1: 1

At the party before the wedding, everyone was playing the game where you say something you've done that no one else has.

Sebastian Henson's female buddy went first.

"I've kept a pair of Sebastian's boxer briefs, you know."

Every face in the room froze, and awkwardly folded down one finger.

I looked at Sebastian, waiting for him to give me an explanation.

But he didn't even glance at me. He grinned and reached over to pinch Jill Fox's cheek.

"Ah, so that's it. I remember thinking after that time I drank at your place, something felt off when I left."

"Did you at least wash them? Or did you just keep them like that?"

"Oh please, I figured you're about to get married and probably won't get to crash at my place anymore, so I kept them as a souvenir."

Jill giggled and burrowed into his arms.

Not forgetting to turn and raise her eyebrows at me.

"It was that night, your fifth anniversary. Sebastian drank too much with me. I was afraid the little idiot would wet himself, so I helped him off with them."

"It's just a pair of underwear. Surely his wife-to-be isn't so petty?"

……

Sebastian acted like he couldn't see a single thing wrong with any of it.

He faked being annoyed, tightened his arm around Jill's neck, and started tickling her ribs.

"Don't talk nonsense. Since when can I not hold my liquor? You're the one who couldn't get your own bra unhooked. I had to do it for you."

Jill squirmed against his chest, laughing as she cursed him.

"Quit showing off. And who was so drunk he couldn't even aim into the toilet, huh? Your big daddy here had to hold it for you, or you'd have pissed all over the floor."

"Don't believe me? Go ahead and smell my hand, the smell's still on it."

The private room erupted in laughter.

Someone noticed my face had changed and jumped in to smooth things over.

"Don't be upset, hon. Jill's been a tomboy since she was little. We all just treat her like one of the guys. There's really nothing between her and Seb, or you wouldn't be the one becoming the bride, right?"

"Exactly. What's the harm in buddies keeping a little keepsake? It's such a small thing, hon, it's not worth pulling a face over."

Buddies again.

The day of my and Sebastian's fifth anniversary.

I'd booked the hotel and the candlelit dinner half a month in advance, and I waited from seven that evening until the restaurant closed at midnight.

He never showed. He wouldn't pick up his phone either.

He came back the next day reeking of alcohol, and only then said Jill had gotten dumped and called him out to drink.

When I confronted him, he frowned, put out.

"Thelma Sullivan, yes, you're my fiancée, but I can't just abandon my buddies for you, can I?"

"There's an anniversary every year. Jill was in a bad place. What if she'd had too much and done something stupid to herself? Could you have lived with that? Don't be so unreasonable!"

But ever since Jill came back to the country, we hadn't celebrated our anniversary for three years running.

She could always find an excuse to call Sebastian away.

As if once you had the title of buddy.

Anything they did could be forgiven.

A server came in to change the trash can liner. Inside was the vomit from Sebastian drinking too fast earlier.

I let out a soft laugh, grabbed Jill by the hair, and shoved her head down into the trash can.

By the time anyone reacted, Jill's face was a horror, giving off a sickening stench.

She shrieked and ran for the restroom outside, and Sebastian shoved me hard.

"Thelma, are you out of your damn mind?!"

I looked at him, dripping with scorn.

"What? Doesn't she love your smell so much?"

"Underwear's nothing. Now this is the real deal."

Sebastian shot me a vicious glare.

"We'll settle this later!"

He ignored the streak of blood his ring had scraped across my shoulder and rushed off to look after Jill.

It was probably the first time they'd seen me lose my temper, so no one else dared say a word for the moment.

I couldn't be bothered to stay any longer, and just grabbed my bag and left.

I'd barely reached the street when Sebastian called.

"Thelma, where'd you run off to now? You bullied Jill until she cried. Get back here and apologize to her right now!"

"She brought it on herself, acting like a bitch. Why on earth should I apologize?"

Sebastian must have had it on speaker.

Before he could get another word out, the others piled on, one after another.

"Hon, isn't this a bit much? Jill's known Seb way longer than you. We've all been friends for years. You hit her, but it's Seb's face you're slapping."

"Right, getting jealous over every little thing. Seb, the wedding's in six days. If you can't lay down the law now, who's ever going to dare come out with you again?"

Sebastian's voice was displeased too.

"Thelma, I've told you eight hundred times, Jill and I are just good buddies. Otherwise, would you be the one marrying me?"

"Do you really have to embarrass me in front of everyone? Jill never kills the mood like this……"

"Sebastian, this is the ninety-ninth time you've picked a fight with me over her."

I cut him off, calm.

"Last April Fools', she slipped a venomous snake into my bag. I nearly lost my life, and you said she was only joking, told me not to be such a bad sport."

