After Seeing My Boyfriend's Cheating Red Thread, I Canceled the Wedding

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After I slept with my boyfriend, I woke up to find a red thread hanging over my head, running straight to his.

But there were two threads above his head. The other one led to Laura Pruitt, his childhood sweetheart.

At a dinner, I overheard the two of them talking.

Gabe, I have to go abroad for work soon. Our baby will have to stay with you for now.

Gabriel Henson's voice was gentle.

"Don't worry, Laura. I'll tell her the boy's a child you adopted."

"She's already agreed to add my name to all her property deeds once we're married."

"After that I'll find an excuse to divorce her and take her assets. Then you won't have to work so hard, and the three of us can be together forever."

"Gabe, you're so good to me."

I listened with a cold, level gaze.

In my last life, I found the red thread and exposed the affair between my boyfriend and his childhood sweetheart.

He wept, begged me to forgive him just once, for the sake of everything good he'd ever done for me.

I softened. I gave in.

And then he worked with Laura, caught me off guard, and pushed me off a building. They forged a marriage certificate and seized everything I owned.

This time, I won't go soft.

1.

The two of them were still talking.

There was something vicious in Laura's voice.

"Gabe, you're so good to me. But every time I think about Miriam Fox being with you, I want her dead."

"For our future, I'll swallow it this once."

"Once I've got that bitch's assets in hand, I'll stage an accident and make her disappear."

Gabriel's voice curled with distaste.

"For now I still have to keep her calm."

"Don't worry, I promise I won't touch her again. I only love you."

Hearing that, everything in me went cold.

Now I finally understood.

All this time Gabriel had kept me at arm's length.

Then last night, out of nowhere, he'd turned warm and eager, and brought up marriage.

It wasn't that he'd suddenly changed. He was buttering me up so the wedding would go smoothly, so he could walk off with my money.

I forced myself calm, saved the recording, and went back to the table.

When they saw me return, the two of them exchanged a glance.

Gabriel gave me an affectionate smile.

"Miri, one month from now we'll be married. I promise you a perfect wedding."

I looked at him.

The expression on his face was so genuine. If I hadn't lived through this once, I'd still be sitting right there in the dark.

Rage churned in me, but I kept myself calm.

"Mm."

Laura's lips tipped up, and she raised her glass to me.

"Miriam, Gabe and I grew up together. He likes his fun, that one. Once you two are married, you'll have to be patient with him."

"Oh, and I've always sworn off marriage myself. I adopted a boy a while back, and I may be going abroad soon, so I'll have to trouble you and Gabe to look after him for me."

Her eyes were smiling.

I didn't let anything show.

"That's fine."

She smiled and tipped her head back, draining the wine in one go.

"Good. Then let me wish you both a long and happy life together, ahead of time."

I drank with her.

I lowered my head.

And knocked their tangled legs apart under the table.

Then I looked up, at the space above their heads.

The red thread joining them had grown even brighter.

I gave a cold little smile.

Since they wanted my money.

Then I'd turn their own plan against them.

Watching the two of them laugh and chat, I spoke slowly.

"You two go ahead and eat. I've got overtime tonight. I won't be coming home."

Then I stood.

I walked to the register and paid.

Passing the two of them, I gave Laura a faint smile.

"I've already covered the bill. Take your time."

Laura's lips curved, and she smiled back.

"Take care, Miriam. I won't see you out."

Once I left the hotel, the smile dropped from my face.

Then I hailed a cab and left.

I went straight to the company's staff dorm.

A coworker who lived there caught sight of me and teased,

"Miriam, why aren't you keeping your handsome fianc company? What are you doing back at the dorm? I heard the wedding's coming up soon?"

I gave a small smile.

"Work isn't finished. I came back to put in some overtime."

"Such a workaholic."

The coworker gave up and wandered off.

I said nothing more and stepped into the dorm room.

Shut the door.

Then I pulled up the home security footage.

After our engagement, Gabriel had suggested moving into my place.

Sure enough, before long, Gabriel and Laura walked into the room.

And then the two of them were in each other's arms, kissing hungrily.

Half-undressed, half-tangled, one step short of the whole thing.

Except Laura made a coy little sound of protest and pushed him back.

"Look at you, so impatient. This isn't the place"

Gabriel gave her a hard pinch, then got to his feet, clearly reluctant to stop.

"Fine. We'll wait until we're at your place."

Laura slowly put her clothes back on, tapping a finger against his chest.

"Once we've got the assets, we'll have all the time in the world."

At that, Gabriel pulled her into his arms again.

They stayed tangled together for a while before finally separating.

Laura glanced around the room and sneered,

"Hmph. That bitch Miriam has all the luck, getting to own a place this nice."

Gabriel gave a cold laugh.

"Don't worry. Soon enough it'll all be ours."

Watching all of this.

My gaze went cold.

After a while, I saved the footage and slowly closed my phone.

Then I hurried home.

I shoved the door open and caught the two of them nestled together.

Gabriel reflexively pushed Laura away.

"Miriam, you why are you back?"

Laura let out a dry laugh.

"Miriam, didn't you say you had overtime"

I gave a cold laugh.

"My overtime's finished. I can't come home now?"

"But you twowhat were you just doing?"

Gabriel looked a little guilty.

"What could Laura and I possibly be doing? She just drove me home, I only had her sit for a bit."

I smiled coldly.

"Somehow I doubt it was as simple as sitting."

He flared up at once.

"Miriam, what nonsense are you spouting!"

