The night before our wedding, my fiancée, Ava, was at her bachelorette party, locked in a passionate kiss with the ghost of her past. As if that wasn't enough of a thrill, they filmed it and blasted it all over their social media. Our friends and family were instantly in an uproar. By the time I saw it the next morning, the post had over 99 comments. Ava put on a show of feigned embarrassment. "I had a bit too much to drink last night... but what's done is done. Why don't we just roll with it? Let him take your place and marry me." She added, with a careless shrug, "Besides, we already have the marriage license. It’s not like one ceremony makes a difference." The hotel staff standing nearby stared, their jaws on the floor, clearly expecting me to explode. Instead, I just smiled, nodded, and agreed. A triumphant smirk played on Ava's lips. She commented that I’d finally learned my lesson, that I wasn’t going to make a scene about her and her old flame this time. But what she seemed to have forgotten was that the marriage certificate she’d given me years ago was a complete fake. … The moment I agreed to Ava’s request, she had me strip off my tuxedo. The hotel staff, moving with a surreal efficiency, began replacing the posters of me and Ava with new ones featuring her and Dylan. "Liam," she said, her voice soft and placating, "Dylan's parents have been hounding him to get married. Once we've put on this show for them, I promise I'll throw you a wedding even grander than this one. Okay?" I nodded, my eyes catching on the faint, crimson mark blooming on her neck. Ignoring the bewildered and pitying stares from everyone around me, I removed my tux and took a seat at a table reserved for the bride’s family. I had poured my heart and soul into planning this wedding, agonizing over every detail for months. The venue, the catering—everything was top-tier. I never imagined I was just preparing a dowry for another man. I downed a glass of bitter champagne, the irony a sharp taste in my mouth, and turned my gaze to the stage. Ava, radiant in a pristine white gown, her eyes glistening with tears, shared a deep, passionate kiss with Dylan as the crowd roared its approval. Suddenly, the champagne didn’t taste so bitter anymore. Maybe I was just numb. For years, I’d known about Dylan, the unforgettable ex she could never let go of. I had fought it, argued, raged—all to no avail. Each time, Ava would swear she was done with him, that she would never contact him again, only to find her way back into his orbit. Slowly, without me even realizing when it happened, the fight went out of me. I had convinced myself that once we were officially married, she would finally settle down. But here she was, giving away the very wedding I had begged her for, the one she finally, begrudgingly, agreed to. I drained the last of my glass and slipped out of the reception just before the toasts began. My phone rang almost immediately. It was Ava. “Liam, where did you go? The toasts are about to start.” “Dylan was even going to have a drink with you, to thank you.” Thank me? More like mock me. She knew perfectly well that Dylan and I were like oil and water. But she always cared more about his feelings, so she let him provoke me, time and time again. "I have something to take care of, so I left early," I said. “What could you possibly have to do? You... you’re not angry about the wedding, are you?” I let out a dry laugh. "Yeah, Ava. I'm angry." Her voice turned sharp, laced with ice. "Why are you like this now? A grown man, acting so petty and jealous all the time." "You should learn from Dylan. He's so understanding. He knows I'm your wife, yet he’s willing to risk being laughed at to have this ceremony with me.” There it was again. He was the one being laughed at? The joke was clearly on me. Before I could respond, I heard Dylan's smug voice in the background. "It's the least I could do, Ava, babe. I should be thanking you. The minute you heard my parents were on my case, you didn't hesitate to say you'd do this with me." “Oh, and thanks, Liam, my man, for putting all this together for us~” Hearing his voice, my hand clenched around my phone. I was no stranger to Ava’s favoritism. At our law firm, she insisted I address her formally as "Ms. Hayes" in front of colleagues. Yet, she let Dylan call her "Ava-baby" for all to hear. Three months ago, on a whim from Dylan, she had transferred a nearly-won case to him—a case I had spent weeks gathering crucial evidence for. Predictably, Dylan, with his stunning incompetence, managed to turn a sure victory into a losing battle. And just as predictably, Ava threw the mess back in my lap. “Liam, you know Dylan just started at the firm. We can’t let one case tarnish his future.” “Besides,” she’d continued, “you were the one handling it from the beginning. Now that it’s about to be lost, it’s only right that you take full responsibility.” “Look, you wanted a wedding, right? I’ll make it up to you. I'll give you a wedding after this is all over.” I never realized that "wedding" was intended for Dylan all along. When I didn't respond to Dylan's jibe, Ava’s patience snapped. “Liam, Dylan is talking to you. What are you doing, just standing there?” “You’re being so childish. Don’t make me yell at you on such a happy day!” A self-deprecating sneer touched my lips. "Right. My mistake. I'm sorry." Perhaps sensing the bleakness in my tone, Ava’s voice softened slightly. "Fine. It's not like your immaturity is anything new. We’ll leave it at that. We have to go make the rounds." "Oh, by the way," she added, "go