My Fiancée Married Another Man

On the eve of my wedding, my friends threw a joint bachelor and bachelorette party for Natalie Cole and me at a bar. After a few rounds of drinks, someone suggested a game of Truth or Dare. The bottle landed on me first. My younger brother, Kayden Wilson, grinned. "I dare you to take off your pants. Let's see what you've got." The whole table immediately erupted in cheers. I glanced at Natalie, but she kept her head down and continued scrolling through her phone without a word. Hence, I took off my pants and stood there in nothing but my underwear. In the second round, the bottle landed on me again. My sister, Hannah Wilson, raised her glass and asked half-jokingly, "Logan, I dare you to admit you're pathetic enough that you can't live without a woman." My face burned, but everyone was staring at me, waiting to see if I'd ruin the mood. I closed my eyes and said hoarsely, "I admit it." Eventually, the bottle landed on Natalie. Her friend, Veronica Reed, grinned. "I dare you to tell your soon-to-be hubby what you were doing behind everyone's back last night." Natalie paused for two seconds before she looked at Benjamin Henderson beside her, her eyes full of affection. "He got drunk and insisted I take him back to his hotel. Then he threw up all over himself, so I helped him shower and changed him into his pajamas. He said he didn't want to sleep alone, so I held him until morning," she revealed. The private room fell silent for a moment before suggestive laughter erupted around the table. Benjamin playfully tickled her and scolded her for embarrassing him by revealing his secrets. But I stood there frozen, unable to say a word. Finally, Veronica pointed toward the little quickie wedding chapel attached to the bar. "Then I dare you to take Benjamin over there, get married, and have it annulled afterward." Benjamin's eyes lit up as he looked at Natalie. I looked at her too. Natalie gave an exasperated smile, took his hand, and walked toward the chapel as the crowd cheered them on. At that moment, I suddenly felt there was no point in going through with our wedding the day after tomorrow. Chapter 1 Twenty minutes later, Natalie and Benjamin returned with their marriage certificates. Their friends crowded around them, cheering and making a fuss. Veronica said, "Now that's what you call a real goodbye to being single." Kayden held up his phone to take pictures, grinning from ear to ear. "Natalie, you two standing together look even more convincing than a couple in a wedding trailer." I stood nearby with nothing but a pair of underwear covering me from the waist down. The bar's air conditioning blasted against my bare legs, and I shivered from the cold. But Natalie took off her jacket and draped it over Benjamin's shoulders. He immediately tugged it lower around himself and laughed. "Hey, don't give this to me. I'm tough as nails. Logan might see us and get the wrong idea." Despite what he said, he made no move to give the jacket back. Natalie laughed and scolded him, "You just threw up. Why are you still trying to act tough?" Benjamin gave her a playful punch. "Fine, fine. You're such a nag. Just remember to comfort your soon-to-be hubby later. Don't let him think I'm stealing his woman." Everyone around the table burst out laughing. The tip of my nose suddenly burned, and I could only turn my head away and pretend to look at the lights on the stage. Three winters ago, I had accompanied Natalie while she handled the mortgage paperwork for our new home. It had been so cold that my fingers had gone numb. She had merely glanced at the time and said, "Logan, hang in there a little longer. It'll be over once we're done." So it wasn't that she couldn't tell when someone was cold. She just couldn't see it when that someone was me. I turned to leave, but Natalie grabbed me. "It was just a game. Don't ruin everyone's mood the night before the wedding." I looked at the marriage certificate in her hand. She followed my gaze and glanced down at it before saying casually, "It's just a piece of paper. Benjamin and I can get it annulled in a matter of minutes." I stared at her in disbelief, almost convinced I'd heard her wrong. When something became absurd enough, you didn't even have the strength to cry. All I felt was humiliation. The woman who was supposed to marry me the day after tomorrow had gotten a real marriage certificate with another man tonight, yet she talked about it as casually as if she'd accidentally picked up the wrong movie ticket. I finally couldn't hold it in anymore. "So is the wedding with me just going through the motions too?" Natalie's expression instantly turned cold. "Logan, do you really have to say something like that right now? "You know what Benjamin is to me. He's been by my side all these years. If there were really something between us, don't you think we'd have gotten together a long time ago? Would there even be a place for you?" Benjamin quickly patted her arm. "That's enough. Don't be so hard on your hubby. It's normal for him to feel uncomfortable." But after saying that, he looked down at the jacket draped around his shoulders and still didn't take it off. I didn't argue anymore. I just said I needed to use the bathroom. When I came back, the door to the private room wasn't fully closed, and the laughter inside came through loud and clear. Veronica said, "Logan's face went completely pale just now. He really can't take a joke." Kayden immediately