Chapter 2

Before the ceremony, the photographer suggested we take a family portrait.

"Bride's parents, grandmother, groom's parents, everyone squeeze in a little closer."

"Wait, I want to add someone," Chase and I said at the exact same time.

I lifted my golden retriever, Buddy, from my feet.

"Buddy is ten years old. He's not just a dog, he's family. He should be in the photo."

Everyone looked from me to Chase, confused.

"So who does the groom want to add?"

They all knew Chase's only immediate family present were his parents.

But he reached out and pulled Lexi, who was standing off to the side, into the photo.

Suddenly, all eyes were on me.

Pity, sympathy, mockery, morbid curiosity...

My father, a traditional man who cares about appearances, shot Chase a look of disapproval.

"First you give her the bouquet, and now you want her in the family portrait? Chase, this is a picture for family. Lexi is a guest. It's not appropriate."

"Dad," Chase said, "Lexi is like a sister to me. If she's family, how can she not be in the family photo?"

Hearing this, Lexi puffed out her chest and shot my father a dismissive eye-roll.

So there we were, two women in similar white dresses, standing on either side of Chase.

For a moment, you couldn't tell who the real bride was.

How pathetic.

A wave of whispers went through the guests.

Even the photographer was struggling, unable to arrange the group because Chase and Lexi refused to be separated.

Just then, a deep, magnetic voice cut through the tension.

"Let me take it."

My fingertips, clutching the bouquet, trembled.

It was him.

Liam took the camera as the guests gasped.

"Oh my god, that groomsman looks just like the groom. They could be twins."

The moment Liam was about to press the shutter, Lexi suddenly bent down and grabbed Buddy.

"What are you doing!" I screamed.

Lexi shoved Buddy away, the heel of her red-bottomed stilettos stomping down hard on his paw.

Buddy let out a piercing yelp, struggling to get away.

"A dog doesn't belong in a family portrait! It's just an animal. It doesn't deserve to be in the same frame as me!"

I didn't care about my expensive Vera Wang dress. I rushed forward and scooped Buddy into my arms. His paw was already bleeding, and he was trembling in my embrace.

But Chase stepped in front of Lexi, shielding her.

"Lexi didn't mean it. You know she's allergic to dog fur. Since that's the case, let's just keep Buddy out of the shot."

I looked at Chase in disbelief.

"You know how important Buddy is to me. And he's hurt..."

Chase just walked over and casually patted Buddy's head.

"Buddy's a tough guy, aren't you boy? You'll be fine. Now be good and don't ruin your mom's wedding. After it's over, your new dad will buy you the best steak."

Then he turned his gentle gaze back to me.

"Babe, just do it for me. It's our big day. Can you please just tolerate Lexi this once?"

Tolerate. There was that word again.

Chase had said it to me a million times.

When my period cramps were so bad I was in the ER on an IV drip, and Lexi called him to a bar, he told me to tolerate it.

When I got into a car accident, and Lexi insisted he help her find her lost phone in a rainstorm, he told me to tolerate it.

At my grandmother's 70th birthday party, after I specifically asked him not to leave, and Lexi called him from a bar, pretending to be drunk so he'd come pick her up, he told me to tolerate it.

In Chase's world, Lexi was always the emergency.

And I was the option that could always be postponed.

No one understood why I, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy family, was so devoted to a guy who treated me like this.

Just then, Liam stepped forward and gently took Buddy from my arms.

"It's okay, Chloe. I'll take a special picture of you and Buddy later. Let's get his paw looked at first."

Looking at that familiar face, I felt a wave of dizziness.

Yes, that was the answer.

The only reason I put up with being Chase's doormat was because he looked exactly like Liam.

For that face, I had chased him relentlessly and tolerated everything.

Chase bumped Liam with his shoulder, winking. "That's my best man. Thanks for smoothing things over."

"No problem. Let's get this picture done," Liam said with a polite smile.

But as he clicked the shutter, he cleverly angled the camera just so, capturing Buddy peeking his head into the corner of the frame.