All Chapters of Someone Else’s Groom: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

I had been dating Fiona Hartley for eight years.At lunch that day, I casually mentioned getting married. I hadn’t even finished my sentence when Fiona slammed her cutlery down on the table with a sharp crack.She stood up, furious, and shouted at me, "Caleb Morgan, are you really so desperate to trap me with marriage? How can you be this selfish?"I didn’t understand. We had been together for eight years, and I wanted to get married. What was wrong with that?I couldn’t help asking her out loud, "Don’t you want to marry me?"I don’t know which nerve that sentence hit, but Fiona suddenly grabbed her bag and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.If a friend hadn’t sent me a video later that night, I wouldn’t even have known that she’d gone out to meet another man.Watching the video of her dancing closely with him, bodies pressed together, I finally understood why Fiona didn’t want to marry me.I knew that guy, or rather, everyone in our circle knew him. He was Fiona’s firs

Fiona froze. She clearly knew what I meant. There was a long pause.Then a man’s voice came through the line. "Fiona, hurry up. Everyone’s waiting for you."It was Gavin Rhodes. His voice moved from far to near. As if he realized something, Gavin let out a scoffing laugh."You’re not even married yet, and you’re already checking up on her. Once you’re married, won’t you be even more annoying?"Fiona didn’t say anything.Gavin urged her again, "Come on. Truth or dare. Everyone’s waiting."Only then did Fiona speak. Her tone softened, carrying a hint of pleading. "Caleb…"I pinched the bridge of my nose and pulled my thoughts back under control. "You don’t need to come back anymore."Fiona seemed startled. Right after that, she complained with obvious dissatisfaction, "Caleb, this is my last night as an unmarried lady."She was blaming me. Blaming me for forcing her.Everyone who knew us knew that during the three years we’d been together, I had spoiled her excessively. I would

Inside the apartment, as I watched Iris, who had come in and now stood there awkwardly with her hands unsure where to rest, I raised a finger."Three ground rules."She looked up.I wagged my index finger. "First. Our relationship stays private for now. My grandmother won’t be able to accept it."She listened quietly, without raising any objections.I raised my middle finger and continued, "Second. After my grandmother passes, we divorce."She parted her lips, yet still said nothing."Third. After marriage, you don’t restrict my freedom."She remained frozen in place.I stepped closer and lightly tapped her forehead with three fingers.Thump. Thump.I didn’t know whose heartbeat was that loud, laying its owner completely bare.Iris’s cheeks flushed red. She quickly reacted and forced herself to stay calm. "I have one condition too. We need to get married as soon as possible.""Fine."She really was in a hurry.The moment I agreed, she sat down on the couch and started lo

I followed her gaze and nodded.Iris had good taste. It was a classic style. She continued, "Then let’s save it for now."Fiona suddenly realized she couldn’t insert herself into our conversation. She looked at Iris, then at me. "Caleb?"Iris didn’t speak, and neither did I.Fiona moved over on her own, squeezing herself between the two of us, staring at the laptop screen for a while. "Thanks, sis. You really put a lot of work into this PowerPoint."She probably thought Iris had made it for her. Her next sentence came naturally."Send me a copy."Iris lowered her head and didn’t speak. I clearly saw her hands clench unconsciously. She glanced at me before answering vaguely, "I’m not finished yet.""You’re such a sweet sister. When we get home, I’ll have Mom make you something nice to eat." Fiona was pleased. She circled back to me again. "Caleb, when are we having our wedding?"I was biting into my bread, so Iris answered for me, "In a month."After I swallowed, I finally cau

Grandma’s condition fluctuated. Sometimes she was clear, sometimes confused. The hardest part was that she still remembered Fiona.Iris insisted I didn't worry. She said she had a way. Whatever Fiona could do, she could do too, and she could do it better.She said seriously, "I will absolutely put Grandma at ease. I’m better than Fiona."From that point on, Iris became even busier: preparing for the wedding, taking care of Grandma, running home from time to time to ask for my opinion. It was as if she wanted to split herself into three, yet from beginning to end, she never complained.When I had been busiest before, it was always Fiona who took care of Grandma. Now it had suddenly become another girl, practically a stranger.Someone at the hospital must have had Fiona’s contact information, because they called her to ask about it. Because of that, Fiona, who had disappeared for a week, finally called me."Caleb, is Iris taking care of Grandma?""Yes."She sounded flustered, gui