"Laura and I grew up together. If there were really something between us, it wouldn't be your turn to have me at all!"

Laura chimed in with her explanation.

"Miriam, I almost tripped just now, Gabe only reached out to steady me. Don't read too much into it."

"I've brought him home now, so I'll be going."

With that, she headed for the door.

Gabriel shot me a vicious glare and rushed out after her.

"We'll settle this later!"

They left.

Years back, my parents bought some property in our hometown.

Later it got slated for redevelopment, and my family ended up with a good number of units.

My parents didn't want the hassle of managing them, so they handed them all to me.

At first, Gabriel didn't know anything about my family's situation.

Later, once he learned I was an only child, that my family had ten redevelopment properties, and that most of them were in my name,

he suddenly turned warm toward me.

At first I didn't think much of it.

It was only after I saw clearly that I understood.

From the very start, he'd probably had his eye on what I owned.

Before long, Gabriel came back.

The red thread of fate running from the top of his head to Laura was so vivid it stung the eyes.

And the one tying him to me, by comparison, was so faint you could barely make it out.

He didn't get angry.

Instead, there was a hint of reproach in his voice.

"Miriam, I treat Laura like my own little sister. Your attitude just now was way out of line."

"But I already spoke up for you. She said she won't hold it against you."

Seeing my face stay dark, he came over and looped his arm through mine.

"I'm not even mad anymore. You're not still upset, are you?"

Now wasn't the time to turn on him. I pushed the feeling down and gave him a small smile.

"No. I was just thinking about the wedding."

At the word wedding, his eyes lit up.

"Miri, you said once we're married, you'd add my name to the property deeds. That wasn't just talk, was it?"

I said mildly,

"Of course not."

He tightened his arm around me and edged closer.

"Then... then if we're going to do it eventually anyway, why not go ahead and take care of it in the next day or two?"

My head snapped toward him, my gaze cold and dim.

The look startled him.

I gave a faint smile.

"No rush. There's still the wedding to think about these next couple of days."

"I said I'd add your name after we're married, so I will."

He smiled along with that and turned to go shower.

For a while after, I stayed busy.

Maybe afraid I'd catch on to something, Gabriel didn't stay so close to Laura either.

Three weeks later, the wedding drew near.

When it was time to go try on the wedding dress, Gabriel spoke up out of nowhere.

"Miriam, Laura figured you wouldn't have the time, so she already tried the dress on for you."

The words had barely left him when Laura smiled.

"Miriam, you're so busy with work. I thought I'd take some of the load off you."

"We're about the same build. It'll fit you perfectly."

The smile on her face carried a sneer, like she was toying with me, mocking me.

"Bring the dress here."

My voice came out cold.

They both froze. Gabriel frowned and was about to scold me.

But Laura stopped him.

"Gabe, maybe Miriam wants to try it on. I'll go get it."

A moment later, she brought the dress over.

The next second, I threw it straight into the trash can.

Fruit peels and scraps stained it on contact.

Gabriel flared up at once.

"Miriam, are you insane!"

I stared at him.

"I don't wear things someone else has already worn against their skin."

His face was full of anger.

"If you don't like it, I can get you another one. Why throw it away!"

"Such a waste of all Laura's good intentions."

My face was cold.

"If you like it so much, then let her hold the wedding with you."

Hearing that, Laura jumped in to smooth things over.

"Miriam, don't be angry. Gabe only wanted to save you the trouble."

"Since you don't like it, we'll just pick another one."

I gave a cold laugh.

For the sake of my property, she really did have patience.

The next day, Laura brought over the child she'd "adopted."

He looked about three years old.

"Miriam, this is Dodo. I'm going overseas in a week, so I'll be leaving him with you. Sorry to put you out."

I laughed coldly on the inside.

But out loud I said,

"Of course, no problem. Leave him with me."

I pinched Dodo's cheek.

"What a good boy."

Then I turned to the two of them.

"Actually, I have a work trip today and I'll be passing right by the amusement park. Let me take Dodo along. It'll be good for us to bond a little."

Laura and Gabriel exchanged a smile.

Gabriel agreed at once.

"Sure. Dodo's all yours."

A short while later, I took Dodo out.

But where I went was the hospital.

I used his little cough as a reason to have his blood drawn.

Then I handed the doctor two bags of hair, along with an envelope of cash.

"Run a DNA test. As fast as you can."

The doctor gave a slight smile and took them.

When I got back, before I'd even stepped inside, I heard Gabriel on the phone with Laura.

"Laura, Miriam bought the adoption story completely. She doesn't suspect a thing."

I pushed the door open, and he immediately put his phone away.

Then he scooped Dodo up, all affection.

"Did you have fun today?"

Dodo answered in his soft little voice.

"The auntie took me to play with lots of fun things. Dodo's very happy."

A smile spread across Gabriel's face.

"Miri, looks like you really love kids. Once we're married, let's have one of our own soon."

I gave a faint nod.

A week later, the wedding went ahead as planned.

Gabriel and I walked up onto the stage side by side.

The whole way up, he kept murmuring reminders under his breath.

"Miri, you promised me. The moment we're married, you add my name to the property deeds. Don't forget."

"I won't."

Laura stood below the stage, a mocking smile on her face, her eyes full of hunger for my assets.

Just then, the host handed me the microphone and invited me to tell everyone the story of Gabriel and me.

I took the mic and looked out over the crowd.

"I'm announcing it now. The wedding is off."