The Wrong Name In My Bed

On our seventh anniversary, Hayden Sterling finally proposed to me.

I was so happy that I said yes immediately.

But a month before the wedding, I caught him coming home completely wasted.

He held me and kissed me deeply, but the name he kept whispering wasn't mine.

I looked down at the rare diamond ring on my finger and slowly took it off.

I packed his things quietly and tossed the wedding invitations I hadn't sent yet into the trash.

Then, I booked a one-way ticket to London.

Seven years of devotion turned out to be nothing more than a hollow dream.

"Mom, I booked a flight to London for two weeks from now. Can you pick me up?"

My mother sounded thrilled to hear that I was finally coming.

"Of course, honey! I'm so happy you're moving here. I'll be at the airport waiting for you. But... I heard you were getting married next month?"

"No," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "We broke up."

I chatted with her for a few more minutes about mundane things before hanging up.

The moment the call ended, my composure shattered.

My body began to shake uncontrollably, but I finally felt certain about my decision.

I stood there in silence, looking at Hayden on the couch.

His hair was messy, and he looked softer and less aggressive than usual.

He looked like a sweet, gentle man, but that gentleness wasn't meant for me.

This was the man I had stayed with for seven years, and he had just called out another woman's name while holding me.

"Elena... Elena, please come back. I miss you so much."

Every time he whispered her name, it felt like a serrated blade twisting in my chest.

Suddenly, his phone started buzzing with nonstop notifications.

I reached out to silence it, but as the screen lit up, a woman's face stared back at me.

It was a different phoneDone I had never seen before.

Driven by a ghost of curiosity, I unlocked it.

The gallery was filled with photos of that woman, Elena Shaw.

Every album was meticulously organized with captions.

Our first road trip together

Her and her little Corgi

She said she loves the chocolate mousse I bought her

She looks so cute when she's crying from spicy food

My blood turned to ice in an instant.

Hayden was always a private man who claimed his life was only about work.

I used to beg him to post a single photo of us on his social media.

I wanted him to show the world he chose me, just to feel a little bit of security.

But he always refused, saying he didn't like the attention.

We were together for seven yearsDthe best years of my lifeDand yet there wasn't a single trace of me in his world.

I used to think he was just cold and didn't know how to express himself.

Now I realized he knew exactly how to be romantic.

He just didn't love me.

I thought I could melt his icy heart if I stayed long enough.

Looking back, I was nothing but a pathetic fool.

Two months ago, a friend jokingly asked when we were getting married, and Hayden said it was in the works.

I had been so ecstatic that I didn't notice the shadows in his eyes.

His friend teased him, saying, "Wow, Hayden. I guess you've finally moved on from Elena Shaw and started a new chapter."

I thought I had finally won, ignoring the darkness that crossed his face.

I had hugged his arm tightly, thinking I had the whole world.

"I'm finally marrying the love of my life!" I told myself.

I was so blinded by happiness that I forgot there was no real proposal, no public announcement, and his expression was always cold.

My focus shifted back to Hayden on the couch, and I noticed something else.

His tie... it was different.

I had personally put a tie on him this morningDan anniversary gift I designed myself.

This one was the same color but a completely different brand.

There was no way I could mistake my own custom design.

I let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh.

When you care about someone, you notice even the smallest changes.

But when you don't care, you can ignore a person's entire soul even if they give it to you on a silver platter.

My heart throbbed with a sharp pain as I looked around our home.

I pulled out my phone and forwarded my flight details to my mother.

The next day, we both acted as if nothing had happened.

But that evening, I received a frantic call from him.

"Elara, get in the car and come to The Noir right now! Hurry!"

He hung up before I could say a word, but I heard a woman sobbing in the background.

I had never heard Hayden sound so panicked and desperate.

At least, he had never been that way for me.

A year ago, my car broke down in the middle of the night on a deserted road.

When I called him, terrified, he just calmly told me to call AAA and hung up.

The more I remembered, the more obvious his lack of love became.

I was curious, though. Was he this upset because of the woman in the photos?

