Seven Years Lost: My Firefighter fiancé Saved Everyone But Our Love - Chapter 3: Chapter 3
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The next day, I was getting ready to check out.
Just as I turned the corner, I ran straight into Arthur.
He didn't even notice me at first—his whole world was the fragile girl hanging off his arm.
She was wearing a hospital gown, pale as a sheet, practically melting into his side like some scared little doe.
So this was the girl who made him ditch me at the altar.
I must've been death-staring pretty hard because Natalie saw me first, immediately cowering behind Arthur and death-gripping his shirt.
That's when Arthur finally noticed me. His face immediately hardened, and his tone was ice cold:
"Kayla, Natalie's having a really hard time right now. Whatever drama you're planning, take it home. Don't pull this shit here and freak her out."
Natalie peeked out from behind him, her voice barely a whisper:
"Kayla... Arthur and I aren't... we're not anything, I swear. Please don't hate me."
I crushed the ultrasound printout in my fist until my knuckles went white, but forced a smile:
"You're both overthinking this. I'm just here to get discharged."
I turned away and headed to the billing desk.
Arthur’s expression flickered—he hadn’t expected me to be this calm, and for a split second, something hollow crossed his eyes.
He reached out to grab my arm, but I jerked away. That's when I noticed the stains on my coat.
Following my gaze, Arthur saw me taking off the coat. He took off his jacket to give to me, but I stepped back.
He froze, then tried to take my stained coat:
"Here, give it to me. I know you love this coat—I'll get it dry cleaned."
I shook my head and tossed the coat in a nearby trash can.
"Get rid of it. I don’t do stained. And you know I can’t stand dirty things."
Watching my cold expression, Arthur's face fell.
He knew I wasn't just talking about the coat—but our love.
By the time he tried to say something else, I'd already finished paying and walked away.
I barely made it outside before my phone buzzed with a text from Arthur:
"Don't be pissed at me. Ordered you those Napoleon cakes from your favorite spot. Should be there soon."
When the delivery showed up at my apartment, I stared at that familiar pink box and actually laughed.
Same old Arthur playbook—piss me off, then try to buy forgiveness with dessert.
I took a mechanical bite.
Used to taste like heaven. Now it was just bitter.
Arthur didn't come home that night.
Stripping away seven years of love hurts more than I ever imagined.
I was still wide awake at 3 AM, so I got up and started packing.
Matching hoodies in the closet, framed photos on the bookshelf, little love notes stuck to the fridge...
Every piece of our life together was like a slap in the face.
I remembered the year after graduation when Arthur had just joined the FDNY, working himself to death.
But on his days off, he'd show up at my place with eyes bright as stars:
"Kayla, once I save up for a house, I'm gonna marry the hell out of you."
Three years later, he stood in front of me with a deed and an engagement ring, his voice shaking:
"I did it. Got us a home, just like I promised."
The sun was perfect that day. I cried all over him, feeling like the luckiest woman alive.
We painted walls together, built IKEA furniture, filled the balcony with sunflowers because I loved them.
He said he wanted sunshine in our home forever.
But now this same home had no room for me anymore.
I sealed the last moving box just as dawn was breaking.
When the moving truck showed up, both sets of parents were already at my door.
I hadn't told them jack shit about Arthur's drama, so they were completely in the dark about why two people who were about to say "I do" were suddenly splitting up.
My parents just sighed and didn't push it.
"Come home whenever you want, honey."
But Arthur's moher Hailey grabbed my hands and wouldn't let go:
"Kayla, sweetie, can't you give Arthur one more chance? What happened at the wedding... he just lost his head for a minute..."
I stayed quiet and kept directing the movers.
Just when Hailey was about to talk herself hoarse, the door swung open.
Arthur was back.
With Natalie trailing behind him like a lost puppy.
She was swimming in his jacket, clinging to his arm like some pathetic lost kitten who'd found a new owner.
The whole room went dead silent. Everyone was staring at them.
Hailey's voice was shaking: "Arthur... you... you cheat on Kayla?"
His dad looked ready to commit murder: "Who the fuck is this girl?!"
Arthur ignored them, scanning our empty living room before his eyes landed on me: "You're moving out?"
"Yeah," I said flatly. "Back to my parents' place."
He looked almost relieved. "Good. I'll come get you before the next wedding."
Just like that—casual as hell—he stepped aside and pulled Natalie forward.
"This is Natalie. She's a suicide survivor I rescued on a call. The department wants me babysitting her for a while, help stabilize her mental health."
That kind of honesty almost made our little suspicions feel ridiculous.
