I Became the Other Woman Overnight

My boyfriend, Sebastian Morris, and I have been in a long-distance relationship for three years, yet he never lets me visit him. After I get pregnant, I take an eight-hour flight without telling him, hoping to surprise him. While my phone is in airplane mode, Sebastian sends me a message that reveals I've been the other woman all along. As soon as I land and reconnect, I see over a hundred unread messages from him. I tap on our chat with a smile, only to find the truth waiting for me. "I already have a girlfriend. We've been together for seven years. Our families have everything planned out. We're getting engaged soon." Sebastian says that when he first started talking to me, he and his girlfriend, Clarissa Farber, had been in the middle of a fight. Bored and lonely, he wanted someone to kill time with. "I never thought you'd take it seriously." His final message was sent three minutes ago. "If this doesn't bother you, we can keep seeing each other. You just can't let Clarissa find out about you. I don't want her getting hurt. Ultimately, the choice is yours." I rest a hand over my faint baby bump as my heart clenches. What about me? Doesn't he care if I'm the one who gets hurt? Chapter 1 I tightened my grip on the phone, unable to believe that everything I'd shared with Sebastian Morris over the past few years had been a lie. My hands trembled as I dialed his number. The phone rang twice before he hung up, but I immediately called again. It wasn't until my 17th attempt that he finally answered. "Anna, stop it." Sebastian kept his voice low, but he couldn't hide his impatience. "She's on her period and isn't feeling well. I can't leave her alone. I need to take care of her." My throat felt dry, and I had to swallow before I could force myself to speak. Just then, a woman's voice came through the phone. "Sebastian, my heating pad's gone cold." He immediately softened his tone. "Coming, baby. Give me a second." He hung up before I could say another word. Sebastian used to take care of me whenever I was on my period, too. He would make me chamomile tea and place his warm hands over my lower abdomen. Whenever I complained about the cramps, he would pull me closer and murmur, "I'm right here." Now, he was taking care of another woman. I wanted to confront him and find out exactly what was going on, but when the car pulled up outside his apartment building, I couldn't bring myself to go upstairs. I was terrified that everything I'd discovered was true and that I'd been the other woman all along. Then, I saw Sebastian emerge from the building with his arm around a woman. The wind blew a few strands of her bangs across her face, and he gently tucked them behind her ear. His movements were so tender and familiar that he'd clearly done it countless times before. A neighbor passing by stopped to greet them. "Mr. Morris, taking your girlfriend out for another walk, I see." Sebastian smiled. "We're going to try on wedding dresses today." The neighbor gave the woman a thumbs-up. "You're one lucky woman, Ms. Farber! Can't wait for the wedding!" I staggered backward in disbelief, unable to summon the courage to approach them. Meanwhile, Sebastian carefully helped the woman into his car without noticing me at all. A sharp cramp spread through my lower abdomen, forcing me to crouch down. The neighbor who had just spoken to them noticed me and came over to help. "Sebastian Morris…" I muttered. "Is he getting married?" The neighbor didn't seem to notice that anything was wrong with me and smiled. "That's right! Mr. Morris absolutely adores his girlfriend. They're such a lovely couple! No matter how busy he gets, he always makes time to come home and cook for her. They've even invited us to the wedding. We already received the invitation." I listened in a daze, unable to get the image of Sebastian and that woman together out of my mind. It felt as if my heart had splintered. I'd always known Sebastian was busy. During our three years of long-distance dating, the time difference meant that we often had to wake up in the middle of the night just to talk or video call. Even when he had dark circles under his eyes from exhaustion, he'd patiently reassure me, "Once things settle down at work, I'll come see you." And he'd always kept his word. Once, he'd worked late into the night for two weeks straight and ended up getting sick with a cold. Yet, he'd still rushed back to celebrate my birthday with me. I hated seeing him exhaust himself like that. All I'd wanted was to put an end to our long-distance relationship so we could finally get married. But Sebastian always told me that he wanted to wait until his career was more stable before we settled down together. And so, I'd waited three years. No matter how much I missed him, I never wanted to put any more pressure on him. Even when I found out I was pregnant, I'd decided to wait until the pregnancy was stable before coming to see him. I'd wanted to tell him that we could put off the wedding if necessary. I was even willing to give up my job and start over so we could be together. But he'd already promised to marry someone else. The neighbor finally noticed how pale I was and asked, "By the way, who are you?" I didn't answer. I simply walked away. But as Sebastian's car approached the exit of the apartment complex, I threw caution to the wind and stepped right into its path. Chapter 2 I hit the ground with a heavy thud. Clarissa Farber, who was sitting in the passenger seat, jumped in fright. Through the car window, I saw panic flash across Sebastian's face before he quickly regained his composure. Clarissa was the first to get out. She hurried over and crouched beside me, offering me a lightly scented tissue. "Are you okay?" She had a beautiful voice, and there was such innocence in her eyes that I couldn't help feeling ashamed of myself. I looked up at Sebastian, tears streaming down my face. "Sebastian…" Clarissa looked puzzled. "Do you know her?" Sebastian showed no emotion as he replied coldly, "No, I