chimed in, "He's always been like that. Whenever everyone else is having fun, he thinks they're all picking on him." My older sister, Hannah, lowered her voice. "As long as nothing goes wrong at the wedding the day after tomorrow. And you guys should tone it down with Benjamin too. Don't actually push Logan over the edge." Benjamin sighed. "I really wasn't trying to take his place. If there were something between Natalie and me, we'd have gotten together ages ago. Would there even be a place for him?" Veronica laughed. "True. With the way you two are, who wouldn't say you're closer than most couples?" Benjamin continued, "If he's still bothered by it, I can just keep my distance at the wedding the day after tomorrow. I'm not picky. I can sit anywhere, as long as I don't get in the way of you two getting married." Natalie finally spoke. "Don't worry about him. He just overthinks everything." That was when my tears fell. I raised a hand and wiped them away. My fingertips were cold. Every laugh from inside felt like another reminder that I was the biggest joke of all tonight. Chapter 2 I didn't go back to the private room. When I got home, I sat on the couch for a long time. Dawn was approaching when I finally remembered to take off my engagement ring. The moment I slipped it from my finger, I noticed a string of numbers engraved inside the band. It wasn't my birthday. It was Benjamin's. … After sunrise, I took the ring to the jewelry store. The employee checked their records, and his expression turned awkward. "Mr. Wilson, Miss Natalie personally confirmed the engraving. She said it was a very important date." I stared at the numbers as my fingertips slowly went cold. The employee continued explaining in a quiet voice, but I couldn't hear another word. Tears burned my eyes. I had worn this engagement ring for so long, yet another man's birthday had been engraved inside it. On my birthday that year, Natalie had suddenly gone to the countryside with Benjamin because he needed to clear his head. She had only sent me some money and told me to buy whatever I wanted. That night, I had sat alone in a restaurant until closing. When the server asked whether I wanted to take my cake home, I had said no. But Benjamin's birthday? She remembered it perfectly. She had even had it engraved inside my engagement ring. As I walked out of the jewelry store, the wedding planner happened to call and ask me to confirm the final rehearsal that afternoon. I was about to cancel everything outright, but I stopped myself. Suddenly, I wanted to know how many other things about this wedding had been kept from me. … When I got home, the living room TV was still connected to the livestream from last night's bar. On the screen was a photo of Natalie and Benjamin standing side by side at the little quickie wedding chapel. They held up their marriage certificates between them. The comments kept pouring in. Veronica: [Now that's what I call a perfect match. They look so much more natural than they did in those pre-wedding photos.] Kayden: Ben is seriously so handsome. I wish he could be my brother.] Then he added: [Unlike my actual brother. He's always walking around with that miserable look on his face. It's exhausting just looking at him.] Benjamin: [Don't say that about your brother. He's just a little sensitive.] Natalie didn't say anything, but she liked the photo. I stared at it for a long time before opening the album it had come from. They had another group chat dedicated to the wedding preparations. It was called "Wedding Surprise Planning Team." Hannah, Kayden, Veronica, Benjamin, and even my parents were in it. The only person missing was me, the groom. My mother had once written in the group: [Logan has always been sensitive. Don't ask him about everything. If you ask too much, he'll just get anxious.] My father had replied: [Getting the wedding done is what matters. Don't give the relatives anything to laugh about.] I stared at those two messages, my chest tightening until I could barely breathe. When I was little, whenever Kayden broke something, my parents always told me to let it go. Now, even when it came to my own wedding, they still expected me to give in. Just then, the door opened. Natalie had brought Benjamin back to pick up his bag. The moment he walked in, he glanced at me and smiled as if nothing had happened. "Hey, are you still mad? I told you last night. It's just a piece of paper. "Natalie and I have been buddies for years. We were just messing around." He patted Natalie on the shoulder. "You'd better comfort him later. Don't actually make him mad enough to leave." He walked over to the coffee table, picked up a sample of my wedding bouquet, and studied it for a moment. "White roses would actually look more elegant, but whatever. If you like lily of the valley, then lily of the valley it is. "I'm just saying. Don't think I'm trying to interfere with your wedding again," he claimed. My fingers went still. I was allergic to rose pollen. A bad reaction could leave me covered in a red rash, and Natalie knew that. But she avoided my gaze. "He's always had good taste. Switching to white roses isn't a bad idea." Benjamin immediately gave her a playful tap. "Don't get me in trouble. Your hubby will think I'm picking on him again." The two of them played off each other as if my discomfort were nothing more than another example of me making a big deal out of nothing. I looked at Natalie. "Is this my wedding, or are