I Swapped the Bride at His Wedding

1: 1

On her first day back in the country, my best friend was drinking herself into a mess over her first love.

It's been three years, and I still can't forget him.

But he's getting married next week. Tell me, should I steal him back?

She was saying it to me, but her eyes slid past me to the man at my side.

Luke James swirled his glass lazily, though the hand resting on his knee was clenched tight.

I opened my mouth to speak, and a few lines of onscreen comments drifted past my eyes.

This dumb side-character is actually comforting her? Her boyfriend's staring at the female lead so hard the look could pull threads.

The male lead only stayed with her three years to wait for this day. First love's backwho wants the stand-in now?

After tonight's drinks, first love takes her place and the tool girl can get lost.

I froze where I sat.

Meeting her hopeful eyes, I smiled.

"No need to steal him."

1.

The moment I said it, they both looked at me at almost the same time.

Displeasure flickered in Eleanor Winfield's eyes. "Margot Henson, what's that supposed to mean?"

"We've been sisters for years. Don't you want me to be happy?"

When I didn't answer, she turned, and using the drink as cover, grabbed Luke's tie.

The distance between them closed in an instant.

"If she won't say it, then you say it."

"Should I steal you back, Luke James?"

She leaned hard on his name, drawing it out on purpose.

That was when the comments started scrolling like mad.

Kiss her already! The leads have missed each other for yearswhat are they waiting for!

Nothing beats true love, I'm so here for it!

Why is the side-character still there? Can't she see he only stayed with her to keep tabs on the female lead?

When their eyes met, I watched Luke's throat bob, clearly fighting for control.

I remembered how, every time we parted before, my page would light up over and over with his visits.

I'd thought he was just clingy, wanting to keep track of every little thing I did.

Now I understood. It was never about me.

Eleanor pulled the tie tighter, and only when they were about to press together did Luke push her away.

"You've had too much to drink!"

But Eleanor wouldn't let it go.

"I'm not drunk. You're the ones getting married. What's wrong with me just wanting back what's mine?"

"You two owe me a straight answer tonight."

Luke's face tightened for a second. He said nothing.

The truth was, I already knew he carried an ex he couldn't forget.

He'd tried to kill himself for her, and for her, he'd swallowed his pride and admitted he was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family.

What I hadn't known was that the woman was Eleanor.

Luke had never let slip so much as a word of it to me.

I had no interest in watching any more. I picked up the drink in front of me and downed it in one go.

"What I mean is, you don't have to steal him. She'll hand him back to you."

He clearly went still, but on reflex he still caught Eleanor as she swayed beside him.

Eleanor wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and threw herself at me, delighted.

"You mean it? No taking it back now."

I nodded.

Before I could say the words, never taking it back, Luke cut me off.

He frowned and wrapped his suit jacket around Eleanor, numb with alcohol.

"She's drunk and doesn't know what she's saying. Why are you playing along with this nonsense?"

"Let's call it a night. I have to head back to the office anyway, so I can drop her off on the way."

He settled Eleanor gently behind the passenger seat.

Only then did he turn back to me.

"Don't read into it. I'm only helping because she's your best friend."

He stood there, probably still waiting for me to lose my temper at him.

But he seemed to have forgotten he didn't know Eleanor's address. I'd never told him, so how could he possibly know it was on the way.

An excuse full of holes. I no longer cared.

I smiled. "It's fine. What you want to do is your own business."

2: 2

2.

It was two in the morning before I finally got a cab.

My phone buzzed. A message from Eleanor.

Margot, thank you for the encouragement. I've decided to get back together with him.

He said he never forgot me, he only hated that I looked down on him for being poor. Now he's rich, and the misunderstanding between us is cleared up.

I leaned back against the seat and typed one word: Congratulations.

Whatever happened between them, it was none of my business now.

Back home, I curled into a corner of the couch and scrolled through our old posts.

Every entry in our private best-friends account was a record of our lives together.

Before Eleanor went abroad, she'd cried in my arms.

Tell me, how can a guy with a face and a body like that be flat broke?

He found out this morning I was leaving and practically got on his knees begging me to stay.

I know he loves me. But love doesn't put food on the table.

She didn't know back then that the poor boy had already become the heir to a wealthy family, all because of her.

While she was abroad, we video-called, chatted, shared each other's lives.

And I posted all of it on my social media.