Natalie flashed this sweet little smile and reached for Hailey's arm:
"Hi, Mrs. Haustia! Arthur's been amazing—he even invited me for dinner tonight, and since everyone's here, why don't I cook? You can all try my famous pasta!"
Hailey looked at me helplessly. "Kayla, maybe we should all just... sit down and clear the air?"
I was about to refuse when Natalie jumped in, her eyes flashing with challenge.
"Oh, Kayla should totally stay! The more the merrier, right?"
SMACK—
The sound of my mom's hand connecting with Natalie's face echoed through the apartment.
I stared in shock as my mom slapped the shit out of her.
"Mom!"
My mother was seeing red, her whole body vibrating with rage:
"I gave birth to you—so I know you!"
"You've been with him since you were seventeen. Seven goddamn years! You quit your job at the design firm to play housewife, learned to cook his favorite dish, even remembered exactly how he likes his socks folded... You wouldn't be running unless he broke your heart completely!"
"I don't need you marrying some rich prince, but I'll be damned if I let him bring his side piece into your home to humiliate you!"
"You won't fight for yourself? Fine. I will!"
My mom's words hit me like lightning. My eyes started burning.
Natalie was holding her cheek, tears welling up but not daring to actually cry.
Arthur immediately shielded her, his face dark as a storm cloud:
"Kayla! You're a grown woman and you're still running to mommy like a little kid..."
Not letting him finish, I marched over and slapped him hard across the face.
"Arthur, you're the one who deserves to get smacked!"
Then I yanked a piece of paper from the coffee table drawer and threw it at him—the ultrasound results.
"You want to know what I regret most?"
Arthur picked up the paper, and when he saw what it was, his eyes went huge:
"Holy shit... Kayla, you're pregnant?"
Watching the joy explode across Arthur's face as he lunged toward me, yelling "I'm gonna be a dad!"—it was fucking pathetic.
He forgot Natalie was standing right there, forgot how he'd ditched me at the altar, forgot how cold he'd been the past few days. Like somehow having a baby would magically erase everything.
But all those moments he chose Natalie over me, all those sleepless nights, all the trust he'd trampled—none of that just disappears.
I shoved him away hard and screamed:
"Don't get excited yet, asshole!"
"This baby? Yesterday, when you came begging me to protect your precious Natalie's reputation? That's when I scheduled the abortion."
Just as I turned the corner, I ran straight into Arthur.
He didn't even notice me at first—his whole world was the fragile girl hanging off his arm.
She was wearing a hospital gown, pale as a sheet, practically melting into his side like some scared little doe.
So this was the girl who made him ditch me at the altar.
I must've been death-staring pretty hard because Natalie saw me first, immediately cowering behind Arthur and death-gripping his shirt.
That's when Arthur finally noticed me. His face immediately hardened, and his tone was ice cold:
"Kayla, Natalie's having a really hard time right now. Whatever drama you're planning, take it home. Don't pull this shit here and freak her out."
Natalie peeked out from behind him, her voice barely a whisper:
"Kayla... Arthur and I aren't... we're not anything, I swear. Please don't hate me."
I crushed the ultrasound printout in my fist until my knuckles went white, but forced a smile:
"You're both overthinking this. I'm just here to get discharged."
I turned away and headed to the billing desk.
Arthur’s expression flickered—he hadn’t expected me to be this calm, and for a split second, something hollow crossed his eyes.
He reached out to grab my arm, but I jerked away. That's when I noticed the stains on my coat.
Following my gaze, Arthur saw me taking off the coat. He took off his jacket to give to me, but I stepped back.
He froze, then tried to take my stained coat:
"Here, give it to me. I know you love this coat—I'll get it dry cleaned."
I shook my head and tossed the coat in a nearby trash can.
"Get rid of it. I don’t do stained. And you know I can’t stand dirty things."
Watching my cold expression, Arthur's face fell.
He knew I wasn't just talking about the coat—but our love.
By the time he tried to say something else, I'd already finished paying and walked away.
I barely made it outside before my phone buzzed with a text from Arthur:
"Don't be pissed at me. Ordered you those Napoleon cakes from your favorite spot. Should be there soon."
When the delivery showed up at my apartment, I stared at that familiar pink box and actually laughed.
Same old Arthur playbook—piss me off, then try to buy forgiveness with dessert.
I took a mechanical bite.
Used to taste like heaven. Now it was just bitter.
Arthur didn't come home that night.
Stripping away seven years of love hurts more than I ever imagined.
I was still wide awake at 3 AM, so I got up and started packing.
Matching hoodies in the closet, framed photos on the bookshelf, little love notes stuck to the fridge...
Every piece of our life together was like a slap in the face.