don't." After three years together, he was pretending that he didn't even know me. He didn't spare me another glance before turning his attention to Clarissa and coaxing her back into the car. I remained on the pavement, watching as Clarissa grew upset with him and pulled her hand away when he tried to touch her. Sebastian simply drew her into his arms and kissed her repeatedly. Tears blurred my vision. A few minutes later, he sent me a message. "Don't you dare make a scene in front of her. Go get yourself a hotel room." His words made my heart ache, and I couldn't hold back any longer. "Why did you lie to me?" His response was just as heartless. "I already told you that you can break up with me if you want. Now, get out of here and stop embarrassing yourself." Three years ago, I never would've imagined that this was how our relationship would end. Back then, Sebastian and I had met online. We played video games and chatted together, with him telling me about his graduate research while I talked about my internship at an international trade company. Later, I was hospitalized with pneumonia. I was alone in my hospital room, hooked up to an IV, and my phone was almost out of battery. I managed to send Sebastian a message telling him that I was scared. When I opened my eyes the following morning, he was sitting beside my hospital bed. He held my hand tightly, his palm covered in sweat. "Annabeth, I'm just glad you're okay. Don't ever scare me like that again." From that moment on, I knew he was the only man I wanted to love for the rest of my life. After I was discharged, Sebastian stayed in the country for a month and took me traveling to all sorts of places. He'd never cooked before, but he started looking up recipes and learning how to make meals just for me. On the day we had to say goodbye, we held each other tightly in the terminal, neither of us wanting to let go. Sebastian lowered his head and cupped my face in his hands. "Wait for me. I'll be back to marry you," he promised. Over the next three years, we video-called whenever we had time. Sometimes, even when he was busy, he'd leave his camera on so I could watch him work. One New Year's Eve, I secretly bought a plane ticket and flew over to surprise him. I stood outside the arrivals gate, waiting for him to appear. The moment Sebastian saw me, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. That night, he held me in his hotel bed as the bed creaked beneath us and fireworks exploded outside the window. He kissed my damp forehead and promised that I would be the only woman he'd ever love. I believed him. Even when I occasionally couldn't get hold of him, I never suspected that he would lie to me or betray me. Three months ago, he'd started using work as an excuse, taking longer and longer to reply to my messages. But I still hadn't questioned his loyalty. I'd kept telling myself that he was just busy. Instead, I'd ended up hearing him tell me that he wanted to break up because there had been another woman in his life all along. … That evening, the doorbell rang at my hotel room. I wiped the tears from my face, took a deep breath, and opened the door. Then, without giving Sebastian a chance to speak, I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. Chapter 3 Sebastian stood motionless in the doorway and took the slap. He said nothing as he reached out, pulled me into his arms, and held me so tightly that I could barely move. "Anna, I'm sorry." I struggled and tried to push him away, but he refused to let go. "Anna, the moment I saw you today, I realized I still can't get over you," he said helplessly. "It breaks my heart knowing you traveled all this way just to see me. But there's nothing I can do. "My family arranged my marriage to Clarissa years ago, and I've already put off the engagement for too long. I can't delay it any longer." I couldn't stop the tears from falling as I finally tore myself out of his arms. "What about me? What even am I to you? Do you think I deserve to be treated like some homewrecker? You've been lying to me all this time! How could you be so cruel?" Sebastian fell silent for a moment, and the patience in his eyes gradually faded. "I'll buy you an apartment in Hilston to make it up to you. Just be good and don't let Clarissa find out about us. We can still be together like we always have been." I was shaking with anger. My breathing grew unsteady as I backed toward the table. "Not a chance. I'm going to find Clarissa, and I'm going to tell her everything." In the blink of an eye, Sebastian's expression shifted, and his voice hardened. "You'd better do as I say, Annabeth. You're not in Hilston anymore. You're all alone here, and if you insist on causing a scene, you're the one who's going to get hurt." He stepped closer and gently wiped away my tears, lowering his voice as he spoke. I shoved him away, grabbed my suitcase, and hurried out of the hotel. As I was leaving, Sebastian called after me. "Clary won't tolerate another woman in my life. I don't want anything happening to you, so you'd better listen to me." I didn't bother responding and blocked his number. Being alone in a foreign country, I had some trouble finding a place to stay. But after a while, I finally managed to find somewhere and settle in. I'd just started looking at flights when the door was suddenly forced open. Clarissa stood in the doorway, accompanied by several bodyguards dressed in black and a few people carrying cameras. The moment she recognized me, the gentleness I'd seen earlier disappeared from her face. "It really was you." I stared at her in confusion. "What do you mean?" Instead of answering, Clarissa slapped me across the face. "You're the one who's been trying to steal my fiance all this time! You shameless homewrecker!" I wanted to tell her that I hadn't tried to steal anyone, that I wasn't the other woman. But before I could explain, her bodyguards rushed forward, pinned me down, and started kicking me. I instinctively curled up and wrapped my arms tightly around my lower