It was those posts that led Luke James to me.

My account was full of his visits.

Every video that had anything to do with Eleanor, he'd liked it too.

I thought he liked me. So after two months of dating online, we met in person and became a couple.

Right as I was thinking it, a text from Luke popped up.

Not coming home tonight. Don't wait up.

It was the first time he'd stayed out all night.

The onscreen comments drifted past again.

The male and female leads are finally back together.

The side chick better not stir up trouble again. Just let the lead come home.

Can we please stop getting in the way of the leads making a baby.

I ignored the comments, tossed my phone aside, and fell into a heavy sleep.

Near noon I was woken by Eleanor's call.

Girl, dinner tonight, my treat, for both of you. Consider it an early celebration for your wedding. Do me the honor?

I hesitated for two seconds, then agreed to go.

The two of them got to the restaurant before me.

By the time I walked in, the food was already on the table.

Eleanor had her head resting easily on Luke's shoulder, the picture of quiet contentment.

If Margot knew about us, do you think she'd be upset?

Luke turned his head away, his expression unreadable.

Stop it. She can't find out about us.

His tone was as firm as the day he proposed to me.

That day he got down on one knee and slid the ring onto my finger.

Once it's on, you don't take it off. You're mine for the rest of your life.

Barely six months later, and everything had already turned upside down.

I took a deep breath, picked up my bag, and walked over to sit across from them.

Only then did Eleanor straighten up.

My blood sugar dropped a little just now, so I borrowed your boyfriend's shoulder for a bit. Don't read into it.

She gave Luke a little push as she said it.

Why don't you go sit over there with Margot?

Before he could get up, I cut in.

No need. I still have to put my bag down over here.

Eleanor shrugged and lifted the drink in front of her.

Margot, congratulations. You're getting married soon.

She drank it down in one go, then hesitated before speaking again.

Actually, there's another thing I wanted your okay on tonight.

My mom knows I'm back and keeps forcing me to go on blind dates, so I lied and said I already have a boyfriend.

As she said it, she instinctively glanced at Luke beside her.

But I don't know a soul here. I was hoping Luke could pretend to be my boyfriend, just to get my mom off my back. Would that be okay?

Your Luke already agreed a minute ago.

The onscreen comments came flying again.

Poor baby lead, having to make up a reason just to get the male lead to meet the family.

She's definitely going to say no again. A vicious side chick through and through.

I picked up a piece of shrimp and put it in my mouth, ignoring Luke's darkening face, and agreed on the spot.

Sure. Just make it convincing.

3: 3

3.

The smile spread across Eleanor's face in an instant. "I knew my girl was the best. Don't worry, I'll keep a good eye on him for you."

Luke scowled through the entire meal.

I didn't understand what had gotten into him.

It wasn't until the server brought the bill that he finally looked up and paid.

"Sir, we've got a promotion today. Scan the code and leave a review, and there's a gift for you. Your wife will love it."

With perfect tact, he handed the gift slip to Eleanor.

Eleanor took it without missing a beat. "I'll take this one, then!"

Luke bent his head and scanned the code without a word.

The whole time, no one denied anything. No one explained anything.

The moment we got home, Luke pinned me against the door with one hand, everything about him aggressive.

"When did my wife get so generous, handing me off like that?"

I had no idea what had lit this fire in him, and I shoved him off.

"You agreed too."

He stood in the entryway, silent for a few seconds.

"I told her I'd go because you said yes. I thought you'd refuse."

Luke pressed his lips together and looked at me. After a long moment, he let out a soft laugh.

"It doesn't matter. I'm only playing her boyfriend for one day, and we're getting married soon. I have all the time in the world to make sure you only care about me."

I listened to the sweet words come out of him so easily, and felt nothing.

This man had been putting on an act for more than a day or two, after all.

Otherwise he'd never have kept me so completely in the dark.

I curved my lips, slipped the ring off my hand, and set it on the table.

"Whether you want to say yes is something you already know. Don't push it off on me."

"Here. I'm giving this back."

Luke's face went dark at once. "What's that supposed to mean? She's your best friend. Can you stop making a scene?"

His eyes fell on the ring, and just as he was about to ask something, his phone rang.

It was Eleanor's dedicated ringtone. I had it set on my phone too.

He glanced at the screen and didn't press any further.

"Margot, something's come up. I have to go out. I probably won't be back tonight."

