Chapter 2

Chase's POV

"A man needs a respectable family background and a proper upbringing to be worthy of standing beside Jillian," Carol went on. "If it weren't for Shawn, someone with your background would never have crossed paths with our family in a million years. But since you're Shawn's best friend, you can still be the best man at the wedding."

I looked at Jillian. She kept her head down, pouring Shawn a glass of water, and never once looked at me.

As I was leaving, she even handed me a garment bag. "Shawn is wearing this tomorrow. Drop it off at the dry cleaner's on your way."

I took the bag without arguing. On the way back, I reached out again about the out-of-state job I'd given up three years ago to get married.

"Mr. Chapman, is the creative lead position you mentioned before still open?"

…

Carol and Raymond had only planned to stay for three days, but once they were convinced Shawn was their future son-in-law, they decided to extend their stay and plan the wedding themselves.

Jillian told me to go back to our apartment and clear out the rest of my belongings. "My mom's been coming over a lot lately. Don't let her find any trace of our secret marriage."

When I pushed open the master bedroom door, our wedding portrait was gone from the wall. In its place hung a photo of Jillian and Shawn from a trip. They were standing at the foot of a snowy mountain, with Shawn leaning on her shoulder.

Ironically, I was the one who had taken it.

The bedding, the curtains, and the dishes I'd picked out myself were all still there.

Carol ran her hand over the handmade porcelain plates I'd chosen and couldn't stop gushing. "Shawn really does have great taste. Look at how cozy this place turned out. Jillian's lucky to be marrying him."

Jillian knew full well that I'd designed the whole apartment myself, yet all she did was smile and agree. "As long as he likes it."

Carol complained that the walk-in closet wasn't big enough and told me to clear out whatever "that guest staying here" had left behind.

One by one, she threw my clothes, my anniversary gifts, and everything else that showed I'd lived there for three years into a suitcase.

A picture frame fell out. It held the photo of Jillian and me from the day we got married.

Carol bent down to pick it up, but Jillian got there first. She stepped on the photo, then stuffed it into the bottom of the suitcase as if nothing had happened. "It's nothing. Just an old photo I don't need."

I watched the sole of her shoe press down on my face in the photo, and suddenly I didn't feel sad anymore.

Raymond soon set the wedding date for the 18th of next month. I froze, holding a hanger in midair.

That day happened to be my third anniversary with Jillian.

Three years ago, she'd promised me, "On our third anniversary, I'll definitely make our marriage public, and then I'll give you the grand wedding I owe you."

But now, she was having a wedding with my best friend and even making me the best man.

…

After Carol and Raymond left, the living room went quiet all at once.

I stared at Jillian. "I saw the album. How long have you and Shawn been together?"

Her expression shifted slightly, but she quickly composed herself. "It's not what you think. I'm just humoring my parents for now, until we get through this."

I laughed. "Humoring them? When his stomach bothers him, you remember he can't drink anything cold. The second he frowns, you know to get him his medicine. Even the curtains in our home were bought because he's sensitive to light, weren't they? Is all of that humoring your parents too, Jillian?"

The moment the words left my mouth, even I was stunned.

It turned out the signs had been there all this time. I just hadn't been willing to admit it.

I looked at her. "Let's make an appointment to file for divorce."

She was silent for a moment, then suddenly brought up Grandma. "There's no need to take it this far. If you divorce me over something this trivial, I'll have no choice but to tell your grandma everything."

The color drained from my face.

Grandma had just had heart surgery, and she'd always believed our marriage was happy. Jillian had once knelt beside Grandma's hospital bed and promised to take care of me for the rest of her life.

She knew perfectly well that Grandma was the only family I had. She also knew how terrified I was of upsetting Grandma over my marriage.

Yet for Shawn's sake, she was using Grandma as leverage against me.

"As long as you play along with the wedding, she'll never hear about any of this," Jillian said.

I closed my eyes for a moment. "Fine."

…

Two days later, Carol handed me the wedding checklist.

The hotel was the one I'd visited more than a dozen times before choosing it. The invitations, the music, the floral arrangements, and the place cards had all been taken from the wedding binder I'd kept for three years.

At the dress fitting, Jillian put on the satin wedding dress I liked best.

Shawn stood behind her and zipped it up. "This one suits you best."

I bent down to straighten the hem of her dress, and the wedding ring I'd kept hidden beneath my collar suddenly slipped out.

When Jillian saw it, she quickly stepped in front of me.

I thought she'd finally remembered that I was her husband, but all she did was tuck the ring back under my collar. "Keep it hidden. Don't let my parents see it."

Carol also decided that the bottle of red wine Jillian had been saving for years would be opened at the wedding.

The wine was from the year I was born. Jillian had once said she'd only open it on the day she publicly married me.

But now, she didn't object.

The wedding I'd waited three years for was finally being planned. The hotel, the wedding dress, the music, and the red wine hadn't changed.

Only the groom had been replaced.

That night, I heard back from the company about the out-of-state job.