All Chapters of Married as a Dare? Sorry, It's for Life: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

On Valentine's Day, I was hunched over my desk, organizing files, when someone tapped twice on the glass."Rowen, don't take this seriously. It's just a dare."I looked up.Standing outside was Shelby Smith, my fiancee whom I had been dating for five years.Right beside her was her male best friend, Liam Pearson.His arm was wrapped around her shoulder, and he was wearing a coat that was clearly made for a woman.I recognized it immediately. It was the birthday present I'd given Shelby last week.Shelby slid two IDs and supporting documents through the window, wearing a sycophantic smile. "We lost a game. The penalty was registering a marriage with Liam for one day. Don't worry. We'll be back tomorrow morning to file the divorce."Liam pulled her closer, sporting a smug grin that barely hid the provocation in his eyes. "Come on, Rowen, you aren't actually petty enough to refuse us, right? It's total platonic friendship, man. Just a dare. You're not actually taking it to heart,

Chapter 2

I slid the completed application forms back to them. My voice was completely flat.Shelby took the paperwork and stared at me for a few solid seconds, as if searching my face for even a sliver of rage, but she found nothing.I just stared back at her with absolute calm, even offering a thoughtful reminder. "Try to look happy for the photo. Smile like you mean it. After all, you're getting married."When they returned with their freshly printed photo and payment receipt, I reached out and took the latter.My eyes lingered on the glaring intimacy of Liam's arm wrapped around Shelby before I picked up the heavy steel embosser from my desk.With a crisp, loud thump, the gold seal was stamped firmly onto their marriage certificate.I pushed the certificate out through the window and offered a completely canned response: "Congratulations on your marriage."…I pushed open the door to complete darkness.Shelby's shoes were gone from the entryway. The house slippers I'd set out for he

Chapter 3

When I cleared out the nightstand, I came across the matching couple's mugs we'd picked out together.I picked up mine and threw it straight into the suitcase without a second thought.As for Shelby's, she could save it for her and Liam.Packing didn't take long. Half the closet was bare, and the desk was cleared out completely.Trace by trace, I wiped away every piece of myself from this home.My phone screen lit up again with a text from Shelby."Rowen, don't overthink things. I'm just out celebrating with my friends. I'll be back late. You were so calm today. I almost thought you actually didn't care. I'll explain everything properly tomorrow after Liam and I get the divorce."I stared at those lines and didn't bother replying.She couldn't even be bothered to call.I opened our chat, tapped the top right corner, and deleted the chat without hesitating.My world was quiet now.I hauled my suitcase to the doorway and turned around for one last look at the place I'd once be

Chapter 4

That night, I sat alone on a cold IV chair in the ER, watching the fluid drip down drop by drop as my heart turned to ice alongside it.From that day on, I knew that between Shelby and me stood Liam—a barrier that could never be bypassed.All my concessions and endurance were nothing more than things taken for granted in their eyes.As the tide of memories receded, I stepped out and shut the door behind me.Even as the late-night chill bit at my face, Shelby didn't send another message, nor did she make a single call.Perhaps in her and Liam's world, I had long become an utterly insignificant presence.I hauled my suitcase forward and never looked back."Goodbye, Shelby. I hope you enjoy married life."…Early the next morning, Shelby and Liam arrived just as the county courthouse opened its doors.Neither of them had bothered to fix themselves up. Their hair was slightly disheveled, and their faces carried the exhaustion of a wild night, yet they couldn't conceal their smugn

Chapter 5

Liam's face drained of color in an instant, and he practically shrieked, "Six months? What kind of joke is this?""I am not joking, Mr. Pearson," I said, sliding the document even closer to him and pointing directly at the printed clause."It's right there in black and white. The rule applies nationwide."Shelby glared at me like she wanted to burn a hole through my face.She slammed her palm onto the desk with a deafening thud. "Rowen Hogan! You're fucking doing this on purpose!"I slowly raised my eyes to meet her furious gaze, the smile on my lips not wavering in the slightest. If anything, it only widened. "Ms. Smith, please mind your language. I'll repeat myself. This is an official government office, and we do everything by the book."I paused before saying every word with deliberate precision. "If you both still insist on a divorce after six months, you are more than welcome to come back."A dead silence fell over the hall.Shelby's hand remained pressed against the desk

