Chapter 1

Gillian Chadwick chuckled and waved her hand, signaling that it was unnecessary.

But her adoptive brother, Jude Chadwick, was firm, patiently reminding her again and again that marriage wasn't something to be taken lightly.

Gillian's resolve slowly wavered. She bit her lip, stealing glances at me now and then.

When she finally turned to look at me, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Eight years of being each other's first love since high school, only for it to end like a total joke.

Before Gillian could say anything, I pulled the marriage paperwork from my bag and handed it to her.

I jerked my chin toward the city hall. "Go ahead."

She looked stunned by how easily I gave in. "Thomas, you— "

Jude impatiently tugged at her sleeve and urged her to get in line.

Gillian swallowed her question and turned to reassure me, just like she always did. "Thomas, Jude is just looking out for us. Getting some practice at being a good wife isn't a bad thing.

"As soon as this trial marriage wraps up in a couple of days, I'll file for divorce right away. Don't worry. You're the only man I'll ever marry."

But I didn't want to marry her anymore.

Watching them walk away, practically glued to each other, my eyes started to sting. I turned around, hailed a cab, and left.

The moment I got in the car, I called the wedding planning company.

"Hello, I'd like to cancel my wedding reservation for next Saturday. I'll pay the cancellation fee in full."

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

"Dear Mr. Zink, thank you for the opportunity. I will be there on time next week for the Bovaca documentary shoot."

After taking care of everything, Jude posted a new update on social media.

"This girl is such a handful. She can't even get married without making things difficult."

Attached was a photo of their marriage certificate. His name was right next to Gillian's, in the spot that was supposed to be mine.

I gave a self-deprecating laugh and quietly gave it a like.

Around the same time, my best friend, Leon Golding, started bombarding me with messages. After cursing Gillian out in text after text, he sent over photos of women he thought could be my next girlfriend.

Leon ran an upscale matchmaking company and had an endless list of eligible women. I used to joke that if Gillian ever dumped me, I'd pick someone from his roster and settle down with her.

Now that the day had actually come, I couldn't bring myself to care.

But seeing how enthusiastically Leon was trying to set me up, I didn't want to dampen his excitement. "Sure. Let's go with the last one."

Leon readily agreed, then cautiously asked if I was still going to the party later that night.

I immediately knew what he was really asking. He was worried that if I didn't go, he wouldn't be able to get in.

Gillian was the one hosting the party.

Six years after graduation, she had worked her way up to general manager. The friends she'd invited were all well-connected people from our social circle.

Leon wanted to use the occasion to expand his client pool, and I couldn't bring myself to disappoint him. So, I told him firmly that I'd go.

Maybe Gillian finally realized she'd gone too far that day. For once, she seemed to feel guilty enough to come pick me up herself before the party.

It was also the first time she hadn't gone to Jude first. Instead, she'd made him drive over on his own.

That clearly upset Jude. He ignored dozens of her texts and refused to take her calls.

I had no interest in their little lovers' spat. The moment the car pulled up, I opened the door to get out.

Gillian suddenly grabbed my arm, her voice full of helplessness. "Thomas, are you still mad?"

Just as I was about to say no, a figure flashed past the car window.

Her hand slipped from my wrist. The driver's side door snapped open and shut. Gillian was already running after Jude, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

Watching the two of them act like a real married couple, I gave a mocking laugh and slammed the car door shut.

Ten minutes later, the two of them finally walked into the venue.

The moment I saw their fingers intertwined, my grip tightened around the glass in my hand.

I was about to turn around and look for Leon to distract myself, but then I remembered he'd left town on a last-minute business trip. I froze for a second before lowering my head.

Gillian noticed my gaze and immediately let go of Jude's hand.

She hurried over and opened her mouth to explain, but someone cut her off, "Come on, Gillian! You guys are married now. Give us a kiss!"