Maybe it was curiosity, or maybe it was just a final bit of lingering hope, but I went.

As I approached the VIP lounge, I heard people gossiping inside.

"I heard Hayden is getting married, and Elena couldn't take it anymore. She came running back."

"I knew he wasn't over her. Look at how worried he is. It's crazy."

I peeked through the cracked door and saw the scene.

My fianc, the man I was supposed to marry next month, was holding a woman in his arms.

His expression was tender as he whispered soothing words to her.

I pushed the door open, and every head in the room turned toward me.

The woman in his arms was indeed the star of his secret photo gallery.

Everyone's eyes darted between the three of us, waiting for a explosion.

A high-pitched, whiny voice broke the silence.

"Hayden, don't go... please don't leave me again!"

Hayden tightened his grip on her and softened his voice even more.

"I won't leave, Elena. I'm right here. Just stay calm, okay?"

Someone cleared their throat awkwardly, and Hayden finally seemed to acknowledge I was there.

"This is Elena, my childhood friend. she just got back to the city and she's had too much to drink. I can't leave her like this..."

"Okay," I said calmly. "So why did you call me?"

I looked at them without a hint of emotion.

In the past, I would have thrown a jealous fit and demanded answers.

Then Hayden would have gaslit me, saying I was being unreasonable and crazy.

I would have ended up apologizing to him just to keep the peace.

But now, I felt nothing.

The woman in his arms glanced at me, then shrunk back like a scared kitten.

"Hayden... who is she? Is she your girlD"

"The housekeeper," Hayden interrupted quickly, avoiding my gaze. "She's the help."

I felt like I had been plunged into a frozen lake. I could barely stand.

He called me his housekeeper. It was almost funny.

He remained focused on the woman in his arms, speaking to me as if it were a direct order.

"Elara, Elena is drunk. Go home and make some of that honey-ginger tea for her. Make sure it tastes good; she hates anything bitter."

I almost laughed at the sheer absurdity of it.

He called me all the way here just to tell me to go home and play maid for his childhood sweetheart?

The man was truly shameless.

Maybe I had held onto a tiny shred of hope that seven years meant something.

But I realized now that I had lost this battle a long time ago.

"Understood," I said with a tight smile.

I turned and walked out, but the tears started falling the moment I crossed the threshold.

Behind me, their voices continued to drift through the air.

"Hayden, I want to go home."

"Careful, don't fall. I've got you. I'll carry you."

My feet felt like lead as I walked to the parking lot, my heart bleeding.

Hayden was capable of being gentle and protective; he just wasn't that way with me.

His love and devotion were reserved for someone else, and I was never going to get them.

I sat in my car, wiped my tears, and tried to breathe.

Before I could start the engine, someone tapped on my window. It was Elena.

She looked perfectly sober as she smiled at me through the glass.

"Hayden's been drinking, and he gets terrible headaches afterward. Don't forget to have his tea ready."

"I noticed him rubbing his temples earlier. You really should take better care of him."

"He has trouble sleeping after a night out. Make sure you light some sandalwood candles. He's used to that scent."

She knew exactly who I was.

She just didn't care, because she knew she held his heart.

I clenched the steering wheel, my face pale as I tried to stay composed.

But Elena wasn't done marking her territory.

"Also, what do you do all day? Can't you learn a little bit about style?"

"That suit he's wearing today doesn't match at all. And that tie... the colors are hideous. You should really learn how to dress a man properly."

Of course it didn't match. He had changed it himself.

Hayden never shared his thoughts with me and hated when I asked questions.

I wasn't a mind reader. I couldn't know what he wanted if he didn't tell me.

Seven years. I was exhausted. This one-sided performance was over.

"Oh, and make sure you accept my friend request. Hayden might need me to handle things if you keep failing to look after him. Honestly!"

She turned and skipped back toward Hayden's car with a triumphant smirk.

Watching them laugh together, I felt like I couldn't breathe.

I thought seven years of companionship earned me a place in his heart.

I didn't realize the entire proposal was just a trap to lure his White Moonlight back.