home and pack a bag. Move out for a bit. There are going to be wedding night pranks later, and we can’t have Dylan’s parents seeing you there and blowing our cover." It was time to move out. After all, it wasn't my home anymore. “Did you hear me? Liam, I…” I cut her off, my voice eerily calm. "Ava, we're done." She paused, stunned, then her voice exploded with anger. "What did you just say, Liam? We have a marriage license! We're husband and wife! What do you mean, 'we're done'?" “I’m just pretending to marry Dylan! The certificate is in your hands! Are you really going to be so jealous that you’d say something like that to me?” Hearing that, I lost all will to argue. The years I had invested felt like a cosmic joke. A marriage license? She knew the truth about that piece of paper better than anyone. My silence must have seemed like surrender to her. "Look," she said, her tone shifting again. "I know you're just jealous and trying to get a reaction out of me by saying we should break up. But if you ever say that again, I'll be seriously angry. Just think of this as... a temporary break, okay?" "By the way, there's a really tricky case in Chicago that needs looking into. Why don't you head out there and start gathering evidence?" With that, she hung up. But just before the line went dead, I faintly heard her explaining to Dylan, "I haven't found anyone to take over his current cases yet. Once I do..." A wave of despair washed over me. So that's all I was to her? A tool? A cash cow? I worked myself to the bone, winning cases, and she took the money I earned to wine and dine Dylan. I remembered a year ago, my old scooter for commuting broke down. I asked her if she could help me get a new one. She bought me a second-hand bicycle, forcing me to pedal through the freezing winter to get to work. "The economy is rough right now, Liam. I don't have the spare cash. Just make do," she’d said. I’d arrive at the firm, my nose red and raw from the biting wind, only to see a brand-new Apollo sports car parked out front. It was then I realized the economy wasn’t the problem. The problem was that Ava had used the money I earned to buy Dylan a birthday present, all for the sake of seeing him smile. Shaking my head at the memory, I went home, packed a suitcase, and headed straight for the law firm. "Mr. Evans? Aren't you and Ms. Hayes at your wedding?" Everyone from the firm was at the ceremony, except for a young female intern. Coincidentally, she was the one I was mentoring. Or maybe it wasn't a coincidence at all. "You're mistaken," I said calmly, pulling out a resignation letter. "That's Ms. Hayes and Dylan's wedding. Not mine." Because Ava had always claimed I was a "partner" in the firm, we'd never signed a formal employment contract. It meant I could walk away whenever I wanted. The irony was staggering—a law firm operating on such legally dubious grounds. The intern stared, then understanding dawned in her eyes, followed by a flash of indignation. "Ms. Hayes has gone too far!" I managed a small smile, told her to keep up the good work, and walked out of the place I had dedicated years of my life to, without a second glance. But leaving didn't bring the relief I expected. A renowned lawyer, a name in the industry, with only three dollars and sixty-five cents to my name. No one would believe it if I told them. With a heavy sigh, I hesitated, then dialed a number from my college days. When my old friend heard I'd broken up with Ava, she was ecstatic. She immediately offered to drive down overnight, bring me to her firm in Westport, and make me a partner with shares. I told her not to go to such trouble. All I needed was two hundred dollars for a bus ticket. After years of taking the bus on business trips to save money, I was used to it. But her reaction was one of genuine heartache. She immediately transferred two million dollars into my account and told me to book the most expensive first-class flight for the next day. She said she was already on her way to the airport to wait for me. A bitter smile touched my lips, my mood sinking even lower. Such generosity. She was far more generous to me than Ava ever was. I spent the night in a hotel, scrolling through my phone. I saw a video Dylan had posted of the wedding night pranks, of Ava's unrestrained, joyous laughter. I silently gave it a 'like.' The next day, I boarded the first-class flight right on time. Shortly after we landed, as I was walking out of the airport, I heard a familiar voice. It was Dylan, his tone dripping with disbelief. "Liam? You're supposed to be in Chicago for that case. What are you doing, following us?" "So that's why you liked our video last night! You were planning this all along, weren't you!" he sneered. I turned to see Ava and Dylan, wedding rings on their fingers, hands intertwined, looking for all the world like a blissfully happy couple. They really did look perfect together. Seeing me, Ava looked exasperated. She let go of Dylan's hand and walked toward me. "Liam, we agreed to take a break for a while. I'm taking Dylan on a honeymoon now. It's the only way to completely convince his parents." "If you keep following me like this, you're just going to wear me out. Besides, didn't I give you a case to work on?" Dylan, scowling, pointed a finger at me. "Liam, I'm already being a good sport about you and Ava having a license together. Can't you be a bigger person and give us some private space?" "Why are you following us? What's next, are you going to watch us in bed too?" Seeing Dylan get angry, Ava rushed to soothe him, then