My Fiancé Humiliated Me in Public, but When I Broke Off the Engagement, He Begged Me to Come Back Chapter 2

“Chloe, the paperwork’s been sent in! You and Austin can finally come back to the city. It’s been three years since you left, and your dad and I miss you so much. Once you’re home, we’ll start planning your wedding!”

Zoey’s voice brimmed with excitement and hope, but Chloe felt a suffocating weight settle in her chest. She didn’t know how to explain it to her mother—how to tell her that she and Austin weren’t the same anymore.

Austin, the man who had once given up a secure job at Lumina to follow her to this remote rural town, no longer had room for Chloe in his heart.The thought of Natalie brought a shadow over Chloe’s face. Her breath hitched as bitterness crept in.

Perhaps Zoey sensed her hesitation, as the silence on the phone stretched on too long.

“Chloe…” Zoey’s tone softened, hesitant. “Your dad hasn’t been doing well. He’s been in the hospital for months now, but I didn’t want to worry you. He just wants to see you again…”

Chloe’s grip on the receiver tightened, her heart sinking.

“What’s wrong with Dad?”

Zoey’s voice dropped, her words heavy. “The same old kidney issues. He’s stable, but…” She trailed off, her worry evident.

“Look, there’s a train from Emberwood to Lumina next week. I’ve already bought you a ticket. You need to come home, Chloe.”

She paused, her voice growing firm.

“You have to come back.”

The unease in Chloe’s heart grew. For the moment, she pushed aside the tangled mess of her relationship with Austin and nodded quickly, even though Zoey couldn’t see.

“I’ll be there next week. I promise.”

When the call ended, Chloe sat in a daze. The suddenness of it all had thrown her off balance. But maybe, just maybe, this was the opportunity she needed to finally resolve everything she’d been avoiding for so long.

Her gaze fell on the framed photo on her bedside table. Her throat tightened as a wave of bitterness washed over her.

Who would’ve thought that just three months ago, she and Austin had been planning their wedding?

At the time, there hadn’t even been rumors of the transfers back to the city. She and Austin had spent three years in Emberwood and had all but given up on returning. They’d decided to settle down in this small town and build their lives here.

The wedding preparations were modest. They’d applied for a small, run-down government apartment at the edge of the town—a cramped, twenty-square-foot unit with a shared kitchen in the hallway.

When they moved in, Austin had held her hand, his usually stoic expression betraying a rare glimmer of emotion. His eyes were slightly red as he whispered, “I’m sorry it’s not much.”

Chloe had smiled then, her heart full of love. She didn’t feel the slightest bit wronged. Back then, all she needed was him—and the bright future they would build together.

She had even written a letter to her parents, eager to share the good news. But before she could send it, everything fell apart.

That day, she had just finished putting up the red paper decorations for the wedding when Austin walked through the door—with another woman.

“This is Natalie,” he said, his tone casual. “She’s new to our team, just moved here from the city like us.”

Natalie was young, barely out of her teens, with wide, curious eyes that sparkled as she took in the room.

“She’s not used to the group dorms,” Austin continued. “I thought it’d be better for her to stay here for a while.”

Chloe froze.

“I’ll sleep on the couch,” Austin added, glancing at Natalie with a faint smile. “You two can share the bedroom. She’s a city girl, just as delicate as you were back then.”

His words stung, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint why.

Chloe said nothing, quietly giving up half the bedroom to Natalie. She couldn’t argue—Austin had always been kindhearted, the type to help anyone in need.

But that night, as Natalie chattered on about Austin, asking Chloe question after question, a seed of doubt took root.

Chloe wasn’t blind. She could see the way Natalie looked at Austin, the spark of admiration in her eyes.

To push away the unease, Chloe told Natalie their story.

She and Austin had grown up together, childhood sweethearts in a close-knit neighborhood. Their parents had been best friends, and Mrs. Ford had often joked about Chloe becoming her daughter-in-law.

When Chloe’s father passed away, Austin had been offered a secure factory job at Lumina—something any man in their town would dream of. But when Chloe was assigned to the rural relocation program, Austin gave it all up without hesitation to follow her to Emberwood.

“Three years,” Chloe had said, her voice soft. “That’s how long we’ve been here together. We’ve been through so much, but we’ve made it work.”

Natalie had listened intently, her eyes sparkling.

“Austin’s amazing,” she’d said at last, her voice full of admiration. “You’re so lucky, Chloe. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.”

Chloe had smiled, relieved by the blessing. For a moment, the knot in her stomach loosened.

But it didn’t last.

In the days that followed, Chloe began to notice the growing closeness between Austin and Natalie. It was subtle at first—shared smiles, lingering conversations—but it soon became impossible to ignore.