Chapter 6

As I watched the freshly minted "newlyweds" turn on each other after just one single day, I felt nothing."You two." I tapped the counter, drawing their focus back."If there's nothing else, please clear the area. Other people are waiting in line."Shelby cast a profound look back at me. Her eyes held a tangled mix of anger, disbelief, and perhaps even a trace of… regret.No, I must have imagined it.She snatched the marriage certificate off the desk and stormed off. Liam scrambled after her, his voice fading down the hall. "Shelby! Wait for me…"I lowered my head and carried on serving the next couple in line."Congratulations on your marriage." My voice retained its warm, professional edge.Only this time, I meant every word.…The news of Shelby and Liam getting trapped by the six-month waiting period spread through our shared social circle like wildfire.It started with Liam whining in a private group chat, claiming I was using my position for a personal vendetta to bloc

Chapter 7

At 5:10 pm, a text came in from Shelby. "I've been waiting at the cafe for an hour."I didn't reply.At 5:30 pm, she texted again. "Rowen, are we really over? Just like that?"Still, I gave no reply.At 6:00 pm, she called me. I switched my phone to silent mode and jammed it deep into my bag.Dylan watched me and blurted out, "You know what, Rowen? You look pretty damn badass right now."I chuckled. "Come on, late-night burger on me. Let's celebrate my fresh start."…By the sixth week of their forced union, the friction between Shelby and Liam blew up into an all-out war.I heard the news over dinner from our mutual friend, Luke Pratt, who looked thoroughly conflicted."Shelby and Liam are going at it real hard," Luke mumbled over a bite of food, dodging my eyes. "Did you hear Liam moved into her place?"I nodded casually. "Legally speaking, they're still husband and wife during the waiting period. Living together makes total sense.""Yeah, but…" Luke hesitated. "Rowen, do

Chapter 8

Three months later, the marriage registration process optimization plan I'd submitted was adopted by the state legislature and rolled out statewide. Thanks to it, I was promoted to deputy clerk of court.The day the announcement dropped, the clerk of court, Edison Holder, slapped me on the shoulder. "Rowen, I knew you had it in you! So young and driven!"My team demanded I host a celebratory meal, so I agreed with a smile and booked a solid restaurant near the courthouse.We were deep in conversation during dinner when my phone rang. It was Dylan."Rowen! Massive news!" His voice came through, almost breaking from excitement. "Liam got Shelby pregnant!"I froze for a second before asking evenly, "Are you sure?""Of course! Word is she's two months along!"Dylan blurted out at top speed, "Now both families are at each other's throats! His side wants Shelby to own up to it and fast-track the wedding, but her parents think Liam's a scheming snake who used a baby to trap her."I st

Chapter 9

"Whether I believe you or not doesn't matter," I said. "What matters is that it's your responsibility.""What if…" Her voice suddenly turned desperate. "What if I fix everything? If I divorce Liam and handle the child support, is there… any chance for us?"I stood on my balcony, watching the kids playing in the park below. The sunset painted the sky in soft shades of orange and pink, and a light breeze carried the faint scent of gardenias."Shelby," I murmured, "do you remember what you told me when we first got together?""What?""You said you'd treasure me forever and never let me get hurt." I smiled. "Turns out, the person who hurt me most was you.""I—""When you two come in tomorrow for the divorce, it'll be handled by the book," I continued. "Just not by me. My colleague Ryder will handle your case.""Rowen, do you really hate the thought of seeing me that much?""It's not that. It's just unnecessary," I answered truthfully.Before hanging up, I added one last thing. "B

Chapter 10

It was Shelby.She had lost a noticeable amount of weight. Dressed in a simple dress, she was holding the hand of a one-year-old boy. The little guy had huge eyes and a chubby face. He was adorable."Is this…" I was slightly taken aback."My son, Cael Smith," Shelby said softly. "Liam's. He… checked out after the delivery. He left Cael with me and flew overseas."I crouched down, flashing a small smile at the little guy. "Hey there."Shyly, Cael hid half his face behind Shelby."Rowen, I…" Shelby faltered, holding back her words.I stood back up and shook my head. "You don't need to say anything. It's all in the past.""I saw the news. Congratulations," she said sincerely."Thank you." I checked my watch. "I've got a meeting to get to, so I should get going."She called out, "Rowen, if… I mean if, one day, I turn my life around and become someone better, could we ever—""Shelby," I cut in calmly. "Look over at those gardenias."She followed my gaze toward the flowerbeds alo

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