Chapter 2

2.

"Come on, Nate, stop making a fuss," one of Maisie's friends piped up from the side.

"Didn't Maisie just say it's only for a month?"

"Colton is a close friend to all of us. I promise you he won't cross the line with her."

"I can't accept this," I rasped, gripping my shirt tightly with trembling hands.

I hadn't slept a wink the previous night from pure excitement, which left me with a raw throat and a feverish chill.

"Maisie, I won't accept you doing something like this with Colton. You're my girlfriend, and you're supposed to be my wife."

"Even if it's just a temporary stunt to fulfill a promise, I will never accept it."

Furious anger flared across Maisie's face instantly.

"So you refuse to listen to reason, huh?"

"Why are you so petty? I hate men who are narrow-minded!"

I knew she was using her temper to force me to back down.

Whenever she disliked something about me in the past, she would throw out similar harsh words.

Back then, I would panic and apologize immediately, swearing to change just to appease her.

But today, I wasn't going to surrender.

"Then call me narrow-minded."

"There's no way in hell I'll accept my girlfriend marrying another man."

"Maisie, maybe we should just go back inside and sign the annulment papers," Colton murmured with a pitiful look. "Nate looks really furious."

"Why do you care about his feelings? I told you, getting married is my personal choice," Maisie cooed softly to Colton before glaring at me with utter disdain.

"Nate Lawson, let me make this crystal clear: accept it or don't, but I won't divorce Colton until the month is over."

With that, she grabbed Colton by the hand and brushed past me.

She drove him away in her red sports car. Through the passenger window, I caught Colton's triumphant smirk.

Maisie's friends scattered shortly after.

My chest felt suffocatingly heavy. What should have been the happiest day of my life had turned into an absolute nightmare.