My Ex Betrayed Me so I married His Half-Brother

I was supposed to surprise my boyfriend, Jayden, with the pregnancy test results today. Instead, a police officer called, saying I needed to bail him out. He’d been caught in a prostitution sting operation at a hotel.

Anger replaced my worry the moment I stepped into the police station. Jayden sat on a plastic bench, his shirt unbuttoned halfway down, revealing red marks on his chest.

His arm was wrapped tightly around Scarlet—the sister of his dead best friend. The sister he always claimed was "just family."

He hadn’t even told me he was with her.

"What took you so long to come?” Jayden’s voice cut through the room as he stood, jostling Scarlet, who clung to him like her life depended on it.

“Scarlet’s in pain,” he snapped, his gaze cutting into me.

My lips parted, the truth sitting heavy on the tip of my tongue. But I bit it back, forcing a calm I didn’t feel. “I was... doing something.”

Jayden scoffed, the sound cold and dismissive. “What something is that? More important than me and Scarlet?”

I stared at him, feeling the weight of his words settle over me like a lead blanket. There was no point in arguing, no need to ask for explanations. The evidence was staring me in the face. The red marks. The hotel sting. The tooclose embrace.

I forced my feet to move, stepping toward the officer at the desk. “I’m here to post bail for Jayden Swift and Scarlet Carter,” I said quietly. My voice didn’t shake. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me falter.

Minutes later, they followed me outside, Jayden’s arm still protectively draped around Scarlet. She flinched when the cold air hit her, leaning further into him like a fragile bird.

The car was parked under a dim streetlight. I unlocked it and climbed into the driver’s seat, gripping the wheel tightly to stop my hands from trembling. Scarlet hesitated outside the car, biting her lip.

“I don’t want to sit in the back,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “It makes me... anxious without you.”

Jayden frowned, turning to me with a tone that brooked no argument. “Lilian, switch with her.”

“No,” I said, my voice firm. “This is my car. I’m your girlfriend. Isn’t it enough that I already bail you out, Jayden? Where is your money in the first place—”

“Lilian,” he cut me. “I don’t have time to argue. Can’t you see that Scarlet is not feeling well?”

Scarlet’s eyes immediately filled with fake tears. “II can’t sit in the back, Jayden,” she whimpered. “Please, I don’t want to be alone.”

“Lilian,” Jayden snapped, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “Be considerate for once. She’s still recovering—from her brother’s death, from this whole... mess at the hotel.”

My jaw tightened, the words spilling out before I could stop them. “Why were you even in a hotel with her, Jayden? What were you two doing?”

His face darkened, and for a moment, I thought he would answer me. But instead, he wrenched the door open and pulled me out of the driver’s seat with a grip that left no room for resistance.

“If you don’t want to move to the backseat,” he said, his voice icecold, “then just go take the bus.”

I stumbled backward, my breath catching as he guided Scarlet into the passenger seat. She slid in without a second glance at me, her tears already replaced with a faint, satisfied smile.

Jayden didn’t spare me a single look as he climbed into the driver’s seat. The door slammed shut, the sound echoing in the empty parking lot.

The car roared to life. I stood frozen as it pulled away, the tail lights disappearing into the distance.

And then I was alone.

“Are you absolutely sure about this, Lilian?” Professor Jones asked. His eyes met mine from across the cluttered desk, framed by stacks of research papers.

I nodded, trying to sound confident. “I’ve made up my mind.”

“This is a threeyear commitment,” he reminded me, leaning back in his chair. “No contact with the outside world. No family. No friends. You’ll be completely isolated for the duration of the project. There’s no going back once you sign the agreement.”

“I know,” I said, keeping my tone firm.

“And another thing—” He hesitated, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “This is confidential research. The organization has strict policies. That includes... no pregnancies or children during the program. You’d have to terminate any pregnancy before joining.”

The words landed like a blow, but I refused to flinch. Instead, I gave a stiff nod. “Understood.”

Professor Jones studied me for a moment, then handed me the paperwork. “Think carefully before signing. This isn’t an easy path.”

As I left his office, the weight of his words settled over me. My chest tightened, but it wasn’t from his warnings. It was the realization that this project—this grueling, isolating project—felt like freedom.

