My ex-husband divorced me because he claimed I “couldn’t give him a family.”

We took our seats in the back row. The ceremony was a blur of pretentious poetry and performative tears. Chloe floated down the aisle in a custom Vera Wang gown, her hand resting deliberately on her slightly rounded stomach.

She looked smug. She looked like she had won the lottery.

As she reached the altar, she made sure to scan the crowd, her eyes locking onto mine for a fleeting second. She expected to see jealousy. Instead, I gave her a polite nod. Enjoy the illusion, Chloe. It has an expiration date.

They exchanged vows. Julian spoke loudly into the microphone about "legacy," "bloodlines," and "the future of the Vance name." It made my stomach turn, knowing the hell he had put me through in those sterile clinic rooms, blaming my body for the empty echoes in our home.

When the officiant pronounced them husband and wife, the crowd erupted into applause.

The reception was held in a massive, climate-controlled glass marquee on the great lawn. It was a masterclass in excess. Ice sculptures, a ten-tier cake, and a massive LED screen set up behind the sweetheart table for the inevitable photo montage.

"Is the flash drive secure?" I whispered to Sebastian as the waiter poured our wine.

Sebastian tapped his phone screen. "My head of cybersecurity hacked into their AV network twenty minutes ago. The DJ’s laptop is officially a puppet. Just give the signal."

I looked across the room. Julian was standing at the head table, tapping a silver spoon against his crystal glass. The room quieted down.

"Family, friends, colleagues," Julian began, his voice booming over the speakers. "Today is not just about love. It’s about the future. For years, I endured a dark, empty period in my life." He paused, letting his eyes flick toward my table. The crowd shifted uncomfortably. "I thought I would never have a family. I thought my legacy was doomed. But then, Chloe walked into my life and cured the brokenness. She gave me the greatest gift a man could ask for—she is carrying the next generation of the Vance empire!"

Thunderous applause. Chloe dabbed at a nonexistent tear.