"And on our engagement day, she pranked my parents with a trick cup, sprayed pepper water and cream all over them. My mom had an allergic reaction and was rushed to the hospital, and you said she was just trying to liven things up, told me not to be so small-minded."

"But don't forget, when your family hit financial trouble and was on the brink of bankruptcy, it was my Sullivan family who stepped up and pulled you through. Two years in a row we handed over most of our own sure-profit projects to you. Where were your precious buddies then?"

"Since your buddies matter so much, let's break up."

2: 2

The moment I said it, I hung up.

A second later my phone lit up with message after message.

I opened the chat and my eyes went wide.

Sebastian had actually posted my private photos into the group.

His so-called brothers piled on at once, crude and gleeful:

【Whoa, so his wife's got a body like that? Seb, you lucky dog~~】

【Dying, she was acting all cold and untouchable a minute ago, turns out she has moments this embarrassing~】

Jill sent a laugh-crying emoji and tagged Sebastian:

【Fine, kid, you've got loyalty. Seeing how sorry your girl looks, Daddy won't be mad anymore.】

Only then did Sebastian slowly delete the photos and blow a kiss.

I was shaking with rage and called him to demand an answer.

He answered like it was nothing:

"You humiliated Jilly so badly just now and wouldn't even apologize. This was the only way I could cheer her up."

"Did you ever stop to think how I'm supposed to face anyone after this?"

He paused, and a note of irritation crept in:

"I'm your fiancé, and even I don't mind, so what's the big deal?"

"Besides, I already deleted them, didn't I? I even blurred your face. Relax, everyone's brothers here, nobody's going to spread it."

"All right, I'm taking Jilly home first. I'll be back later."

I set the phone down and let out a bitter laugh.

Laughing at myself for being stupid enough, a minute ago, to think those messages meant he'd realized his mistake.

That he was reaching out to make things right.

I didn't call a car. I chose to walk home, telling myself it would clear my head.

By the time I reached the gate of my complex it was already two in the morning, and only the guard booth still had its light on.

I was about to head in when the guard on duty stopped me.

He looked me up and down and gave a sleazy grin:

"You're the owner in Unit 1702, Building A3, right? Even prettier than your photos. So this is the line of work you're in."

"Lucky me, I've been lonely a long time. How about you keep me company? I'll pay."

I studied his face and didn't recognize it, a new hire probably, one who didn't know me.

I frowned. "Watch your mouth. Move, or I'm calling the police."

He wasn't the least bit scared. He grabbed my wrist and waved his phone screen at me, filthy about it.

"Quit the act. If you're not in that line, why'd you have someone post pictures like these in the local dating group? You even put your address up there."

"Bet you bought this place off selling yourself too. Seeing how nice you look, I'll throw in another hundred. Deal?"

Only then did I see it: Jill had actually forwarded that photo to a local dating group of nearly a thousand people.

The man's greasy mouth came at my face. In a panic I drove my knee hard into his crotch.

The second he doubled over and let go, I spun and ran for the road. He came after me, cursing.

The first person I called was Sebastian.

The line rang more than ten seconds before it connected.

"Yeah, what now?"

I couldn't spare a thought for the impatience in his voice and rushed out:

"Sebastian, where are you? The new guard's trying to assault me—"

Before I could finish, Jill's snide voice came through:

"Your little tigress checking up on you again? She'll even tell a lie like that. These young girls really do have all the tricks."

"Forget it, forget it, just go home. Worst case I'll make my own hangover smoothie so she doesn't get jealous again, I really can't afford that. Sigh, my boy's all grown up, got himself a girl and forgot his daddy~"

"Don't push it. You can't even cook instant ramen. You'll burn your hand and come crying to me."

By the time Sebastian remembered I was on the line, his voice was thick with irritation:

"Thelma, are you ever going to stop? You upset Jilly so much she drank herself sick. If I don't make her some hangover smoothie, her stomach's going to hurt."

"All day long, suspicious of everything, like some lunatic. I've told you, Jilly and I are just close buddies. What's it got to do with you otherwise?"

"Enough. I don't have time to play along with your drama. Go to sleep!"

The call ended without a moment's hesitation.

The guard caught up and slapped me hard across the face.

"You bitch, you dare hit me? Still playing innocent for Daddy?"

"Trash like you, God knows how many men have had you. Me being willing to do business with you, that's me doing you a favor!"

My head struck the wall, and heat rushed out of my forehead as the world blacked in and out.

The man was dragging me toward the little alley off to the side.

Then, from far off, came the sound of fast footsteps and a furious roar:

"Let her go!!!!"

The person who saved me wasn't Sebastian. It was a few college kids just back from the KTV.

The guard was hauled off and handed to the police, and I went to the hospital alone to get the wound bandaged.

