Liam Davies, Ashley Wilson, and I grew up together, a close trio. Liam and Ashley had always been at odds, arguing the moment they saw each other. Then Liam became my fiancé, and Ashley became my best friend. A week before Liam and my wedding, I scrolled past a post online. The bride’s back in the photo, and that wedding dress, looked eerily familiar. The caption read: 【I had this dress before her, and I had him first. After all these years, I finally won against her, just once.】 【Ms. Miller, I’m so sorry. The wedding dress won’t be ready until tomorrow; some details still need adjustment.】 Reading the message from the studio, I clicked on that picture from the post again. I zoomed in. The diamond arrangement on the skirt was my design. An hour earlier, Liam had messaged me: 【Chloe, sorry, something came up. I can’t go with you to pick up the dress today.】 Ashley: 【So sorry, Chloe, I have a last-minute appointment today. Can’t help you with the fitting.】 Why was everyone apologizing to me first thing in the morning? I shook my head, trying to dismiss those far-fetched suspicions. Under the post, a comment was pinned: 【Even if it’s just her back, you can tell they’re a perfect match, right?! Childhood sweethearts, girls, if you both love him, you should fight for him!】 I replied beneath it: 【Why would you need to fight for it if you both love each other? Just curious, dying for the full story.】 That evening, Liam and Ashley showed up together. Bickering as usual. “What kind of fiancé are you? You said you’d go with Chloe to pick up the dress. What could be more important than that?” “What about you? You said you’d help her with the fitting, but you disappeared too!” I watched these two people I’d grown up with, one my fiancé, the other my best friend. That post… maybe it was just a coincidence. “Alright, you two. You fight every time you meet. Haven’t you gotten tired of it after all these years?” I feigned a headache. They exchanged a glance, a slight smile playing on their lips. My heart felt a chill right to my core. “The studio said it’ll be ready tomorrow, so it’s fine today.” “Still, we broke our promise. Let’s go out for dinner. To make it up to you, dinner’s on me.” Ashley suggested. “On you? Don’t always try to steal my thunder.” “If anyone’s apologizing, it should be me first.” Liam rolled his eyes at her. He got a playful tap on the shoulder, or rather, a lingering touch on his neck. I saw him freeze. A blush spread across Ashley’s face. “Ashley, what’s wrong? Why is your face so red? Are you not feeling well?” I asked, concerned. “Oh, it’s nothing, nothing. Let’s go.” At the restaurant, Liam and I sat on one side, Ashley sat opposite me. After she came back from the restroom, she naturally sat across from Liam. His hand froze as he reached for my plate, and under the table, Liam’s leg brushed against hers, a subtle, shared signal. Ashley’s expression was delighted. She had a bit too much to drink and insisted on sleeping over at my place. When we arrived, Liam looked at a slurring Ashley, his brows furrowed. “Chloe, maybe I should just take her home. Look at the state she’s in, she’ll just disrupt your sleep.” I nodded. “Drive carefully then.” After washing up, my comment had a reply. 【The three of us grew up together, but I spent more time with him. We were always like a bickering couple. But she liked him too, and he, out of a life-saving debt, promised himself to her. I could only silently bless their union. He couldn’t bear to see me hurt, so he brought her custom-designed wedding dress for me to wear first, giving me an unconventional wedding, just for the two of us. I’m already so content. Tonight is even our wedding night.】 Attached was a picture showing four legs poking out from under the duvet. The nail polish on the feet was a style I’d picked out for her.