Freedom from Jayden. Freedom from Scarlet.

At first, I had believed Jayden’s insistence that Scarlet was “like a sister” to him. After all, she was the sister of Scott, Jayden’s best friend who had died in a car accident. Jayden had been driving the night of the crash, and his guilt had tethered him to Scarlet ever since.

“She’s family,” he used to say. “She has no one else. It’s my responsibility.”

I had believed him. I had justified the time they spent together, the way he always prioritized her over me. But now, the memories of their closeness felt like shards of glass piercing through my chest.

The red marks on his body, the way they clung to each other at the police station, the lies he spun with such ease. It all added up to one truth—they had betrayed me.

By the time I reached my apartment, I had made my decision. I would join the research project. And I would no longer carry Jayden’s child.

The clinic was cold and sterile, the fluorescent lights making the walls seem even more impersonal. I sat on the examination table, clutching the edges as I waited for the doctor.

It wasn’t an easy choice, but it was the only one that made sense. Jayden didn’t deserve to be a father. Our child didn’t deserve to be tied to someone who had so blatantly disrespected their mother.

“Are you sure about this?” the doctor asked.

“Yes,” I said firmly, even as a lump formed in my throat.

The procedure was quick, but the aftermath lingered. Two days later, I was still resting in bed, my body aching and my heart hollow. I had told no one, not even Jayden.

The pregnancy test I had once clung to so tightly was now buried deep in the trash.

The shrill ring of my phone jolted me from my thoughts. I groaned, reaching for it on the nightstand. Jayden’s name flashed on the screen.

For a brief moment, hope flickered in my chest. Maybe he had noticed my absence. Maybe he was finally calling to check on me.

“Hello?” I answered, my voice still weak.

“Where are you?” Jayden’s tone was sharp, impatient.

“I’m at the lab,” I lied.

“Good. I need you to get groceries and come home right now,” he ordered. “Scarlet’s here, and she’s hungry. You need to cook dinner.”

I blinked, my chest tightening as his words sank in.

“And don’t take too long,” he added. “We’re starving.”

The line went dead.

The house was dark when I walked in. Jayden’s voice cut through the silence like a blade.

“Where’s the food? Scarlet’s starving.”

For the first time, I didn’t answer. I slipped off my shoes and headed toward the living room.

“Lilian!” His voice followed me, louder this time. “I’m talking to you. Where’s the food? What took you so long?”

I turned to face him, my chest tightening. “You won’t even ask where I’ve been for the last two days?”

Jayden blinked, confused. “Why would I? You’re an adult. I figured you were at the lab, working on one of your research projects. Why?”

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “You really have no idea, do you?”

He frowned, his confusion giving way to irritation. “What are you saying?”

I shook my head, ignoring him as I turned toward the stairs.

“Don’t you walk away from me!” He stormed after me, grabbing my wrist. “How dare you turn your back on me? Where’s the food, Lilian? Cook something for Scarlet!”

I yanked my arm free. “Why would I? Isn’t she your sister? Your dearest? You cook for her.”

Before Jayden could respond, Scarlet appeared in the doorway, her face pale and her voice trembling. “It’s okay if Lilian thinks I’m a bother. I’ll just go back to my house and stay there.”

“No, you won’t,” Jayden said quickly, his tone softening as he turned to her. “You’re staying here, Scarlet. Don’t mind Lilian. She’s just being... grumpy.”

I bit back the wave of anger rising in my chest. “Do whatever you want,” I said flatly, turning and heading up the stairs.

Once in the bedroom, I pulled out my suitcase and began packing my things.

Jayden barged in moments later, his face a mix of confusion and frustration. “What are you doing?”

“Decluttering,” I said without looking at him. “I’m packing up things to donate. The house feels too small for three people now.”

Jayden’s frown deepened. “Then we should get a bigger house. That way Scarlet can fit in, too, once we get married.”

I froze, my hands gripping the edge of the suitcase. Slowly, I turned to face him. “Scarlet is going to live with us when we get married?”

“Of course,” he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I promised her brother I’d take care of her. This is her home now.”

I could only scoff, swallowing the surge of fury threatening to consume me. I forced a tightlipped smile and nodded.

