Stolen love: In love with my sister 's fiance-Chapter 51: wedding preparations

Elaine sat across from Adrian at their usual café, her fingers nervously tracing the rim of her cup. Taking a deep breath, she finally said the words weighing on her chest.

"I'm getting married."

Adrian's grip on his cup tightened for a fraction of a second before he forced a smile. "I'm happy for you."

Elaine searched his face, knowing that his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. She hesitated before continuing. "I wanted to tell you first."

He exhaled, nodding. "And Mary and Ryan? Do they know?"

She shook her head. "Not yet. It's a secret for now."

His brows furrowed. "Why?"

Elaine hesitated again, then sighed. "Because Olivia is pregnant."

Adrian's entire posture stiffened. "What?" His voice was sharp.

She nodded. "Alex doesn't want this to affect us. He believes Olivia might be lying, and if she is, he doesn't want her to have any power over our relationship. He thinks getting married in secret is the safest way to protect what we have."

Adrian leaned forward, his eyes dark with concern. "And you're okay with that?"

Elaine gave a small, unsure smile. "I love him."

Adrian scoffed, shaking his head. "That's not what I asked."

Her fingers trembled slightly as she wrapped them around her cup. "I don't know," she admitted quietly. "I want to believe him. I do believe him. But..." She swallowed hard. "The thought that his first child might be Olivia's... It hurts."

Adrian sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "Elaine, you don't have to do this. You don't have to force yourself to accept something that's breaking you."

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with quiet determination. "I've already made my choice, Adrian."

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

A heavy silence stretched between them before Adrian let out a slow breath and nodded. "Okay," he said, forcing a smile. "Then we have to start making preparations for you."

Elaine's eyes softened. She could hear the strain in his voice, could see the way his smile wavered.

"No, Adrian," she said gently. "You don't have to. It's just a simple court marriage."

Adrian shook his head, his jaw tightening. "Even if it's a simple court marriage, we have to prepare. It's your first time getting married, Elaine. You must have had some dreams about it, right?" His voice cracked slightly, but he masked it with another smile. "Even if it's a secret, you should still celebrate."

Elaine's heart warmed at his words. She reached out and squeezed his hand. "Oh, Adrian... You are the best. Your future wife will be the luckiest woman alive."

Adrian smiled, but as he looked at her, a bittersweet ache settled deep in his chest.

The lucky one should have been me, he thought. But sadly, she was never in my fate.

___

Elaine stood in front of the mirror, smoothing down the fabric of the simple white dress she had chosen. It wasn't extravagant, just elegant enough to mark the special day. Smiling to herself, she took a quick picture and sent it to Alex.

A moment later, her phone pinged with his reply—several red hearts followed by a message:

"Beautiful. Buy whatever you want, my love."

She chuckled as another notification popped up. Alex had transferred money into her account. Typical Alex, she thought, shaking her head fondly. He always wanted to spoil her, even though she didn't need anything else.

But Adrian, standing beside her, shook his head in disapproval. "I'm buying your dress," he insisted, crossing his arms.

Elaine looked at him, surprised. "Adrian, you don't have to—"

"I want to," he interrupted. "Consider it a gift."

Elaine hesitated but saw the sincerity in his eyes. With a soft smile, she nodded. "Alright."

They spent the next hour shopping, Adrian helping her choose accessories and shoes, making sure she had everything she needed for the big day.

Meanwhile, Alex sat in his office, staring at his phone. He had seen the message from Elaine about shopping with Adrian.

He leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. He felt... bad for Adrian. The guy was selfless, giving up the woman he clearly loved just for her happiness.

He's a better man than me, Alex admitted to himself. But that doesn't matter.

Because in the end, he was selfish. He had fought for Elaine, and now, she was his.

Just two more days...

The thought sent a rush of excitement through him.

He hadn't told anyone—not his father, not his business partners, not even his closest friends.

This was just between him and Elaine.

And soon, she would be his wife.