Chapter 2

2

The next morning, I was woken up by the loud ringing of my phone.

I opened my eyes sleepily to Alistair's hysterical roaring.

"Autumn Beckett, what the hell are you playing at? The wedding is about to start. Do you want me to look like a fool in front of our families?"

Even now, all this man cared about was his own reputation.

For this marriage of convenience, Sterling Group had invited a lot of famous media outlets.

But what did that have to do with me?

"I told you yesterday. I'm divorcing you."

"Do you think this is funny?" Alistair kept pushing.

"If you're not happy with the wedding gift, just tell me. You don't need to use these pathetic threats. If you really don't want to marry me, there are plenty of women begging to take your place. Don't think I can't live without you."

"I'm giving you one hour to get to the venue. If you're not here, don't ever show your face to me again."

He hung up aggressively.

He didn't give me a single chance to argue or explain.

I stared at my phone in a daze, remembering the boy he used to be. He used to hold my hand in the sun and whisper, "Autumn, for the rest of my life, there's only you. It can only be you."

Coming back to reality, the current Alistair only saw me as replaceable.

I decided we needed a more formal ending.

I put on a full face of makeup and arrived at the hotel right on time.

The moment I stepped out of the car, reporters swarmed me.

"Mrs. Sterling, today is your big day. How are you feeling?"

"We heard you two were childhood sweethearts. Does Mr. Sterling still love you as much as he did back then?"

I had no interest in their gossip. I could hear Alistair's friends joking with him nearby.

"Mr. Sterling really knows how to handle his woman. One call and she comes running back."

Alistair smirked, looking quite proud of himself.

"Women are all the same. If you don't spoil them too much, they eventually learn their place."

However, the moment he saw me, his eyes turned cold and distant again.

"So you finally crawled back? Don't think being pregnant gives you the right to be lawless. Without me, you're nothing."

I didn't say a word. I just stared at him.

"What are you standing there for? Waiting to make more of a scene?" Alistair looked at me with disgust and gave me a hard shove.

I couldn't react in time. I fell hard onto the floor right in front of everyone.

Sharp pain shot through my joints. I let out a groan of agony.

But Alistair just looked down at me coldly. "Stop acting. Get up. Don't embarrass me here."

I gave a pale smile and climbed up on my own. Before I could even straighten my dress, someone else "accidentally" knocked me down again.