my kidney is missing?" Though I joked, my heart felt incredibly safe. Just like back in high school, when he silently draped his jacket over my shoulders to hide the bruises on my arms so the other kids wouldn't see. If my family had been normal, if I hadn't had an abusive father, maybe I would have had the courage to confess my feelings to him back then. Julian smiled and handed me a thick folder. "Since you didn't look closely earlier, here." Inside were his employment contract, bank statements, medical records, credit history, and a copy of his ID. This guy was way too trusting. "Aren't you afraid I'll lock you in a basement and take your kidney?" I teased. His eyes crinkled with amusement. "If you do, I'll hand you a scalpel. It’s much sharper than a kitchen knife." The weather was perfect, the sky was clear—a beautiful day to get married. But of course, trash had to ruin the view. Carter was walking toward the entrance, holding Chloe's hand, with two cameramen trailing behind them. They were obviously here to film a "getting married" TikTok. The moment Carter saw me, his face darkened. "Summer? How many times do I have to tell you to stop stalking me and Chloe? If you keep this up, I'm calling the cops for harassment!" I rolled my eyes, ignored him, and pulled Julian straight into City Hall. While Julian was filling out the marriage license form, I held up my phone to record him. We needed to make a beautiful wedding video to show his grandmother, who was very sick and wanted to see him get married. I had asked him why we needed to film a video instead of just showing her the certificate. He said his grandmother was sharp and feared he’d get a fake certificate to ease her mind, so she demanded video proof. He asked for my help because I worked in advertising and knew how to make things look romantic and authentic. I stared at Julian through the screen. The warm sunlight filtered through his hair, casting a soft glow over his focused face as his pen scratched against the paper. It felt like we were back in high school. Seeing how intensely I was looking at him, the clerk couldn't help but smile. "You two are so sweet together." My cheeks flushed, but then a mocking sneer echoed from behind us. "You actually hired an actor to play your groom? Do you really think this cheap trick will make me jealous? Pathetic!" Carter scoffed. Chloe chimed in, "Summer, you must be joking. You wouldn't actually marry a stranger just to get Carter’s attention, right?" Normally, Carter couldn't stand me being near him. Now, he was the one constantly picking a fight. I turned around and glared at them. "Shut up. What I do is none of your business." Carter flinched. I had never spoken to him in such a cold, commanding tone before. When it was my turn to sign, Julian took the phone to record me. Suddenly, Carter rushed over and grabbed my arm, his face twisted in anger. "Is this little video shoot of yours done yet?" I shook his hand off. "Who said we're just shooting a video?" Carter panicked. "Are you actually marrying him? You lived with me for years without getting a license, and now you're registering with a stranger?" "That’s because every time we scheduled a trip to City Hall, your precious Chloe had some 'life-or-death emergency' that you had to run to." Julian stepped in, blocking Carter, while the security guard quickly walked over. Carter was forced to back down, his eyes wide as he watched me hand the signed forms back to the clerk. "Just because I blew you off a few times? You’re going to throw our relationship away? What if he’s a scammer?" His eyes turned red as he stared at me. "This is fake. You're lying to me, right?" He sounded so desperate, as if he actually loved me. Yet, every time he got drunk, the only name he called out was Chloe's. I turned to leave, but he tried to follow. The security guard firmly held him back. Julian held up our official marriage certificate right in front of Carter’s face. "Please stop harassing my wife."