Chapter 3

After Janice and I had gotten together, I couldn't wait to tell everyone.

Sonia had shown up that rainy day, soaked and furious. She'd yelled at me, calling me blind and insisting that Janice wasn't right for me.

Back then, I'd thought it was just because they were close friends and she felt I wasn't good enough for Janice. Only now did I understand it was because she was into me.

Her cheeks were still flushed, and her gaze was stubborn like a fawn's as it locked onto me. The love she'd kept buried for so long suddenly overflowed in her eyes.

I'd never seen Janice look at me that way before. My heart pounded wildly.

I whispered her name. "Will you marry me?"

"W-what?" Sonia stammered.

Before I could repeat myself, she yanked open a drawer with a trembling hand. It was empty, except for a ring box resting inside.

I watched her fumble as she opened it and took out a pair of matching rings. Her fingers shook, but she still put the ring on my finger with determination.

"I heard you loud and clear, Colin. You can't back out!"

Her flustered expression made me laugh. Mimicking her, I slid the ring onto her finger. "I won't back out."

No sooner had I said it than the phone rang. Sonia's eyes darkened instantly as she pulled out her phone.

Janice's excited voice buzzed through the line. "Sonia, how's Colin doing over there? I'll be marrying Wayne in three days. Don't forget you're my bridesmaid!"

Sonia instinctively glanced at me. I held her hand, my expression blank. Reassured, she smiled and said softly into the phone, "What a coincidence. My wedding's in three days too."

Janice paused. "I didn't know you had a boyfriend."

I scoffed.

Boyfriend? Please. Of course, Sonia had one. Janice had said it herself—I'd been with Sonia for five years.

Janice sounded puzzled at my scoff. "Sonia, is that Colin beside you?"

Sonia settled onto my lap, nestling into my arms. "Nope. He's my fiance."

Janice breathed a sigh of relief, her tone easy. "Then we can have our weddings together. But for now, you're playing Colin's girlfriend, so don't let him know you're getting married. If it triggers his memories, I wouldn't know how to handle the fallout."

"Alright."

Sonia muttered a few half-hearted words before hanging up in a rush.

"Three days? That's barely enough time to pull off a wedding," I said.

She shot me a glance and muttered, "I've been ready for this for a long time."

Tracing the schedule with her finger, she rattled off every detail as though she'd rehearsed it 100 times.

The wedding dress and suit were delivered that very night.

Watching her bustle around, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. I'd spent seven years with Janice, and I'd had to propose 99 times just to get her to say yes.

I'd thrown myself into every detail of the wedding, making sure nothing fell short of her expectations.

Meanwhile, Sonia could only watch helplessly from the sidelines and had even despondently prepared for a wedding that might never have a groom.

I walked up to her and pulled her into my arms, whispering, "I'm really looking forward to this wedding."

…

Three days later, I ran into Wayne at the venue. He looked me over and, as always, patted my shoulder.

"Colin, it's good to see you at my wedding with Jan again. But today's Sonia's wedding too, so don't let yourself get upset, and don't do anything rash to ruin the ceremony."

Wayne's eyes were filled with a tangle of emotions—part schadenfreude, part challenge. I probably looked like some pitiful guy who'd survived a car crash, lost his memory, and been dumped by his girlfriend.

I forced a tight smile and said nothing.

Finding my misery less entertaining than expected, Wayne stopped teasing me. His gaze drifted toward the direction from which the bride would appear.

It wasn't until Janice stepped into view, looking radiant in her wedding gown, that a genuine, heartfelt smile lit up his face.

I followed his gaze too, but mine wasn't on her. I was looking at my bride.

With the two brides in position, the host hurried onto the altar, rattling off a string of well wishes to fire up the crowd. At last, as the guests applauded, he called out, "Grooms, please take the stage!"

Wayne practically leaped up.

I walked forward slowly, joining him at the front.

No sooner had I taken my place than a piercing, panicked scream cut through the air. "Colin! What are you doing up there?"