“Save It for the Wedding! – Told to the Bride’s Fiancé, Who Then Started an Affair on the Side”

I had just left the gym and noticed seven missed calls from my mum on my phone, Amanda explains. Then I spotted her text: Ring me now! Even though it was nearly eleven at night, I called her back. Mum tends to panic over the smallest thing and will stay up all night worrying. She asked me to come over straight away and burst into tears, saying something had happenedthey might have to cancel the wedding.

Amandas younger sister, Charlotte, is only twenty-three. Shes an up-and-coming designer. Charlotte graduated last year and managed to land herself a good job almost immediately. She studied design and worked weekends, and when she finished, the company where she interned hired her on the spot. Charlottes personal life had always seemed ideal, practically a model for others, but that changed suddenly.

For over a year now, Charlotte has been seeing Adam. Hes three years older than her, living independently, working, and saving up to buy his own flat. Their mother really likes Adamhes polite, courteous, and always respectful.

Charlotte and Adam put in their application at the registry office, and the wedding is only weeks away.

A woman messaged Charlotte online, Amanda says. She wrote, You dont know me, but I know all about you, and you deserve to know something before the wedding Charlotte checked her profilethe woman looked to be in her forties, so she doubted anything important could come from her.

But the stranger wouldnt let up and started messaging Charlotte from different social media accounts. Finally, they arranged to meet at a coffee shop near Charlotte’s work.

Mum slapped Charlotte and told her never to go to such meetings again! Amanda adds. Charlotte was waiting at a table in the café when a pregnant woman walked in. She didnt realise it was the person she was expecting until the woman came right over to her.

Are you Charlotte? the pregnant woman asked, as if speaking to a close friend. My names Emily, and Ive been dating Adam for over a yearwere expecting a baby boy in four months.

It sounded so far-fetched that Charlotte didnt believe a word. Impossible, surely? She and Adam had been together for over a year and were about to get married! Emily didnt argue or try to convince her, only saying that Charlotte had her number and could ring her anytime, and that she could speak to Adam if she wanted.

So, what did Adam have to say? Amanda continues. Thats when things unravelled. Charlotte had decided they would wait until after the wedding for anything intimateso their relationship had stayed rather innocent, just holding hands, kissing. Charlotte had no experience; mum raised her single-handedly, guided by old-fashioned values. Is such a thing possible nowadays? Amanda asks, shaking her head. She finished school, went to university, had friendsit seemed so unlikely. But here we are.

Adam, meanwhile, was more experienced and decided to have a casual relationship elsewhere to satisfy his needs. Thats how he met Emily. He made it clear from the start that nothing serious would come of it; Emily was fine with that initially.

Emily had recently divorced, had a child, received a decent amount in child support, and worked. She wasnt seeking anything from Adam at first, understanding there was a significant age gap between them.

Adam said that once the baby was born, hed take a paternity test. If he turned out to be the father, hed provide support, but told Charlotte it was her own faulthes a healthy young guy, and her old-fashioned rules left him frustrated.

No one expected Emily to do what she did. And now, its unclear where shell go to give birth or how things will play out.

Adam is now urging Charlotte not to end things, insisting he loves her and that Emily was just a physical escape. He says if Charlotte hadnt been so strict, Emily wouldnt have happened.

Adam says he’ll help if its his child, but he doesnt plan to be involved beyond financial support. Emily decided to keep the baby, ignoring Adams offer to pay for an abortion. Now, that’s her choice.

Do you think Adams at fault here? Was it simply youthful impulse that got the better of him, or should Charlotte walk awaysince a lack of intimacy isnt an excuse for cheating in any case?