The fallout was a disaster for everyone involved.
Ash’s marriage was reportedly on the rocks.
Ryder received a thorough dressing down from his mother, who restricted his financial freedom before
the Christmas celebrations had even ended.
Every day, he would steal glances at me, wanting to explain but finding himself tongue–tied.
Several days later, my mother–in–law approached me in study.
“Phoenix, I’m truly sorry about Ryder’s behavior. I failed to raise him properly.”
Unlike most mediating mothers–in–law, she didn’t dismiss what Ryder had done as an insignificant matter.
“I’ll make sure Ryder cuts all contact with her,” she stated firmly. “The company will transfer an additional 5% of shares to you.”
“When the baby is born, you’ll receive another 15%.”
She didn’t try to convince me with emotional appeals–just cold, hard cash value.
I calculated the worth of those shares in my head and smiled. “Mom, just for having such an amazing mother–in–law like you, I won’t make any more trouble.”
As I left the study, Ryder was already waiting outside.
Seeing me, he immediately plastered on an ingratiating smile. “Babe, I was completely in the wrong.”
He raised right hand in a solemn vow. “No matter what friendship we had, I’ll never contact her
again–no dinners, no parties, no drinking. Nothing.”
I remained silent, walking past him.
He hurried after me. “Maddox grew up with us. She’s always been rough around the edges–none of us
ever saw her as a woman.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “Would you French kiss Ash, then?”
Ryder froze, a flash of disgust crossing his face before he grabbed my hand and continued walking with
- me.
12:32
I Canceled Our Wedding for My CEO Childhood Crush. Zero Regrets!
35.0%
1 Token ting hotely nothing air within me.
11: my hence Pho
Suddenly, my eyes welled up with tears, my take trembling with hurt. “Ryder, you feel contaminated
to the now
He panicked. To go shower right now! I’ll brush my teeth! Babe, wait!”
He scrambled toward the bathroom, his footsteps clumsy and desperate.
I watched his retreating figure, my gaze gradually turning cold.
When it was just the two of us, I always showed Ryder my true self, never this fabricated weakness and hurt that I was displaying now.
Now I realized all men were the same–allergic to sincerity, addicted to fakery.
Yet Ryder really did block Maddox and leave their childhood friends‘ group chat. He tiptoed around me. treating me with excessive care and constantly asking about my well–being.
My morning sickness was severe, which gave me the perfect excuse to make him sleep in a separate room.
At twelve weeks, Ryder accompanied me to my prenatal checkup. Outside the hospital entrance, we unexpectedly ran into Maddox, her face covered in bruises as she sobbed quietly.
I watched Ryder’s reaction carefully. He averted his eyes and feigned casualness. “Babe, where’s the paperwork? Let me check which department we need for the NT scan.”
During the examination, Ryder clearly couldn’t sit still. He paced around a couple of times before approaching me.
“Phoenix, I’m going to step out for a smoke. I’ll be right back.”
I nodded, but by the time my examination was complete, he still hadn’t returned.
After some thought, I headed to the surgical department.
Outside the treatment room, I found Maddox with reddened eyes, cursing under her breath. “It’s all your wife’s fault! Men joke around all the time, but she had to make it into this huge deal. Ash’s wife is just as bad–if she wants a divorce, fine, but why drag me into it?”
“Why am I getting blamed for everything?” she hissed, wincing in pain. “Now I can’t even drink for at
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1 Canceled Our Wedding for My CEO Childhood Crush. Zero Regrets!
35.3%
Jeast A WETKİ
“Ryder. I don’t care you need to talk to Ash and make him apologize to me! And your with is the one who started all this mess. She did it on purposef
Ryder’s arm, which had been around her right shoulder, stiffened.
“Phoenix was crying too. She didn’t mean to cause trouble,” he said quietly.
Maddox glared at him incredulously. “How did I end up with such a brainless friend? You actually believe that manipulative act?”
“And you blocked me for her! Ryder, you’re driving me crazy!“.
He pressed his lips together, not responding.
Instead, he took out his phone and tapped a few times.
I heard a voice notification from Maddox’s phone: “PayPal Received: $10,010.”
Maddox paused, pulled out her phone to check, then broke into a wide grin.
“Fine, I’ll be generous and forgive you this time.”
One hand protectively covering my still–flat stomach, I walked over….
12:32