abdomen to protect my baby. Sebastian arrived shortly afterward, having heard what was happening. The first thing he did was grab Clarissa and try to calm her down. "Clary, that's enough. Don't get yourself worked up over a nobody." But Clarissa wasn't satisfied. She gave me another shove when I stood up. "Don't ever let me see you again." I lost my balance and fell backward. A sudden, excruciating pain shot through my abdomen, and I felt something warm flowing between my legs. I curled up on the floor, unable to bear the pain. Clarissa stared at me in shock. I desperately grabbed the leg of Sebastian's pants, but he merely glanced down at me before pulling away. "It was just a fall," he said. "Stop being so dramatic." Then he turned back to Clarissa and gently reassured her, "Come on, Clary. Let's go." I'd originally planned to tell him that I was pregnant, but he didn't deserve this child. As I watched him walk away with such resolution, I finally lost the strength to hold on, and everything went black. Chapter 4 I didn't know how long I'd been unconscious, but when I opened my eyes, I found myself lying in a hospital bed. A doctor entered the room and glanced at me before delivering the news in a matter-of-fact tone. "We couldn't save the baby. It'll also be very difficult for you to conceive again." Tears silently streamed down my face. My baby hadn't even had the chance to develop fully, much less see the world. I picked up my phone and found dozens of messages from my friends back home. Clarissa Farber had posted about me on my company's forum in Hilston, accusing me of having an affair with Sebastian. According to her, I'd followed him abroad because I couldn't accept that he was getting married, and I was determined to ruin their upcoming wedding. The comment section was flooded with insults. "So that's why she kept saying her boyfriend was overseas! Guess it's easier to be someone's mistress when his actual girlfriend lives in another country!" "Fire her already! We don't need someone that shameless working here and giving the company a bad name!" … Not long afterward, my supervisor contacted me and told me to sort out my personal problems before returning to work. My chest tightened until I could barely breathe. I was furious and devastated, and all the disappointment I'd endured gradually turned into hatred. With trembling hands, I began responding to the comments one by one, determined to tell everyone what had really happened. But minutes later, the entire post had been taken down. Just then, the door to my hospital room opened, and Sebastian walked in. He was holding a document, and there wasn't a trace of guilt on his face. "Anna, maybe it's for the best that you lost the baby. Bringing a child into this situation would've been a mistake anyway." I stared at him, my voice hoarse as I said, "Sebastian, that was your baby, too." His fingers tightened slightly before he relaxed his hand. Then, he looked away from me and said coldly, "Annabeth, what's done is done. Dragging this out won't do anyone any good. Let's just put this behind us. I'll talk to Clary and make sure she leaves you alone." I grabbed the cup beside me and hurled it at him. "You bastard!" Sebastian didn't react. Instead, he tossed the document onto the bed. "Sign this. It's a liability waiver. You agree not to sue Clary over the miscarriage, and you're not allowed to discuss our personal affairs online. I'll give you some money to help you move on." I stared at the agreement, unable to believe what I was hearing. "Why would I agree to that? You've ruined my life, and now she's spreading lies about me, too!" Sebastian leaned forward and grabbed my chin. "So what? Annabeth, you're an orphan. You should know by now that you can't take us on. You're all alone in this country, and nobody here is going to care what happens to you." He noticed the tears in my eyes and fell silent for a couple of seconds before continuing, "If you won't listen to me, don't expect me to help you anymore." I stared at him through tear-filled eyes. "So you two can humiliate me all you want, but I'm not allowed to stand up for myself? I'm not letting either of you get away with this!" Sebastian's expression darkened immediately. He didn't waste another word on me. Instead, he called several bodyguards into the room. They dragged me out of the hospital bed and shoved me into a car. I'd only just undergone surgery after losing my baby, and I was far too weak to fight them off. Every movement sent excruciating pain through my body, and I stared at Sebastian in disbelief. "What are you doing? You can't do this! It's illegal—" "Sign the waiver, and I'll have someone take you back home," he said. My body trembled as I dug my nails into my palms. Looking at the man I'd loved for three years, I could hardly recognize him anymore. He was willing to threaten my freedom and even my life to get what he wanted. With no other choice, I signed the waiver with trembling hands. The Sebastian I'd once loved was gone for good. He took the signed document from me before pulling a bank card out of his pocket and tossing it at me. "There's 200,000 dollars in that account. Consider it payment for all the times you slept with me over the past three years, as well as compensation for the baby. Go home and get on with your life. Don't contact me again." As the car pulled away, I was too weak to steady myself and slammed into the seat. Blood immediately began streaming from my forehead, but Sebastian didn't even look back. I forced myself to stay upright despite my weakened condition. Then, when the driver wasn't paying attention, I opened the door and jumped out. … A few days later, Sebastian stood beneath the spotlight at his wedding, wearing an expensive suit and holding Clarissa's hand. The officiant turned to him and asked, "Sebastian Morris, do you take Clarissa Farber to be your wife?" "I do… Anna." The entire room fell silent. Sebastian suddenly snapped out of his daze and looked toward the entrance before rushing off the stage.