I remembered the year after graduation when Arthur had just joined the FDNY, working himself to death.
But on his days off, he'd show up at my place with eyes bright as stars:
"Kayla, once I save up for a house, I'm gonna marry the hell out of you."
Three years later, he stood in front of me with a deed and an engagement ring, his voice shaking:
"I did it. Got us a home, just like I promised."
The sun was perfect that day. I cried all over him, feeling like the luckiest woman alive.
We painted walls together, built IKEA furniture, filled the balcony with sunflowers because I loved them.
He said he wanted sunshine in our home forever.
But now this same home had no room for me anymore.
I sealed the last moving box just as dawn was breaking.
When the moving truck showed up, both sets of parents were already at my door.
I hadn't told them jack shit about Arthur's drama, so they were completely in the dark about why two people who were about to say "I do" were suddenly splitting up.
My parents just sighed and didn't push it.
"Come home whenever you want, honey."
But Arthur's moher Hailey grabbed my hands and wouldn't let go:
"Kayla, sweetie, can't you give Arthur one more chance? What happened at the wedding... he just lost his head for a minute..."
I stayed quiet and kept directing the movers.
Just when Hailey was about to talk herself hoarse, the door swung open.
Arthur was back.
With Natalie trailing behind him like a lost puppy.
She was swimming in his jacket, clinging to his arm like some pathetic lost kitten who'd found a new owner.
The whole room went dead silent. Everyone was staring at them.
Hailey's voice was shaking: "Arthur... you... you cheat on Kayla?"
His dad looked ready to commit murder: "Who the fuck is this girl?!"
Arthur ignored them, scanning our empty living room before his eyes landed on me: "You're moving out?"
"Yeah," I said flatly. "Back to my parents' place."
He looked almost relieved. "Good. I'll come get you before the next wedding."
Just like that—casual as hell—he stepped aside and pulled Natalie forward.
"This is Natalie. She's a suicide survivor I rescued on a call. The department wants me babysitting her for a while, help stabilize her mental health."
That kind of honesty almost made our little suspicions feel ridiculous.
Natalie flashed this sweet little smile and reached for Hailey's arm:
"Hi, Mrs. Haustia! Arthur's been amazing—he even invited me for dinner tonight, and since everyone's here, why don't I cook? You can all try my famous pasta!"
Hailey looked at me helplessly. "Kayla, maybe we should all just... sit down and clear the air?"
I was about to refuse when Natalie jumped in, her eyes flashing with challenge.
"Oh, Kayla should totally stay! The more the merrier, right?"
SMACK—
The sound of my mom's hand connecting with Natalie's face echoed through the apartment.
I stared in shock as my mom slapped the shit out of her.
"Mom!"
My mother was seeing red, her whole body vibrating with rage:
"I gave birth to you—so I know you!"
"You've been with him since you were seventeen. Seven goddamn years! You quit your job at the design firm to play housewife, learned to cook his favorite dish, even remembered exactly how he likes his socks folded... You wouldn't be running unless he broke your heart completely!"
"I don't need you marrying some rich prince, but I'll be damned if I let him bring his side piece into your home to humiliate you!"
"You won't fight for yourself? Fine. I will!"
My mom's words hit me like lightning. My eyes started burning.
Natalie was holding her cheek, tears welling up but not daring to actually cry.
Arthur immediately shielded her, his face dark as a storm cloud:
"Kayla! You're a grown woman and you're still running to mommy like a little kid..."
Not letting him finish, I marched over and slapped him hard across the face.
"Arthur, you're the one who deserves to get smacked!"
Then I yanked a piece of paper from the coffee table drawer and threw it at him—the ultrasound results.
"You want to know what I regret most?"
Arthur picked up the paper, and when he saw what it was, his eyes went huge:
"Holy shit... Kayla, you're pregnant?"
Watching the joy explode across Arthur's face as he lunged toward me, yelling "I'm gonna be a dad!"—it was fucking pathetic.
He forgot Natalie was standing right there, forgot how he'd ditched me at the altar, forgot how cold he'd been the past few days. Like somehow having a baby would magically erase everything.
But all those moments he chose Natalie over me, all those sleepless nights, all the trust he'd trampled—none of that just disappears.
I shoved him away hard and screamed:
"Don't get excited yet, asshole!"
"This baby? Yesterday, when you came begging me to protect your precious Natalie's reputation? That's when I scheduled the abortion."
End of Seven Years Lost: My Firefighter fiancé Saved Everyone But Our Love Chapter 3. Continue reading Chapter 4 or return to Seven Years Lost: My Firefighter fiancé Saved Everyone But Our Love book page.