Chapter 3

Chase's POV

The company's reply read, "We're still keeping the creative lead position open. The new project begins in 40 days."

I accepted the offer and set my start date for after the divorce was final.

…

On the day of the wedding, I arrived at the hotel early, dressed in the best man's suit.

When the guests started arriving, Shawn stood at the entrance arm in arm with Jillian, greeting them.

Carol had me stand beside them as "Shawn's friend", collecting gifts and keeping track of the gift list.

It wasn't until the wedding march began that I realized they were still playing the music I'd chosen. The vows the officiant read came from my wedding binder too.

The day we made our marriage official, Jillian had said, "I'll only make these promises out loud when I publicly marry you."

But now, even though the wedding dress, the wedding ring, the music, and the vows hadn't changed, all I could do was stand below the stage and watch her marry someone else.

Before the ring exchange, Jillian motioned for me to come up on stage.

Shawn smiled and held out his hand to me. "As my best friend, you should personally give us your blessing."

I handed Jillian the ring that had originally been meant for me.

Just as she was about to put it on Shawn's finger, I suddenly got a call from the hospital.

A neighbor had forwarded the wedding livestream to Grandma, and she'd seen me standing at my own wife's wedding in the best man's suit. She had suffered a heart attack and been rushed to the hospital.

The nurse said Grandma was refusing to cooperate with the pre-op preparations. All she wanted was to hear Jillian herself explain what was really going on with the wedding in the livestream.

For the first time, I grabbed Jillian's hand in front of all the guests. "Come to the hospital with me. All you have to do is say one thing to Grandma. Tell her this is a misunderstanding. I'm begging you."

When Jillian saw the panicked tears in my eyes, she actually took a step down from the stage.

But Shawn tore the boutonniere off his lapel, his eyes red-rimmed. "If the bride leaves in the middle of the ring exchange, everyone will be convinced I stole another man's wife."

Carol blocked her way too. "This whole room is full of our friends and family. If you walk out today, how will Shawn ever hold his head up again?"

Jillian stopped in her tracks.

A few seconds later, she pressed her car keys into my hand. "The doctors are already working to save your grandma, but right now, Shawn only has me. A wedding only happens once in a lifetime. I'll come to the hospital as soon as the ceremony is over."

I asked her, "What if Grandma doesn't make it until then?"

She avoided my eyes and didn't answer.

I let go of her hand and rushed to the hospital alone.

Before Grandma was wheeled into the operating room, she was still asking, "Why isn't Jillian here?"

I held her hand, fighting back tears. "She's on her way."

…

Meanwhile, on the livestream playing on my phone, the entire room broke into applause.

Using the vows I'd written, Jillian promised Shawn the rest of her life. Then, in front of everyone, she tilted her head up and kissed him.

The wedding photographer soon posted photos from the event. In one, I was standing behind them dressed as the best man, holding up the hem of Jillian's dress.

My college classmates recognized me. Someone dug up photos from three years ago of Jillian proposing to me and putting an identical ring on my finger.

Both sets of photos quickly spread through the Luke family group chat.

But Carol and Raymond didn't know that I was Jillian's legal husband. They were convinced that I was the other man—someone who had gotten close to Shawn under the guise of friendship and had been hounding Jillian for three years.