The Stand-In Walks Away

The moment I finished speaking, the atmosphere didn't ease up—it only got more tense.

The guests, who knew my personality well, huddled together anxiously, whispering among themselves.

"Chris loves Emily to death. He has a terrible temper and holds grudges. One time, just because I had a few extra work-related words with her, he threw a glass of cold water on me in public and warned me that if I ever did it again, he'd have me fired."

"In the past eight years, forget about other men around Emily—even the cat in her office got swapped for a female one."

"He's been a stand-in for so long that he's started seeing himself as the real thing. Now that someone has taken his place as her husband and is even having a wedding with her, there's no way he's just going to let it go."

"Just because he's not angry now doesn't mean anything. This is the calm before the storm."

Everyone was worried. Emily was no exception. In her wedding dress, she stepped protectively in front of her first love, Kyle Walter.

"Chris, I'll give you whatever compensation you deserve for what I owe you. But I won't let you hurt Kyle."

All eyes were on me.

But instead of losing my temper as they expected, I just calmly waved my hand.

"Forget it."

With that, I put down the bouquet, turned around, and left without a second's pause.

They didn't know that I was a traveler from another world. Getting close to Emily was just a mission the system assigned me so I could eventually go home.

Emily had loved Kyle since childhood and had chased him obsessively. Kyle couldn't stand her clingy, persistent ways, so he ran off abroad to study and work. He was gone for eight years.

Over that time, Emily went through countless Kyle stand-ins. I was the one who lasted the longest.

She wasn't bad to me. Aside from not loving me, she never mistreated or tortured me. I even started getting used to that life and thought I might have a future with her.

But today, after waiting for her at the city hall for most of the day with high hopes, all I got was the news that Kyle was back and they had reconciled and gotten married.