He Promised Marriage But Gave Me Nothing Novel by Zara Thorne _ Novel




He Promised Marriage But Gave Me Nothing Chapter 01

Halfway through the wedding, we slipped into the bridal suite to change into our reception outfits. Julian Crawford turned to me abruptly and apologized. “Alice, I’m sorry. I can’t go with you to file our marriage paperwork tomorrow.”
I smiled as if it didn’t matter. “Then we’ll do it another day, whenever you’re free. No rush.”
Julian looked away. Something in his voice shifted, growing heavy. “It’s not about timing. I mean — we can’t get legally married.”
My hand instinctively hovered over my stomach. “Are you saying we're not getting married?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
He pulled me into his arms. “How could I be?” His voice softened, almost soothing. “It’s just — five years ago, my family forced me into a marriage abroad. I had no choice.”
“But Alice, you were always the one I...”
Before he could finish, the best man pushed the door open. “Julian, there’s a woman and a little boy outside asking for you.” He hesitated. “They’re saying she’s your wife — the one from abroad. And the boy is yours.”
***
Before any of us could react, Elara Vance pushed past him into the room, a small child on her hip. She looked at Julian, her eyes instantly filling with tears.
“Julian — my mother’s passed away.”
The boy in her arms was three, maybe four years old. He reached for Julian, his voice rising.
“Daddy! Daddy!”
He was a carbon copy of Julian. My mind went completely blank.
I shoved Julian back and stood there as the truth closed in on me, piece by piece.
My husband had been someone else’s husband for five years. I didn’t even have the right to use that word. Legally, I was the other woman — a mistress — and a cold dread washed over me from head to toe.
My legs almost gave out. Julian reached for me.
“Alice—”
I slapped him before he could finish, then drew a slow breath and forced myself to stay composed.
“Julian — every major family in Port City is out there right now. The Crawfords might survive a scandal, but my family can’t afford this kind of humiliation.”
I kept my voice level. “Come out with me, tell everyone you’re feeling unwell, and help me gracefully dismiss the guests. Then we’ll sit down with our parents and sort out this mess.”
He took the slap without flinching. That told me everything. He searched my face and opened his mouth anyway.
“Alice—”
“Don’t.”
I couldn’t bear to hear his voice anymore. I gathered my skirt and walked out.
Julian followed with his head down. Just as I reached for the door, Elara screamed behind us.
“Ryan! Ryan, what’s wrong with you — don’t scare me—”
I turned. The little boy had turned a mottled, terrifying shade of purple. His body jerked twice, and then he went limp. Julian pushed past me and scooped the child out of Elara’s arms.
“What happened? Does he have allergies — what did you feed him?”
Elara could only cry. The best man suddenly said, “The pastry — on the way here, he grabbed something off the dessert table. Said he was hungry. Should we try to make him throw up?”
Julian was already at the door.
“No time. We have to get him to the ER.”
He rushed past me without a glance. I stood alone in my crimson reception dress and watched them disappear down the hall.
Words failed me. At my own wedding, my groom had already been another woman’s husband — and he’d just left with her.
Confusion, humiliation, rage — they all crashed over me at once, hard enough to leave a metallic taste at the back of my throat. I pressed my hands over my face and sobbed silently into my palms. The best man’s voice finally broke through, careful and low. “Alice — there are still guests outside. What do you want me to do?”
I blinked the tears back and made myself stand. I went back to the dressing table and touched up my ruined makeup with powder, one mechanical stroke at a time.
“Tell everyone Julian wasn’t feeling well and we’re wrapping things up early,” I managed. “I need to go say goodbye.”
I walked out and smiled through every conversation, giving my parents just enough of an explanation to hold them off. Julian’s parents stayed close, wearing tight, guilty smiles that told me everything I needed to know — they’d known all along.
The weight in my chest doubled. Had his entire family been in on this?
When the last guest finally left, the Crawfords cornered me.
“Alice, Julian called — he’s back at the villa, and things with Elara and her son are sorted. You two just got married. Don’t let her come between you. Go home and talk it out.”
“Every marriage has its hurdles. This doesn’t have to be the end.”
I looked at them for a long moment. “Mr. and Mrs. Crawford, I can’t call myself his wife. Legally, Elara is. I have no place in this marriage.”
I let the words hang there.
“I think we need to put our families’ arrangement on hold. I’m tired. I’m going home.”
I didn’t wait for a response. I went straight back to the villa, and when I opened the front door, Julian was already on his feet — he had been sitting there waiting for me, a folder of papers in his hand.
“Alice, you’re home.” He held them out.
“I’m so sorry for what you had to go through today. It’s handled — these are the divorce papers Elara and I just signed. Once they're filed with the court overseas, it’s done. And then I’ll take you to make us legal that same day. Not one more day’s delay, I promise.”
I looked at the papers but didn’t reach for them, my hand drifting to my stomach. I was about to ask about Ryan Crawford when someone stepped out of the kitchen.
She was wearing an apron.
“Oh, Miss Miller. You’re back.”

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