Chapter 1

Gina Winston pushed the door open and swept a glance around. She was taken aback when she saw me, but she quickly looked away and turned to the man by her side. "Have you picked a color, Mike?"

She mentioned him last year when she came home from her company's annual meeting. "We just got a new intern called Mike Logan. He's pretty quick on his feet."

After that, that name started appearing more frequently in our lives.

"Mike said this," "Mike thinks this," "Mike recommended this".

I did not think much of it then, but now, I was seeing him for the first time.

Mike took out his phone to show Gina a picture. "What do you think of this Misty Blue? I saved it as a screenshot when I saw it."

Gina took his phone and glanced at it before comparing it to the color scheme card on the table. 'Misty Blue'. She raised the phone to his shoulders to compare it again. "It suits you."

I asked her the same question when I was picking suits, but she did not even look at it when she replied, "Looks nice."

The wedding planner placed a stack of design sketches on the table. Gina pulled out a chair to sit down, and Mike took the seat next to her. She started flipping through the designs to help him choose a design.

While she was going through them, she glanced at me from the corner of her eye. When she got to a particular page, Mike pointed at it. "This looks good, but is it a little too plain?"

Gina looked at it thoughtfully. "We can try asking if there are other designs."

With that, she got up to ask the planner about it, but Mike pulled her back. "You don't need to trouble yourself. It was just a comment."

"I take anything you say seriously." She pinched his cheek gently before heading to the counter.

My phone buzzed on the table, and I looked down at it. It was a text from Gina: [I'll explain everything to you when I get home.]

Meanwhile, Mike had started chatting with the planner. "My fiancée has put in a lot of effort into this wedding. She decided on the invitation designs and the table arrangements. I don't need to do a thing."

When he talked about it, there was a bright look in his eyes. It was a happiness that he could not hide.

My heart sank as I listened to him.

When Gina was done with her inquiry and returned, she passed a sample book she got from the counter to Mike. "I've helped you check the table arrangements in advance."

She flipped to a page with a folded corner. "This textile crafts company can make the tasseled table runner you want. I've ordered a sample. We can look at it next month."

I was reminded of how Gina kept telling me over the last few months that she was busy at work. When I asked about what she was busy with, she told me that her company just took on a new project. It turned out the so-called new project was a wedding without me.

Mike flipped to the page on desserts. "By the way, I haven't made a decision on our dessert selection."

"It's already been decided," Gina replied. "Low-sugar macarons. You've been working out lately, and I told them to cut the sugar by 30%, and I've informed them that you're on a diet."

Mike leaned in close to Gina with a smile. "You know me so well."

He closed the sample book and noticed me sitting in a corner. "Hey, you're here alone again? Why didn't your fiancée come with you?"

Gina froze while flipping through the color scheme cards.

"She's busy," I replied. She was busy being in love with another man.

I folded the design sketches I had and stuffed them into my bag.

Mike did not notice Gina's pause, and he took out his phone and held it out to me. "Let's exchange contact numbers. We can discuss wedding preparations in the future."

He smiled brightly, and Gina's finger quivered slightly while still holding the color scheme cards.

"Sure." I took out my phone, and we exchanged numbers.

Mike immediately texted me a high-definition picture that featured a dark blue velvet gift box with golden flowing patterns on it. "Take a look at this! My fiancée chose this box for our wedding favors. She has really good taste!"

I clicked on the picture to magnify the golden flowing pattern on the box. "My fiancée designed those patterns freehand. She says the design concept is to move up in life."

Last month, I had also mentioned our wedding favors to Gina. I was interested in getting a handmade candy box I found online, and I shared the link with her.