Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English | NEW
Synopsis
During a game of King's Cup, my best friend, Vanessa, drew the Joker.
She flashed a sweet smile. "I choose the King of Spades to be my boyfriend for the next three months!"
"Wait, is this a reward or a punishment?" someone laughed. "Except for Liam and Chloe, everyone here is single!"
Vanessa glanced at Liam, her eyes brimming with confidence. "Where’s the fun if we don’t push the boundaries?"
Everyone looked down at their cards. Nobody spoke up.
"Who’s got the King of Spades? Don’t be shy!"
Vanessa asked, but her gaze was locked dead on Liam.
A second later, Liam raised his card—the King of Spades.
The room erupted into wild cheers and whistles.
Vanessa strutted over to him, tilting her chin up provocatively. "Well, Liam? Are you man enough to be my boyfriend for three months?"
"That’s really not..." I started, my voice tight.
Liam didn’t even hesitate.
"Sure! Why the hell not?"
I stared at him in utter disbelief. "Liam, we’re getting married in three months!"
"Exactly. Three months. It won’t get in the way of our wedding."
Liam frowned at me, as if my objection was ruining everyone's good time.
"Come on, Chloe, it’s just a game. Don’t be such a buzzkill," Vanessa chimed in, slipping her hand effortlessly into Liam’s. "Don’t worry, babe. I’ll keep a close eye on your fiancé for you. I promise to hand him back in one piece three months from now!"
The crowd jumped in, laughing along:
"Relax, Chloe! It’s just ninety days. Liam is head over heels for you; he’s not going anywhere!"
"Yeah, he’ll be standing right at the altar, guaranteed!"
I looked at their intertwined fingers. Slowly, I nodded.
"Fine."
If you two want to play your dirty little game... go ahead.
The second I agreed, the room exploded with cheers. "What a cool girl!" "Liam, you hit the jackpot!"
Immediately, the crowd began egging on the "new couple" to act the part.
"Love shot! Take a love shot!"
Someone shoved two full glasses into their hands.
Vanessa held hers up, flashing Liam a coy grin. "Well, boyfriend? Bottoms up."
Liam gave a low chuckle, hooked his arm through hers without a moment's hesitation, and drank the whole glass down.
The room went completely berserk.
"Hell yeah! That's what I'm talking about!"
"One more! One more!"
The entire time, I sat in the corner of the leather sofa like a ghost, watching them finish their drinks. Even after the glasses were empty, their arms remained wrapped around each other.
A heavy, suffocating knot tightened in my chest.
I had prayed he would say no.
Even a half-hearted, polite refusal would have meant something.
He didn't even flinch.
Only after wiping his mouth did Liam finally look over at me.
My face was stone-cold. His eyebrows immediately knitted together.
"Chloe, outside. Now."
He dragged me into the hallway.
"What is that look on your face?"
Liam's tone was sharp with irritation. "You agreed to it, so stop throwing a fit. Everyone’s in there watching. You’re making this completely embarrassing for me."
I stared at him, my voice dangerously steady.
"And when you two were wrapping your arms around each other, did you give a damn about how embarrassing it was for me?"
Liam scowled. "It’s a party game! Are you seriously making a scene over this? It’s just alcohol from our own glasses, it’s not like we swapped spit! Besides, you said yes. Stop ruining the vibe."
The door swung open, and Vanessa leaned against the doorframe, watching us with an amused smirk.
"Chloe, relax. It's just harmless fun. I’m your best friend—you really think I’d screw you over?"
She strolled up and naturally hooked her arm through Liam’s. "Come on, Liam. Everyone’s waiting for us."Liam shot me a dismissive look, turned on his heel, and followed Vanessa back into the lounge.
I stood alone in the dimly lit hallway for a moment, took a deep, shaky breath, and followed them back inside.
Just when I thought an arms-locked drink was as trashy as it could get, they managed to stoop lower.
"Spaghetti dare! Two people, one noodle, race to the middle!"
Someone had actually called the server to bring out an uncooked strand of spaghetti.
Vanessa’s eyes sparkled. "Oh, this is going to be good!"
"Couples only for this one!" someone shouted.
Vanessa immediately swiveled to Liam, arching an eyebrow. "What do you say, boyfriend? Up for it?"
A couple of people in the room finally seemed to realize this was crossing the line and tried to laugh it off.
"Come on, guys, that’s a bit much. Isn't that something you save for the reception games...?"
"Even better!" Vanessa laughed, unapologetic. "Think of it as practice. I’m just breaking Liam in so he doesn't embarrass Chloe at the altar."
She shot a playful wink my way. "Watch closely, Chloe. Take notes from me so you know what to do on your big day."
With that, she clamped one end of the pasta between her teeth and leaned toward Liam.
A few people noticed the dead silence radiating from my corner, and the laughter started dying down.
I stared at Liam with a blank face, still holding onto the pathetic hope that he would finally put a stop to it.