you two planning Benjamin's wedding?" Natalie's brows immediately furrowed. "Logan, why are you talking like that? "Benjamin was only trying to help. Do you really have to assume the worst about everyone?" With that, she left with him, clearly impatient. The wedding planner called again. He sounded hesitant. "Mr. Wilson, I just wanted to confirm something. Should we continue altering the backup suit Mr. Henderson tried on last night so it fits him properly? "Our notes say it's the backup suit for the wedding reception activities." I tightened my grip on the phone, suddenly unable to speak. So after they got married last night, they'd already prepared a wedding suit for him too. Chapter 3 I went straight to the bridal store. When I arrived, Benjamin stood in front of the mirror in the so-called backup suit. Natalie sat on the couch with her phone in hand, but her eyes remained fixed on him. Benjamin turned around and asked with a grin, "Hey, how do I look?" Natalie scoffed. "You look terrible." But I clearly saw her lower her head and open the camera on her phone. When Benjamin turned away, she secretly snapped a picture. Then she quickly flipped her phone face down in her palm as if nothing had happened. That small gesture hurt more than any compliment could have. My throat felt clogged with wet cotton, so tight and bitter that I couldn't speak. So she did secretly save someone's best moments. Just not mine. The day I tried on my wedding suit, Natalie had said something had come up at work and told me to decide for myself. I had sent her pictures, and three hours later, all she had replied was: [Not bad.] Now Benjamin had merely tried on a suit, and she could sit here, complain about how terrible he looked, and secretly take pictures of him. Benjamin tugged at the hem of the suit and said casually, "I probably won't ever get the chance to wear a proper suit in my life. Might as well take advantage of Logan's wedding and dress up a little." Natalie frowned. "Don't say that." Benjamin raised an eyebrow. "What, afraid your hubby will get jealous? Fine, fine. I'll take it off so he doesn't get upset again." I turned to the staff. "This is my wedding. Why is there a backup suit in someone else's size?" Benjamin finally noticed me. Surprise flashed across his face before he quickly took a couple of steps toward me. "Logan, that's really not what I meant. I was just helping you see how it looked on camera. Don't get the wrong idea." Impatience crept into Natalie's voice. "He's a groomsman. He's supposed to be part of the interactive portion of the reception. What's wrong with having him try it on?" I was about to respond when a sharp crash came from the display area beside us. A clothing rack toppled over and crashed toward Benjamin and me. Natalie didn't hesitate. She rushed forward, pulled Benjamin into her arms, and shielded him as she backed away. The metal rack slammed into my shoulder and sliced my arm open. The pain hit a moment later, and blood trickled down my wrist. Benjamin let out a frightened cry and trembled in Natalie's arms. Yet even then, he tried to push her away. "Why are you worrying about me? Your hubby is over there. I'm really fine. I've been falling and getting hurt since I was a kid. Go check on him." But his hand remained tightly clenched around Natalie's sleeve. He didn't let go. Natalie lowered her head and checked him for injuries, her voice tense with concern. "Did you get hurt? Are you scared?" I stood there and clutched my injured arm, suddenly unable to say a word. Just then, Hannah and Kayden rushed over. The moment Kayden saw Benjamin, he frowned at me. "What's wrong with you again, Logan?" Hannah's expression darkened too. "Benjamin was just helping try on a suit, and you still had to make a big deal out of it. No wonder nobody likes you." Kayden helped Benjamin to his feet, clicked his tongue, and added impatiently, "Can't you be more like Benjamin? He doesn't fight over anything. He can joke about anything. That's why everyone wants to be around him. "You walk around with that miserable look on your face all day, like the whole world owes you something." Natalie finally looked at me. Her gaze lingered on my bleeding arm for barely a second before she said, "Logan, you've really gone too far today." I looked at all of them. Humiliation and hurt weighed on my chest until I could barely breathe. But I refused to cry in front of them anymore. I lowered my head and slipped off my engagement ring. The numbers engraved inside the band, Benjamin's birthday, felt cold beneath my fingertips. I placed the ring on the table in front of Natalie. "Natalie, we're breaking up." The shop instantly fell silent. Natalie's expression changed. I pressed a hand against my wound and said softly, "There won't be a wedding tomorrow either." Natalie's face darkened completely. "Logan, think this through. The invitations have already gone out, and our family and friends are already here. You're saying we should cancel now? Do you want everyone to laugh at us?" I didn't respond. Benjamin let out a quiet gasp and said he felt dizzy. Natalie immediately looked down at him before turning back to me with a cold expression. "You need to calm down. I'm taking him to the hospital." With that, she helped Benjamin out of the store. Hannah, Kayden, and Veronica hurried after them. Soon, I was the only one left. Only then did an employee quietly approach me. "Mr. Wilson, Miss Cole already paid the rush fee