A Game Called Forever

Jim Smith let out a helpless laugh, rubbed the top of Harriet Smith's head, and told her this time was different from before.

She refused to listen. She clung to his hand and begged him again and again.

I watched Jim slowly start to give in. The moment he turned toward me, I could not help laughing.

We met in high school, and he was my first love of eight years, yet this was what it had come to. What a joke.

Before Jim could say a word, I pulled the documents from my bag and handed them to him. I tilted my chin toward the county clerk's office. "Go ahead."

My easy acceptance clearly caught Jim off guard. "Cecilia, you…"

He never got to finish. Harriet impatiently tugged on his sleeve, urging him to get in line.

Jim quickly swallowed whatever he had been about to ask and slipped into his usual routine of soothing me.

"Cecilia, Harriet is young and doesn't know any better. Just think of it as her fooling around. Once she gets bored with this in a couple of days, I'll come straight back and file for divorce. Don't worry. I promise I'll marry you."

However, I did not want to marry him anymore.

Watching the two of them walk away with their shoulders practically touching, I felt my eyes sting. I quickly looked away, turned around, and hailed a cab. The moment I got into the car, I called the wedding company. "I'd like to cancel my wedding reservation for next Saturday. I will pay the cancellation fee in full."

Once everything was settled, I opened my email and replied to a project invitation I had originally planned to turn down.

[Thank you, Mr. Chapman. I will be there on time for the Frisia documentary shoot next week.]

After taking care of everything, I saw that Harriet had posted a new update on social media: [My first time getting married, with my brother.]

The photo showed a marriage certificate. The name beside Jim that should have been mine showed hers.

I gave a bitter little smile and quietly liked the post.

Right then, messages from my best friend came flooding in. I was not surprised to find that she had already started cursing Jim out. She also sent me photos of my potential next boyfriends.

My best friend, Yvette Lawson, worked as a professional matchmaker. She knew more single men than I could count. I used to joke that the day I finally dumped Jim, I would have her pick someone I liked and spend one wild night with him just to celebrate.

However, now that the day had actually come, I could not bring myself to feel even a little excited.

Still, when I saw how enthusiastically she was introducing me to all those 'eligible bachelors', I could not bring myself to ruin her fun.

[Fine. I'll take the best-looking one.]

My best friend immediately agreed, then she cautiously asked if I was still coming to the celebration party that night. I knew exactly what she was really asking. She was worried that if I did not go, she would not be able to get in either.

The party that night was arranged by Jim. He had recently been promoted to general manager, and the people he invited were all well-connected members of our social circle.

Yvette wanted to use the party to expand her pool of potential matches. I could not let her get her hopes up for nothing, especially since I had helped pay for the party too. Hence, I gave her a definite answer: [I'm going.]

Maybe Jim also felt that things had gone a little too far that day. In a rare display of conscience, he came to pick me up before the party started. It was also the first time he had not gone to pick up Harriet first. Instead, he made her wait outside the company she was interning for 20 minutes.

Harriet was furious. She did not say a single word to Jim during the entire drive to the club.

I had no interest in getting involved in their little lovers' quarrel. The moment the car stopped, I opened the door.

Jim suddenly grabbed my wrist. His voice was full of helplessness. "Cecilia, are you still mad?"

I was about to say no when a soft sob came from the back seat.

The warmth around my wrist vanished instantly. The driver's door opened and closed, and Harriet was already being gently pulled into his arms. I stared at the two of them in the rearview mirror. They looked more like a real married couple than anything else.

A mocking laugh slipped from my lips. I slammed the car door and walked away.

Ten minutes later, the two of them finally arrived. The moment I saw their fingers intertwined, I tightened my grip around my wineglass.

I was about to turn and look for my best friend, hoping for a little comfort, when I remembered that she had been called away on a last-minute business trip and could not make it.

I froze for a second, then lowered my head.

Jim noticed where I was looking and immediately let go of Harriet's hand. He took a few steps toward me and opened his mouth to explain.

Someone cut him off, "Jim, you two are already married. How about a kiss for the crowd?"