Chapter 1

Julian did not come home alone.Fiona came in right behind him, dragging a large suitcase. She slipped on the slippers I kept by the door and greeted me with a smile."Chloe, USCIS might make a home visit. Julian said I should stay here for a while. You don't mind, do you?"Julian and I had bought those slippers together.The gray pair was one size too big for me. The white pair fit me perfectly.The sales associate had packed them in a gift box designed for couples and handed it to Julian and Fiona.Back then, I had laughed and explained, "I'm his girlfriend."Now the white slippers fit Fiona as if they had always belonged to her.Julian grabbed her suitcase."The inspection won't take more than a month. Don't overthink it."I closed the export window on my laptop."Doesn't marriage automatically get her a green card?"He wheeled the suitcase into the spare room without even looking at me."USCIS still has to verify that we're actually living together. Some of Fiona's clothes and toi

Chapter 2

"Everyone's throwing us a party tonight. You should come."Fiona laid a white dress on my bed.I looked up from the boxes I was unpacking in the spare room."Celebrating what?"She touched the ring on her finger."Our wedding. It may be fake, but everyone insisted on celebrating. You're my best friend. If you don't come, people will think it's strange."I had seen that ring before.Three months earlier, Julian had asked if I wanted a round or square diamond.I chose round.But he came home with a square-cut stone, claiming the sales associate had made a mistake and promising to exchange it before he proposed.Now it fit Fiona's finger perfectly.Just like the white slippers, maybe the ring had never been meant for me.I pushed the dress back toward her."I'm not going."Julian appeared in the doorway."Everyone there has known us for years. What are you hiding from?"I looked up at him."How do you plan to introduce me? As your girlfriend? Or as your wife's best friend?"His fingers fr

Chapter 3

On Fiona's third day in the apartment, my cat, Mochi, scratched her.It was the first time Julian had ever gotten angry with me."You know she's afraid of cats. Why didn't you keep the door shut?"I picked Mochi up from under the table."This is his home."Fiona cradled her scratched hand, tears filling her eyes."Julian, don't blame Chloe. I wanted Mochi to like me, so I tried to pick him up."I frowned."He doesn't like strangers touching his tail."Fiona widened her eyes innocently."I didn't know."She looked at the cat in my arms and asked softly, "Didn't he let me hold him before?"Of course he had.Back then, she was only a guest.Now she wore my slippers, drank from my cup, slept in my bed, and called Julian her husband.Mochi had simply recognized the intruder before I did.Julian grabbed his car keys."Let's get you a tetanus shot."But Fiona did not move."Don't you think it's time to find Mochi a new home?"I held Mochi tighter and stared at her."On what grounds?"Fiona st

Chapter 4

When I returned with Mochi, my code no longer worked.It took Julian a long time to answer his phone."Why did you change the code?"He sounded half-asleep. "The immigration lawyer came by this afternoon. He said if USCIS comes by for a home visit, they'll know something's wrong if they find someone else's belongings here."The wind made my voice tremble. "So you locked me out?"There was a pause, as if Julian had only just remembered I had nowhere else to go."Stay at a hotel for a couple of nights."He paused, then asked, "Did you find Mochi?"I looked at Mochi in my arms, the IV line still taped to his leg."I found him."He exhaled in relief."Good. Come to Southbridge tonight. Fiona needs more evidence for her green card application, and you need to sign an affidavit as a mutual friend."His voice softened. "Chloe, this is the last step. After you sign, I'll help her move out and change the code back."I closed my eyes and let the tears fall.It wasn't the wind making my voice sha

Chapter 5

All the color drained from Julian's face."Chloe."I placed another document in front of him.It was my lease termination notice.Beside it was a receipt showing that I had withdrawn my share from the joint account."Julian, you were right. I never really belonged in those photographs."I picked up the remote and pressed delete.One by one, the photographs disappeared from the wall.At last, the screen went blank."So as of today, I'm taking myself out of the picture."Julian snatched up the document."You terminated the lease?"I did not answer.My phone rang.The landlord had sent me a photograph of the newly installed lock.A moment later, Julian's phone rang.The landlord's voice came clearly through the speaker. "Mr. Hayes, Ms. Bennett has terminated the lease. You and your wife must vacate by midnight.""What gave you the right to terminate it?"Julian rushed after me as I left Southbridge and stepped in front of me.I sent him the payment records."I paid the rent. I signed the

Chapter 5

Julian spent several nights at the veterinary hospital.Under the harsh fluorescent lights, he sat hunched over on a bench with a can of Mochi's favorite food at his feet.Days without sleep had left dark circles under his eyes.He stood up the moment I entered the corridor.His voice was dry and hoarse. "The veterinarian says Mochi can go home today."I walked straight past him toward Mochi's room."I know."Julian followed me."I asked Fiona about it. She said she didn't know her green card had already been approved. I'll handle the divorce."Mochi lay listless in the cage. I looked down at him and barely reacted."Mm."Julian finally snapped and grabbed my arm.I looked down at his hand.His fingers immediately loosened, and he let go."Chloe, I filed for divorce yesterday."My voice was flat. "Congratulations."Julian's brows knitted together."That isn't what I want to hear."I looked up at his exhausted face."Then what do you want to hear?"He swallowed hard, looking helpless."

All Chapters of My Boyfriend Married My Best Friend: Chapter 1 - Chapter 6

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 5