last night. She said that if you didn't show up tomorrow, the wedding would continue with Mr. Henderson in his backup suit for the reception activities. She didn't want your spot to be left empty." I simply stood there after hearing that. I even forgot to say thank you. That answer filled in every blank and settled every question I'd had. Benjamin hadn't been dragged into this as some last-minute joke. He had had his own place in my wedding all along. Chapter 4 When I got home from the bridal shop, my arm was still throbbing. The bleeding had stopped, but the bandage clung to my skin. Even the slightest movement tugged at the wound and sent a sharp sting through my arm. The living room lights were on, but the pictures on the wall had changed. The pre-wedding photo of Natalie and me that had once hung there was gone. In its place was a photo from the bar last night. Natalie and Benjamin stood together, holding up their marriage certificates. Benjamin wore a broad grin, while Natalie gazed at him with a smile in her eyes. Beneath it was a note from Veronica. [Backup photo for the wedding reception. Logan shouldn't mind, right?] I stood in the living room and stared at it for a long time. Everyone knew I'd mind. They just didn't care. Tears fell without warning. I raised a hand to wipe them away, but the more I wiped, the more they came. This was supposed to be the home Natalie and I would share after we got married. Yet as I stood there, I felt like someone who had wandered into someone else's home by mistake. A copy of the wedding schedule lay on the coffee table. After the groom's entrance, there was a segment titled "Childhood Sweetheart's Blessing." The notes read: [Benjamin enters through the side door in the white backup suit. Bride brings him onstage as a surprise.] I almost laughed. They hadn't even considered whether this little surprise might humiliate me. When I went into the bedroom to pack my things, I noticed another gift box on the nightstand. Inside was the boutonniere Benjamin was supposed to wear as a groomsman tomorrow. The card read: [The most special childhood sweetheart deserves to stand closest to the bride.] When Natalie came back, she still smelled like hospital disinfectant. The moment she saw me packing, her expression darkened. "Logan, are you done yet? You've already taken off the ring, said you wanted to break up, and now you're packing your bags. The wedding is tomorrow. Do you really have to drag everyone through all this?" I pushed the wedding schedule toward her. "Is this me causing trouble too?" Natalie glanced at it, and her brows drew together even tighter. "It's just something planned for the reception. Everyone's only doing it for fun. Can you stop taking everything so personally?" I raised my still-aching arm. "I got hurt today. You didn't even ask if I was okay." She rubbed her forehead with an impatient sigh. "Can't you take care of that little injury yourself? Benjamin was so scared he nearly passed out. What's wrong with me taking him to the hospital first?" I looked at her. "If he's still there tomorrow, I won't be." Natalie let out a cold laugh. "Are you threatening me with the wedding? The invitations have already gone out. Our relatives are already here. The hotel and wedding planner are booked. Logan, if you don't show up now, you're the one who's going to be embarrassed." The living room fell silent. I finally understood. She wasn't afraid I'd leave. She was certain I wouldn't dare. Just then, her phone rang. It was Benjamin. His voice sounded hoarse. "Natalie, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. My stomach still hurts a little. I probably overdid it with something cold earlier. Go comfort Logan. He's probably furious with you after today." Natalie immediately asked, "Where are you?" He lowered his voice. "At the hotel. I'm really fine. I'll tough it out on my own for a while." Natalie barely hesitated before she grabbed her car keys and headed for the door. I called after her, "Natalie." She stopped at the door, her voice already edged with annoyance. "What now?" I stared at her back. "If you leave today, I won't be there to marry you." She was silent for a few seconds, then spat, "Suit yourself." The door closed behind her. I pushed the box containing my wedding suit toward the door. Then I tore the wedding schedule in half and laid the pieces over the photo of Natalie and Benjamin holding their marriage certificates. I picked up my phone and messaged the wedding planner. [Keep the wedding tomorrow. Change the groom's name to Benjamin Henderson.] After I sent the message, I stared at the screen for a long time. Suddenly, it all seemed perfectly reasonable. There was no place for me in the wedding party. His birthday was engraved inside my engagement ring. The wedding suit had been altered to fit him. Their marriage photo had replaced ours as the welcome photo. Even everyone else thought Natalie and Benjamin looked more like a couple. If that was what they wanted, I'd give it to them. The wedding planner replied almost immediately. [Mr. Wilson, are you sure? Changing the groom's name requires confirmation.] I replied, [I'm sure. Congratulations to the happy couple.] The moment I sent it, two messages from Natalie popped up. Natalie: [Benjamin just fell asleep.] Natalie: [Stop this nonsense. I'll come back tomorrow morning and marry you.] I stared at the two messages, then turned off my phone, picked up my suitcase, and left the house.