You can't change someone who doesn't love you, and you can't wake someone who is pretending to be asleep.

I had been lying to myself for years, but reality had finally slapped me awake.

It was time to let him go.

I accepted Elena's friend request just to avoid any unnecessary drama.

I was leaving soon anyway; there was no point in fighting with Hayden anymore.

I sat in the dark living room, letting my mind go blank.

Eventually, the front door opened, and Hayden walked in.

He seemed surprised to see me, but he couldn't hide the huge grin on his face.

He was still on the phone. "You idiot, the wedding was just a trick. I knew you'd come back if I did it. You know you're the only one I care about. She doesn't compare to you."

"It's just for the company's image. We'll have a ceremony, but we won't actually sign the papers. You're the only one I want to marry."

"Go to sleep, babe. I'll pick you up in the morning."

He hung up and walked further into the room, finally noticing me on the couch.

"Where's the hangover tea?" he snapped.

I just stared at him, saying nothing.

His face darkened, and he raised his voice.

"I told you to have the tea ready! Elena even told me she reminded you."

"You can't do anything right, can you? What am I even keeping you around for?"

I felt a wave of pity for myself as he continued to berate me.

When I didn't respond, he threw his jacket at me in a rage and stormed into the bedroom.

I sat there in the dark, tears streaming down my face.

In his eyes, I would never measure up to a single word from Elena.

Now that she was back, even the way I breathed was a mistake.

The marriage I had prayed for was nothing but a PR stunt. No wonder nothing felt real.

He didn't want to be known as the guy who dumped his long-term girlfriend, and he didn't want Elena to be labeled a homewrecker.

So, a fake wedding was his perfect solution.

That's why he told investors we were getting marriedDto see how Elena would react.

And it worked perfectly. She came running back.

What a brilliant plan.

Once the business was stable, he would probably announce a "peaceful separation" and marry her.

I had believed every single lie he told me.

He said we didn't have time to plan a big wedding, and I believed him.

He said he wanted to keep the ceremony private because he hated being flashy, and I believed him.

He said we'd pick a special day to go to the courthouse after the party, and I believed him.

Seven years of love, and I was just a pawn in his game.

I was just a prop for his and Elena's little romance.

He didn't care if I was humiliated or mocked by the whole world.

I let out a bitter laugh, relieved that I was finally seeing him for who he was.

I was a fool, but at least I was a fool who had woken up.

Now, all I wanted was to leave quietly.

The next morning, we didn't speak a word to each other.

As he was leaving, he gave me a cold command.

"Elena has a sensitive stomach. Since you're just lounging around the house today, make lunch and bring it to the office."

Lounging around? He was hilarious.

He seemed to have forgotten that I was the one who secured most of his early clients when he started the company.

The business wouldn't even exist without me, which is why he used me as his "fiance" to impress people.

As he reached the door, he stopped as if remembering something.

"I saw your suitcase in the bedroom. Are you going somewhere?"

I didn't look up from my phone. "I'm going to visit my mother."

Hayden didn't say anything else. He had never met my mother and never cared to.

I spent the morning packing my things, then I got a call from him.

"Get ready. I'm coming to pick you up. You need to meet my parents before the wedding."

He hung up before I could answer.

I checked my phone and saw a message from Elena.

It was a photo of Hayden as a little boy.

"I visited Hayden's mom today. It's been so long since I've seen her, and she spent the whole day talking about our childhood."

"She said Hayden hasn't visited in ages, so I called him and told him to come over. Are you coming too, sis?"

So Elena wasn't entirely comfortable with my existence after all.

I didn't bother replying. I was leaving soon; there was no need to cause a scene.

The car ride was silent. Hayden and I sat on opposite sides, staring out our respective windows.

He was constantly smiling at his phone, obviously texting Elena.

I didn't look at him once.

When the car finally stopped, Hayden jumped out and walked into the house without waiting for me.

The driver looked at me, confused about whether he should leave or wait.

I gave him a polite smile.

"Could you wait for me for a bit? I don't think I'll be long."