My Boyfriend Is Engaged... but Not to Me

On the day my boyfriend gets engaged, I'm locked in the bedroom even though I'm supposed to be with him.

By the time I make it to the venue, I see him passionately kissing his first love.

When I confront him, he scoffs. "Kirsty’s a wealthy heiress who can help with my career. Isn't being my girlfriend enough for you?"

With my answer loud and clear, I turn and call home. "Mom, Dad—about that arranged marriage you mentioned... I'm in."

The day he marries Kirsty Bainbridge is also the day I marry my alliance partner.

And the moment he sees me in a wedding dress, he completely loses his composure.

Red roses, which I loved dearly, could be found in every corner of the engagement party. I was the one who had personally overseen every arrangement.

And yet, my boyfriend, Camden Gardner, was passionately kissing another woman on stage.

I was about to confront them when one of Camden's closest friends dragged me away and covered my mouth.

"Don't you get it, Eloise? Camden has been lying to you this whole time."

Just like that, they locked me up in a small utility closet, forcing me to listen to the rest of the humiliating procession.

The pain in my heart gradually gave way to numbness.

There was no telling how much time had passed when Camden, dressed in a custom-made suit, finally opened the door.

His first words weren't an explanation, but a rebuke.

"Why are you acting so unreasonable, Eloise? Didn't I tell you to get some rest?"

He frowned and glared at me as if I were the one in the wrong.

I couldn't hold back the sting in my eyes. "Can't I attend my engagement party?"

A complicated expression crossed Camden's face as he helped me up. "Stop causing a scene, Ellie. Kirsty is the heiress of a wealthy family. She'll be of great help to me."

Despite the darkening look on my face, he paused but still chose to speak those cruel words.

"You're just a country bumpkin. I'll date you, so just stop making a big fuss out of it."

I was taken aback.

How could he say something like that?

Where was the man who once held me close and said he'd never marry anyone else but me?

Camden and I met and fell in love in college. The relationship persevered even after we graduated.

He was always a bit aloof. Ultimately, I was the one who brazenly proposed to him.

The engagement was something we agreed on together.

He never bothered to divulge the truth, even while I was trying on my dress the night before. It wasn't until I woke up this morning that I discovered Camden was missing.

The front door had even been locked from the outside.

I didn't want to be late for the engagement party. So, I climbed out of the window into a neighbor's house and rushed over.

I didn't think I'd witness such a scene.

Why