Chapter 1

There was only a month left until Nigel Goldwyn and Joyce Marlow's wedding, but they were stuck in constant arguments. The reason behind every argument was always the same—she wanted to have a child with Jeffrey Laswell, the son of her respected mentor, Ronald Laswell. "It's just IVF. He and I won't be sleeping together. Professor Laswell is seriously ill, and his biggest wish is to see Jeffrey happy and with a child. Jeffrey has no one else to turn to but me," Joyce explained. Nigel was shocked and furious when he first heard about this ridiculous request. Now, he just felt like he'd given up. "We're getting married in a month, and you want to have a baby with someone else. Don't you think that's absurd?" Nigel's eyes welled up. He'd held it in for so long and couldn't hold back anymore. Tears started rolling down his face. Joyce was taken aback. It was the first time she'd ever seen him cry. She was about to say something when her phone buzzed. She checked it quickly, and when she looked up at him again, the storm of emotions in her eyes was gone. "I've got to go. You need to take a breath," Joyce said. Nigel watched her walk away and suddenly realized that he'd always been the one left behind all these years. Joyce was known as the ultimate catch in college, topping every guy's crush list. No matter how many guys chased after her, she turned them all down. Eventually, she put an end to it all with one simple statement—she wasn't looking to date in college. Her aloof attitude turned away most admirers, but Nigel was the only one who didn't give up. He chased her until she finally agreed to be his girlfriend. They'd been together for years, but Joyce still kept her distance. Still, Nigel never gave up, always showering her with love and attention. Now, he couldn't believe she'd disregarded his feelings and made such an absurd request. Out of nowhere, Nigel's phone buzzed. He glanced at it and saw that Jeffrey had sent him a screenshot of his conversation with Joyce. Jeffrey: "Joy, my dad's not going to make it much longer. Let's put Nigel aside for now and go ahead with the IVF, alright? Please!" Joyce: "Alright, I'm on my way." Nigel felt like he'd been hit by a ton of bricks. It finally clicked why Joyce had rushed off like that. He couldn't put his feelings into words. It was like all his emotions were crushing his chest, making it hard to breathe. He wanted to scream and cry out loud but was too drained to let it out. Nigel looked at his reflection in the mirror, feeling like he was staring at someone else. He wasn't like this before. People used to say he was upbeat and full of energy. But now, his face was clouded with a sadness so heavy it felt like it would never go away, like an ink stain. Where had his old self gone? Nigel had completely transformed himself for the sake of loving Joyce. However, instead of getting her understanding or support, she chose to have a baby with Jeffrey as their wedding day neared. Suddenly, a thought crossed Nigel's mind—he had nothing to lose. Maybe it was time to walk away if she cared so little about their relationship and marriage! Taking a deep breath, he grabbed his phone. He typed a post on Instagram, blocked Joyce from seeing it, and hit upload. "I'm getting married in a month and in need of a new bride. Anyone interested?" Most people left playful comments on his post, probably thinking he was joking, so no one took it seriously. Nigel was beginning to feel down when his phone rang. It was Meryl Sheffield! Seeing the name he hadn't come across in so long, he was taken aback for a moment. Nigel and Meryl had been childhood friends. Back in school, she was the pretty girl, and he was the popular guy. Funny enough, they couldn't stand each other. They argued from kindergarten all the way to high school. It wasn't until they went to separate colleges in different cities that the rivalry finally fizzled out. Later, Nigel fell for Joyce the moment he laid eyes on her in college. To win her over, he barely went home during the holidays. After graduation, he stayed in Halston City for Joyce and lost touch with Meryl. The only time they interacted was when he recently posted on Instagram, announcing he was finally marrying the love of his life. Meryl left an awkward comment. "Can't you just stay single?" Nigel thought she was just stirring the pot and ignored it. But to his surprise, she was the first to actually reach out to him. He picked up the phone, ready for her to make fun of him. But when the call went through, she didn't waste any time and got straight to the point. "Nigel, if you're looking for a new bride, how about me?" Meryl asked. Her words lingered in the air, and a heavy silence fell between them. Nigel wasn't exactly sure what she meant, but he could tell she was the perfect fit—she had the right background, and they knew each other well. After a long pause, he finally said, "Okay, what are your terms?" "No terms. But since we're getting married, you should change my contact name from 'Annoying Pest' to 'Darling.'" Her request was so simple that Nigel was caught off guard. He had to double-check. "That's it?" "Yeah, that's it. Oh, and I want the same things other couples have." This request threw him off even more. He'd assumed Meryl was only agreeing to marry him because her family was pushing her into it. Nigel had spent all these years trying to make Joyce happy. When he saw she wasn't ready for marriage, he didn't push her. He knew better than to ask for too much, especially after winning over someone as hard to get as her. However, Nigel's grandfather, Mark Goldwyn, had been in bad health for a while and was hoping he'd get married soon. So, he had no choice but to propose to Joyce. Yet she came up with this ridiculous request as their wedding day drew nearer. Nigel tightened his grip on his phone. "I never planned for this to be a fake marriage. If we're doing this, it's going to be the real deal." Meryl chuckled on the other end. "Well then, how about I come to Halston City to pick you up, and we can figure out when to get married and set a date for the wedding?" Nigel went quiet for a moment. "Give me two weeks. I've got to wrap up a few things." He didn't go into details, but they both knew he was talking about Joyce. Since this was a real marriage, Meryl knew the past had to be left behind, so she decided not to press further. After hanging up, the first thing Nigel did was change Meryl's contact name. Seeing the number now saved as "Darling", a smirk crossed his face. "Joyce, since you're going behind my back to have a baby with someone else, fine, I'll do the same and find myself a new bride," he thought.