“Of course.”

After all, there wasn’t going to be a marriage.

Jayden walked over to the dresser, picking up one of my research journals. “By the way, do you have any money I could borrow for the company? Just a little to get us through this month since I bought something for Scarlet and so I’d been short..”

The audacity of his words left me speechless.

“You bought her what?” The disbelief in my voice.

“Just some gold and diamond for her birthday, but I’ll pay you. Come on, you have a lot. Can you just share?”

I scoffed. For Jayden, everything had always been about him. He assumed I had money because I was a medical researcher, good at my field. He thought his startup’s investors were drawn in by his charm and hard work.

He had no idea.

He didn’t know that the investors had been my doing. That my family’s name and quiet influence had kept his dream afloat. He didn’t know that I came from a wealthy family, one I had distanced myself from to live a normal life.

When I met Jayden, I thought I’d found a man with ambition, someone I could support without relying on my family’s wealth. I thought he loved me for who I was, not what I could offer him.

But now, I saw the truth. He had used me, just like he was using Scarlet’s tragedy to justify his betrayal.

I nodded absently, watching as he left the room, muttering something about calling a meeting.

The moment he was gone, I reached for my phone. My fingers trembled as I dialed a number I hadn’t called in months.

“Miss Lilian,” a familiar voice answered on the other end.

“It’s time,” I said, my voice cold and steady. “Start pulling the investors. Slowly, but surely. Make sure they withdraw their money from Jayden’s company.”

“Understood,” the staff member replied.

I woke up to the smell of breakfast. The tray on the nightstand was perfectly arranged—pancakes, fresh fruit, and coffee.

Jayden’s warm breath tickled my neck as he leaned down, his lips grazing my skin. “Good morning, beautiful,” he murmured, his voice low and smooth.

His hand slid across my waist, tugging me closer. “I’ve missed you. Let’s stay in bed today... just us.”

I didn’t move. My eyes remained fixed on the tray. Pancakes. Coffee. Fresh fruit. It was all too perfect, too staged.

“What do you need, Jayden?” I said flatly, turning to meet his surprised gaze.

“What?” He blinked, feigning innocence. “Why are you saying that? I’m just trying to spend time with my girl.”

I pulled away, sitting up against the headboard. “Cut the act. Whenever you want something, you suddenly remember how to be sweet. So, what is it this time?”

Jayden frowned, a hurt expression crossing his face. “Why are you being like this, Lilian? Why does it feel like you don’t care about me anymore?”

Care about him? I scoffed internally, thinking back to all the times he’d pulled this same stunt. Whenever he needed money, advice, or a favor, he’d drown me in affection, just enough to make me feel guilty if I refused.

And I had always fallen for it.

Not this time.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, leaving him sitting there with his perfect tray of breakfast and empty words.

Jayden sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve been thinking, Lilian. I realize I’ve been... distant lately. I’ve just been worried about Scarlet, you know? After everything she’s been through, I—”

“You’ve made that very clear,” I interrupted, my tone cold.

He stood and reached for my hand, but I pulled away. “Let’s go on a date,” he said, his voice softening. “Just the two of us. Dinner, maybe a movie. Like old times.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say a word, a highpitched scream echoed through the house.

“Jayden!” Scarlet’s voice was panicked, followed by the sound of something shattering.

Jayden didn’t even hesitate. He bolted out of the room without a word, leaving me standing there, staring at the empty doorway.

That was it. That was the last straw.

Jayden was at the hospital with Scarlet when I packed my bags. This time, there was no hesitation, no secondguessing.

The closet doors creaked open as I pulled out my suitcase. It was all ready since the day I learned of their betrayal and everything I had brought into this house—the house I owned but let Jayden live in rentfree—was going with me.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand. I picked it up and dialed the number I’d memorized long ago.

“Miss Lilian,” the voice on the other end answered.

“Put the apartment up for bidding,” I said, my voice steady. “Sell everything in it. I don’t care about the price. Just make sure it’s gone by the end of the month.”

“Yes, Miss Lilian. And... the items Mr. Swift gifted you?”

I glanced at the expensive watch on the dresser, the designer bags, the jewelry. All meaningless tokens Jayden had given me to mask his indifference.

