The Replacement Groom

Chapter 3

Lily was still standing there. I ignored her, turned on my computer, and prepared to reprint the ruined documents.

My phone suddenly lit up with a message from Ethan.

Ethan: Claire, if you don't apologize to Lily before the wedding, you can walk down the aisle alone. I'd like to see how you plan to have a wedding without me.

Ethan: Your parents have been looking forward to our wedding for a long time. Is something this small really worth disappointing them too?

I muted my phone and placed it facedown on the desk.

A threat only works when you still care about the person making it.

Once you stop caring, the message is just another unwanted text.

The wedding was booked at Evermere Church on the east side, a place my mother had chosen.

She had told me, "Your dad married me here. You should get married here too."

At 9:00 a.m. on the wedding day, I finished putting on my wedding dress and stood in front of the mirror for a moment.

My phone buzzed on the vanity. I checked it and saw a post from Ethan's friend, Ryan Cole.

Somebody's about to put on quite a show at the church today. I'm going to watch.

The photo showed the entrance to Evermere Church. Ryan was giving the camera a thumbs-up, and his location tag made the place obvious.

The comments were full of laughing reactions.

A: [Did the bride run, or did the groom not show?]

I put my phone down, grabbed my bag, and left.

Ryan sat in the last row with one leg crossed over the other, holding his phone high and aiming the camera toward the aisle. Two other groomsmen had come with him.

The moment I walked into Evermere Church, Ryan clicked his tongue and shouted across the room.

"Well, future Mrs. Morgan, have you figured out how you're going to apologize to Lily?"

The entire room went silent, everyone waiting for the show.

I smiled. "How many times do I have to say I'm not apologizing? Do I need to spell it out for you?"

Ryan smirked. "Come on, future Mrs. Morgan. Stop making a scene. Ethan said he'll come as soon as you apologize. You used to do whatever Ethan told you."

The groomsman beside him nodded along.

"Exactly. You're the one in the wrong here. Marriage is about learning when to give in."

I almost laughed. 'So learning when to give in means I'm always the one who has to give in.'

Ryan nudged the groomsman who had spoken and lowered his voice.

"She's all bark and no bite. She does whatever Ethan says. She's as meek as a lamb around him."

He grew more animated as he went on. "Remember that time they were supposed to sign the marriage papers? Ethan and future Mrs. Morgan had an appointment at the clerk's office, but the second they got there, Lily called him away. Claire sat there the entire day. By the time Ethan came back, the clerk's office was closed."

I had never told anyone about that day. I had no idea his friends had turned it into a joke.

The day Ethan and I were supposed to sign the marriage papers, Lily had called him crying because she was scared inside an escape room. Ethan hung up and left me there.

I waited until the clerk's office closed. Finally, I saw Lily's Status post.

The photo showed two cups of coffee side by side. The caption read:

Thanks to a certain someone for spending the whole afternoon with me.

I looked straight at Ryan and slapped him hard across the cheek. "Enough. I used to let you get away with things for Ethan's sake. I don't have to anymore. And this is my wedding. Get out before I call security."

Ryan froze. He pointed at me, too shocked to get the words out properly.

"Y-you... Just you wait. I'm telling Ethan to dump you, you psycho..."

I smiled and waved over security.

"Stop acting like Ethan's word is law. I don't need him anymore. Get out."

Less than 2 minutes after Ryan was thrown out, Ethan arrived holding Lily's hand.

There was amusement in his voice.

"Claire, it's 9:40. Without me as the groom, who exactly are you going to marry? You'd better get on your knees and apologize to Lily and Ryan right now. Otherwise, I'm not forgiving you."

The brazen confidence on his face made me sick.

"Don't bother. Take these pests with you and get out."

Ethan's voice sharpened with anger.

"What the hell do you mean? Without me, who are you going to marry?"

Lily tugged at his sleeve, her voice syrupy sweet.

"Oh, Ethan, you know what Claire is like. She's just mad at you. She personally approved the venue, the invitations, and the dress. She put so much work into this wedding. She would never ruin it. If she won't apologize, then forget it. It's your wedding too, Ethan. I don't want you to be embarrassed."

A smug note crept into Ethan's voice.

"Hear that, Claire? Look how generous Lily is. Why can't you learn from her? Apologize and stop wasting everyone's time."

I had no interest in arguing with him. I signaled to security, ready to have them removed.

"Listen carefully, Ethan. The wedding is still happening today. You're just not the groom."

Ryan sneered. "If it isn't Ethan, then who is it?"

A deep voice answered from behind us. "Me."