The very next second, he leaned in and bit the other end.
"Whoaaaa!"
The room erupted into an absolute frenzy, louder than a stadium crowd after a winning touchdown.
They began nibbling toward the center, their faces inching closer and closer.
The chanting reached a deafening roar.
"Faster! Faster!"
"Almost there!"
I watched their lips draw nearer until barely a millimeter of pasta remained. Suddenly, someone shoved Vanessa from behind.
Her lips slammed directly onto Liam’s.
For a split second, someone might as well have pressed pause on the entire room. Then it exploded.
"Holy shit!"
"They kissed! They actually kissed!"
Shouts, wolf whistles, and people slamming their palms against tables echoed through the room.
Vanessa feigned embarrassment, burying her face into Liam’s chest with a flushed giggle.
Liam froze for a beat.
Then he grinned, threw an arm casually around her shoulders, and waved off the crowd. "Alright, alright, that’s enough, you animals."
He just kept his arm around her.
Right in front of me.
In front of everyone we knew.
I stood up.
Nobody noticed.
I grabbed my purse.
Nobody looked.
I pushed the door open and walked out into the corridor. Still, no one cared.
Behind me, Vanessa’s breathy giggle drifted through the closing door: "You guys are terrible—"
The heavy mahogany door shut out the noise, plunging the hallway into absolute silence.
I stepped into the elevator. As the reflective doors slid shut, I saw my own face.
No tears.
No expression at all.
It was nearly eleven by the time I got back to the apartment. I slipped off my heels and sat on the living room sofa, staring blankly ahead.
My phone screen lit up, dimmed, lit up, and dimmed again. Not a single message.
Over an hour later, the deadbolt clicked.
Liam and Vanessa walked in, side by side.
"Chloe? Why did you sneak off early?"
Vanessa asked the second she stepped inside. "You aren't actually mad, are you? It was just a game. Someone pushed me, it’s not like I meant to kiss him."
Liam’s forehead creased with annoyance. "Storming off like that made things super awkward for everyone."
I held my glass of water, looking up at him.
"Awkward?"
"Yeah," he kicked off his shoes and walked in. "You walked out on a room full of our friends. Where does that leave my reputation?"I wanted to scream: When Vanessa asked you to be her boyfriend for three months, did you give a damn about my reputation?
When you jumped at the chance without hesitating, did you care how humiliated I was?
When you two drank arms-locked, when your lips met, when you held her in your arms—
Did either of you give a single damn about me?
I swallowed the words.
Because I knew arguing was completely useless.
The last time we went to a work dinner, Vanessa sat directly on Liam's lap, claiming there "weren't enough chairs." When I told her it wasn't appropriate, Liam snapped that I was making a mountain out of a molehill.
The time before that, at a friend's birthday party, Vanessa asked Liam to peel her shrimp. He peeled an entire bowl for her while I ate alone.
When we got home and I told him it hurt my feelings, Liam scoffed, saying Vanessa was single and my best friend, so what was wrong with looking after her?
And the time before that, Vanessa got wasted at a bar, and Liam carried her bridal-style all the way up to her hotel room.
When I asked why someone else couldn't carry her, he snapped that Vanessa had specifically asked for him, and he couldn't just leave her on the pavement.
He’d always twist it, asking why I was so insecure around my own best friend, lecturing me about how modern women shouldn't tear each other down, asking why I always had to compete with Vanessa.
Every single time I felt hurt, Liam branded me as "dramatic" and claimed I was "embarrassing him."
Every single time, I was the one who was "petty," the one who "couldn't take a joke."
"You're right. I shouldn't have just walked out."
I should have slapped both of you across the face right then and there.
I gave a dry, indifferent response and turned toward the bedroom.
"Hey, Chloe," Vanessa purred, stepping in front of me with a saccharine smile.
"Since I'm Liam's girlfriend now, we should commit to the bit, right? Don't you think it makes more sense for me to stay in the master bedroom with him?"
I froze, turning my eyes to Liam.
"You think I should give up my room to Vanessa, too?"
Liam's eyes flickered, but he nodded anyway.
"Vanessa has a point. She's technically my girlfriend right now; it doesn't look right for her to crash on a couch or stay in a motel. Why don't you pack a bag and stay with your parents for these three months? You can move back in once the game is over."
I stared at his casual, entitled face, and suddenly, he looked like a total stranger.
"Fine."
That was the only word I gave him. I turned around, walked into the bedroom, dragged out two suitcases, and shoved my clothes inside.
As for the rest of my toiletries and personal items—I didn't want them anymore. Since Vanessa loved my leftovers so much, she could choke on them.
Liam leaned against the doorframe, watching me pack without offering a single finger of help.
"Just crash at your folks' place for a bit. On the wedding day, wait for me at home. I'll come pick you up in the limo."
The wedding day?
There isn't going to be a wedding.
Still, I couldn't go home to my parents at this hour.