“Include them,” I said firmly. “All of it.”

“Understood.”

“Also, ensure that all the credit cards we shared are frozen. And don’t pay those balances. I want him to be in debt once I was gone,” I said, gritting my teeth.

“Yes, Miss Hugh.”

I ended the call and slipped the phone into my bag. The room felt lighter already, as if the weight of years of betrayal had started to lift.

As I zipped up my suitcase, I glanced around one last time. The memories of this place—the laughter, the fights, the false promises—flashed through my mind like an old movie reel.

This wasn’t my home anymore. It never had been.

With my suitcase in hand, I closed the door behind me and stepped into the hallway.

The sound of my heels echoed on the wooden floor as I walked out of the apartment. By the time I reached the front door, I felt a sense of clarity I hadn’t felt in years.

Once outside, I hailed a cab and gave the driver my destination.

“The airport, please.”

As the car pulled away, I didn’t look back.

The cab sped through the bustling streets, the city lights blurring past my window. I rested my head against the cool glass, trying to focus on the road ahead—on the airport, on my freedom.

Then my phone buzzed.

Jayden’s name flashed on the screen. For a moment, I debated ignoring it, but that would only make him suspicious. I swiped to answer, forcing my voice to stay calm. “Hello?”

“Lilian,” Jayden’s tone was sharp, almost frantic. “What’s your blood type?”

I frowned, gripping the phone tighter. “RHnegative. Why?”

“Scarlet needs blood,” he said quickly. “She’s anemic, and the hospital is low on her type. Go to St. Claire’s right now and donate. She’s already weak from—”

I cut him off before he could finish. “I’m not near St. Claire’s right now.”

“Then where are you?” he demanded.

I hesitated, my mind racing for a believable excuse. “I’ll head there as soon as I can.”

“Don’t take too long, Lilian,” he snapped, the urgency in his voice unmistakable. “Scarlet’s life depends on it.”

“I’ll try my best,” I lied, then ended the call before he could say more.

I exhaled sharply, my grip tightening on the phone. There was no way I was turning back. I wasn’t going to let him manipulate me into saving his precious Scarlet. Not after everything.

I dialed another number.

“Miss Lilian?”

“Make sure St. Claire’s doesn’t receive any RHnegative blood,” I said coldly. “And block all nearby hospitals from supplying it as well. Force them to go further, no matter the cost.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the voice replied, no hesitation.

I ended the call and stared out the window. A part of me whispered that I was being cruel, but I silenced it quickly. Scarlet had stolen my life, my love, my trust. If she was clinging to life now, I couldn’t bring myself to care.

A darker thought crossed my mind—what if she didn’t make it?

I swallowed it down and focused on the airport signs appearing in the distance.

Inside the terminal, I pulled out my phone and made another call.

“Lilian!” my mother’s cheerful voice filled the line. “It’s been so long since you called. How are you, dear?”

“I’m fine, Mom,” I said, forcing a smile even though she couldn’t see it. “I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving for a threeyear contract.”

“A contract?” she asked, surprised. “Where to? And what about Jayden?”

“We broke up,” I said simply.

There was a pause, then my mother let out a delighted laugh. “Thank God! I never liked that man anyway. Good riddance. But forget about the research, darling. Come back home. Marry a proper man, the one I’ve always told you about. It’s time to take over the company.”

“Mom, I—”

Before I could finish, my phone buzzed with another incoming call. I glanced at the screen. Jayden. Again.

“Mom, I’ll call you back,” I said quickly.

“Oh, we’re not done with this discussion!” she said teasingly before hanging up.

I didn’t accept Jayden’s call. Instead, I opened his messages.

Where are you, Lilian? Scarlet needs blood!

Why did you freeze the account? I can’t pay for Scarlet’s treatment!

What the hell is going on? Call me back!

I stared at the texts, my chest tightening—not with regret, but with the finality of it all.

I typed a response, my fingers steady as I crafted the words.

Oh, sorry, I forgot to tell you before I left. I’m breaking up with you, asshole. Feel free to marry your whore, Scarlet.

I hit send, blocked his number, and tucked my phone into my bag.