turned back to me with a frown. "Alright, Liam, you've seen me. Now go home, okay? You know Dylan doesn't like you." Then, her eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute. Where did you get the money for a plane ticket? Did you have a secret stash of cash? You've got some nerve!" My face remained a calm mask. "First, I wasn't following you. Second, a friend bought me the ticket." Ava's patience wore thin. "Still lying? What friends do you even have in this city?" Dylan chimed in with a smirk. "The money... don't tell me you took out a loan, Liam?" At that, Ava reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "That's so embarrassing! I'll transfer you the money. Pay it back immediately. Don't let your personal loans affect the firm's reputation. Now get lost!" Looking at Ava's disgusted expression, I found the situation absurdly funny. When I first discovered the marriage certificate was a fake, I didn't expose her lie. I held onto a sliver of hope that one day, the fake could become real. It wasn't until she brought Dylan into our firm, until her favoritism became blatant and she spent all her time with him, that I finally understood. A fake is always just a fake. "I've transferred the money! Now get out of here, do you hear me?!" I was about to ignore her, but her words grew more vicious. Just as I was about to retort, another voice cut through the air. “Liam! I waited for you all night, my eyes are all swollen. You’re finally here.” "Who are they? Your ex-girlfriend? Didn't you say you two broke up?" I turned to see Claire, a friend I hadn't seen in years, striding towards us in a stunning designer dress. A smile finally broke through my grim expression as I walked over to her. Ava froze, her mind reeling, before the reality of the situation hit her. "You came here to see her?" A flicker of derision crossed Dylan's face. "Oh my god," he said in a singsong, malicious tone. "Is this the little mistress you've been keeping on the side, Liam?" The accusation struck a chord with Ava. She looked at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. "So that's why you wanted to break up with me! You found someone new!" "Liam, we were together for twelve years, married for ten! And you've been with another woman? How could you do this to me?" Dylan, his eyes shining with triumph, piled on. "Liam, how could you betray your pure, sacred love with Ava over something so small? You're such a disappointment. Ava, babe, let's go. I feel dirty just breathing the same air as a cheater like him!" I almost laughed out loud. The hypocrisy was breathtaking. Even if I had been cheating—which I hadn't—what right did they have to judge me? Ava didn't leave. Instead, she stormed over to Claire and slapped her hard across the face. "You homewrecking bitch! Didn't you know he has a wife?!" Reacting instantly, I shoved Ava away. "Ava, are you insane?!" Her eyes reddened with tears as she pointed a trembling finger at me. "Liam, you're yelling at me? You're pushing me? For her?" "Have you forgotten all the vows you made to me, the promises of forever?!" She had the audacity to bring up promises. I took a deep, steadying breath, bottling up my rage. "First," I said, my voice cold and level, "I am not cheating. Second, this is Claire. She's my friend from college. I came to Westport on business with her, and she's the one who lent me the money and bought the ticket." Ava let out a cold laugh. "College friend? You expect me to believe that?" "Believe what you want. Claire, let's go." I turned to leave with Claire, but Ava blocked my path. "Liam, if you dare walk away right now, I will fire you from the firm. You'll never work there again!" Before I could answer, Claire, it seemed, had had enough. "That would be perfect," she said sweetly, "Then Liam can officially become a partner at our firm." She punctuated the statement by pulling out a prepared partnership agreement. Ava's eyes flickered with uncertainty. In the next second, she grabbed the collar of my shirt, her voice a furious hiss. "Is what this woman saying true? You're going to be a partner at her firm?!" "Liam, you're going to jump ship over one little argument? I don't approve!" Dylan, a smirk playing on his lips, adopted a sanctimonious tone. "Exactly, Liam. You're a lawyer. How can you break the law yourself? You're in breach of contract. You'll have to pay us a fortune if you leave now." Claire shot back instantly. "Whatever it costs, our firm will pay it!" A small smile touched my lips. "There's nothing to pay. I never signed an employment contract with them." "Ava," I said, meeting her gaze, "since there's no contract, I don't need your approval. In fact, if I wanted to make this a legal issue, you're the ones who..." My words were cut off by Ava's choked cry, her eyes filled with a look of profound disappointment. "Liam, I was so wrong about you." "If you're so determined to leave," she said, her voice flat, as if she were sure I wouldn't dare, "then let's get a divorce." It was her favorite tactic, a weapon she'd used against me for years. In the past, I would have begged her not to. Now, I couldn't, even if I wanted to. You can't divorce someone you were never married to in the first place. I shook my head. A flicker of relief crossed Ava's face, but it vanished as I pulled the two fake marriage certificates from my bag. "We were never married. How can we get a divorce?" For a split second, panic flashed in Ava's eyes. Then, as if a dark thought occurred to her, her expression hardened.
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