At half past midnight, I rolled my suitcases out the door, checked into a cheap boutique hotel nearby, and planned to break the news of the canceled engagement to my family the next morning.
The next day, just as I was getting ready to check out, my mom FaceTime’d me.
I picked up.
The background was a sterile hospital room—my grandmother's room.
"Chloe, sweetie! Your grandma hasn't seen you in weeks, she really wanted to see your face!"
My mom handed the phone over. Grandma looked so much more frail and sunken than the last time I visited.
After barely two minutes of talking, her breathing grew shallow and tired.
My mom took the phone back and stepped into the corridor before speaking in a low whisper: "The cancer is progressing, Chloe. The doctors told us... she doesn't have much time left."
She sighed, a brief flicker of comfort crossing her tired face. "Thank God you're getting married in three months. At least your grandma will get to see you in a white dress. She can leave this world with a smile."
My hand clamped around the handle of my suitcase, my throat burning.
Grandma loved me more than anyone in the world. If she found out I called off the wedding...
Noticing my silence, my mom asked hesitantly, "Chloe? Is... is everything okay? Did you and Liam get into a fight?"
"No!" I forced out, my voice cracking slightly. "Don't worry, Mom. Everything's fine. Grandma's going to see me walk down the aisle in three months. I promise."After hanging up the call, I took a long, ragged breath and sent Liam a message on SnapChat.
Chloe: [Today is the final dress fitting. We booked it a month ago, don't forget.]
About thirty minutes later, Liam sent back a lazy [OK].
We had reserved our slot at the bridal salon a month ago, right after our formal engagement party. Liam had spent the entire afternoon browsing catalogs with me before settling on this boutique.
Back then, he had held my hand and whispered that when he saw me walking toward him in that dress, he’d probably break down in tears.
Looking back now, those promises were as weightless as dust, scattered by the first light breeze.
When I arrived at the boutique, Liam wasn't there yet.
The bridal consultant recognized me immediately and greeted me with a warm smile. "Ms. Hayes! Your custom gown just arrived this morning. Right this way, please."
"I'd like to wait for my fiancé to get here first."
"Of course, take your time."
I sat in the waiting lounge, looking at the display mannequin.
It was breathtaking.
A month ago, I had spent hours flipping through sketches before choosing this exact silhouette. I genuinely believed that the day I put it on, I would be the happiest woman alive.
After half an hour, the boutique’s glass doors swung open.
Liam walked in.
Vanessa was trailing right behind him.
I was taken aback for a second, but rationalized it quickly—Vanessa was supposed to be my maid of honor. It made sense for her to try on her dress too.
"Let's get this over with," Liam muttered, walking straight toward the fitting suites.
The consultant led us into the private VIP suite.
The wedding gown was draped on a central velvet stand, its skirt cascading down like an ocean of white silk.
Vanessa’s eyes lit up the moment she saw it. "Oh my god, it’s gorgeous!"
"Mr. Parker, Ms. Hayes, both the bridal gown and the bridesmaid dress are ready. Shall we have the bride try on the gown first?" the consultant asked cheerfully.
"Sure—" I began.
Before I could take a step, Vanessa was already gliding toward the white gown.
"Hold on," I snapped. "That's the wedding dress. The bridesmaid rack is on the left."
Vanessa turned around, blinking at me as if I were the crazy one. "I know. I'm trying on the wedding dress."
"You're trying on the wedding dress?"
Even the consultant stared at us in utter shock.
I couldn't believe what was coming out of her mouth. "That is *my* wedding dress."
"Well..."
Vanessa tilted her head, putting on her trademark innocent pout. "Right now, *I'm* Liam's girlfriend. If this is a dress rehearsal for his wedding, obviously I should be the one trying it on."
She turned to Liam, tugging his sleeve playfully. "Right, Liam?"
I shifted my eyes to Liam.
His brows pulled together, clearly debating how to smooth this over.
"Liam," I said, cold and clear. "Tell her who is trying on that dress."
Liam shifted uncomfortably, glanced between the two of us, and finally gave Vanessa a quick nod. "Go ahead. Try it on."
In that exact moment, the ground beneath me felt like it dissolved into a sick, twisted nightmare.
"Liam, do you even hear yourself?"
My voice trembled with raw disbelief. "This is *my* wedding dress. For *our* wedding."
"Does it really matter whose dress it is? You and Vanessa have almost the exact same measurements. Having her try it on saves you the hassle," Liam snapped, his patience completely gone. "It looks the same on either of you anyway."
Vanessa flashed me a sickeningly sweet smile. "Chloe, why don't you try on the bridesmaid dress instead? Don't worry, once I put the gown on, I'll let you know if the waist needs altering."
The consultant beside us threw me a look filled with pity and horrified second-hand embarrassment.
"Don't bother."
I drew in a deep, shivering breath, my voice dropping into an eerily calm register. I looked straight at Liam. "The wedding is off. There's no point anymore."
Chapters (4)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Watch & Promotions
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