The comment section was absolutely wild, shipping them hard, even giving her all sorts of advice. 【Don’t let love slip away like this! Happiness must be fought for. Forget being engaged, even if they were married, they can still divorce!】 【A life-saving debt shouldn’t be confused with love, be brave and make the male lead realize what he’s missing.】 【How about we live stream you stopping the wedding? ~】 【+1!】 Reply: 【Oh no! She’s my best friend too. I can’t betray her for a guy. Honestly, she’s more important to me than he is! As long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters~】 【I feel so bad for her, it’s true, the quiet ones never get what they want. Those who understand are crying】 … I remembered playing house in the local park when we were kids. Liam said he wanted me to be his bride. Ashley immediately burst into tears. “No, no! I want to be your bride!” Liam said: “Then both of you can be my brides.” This earned a chuckle from the adults watching. I tried to FaceTime Liam, but he quickly hung up. An hour later, he messaged me: 【Chloe, she’s drunk and disorderly, threw up everywhere. I just finished cleaning up after her.】 Soon, that post was updated again. Sharing a wave of wedding night sweetness. 【After tonight, I have no regrets. I’ll stand on the same stage as you, as a bridesmaid. Wishing you, wishing them, eternal happiness!】 Those words and photos made me dry heave instantly, but the comment section was a different scene entirely. 【Ugh, imagining this, it’s so heartbreaking. Watching your loved one marry your best friend up close, and still having to smile and wish them well.】 【I think the guy should be braver, break off the engagement with the other woman, and marry the blogger.】 【It’s also possible that the other woman isn’t someone to mess with; maybe the blogger and the guy are afraid to take the risk.】 【I hate people who force things like this. You can’t force love. And the blogger puts her first, but she only thinks of herself.】 They jumped to conclusions, and the discussion intensified, painting me as some evil antagonist. Why? Ashley’s father had once been caught up in a huge scandal, and my dad pulled every string, gathered evidence from all sides to clear his name. That period was the darkest phase of her life. I took her into my home, we ate and slept together, I comforted and reassured her. I told her every update my father had immediately. Liam even complained that I’d been neglecting him for Ashley for a long time. “Can you get your priorities straight? Look at the situation right now.” After sending Liam away, she hugged me, crying hysterically: “Chloe… how can you be so good? Without you, I don’t know what I would do. If Liam ever dares to treat you badly, I’ll be the first to go after him.” Twenty years of friendship, and she had two faces. Saying blessings and support to my face, but behind my back, she was a total snake. I felt a chill right to my core. The next day, I went to pick up my wedding dress. “Why are there two diamonds missing here?” The staff exchanged uneasy glances. One of them, a timid young woman, finally spoke up, her voice barely a whisper: “Mr. Davies said this design was better.” I immediately called Liam and asked him to come over. He looked at the wedding dress, a flicker of panic in his eyes. “Chloe, why did you come to pick it up yourself?” “There are two diamonds missing here. They said it was your idea?” My tone was flat. “Ah, yes. I thought it would be simpler, less cluttered.” “Then why didn’t you tell me?” “It was Ash—” Liam caught himself, stopping just in time.
“Chloe, are you mad?” I shook my head. “I just think it’s bad luck, like it’s damaged.” “No, it’s not!” His voice was a bit loud, then softened. “Chloe, don’t overthink it. The wedding is almost here. We’ll be officially together soon. Aren’t you happy?” I stroked the wedding dress, not answering him. No matter how much effort I’d put into it, something that had been “used” by someone else, I couldn’t want it anymore. With the wedding drawing near, Ashley’s account updates became more frequent. A countdown series to the wedding. Countdown: Day Five. 【Today he made me my favorite sandwich. She’s never even had it. If I can’t be the only one, then I’ll be the first.】 The picture showed Liam, apron on, busy in the kitchen. I once asked him to cook for me, and he repeatedly refused: “Your princess palate is too refined for my cooking.” Countdown: Day Four. 【He gave her the title, but he gave me that special diamond ring, the one people buy when they swear their one true love. Find me in the next life with this keepsake.】 The picture showed Liam kissing the diamond ring on her ring finger. Even with the blur, the tenderness in that moment was undeniable. 【I can’t take this anymore, can you two just be together? Let’s get a petition going, thousands of us, telling her to let you two be together!】 【Let’s make it happen!】 【Count me in.】 Reply: 【She loves him a lot too. I can’t bear to hurt her, or our years of friendship.】 【But she hurt you, girl! Her silence as the one who benefits is just as bad, no excuses!】 【Exactly! If it comes down to it, let’s all chip in and make her disappear! Ahhh, don’t call me evil, I just can’t stand seeing such a wonderful girl denied her happiness.】(Author liked this comment) 【Seconded.】 Reading these comments, I felt like I’d fallen into an ice pit. If they truly loved each other, they could have just told me. Though it would hurt, I knew what was more important. I could have stepped aside gracefully. But they chose such a low and malicious way to stab me in the back. After I calmed down, I saved all the content. Scrolling further back, it turned out Liam had already been with Ashley three years ago when she was traveling the world. Her photos often showed a blurry half-shoulder, and the reflection of a man in her sunglasses. There were also videos that looked like they were shot from a boyfriend’s perspective. Back then, she’d said love wasn’t important in her world; she valued freedom more. She claimed those people were just fellow travelers she met along the way. At the same time, Liam was on assignment at the European branch of his company. I was completely blind. Three years, and I had no idea. If the algorithm hadn’t led me to her burner account… Countdown: Day Three. I reconfirmed the schedule and details with the wedding planner. Liam glanced at his phone, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. “Chloe, I’m afraid you’ll have to stay here alone.” “I’m heading back to the office to deal with something.” Before I could reply, he walked out with a light step. “Liam!” He turned back, looking puzzled. “There are only three days left. There are some details you need to know; I can’t manage them alone.” He smiled, giving me a thumbs-up. “You can do it. Just update me later.” Liam might have forgotten. When his family, once prominent in public service, had shifted to entrepreneurship, they were targeted by an old rival. Realizing the danger, he dragged me, running frantically through the endless night. In my panic, I instinctively looked back and saw someone pull out a gun. In a split second, I lunged, shielding his back. Fortunately, the shooter wasn’t very good, and the bullet only hit my shoulder blade. But that bone-deep pain, I’d never forget, not as long as I lived.
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