"Oh, and Ellie's hometown is pretty far. This might take a while, but I'll be back before the wedding."

I nodded and watched him leave.

A flood of comments went streaming past.

Don't tell me the second lead is still dreaming about marrying the male lead.

If she knew the female lead was going to crash the wedding, she'd probably hide away and cry for days.

Serves her right. Who told her to be so clueless and shove her way in between them.

The next second, Eleanor's call came through.

"Margot, you knew all along that Luke was my ex, didn't you?"

"I know the two of you are getting married. I shouldn't have said anything."

"But I regret what happened back then. I can't forget him, and he still has me in his heart."

She paused, her voice thick with tears.

"You'll never be happy with a man who doesn't love you. Can't you let us be together?"

After a brief silence, I said flatly,

"Sure. I'll let you have him."

On the other end, Eleanor was startled for a moment. "You... you mean it?"

"I mean it."

Only we aren't friends anymore either.

4: 4

4.

I looked around the apartment, and everything Luke and I had shared here only stung more the longer I stared at it.

In the end I couldn't hold back. I decided to erase every trace of us.

The matching pajamas, the matching mugs, the framed photo on the nightstand, everything he'd ever given me, all of it went into the trash.

The things that were actually mine came to almost nothing.

Once I'd cleared it all away, I sat on the couch and scrolled through my phone.

For the two days Eleanor had Luke at her family's place, she'd made a point of starting a group chat, just the three of us.

Train tickets, photos together, she posted all of it.

On the last day, Eleanor updated her social media with pictures of Luke and her whole family.

The caption: My boyfriend, meeting the parents. Mom and Dad love him. So happy!

I quietly liked it, and Luke messaged me right away.

"Babe, her mom and dad insisted on the photo. I couldn't really say no."

"They've got all kinds of local specialties here. I'll bring some back for you, okay?"

I typed back whatever and turned the phone off.

Fifty miles, that was all, and it took them a full three days to make it back, the day before the wedding.

Luke got home in the small hours of the morning.

He pulled me into his arms. "Margot, that best friend of yours is a harder sell than you are. I'm not signing up for a job like that again."

"They say the groom and bride aren't supposed to see each other before the wedding, but I missed you too much. I came back just to see you."

The words grated on me. I twisted out of his arms and put some distance between us.

He didn't get upset. He just kept smiling.

"You're still mad about the whole pretending-to-be-someone's-boyfriend thing, aren't you?"

"She didn't have a choice either. And she even wrote me a wedding speech. It's really good. Once I've got it memorized, I'll read it to you tomorrow."

The onscreen comments wouldn't leave me alone.

Feel so bad for the male lead. Running all the way back just to smooth things over so the second female lead doesn't wreck the wedding.

At least tomorrow the female lead crashes the wedding and takes it back. Total power-fantasy stuff.

Waiting for the second female lead to eat dirt.

Under my breath I muttered, "Then congratulations on the marriage."

He didn't catch it. He leaned in close and bent his head down.

"What?"

Before I could repeat it, his special ringtone went off again.

The second he pressed answer, Eleanor's voice came through.

"Luke, I've had too much to drink, I feel awful. Can you come get me?"

Luke straightened up instantly, his voice all worry. "Stay right where you are and wait for me. I'm coming."

He hung up, his face full of guilt.

"Margot, something's happened with Ellie. Let me go help her. Call it a thank-you for the wedding speech she wrote us."

"I'll see you at the wedding tomorrow."

He pressed a quick kiss to my forehead and rushed out.

No need. I won't be your bride.

I didn't put the ring back on, and he had no idea I was leaving tomorrow.

He only had to glance around the apartment to see that all my things were gone.

A shame. He missed it.

On the wedding day, nearly every important name in New York turned out, and the whole ballroom was done up in the grandest style.

First thing in the morning, Luke texted me.

"Margot, I'm finally going to marry you."

The ceremony began.

Luke stood at the front in a black suit, his eyes fixed on that carved door, unable to look away.

Something about me these last few days had felt off to him, though he couldn't say what.

The moment the doors opened, the whole room held its breath.

The white gown trailed three yards behind her, sewn all over with tiny diamonds. Luke had designed it himself.

She came toward the front, step by step, dragging the train.

The spotlight hit her face, and only then did Luke recognize his own mother.

"Why is it you?"