Chapter 4 — The Groom Swap on Wedding Day

I offered him a gentle smile, signaling that the matter had been completely resolved. That evening, Kevin drove me back to the place I called home. Originally, Chloe and I had each contributed half to purchase this modest apartment, but I no longer intended to spend the rest of my life sharing a roof with him. Moving forward, I would retain a professional attorney to handle the fair division of our shared real estate. Throughout the drive, Kevin and I continued to discuss our plans. Between the savings we each held and the generous support of our respective parents, we would have more than enough to make a substantial down payment on a school-district home right in the heart of the city. As we openly communicated through a multitude of concerns, the distance between our hearts steadily vanished. With an expression of profound sincerity, Kevin spoke my name. My heart swelled with anticipation, though a bittersweet urge to mock myself lingered in the background.

When the car pulled up beneath my apartment building, a familiar figure loomed in the dim light. It was Chloe. He had always prided himself on his fastidious cleanliness, yet tonight his hair was disheveled and his clothes were in utter disarray. His right eye was horribly bruised and swollen. When the master of ceremonies had demanded a ten-thousand-dollar penalty fee at the reception, one could only imagine how many beatings Chloe had endured as a result. A deep sense of vindication washed over me. Upon hearing the approach of the engine, Chloe staggered to his feet. The moment he realized it was me, he lunged forward, desperate to close the distance. My parents immediately stepped in to block his path. Exhausted from standing all day, my father nevertheless fixed him with a stern, warning glare.

Chloe, you know full well what despicable actions you committed tonight. How dare you still have the shamelessness to show your face before us!

Chloe pleaded desperately, Father, Mother, I was merely out of my mind! Won’t the two of you give me just one more chance?

His gaze then shifted to Kevin, and his countenance contorted with rage. Damn it, Kevin! I knew all along you harbored malicious intentions, yet you actually had the audacity to poach my woman right from under my nose!

Kevin countered without hesitation, Chloe is not a piece of property belonging to you. She simply exercised her right to choose a different path.

Furious beyond measure and entirely stripped of reason, Chloe lunged wildly, attempting to strike Kevin. I stepped swiftly in front of Kevin and delivered two sharp, resounding slaps across Chloe’s face. Have you lost your mind, Chloe? Have you not caused enough chaos for one night?

Chloe froze in utter shock. He clutched his burning cheek, staring at me as if I had grown a second head. My expression remained entirely devoid of emotion. Suddenly recalling something, Chloe reached out to grab my hand, but I deftly stepped aside, avoiding his touch entirely. He begged me relentlessly, Zetian, I have already given Elena a severe reprimand and thoroughly severed all ties with her! That exorbitant eighty-eight-thousand-dollar demand for a change of address fee was nothing more than her own delusional daydream.

Could you truly bear to cast away three years of our lives over a single misunderstanding?

Is our love really so fragile that it shatters at the slightest touch?

I stared at him in cold silence. In that fleeting moment, my heart was a tangled knot of complex emotions. After three years together, even if one were raising a common farm animal, an attachment would naturally form, let alone a genuine, committed relationship. There was lingering anger, a profound sense of unfairness, and undeniable sorrow. Yet, not a single shred of regret existed within me! I answered him with absolute candor, Yes, one incident is more than enough!

Chloe stood paralyzed. I explained in a measured, serious tone, You knew perfectly well how deeply I cherished the idea of our wedding, and how much heart I poured into its planning. Yet, you still chose to indulge Elena and allowed her to humiliate me with that outrageous fee for a change of title.

Yes, Elena is both foolish and avaricious.

But when all is said and done, it was you who condoned her attempt to establish dominance and crush my spirit from the very beginning.

You simply wished to test the absolute limits of my patience and tolerance toward you, didn't you?

Stammering clumsily, Chloe attempted to defend himself, I never intended anything of the sort. He desperately tried to reassure me, Zetian, do you remember what I told you in the past? You are not merely my romantic partner, but my savior. I vowed to cherish you for the rest of my days.

I have already lost both of my parents.

Could it be that in the end, even you intend to abandon me?

When appeals to reason failed, he instinctively resorted to emotional manipulation. Had this happened when love still bound us, my heart surely would have ached for him. Alas, my chest remained utterly unmoved. Every syllable I uttered was laced with sharp accusation, Is the way you treat your beloved partner and savior to subject her to public humiliation while simultaneously dismissing her as cheap goods?

In an instant, every trace of color drained completely from Chloe’s face. His lips parted and quivered as he desperately searched for words of excuse. Yet deep down inside, he knew all too well that those cruel words had indeed crossed his own lips. Too weary to entangle myself in his pathetic excuses any longer, I delivered a final, decisive blow, As for the apartment, I will have my attorney contact you to settle the legalities.

Chloe made a final move to block my path. Kevin firmly shoved him backward, sending him crashing heavily onto the ground in a pathetic heap. As I walked away, I heard the broken sound of Chloe’s voice crying out in sheer despair, How on earth did things ever come to this...

Back inside the apartment, my parents expressed their tender concern, asking how everything had been handled. I recounted the entire sequence of events honestly, though my gaze occasionally drifted toward Kevin, who stood nearby looking somewhat awkward. After all, on our supposed wedding night, he was forced to return home alone to an empty room. A sharp pinch, akin to an insect bite, tugged gently at my heart, carrying a subtle wave of awkwardness.

As I saw Kevin out the door, I offered a sincere apology, Did tonight’s arrangement make you feel aggrieved or wronged in any way?

Kevin shook his head so vigorously it resembled a rattling drum. Far from harboring any resentment, he puffed out his chest with an air of proud, puppy-like exuberance and declared, From my perspective, tonight was nothing short of a blessing bestowed by the heavens.

I let out an involuntary snort of laughter. After a brief, quiet pause, I finally voiced the question that had lingered in my mind for years, Did you harbor feelings for me long before all of this?

Without a moment's hesitation, Kevin nodded firmly, Yes. Then, his expression grew slightly melancholic, Zetian, I have been in love with you since we were children.