All night long, Sebastian never called again.

And never came home.

It wasn't until the next morning that he heard about it from the property office.

When he came in, there was, for once, a trace of guilt in his eyes.

"Lala, thank God you're okay."

"Jilly's account got hacked last night. By the time she changed the password and logged back in, your photos had already leaked, but she deleted them right away."

"I know you're angry, and I'm apologizing to you on her behalf, but the whole thing was an accident. You can't blame her—"

3: 3

I gave a mocking little laugh.

"A mix-up? A hacker who somehow knows which complex I live in, which building, which floor? What a coincidence."

"Sebastian, I said it clearly last night. You can cover for her with no limits if you want, but I'm not obligated to. Cancel the wedding. We're done."

Sebastian froze, then flushed with anger. "I already told you, Jill had no idea. And nothing even happened to you. Do you really have to blow this out of proportion?"

"Instead of blaming an innocent person, you should ask yourself whether you're just hard to get along with, whether you offended someone. Otherwise why would they only forward your photos and not hers?"

"The wedding is five days away. The invitations are already out. You call it off now, and even if you have no shame, the Hensons do!"

Something seemed to occur to him, and he sneered.

"Thelma, we all move in the same circles here in L.A., and in this circle reputation is everything. If you break off the engagement right before the wedding for no reason, aren't you afraid you'll ruin your parents' name, that no one will ever dare do business with the Sullivans again? My advice is to quit while you're ahead."

Before I could answer, Jill called him on video.

"Sonny, we're here, why aren't you down yet? You promised you'd come pick out my dress with me today. If you dare stand me up, then your daddy here won't show up at your wedding."

Sebastian panicked at once. "No, no, if you're not there my wedding might as well not happen. Wait, I'm coming right now."

I watched him head for the door and asked, "Weren't we supposed to go pick out the party favors for the guests together today?"

Sebastian paused, then frowned.

"It's a small thing. You can handle it yourself."

"Oh, right. The others don't matter, but Jill's my buddy. Her party favor has to be something valuable, something that really hits the mark."

"I sent you the pictures of that jewelry set she likes. Go buy it today so we can surprise her at the wedding. You pay for it. Consider it your apology to her."

He'd been gone only a few minutes.

Then Jill updated her socials: 【Look at the treatment my best buddy gives me!】

On the passenger seat that used to be mine alone, there was now a decal in fancy lettering.

【Queen Jilly's reserved seat. No bitches allowed.】

At the same time, Sebastian sent over the pictures of that jewelry set Jill liked.

I glanced at it and laughed.

I'd never once heard of a groom having his bride prepare a surprise for one of his female buddies at his own wedding.

A diamond necklace with a rock the size of a pigeon's egg, close to ten million. The nerve of him, to even ask.

Since he was so set on having this wedding, I'd let him have it.

I wanted to see exactly who ended up humiliated.

I opened that familiar profile picture and sent over the wedding venue and time.

【Didn't you say you wanted to marry me?】

【I'm giving you the chance.】

……

That evening, my best friend Serena called.

She said she'd booked a private room and gathered a few of the girls to throw me a bachelorette party.

Partway through, one of the girls came back from the restroom and sat down next to me with a strange look on her face, murmuring, "Thel, I think I just saw your fiancé Sebastian in the room next door."

"I don't know if he's drunk or if he mistook Jill for you… the two of them looked pretty close. You should go check."

Serena was sitting close and heard it.

The two of us exchanged a glance, told the others to keep drinking, and slipped out with an excuse.

When we reached the door of the next room, we found it left ajar.

And what was going on inside was far past close.

The girl had only put it delicately to save me face.

Jill was sitting on Sebastian's lap, her new dress half off, the two of them locked in a kiss neither wanted to break.

They didn't come apart for a full five minutes, and when they did, they were both flushed and breathless.

His buddies whooped and egged them on.

"Damn, there's a string of spit between you two. If that tigress Thelma were here, no telling how furious she'd be, hahaha…"

"Tch, we only left her alone yesterday for Seb's sake. Doesn't she know Jill always comes first with him? Who does she think she is, going after Jill?"

"Right. Ever since she came along, we've had to talk in a separate group every time. So annoying."

I gave a self-mocking laugh. So they'd never accepted me at all.

Someone looked over at Sebastian. "Seb, you really planning to give the wedding ring to Jill and put a fake one on Thelma? Aren't you worried she'll be pissed when she finds out?"

Jill toyed with the diamond ring on her finger and scoffed.

"Worried about what? It's been like this every time before, and that idiot still gets coaxed right back into line, doesn't she?"

"My good boy Sebby said it himself. His money is all meant for daddy here. A certain tigress only deserves a ten-dollar knockoff~"