Chapter 2

2.

Even after the video ended, I kept staring blankly at the screen.

When I finally snapped out of it, I replayed the last few seconds over and over again.

I needed to hear that single word from Jared again and again.

I was like a drowning person, clutching onto a fragile straw to survive.

After hearing that "Okay" for the thirteenth time, a tear splashed onto the screen.

I wiped my face in a panic, only to realize I was already drenched in tears.

Was I heartbroken?

Not really.

Was I sad?

Only a little.

Then why was I crying?

I walked into the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. Looking up into the mirror, the reflection felt like a total stranger.

Was this really me?

The woman in the mirror had messy hair, sallow skin, and puffy, bloodshot eyes.

I didn't look like this when I woke up this morning.

It turns out you really can lose yourself completely just by loving the wrong person.

I had loved Jared deeply for years, believing that our upcoming wedding would finally be our happy ending.

I never realized our fairy tale had already rotted to the core.

I took a deep breath, collected my swirling thoughts, and posted a quick update on my private social media feed.

"Wedding venue booked, just missing a groom. Anyone down to step in?"

Right after posting, friends immediately flooded my notifications with playful teasing.

Everyone in my circle knew how madly in love I was with Jared.

Nobody took my post seriously.

Looking at all the congratulatory comments and laughing emojis, I let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

Just then, my phone rang.

The name flashing across the screen made my eyes widen slightly.

Sean.

Sean and I had grown up together as next-door neighbors.

We were what people called childhood besties, though we spent most of our time bickering and wrestling.

When we were kids, he used to throw his arm around my shoulder, loudly declaring that he had my back no matter what.

From elementary school all the way through high school, Sean proudly introduced me to everyone as his trusty sidekick.

It wasn't until college that we parted ways, heading off to different states for school.

Since then, we had barely kept in touch.

Looking back, I was the one who let our friendship fade so I could focus all my energy on chasing Jared.

Why was Sean calling me out of the blue?

After a moment of hesitation, I answered.

"Well, well, sidekick. Taking your sweet time answering the boss's call, aren't you?"

Hearing his familiar, playful tone over the line seemed to blow away some of the dark clouds hanging over my chest.

"What's up? What made you think of calling me today?"

There was an uncharacteristic pause on the other end before he spoke in a surprisingly deep voice.

"So... what you posted. Were you being serious?"

I didn't catch the shift in his mood and replied casually.

"Why? Are you applying for the job?"

"Yeah."

"Is that a yes or a no?"

This time, silence fell over my side of the line.

Thinking about it carefully, if I truly wanted to swap grooms, Sean was undeniably the best candidate.

Whether in terms of family background or our lifelong history, he was solid.

After a beat of hesitation, I said, "Sure, you can have the spot. But I want to know why."

"Why? Because I like you, obviously."

Sean's voice instantly returned to its usual brash swagger.

"I've had a crush on you forever. I've been dreaming about marrying you since forever. Now that you're delivering yourself to my doorstep, of course I'm taking the offer."

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Sean, marriage is serious business, not a game."

"I know."

He gave a low chuckle over the phone.

"Which is why I don't just want you to marry me. I want you to love me even more than you ever loved Jared."

Love him more than I loved Jared?

I honestly didn't know if I had that in me.

But none of that mattered anymore.

"Deal," I agreed.

"Let me wrap things up on my end, and I'll reach out to you."

Sean didn't press for details. He had always been smart, knowing exactly what to ask and what to leave alone.

After hanging up, I deleted the social media post. Then I pinned Sean's contact to the top of my chat list and changed his nickname to "Hubby".

Since Jared wanted to father a child with someone else, I'd just find myself a new husband.