His Eighth Bachelor Party

Gerry Stall had now attended the bachelor parties of his ex-girlfriends eight times. This time, he went all out—and left behind more than just memories. He planted a seed of love in the womb of the woman he had once loved the longest. When I found out, I went straight to the hospital to pick up birth control and abortion pills, just like I had the previous seven times. But as I reached the door of what was supposed to be our wedding suite, I saw her—his ex—standing there, tears spilling down her cheeks as she confronted him. “Gerry, who do you choose? Me… or the two heartbeats inside me?” Without a moment’s hesitation, Gerry pulled her into his arms. “I choose you. I choose our children.” Then, right in front of me, he threw the pills—and the envelope of cash I was holding—into the trash. My ID card followed, landing on the lid with a dull thud. “Niana is different,” he said. “She doesn’t need these.” I stood frozen, stunned. “What are you talking about?” “If the Stall Family elders hadn’t opposed Niana because of her complicated background, our first child would already be in kindergarten. But fate…”—his voice lowered—“cut its life short on a cold operating table.” He turned back to me, eyes solemn. “So this time, I’ll protect her until this baby is born safely.” Then he added, as if offering a consolation prize. “Once the child is born, we’ll name you as the godmother. After the baby turns one, I’ll arrange for Niana to move abroad with the child.” “And after that… we’ll register our marriage. I’ll give you the grand wedding you deserve. Will that be okay?” I stared at him for a long moment. Then, I smiled. “Sure. You arrange it. I have no objections.” That very night, he moved Niana Grey into the wedding chamber that had been prepared for me. I gathered my documents in silence and made a phone call—to his lifelong rival. “…You once said that if I ever wanted to marry you, you’d say yes without hesitation. Does that offer still stand?” His voice was steady and sure. “It still stands.”

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