Hot Swapping My Husbands

Synopsis

The day I went to the city hall with Yverson Guerin was the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. There were only forty-eight hours left before my mom's ultimatum: "If you don't bring home a husband, don't even think about stepping through the door." For him, I skipped out on friends' get-togethers and passed up a promotion at work, just to make sure he had something warm to eat when he was stuck working late. My mom said I'd lost my mind. But I'd already been on eighteen blind dates, and honestly, I was exhausted. Yverson was number eighteen, and he was good-looking. I really thought he was the one. Right before the official seal was about to be stamped on our marriage certificate, Yverson's phone rang. It was his childhood friend—the one who always says she's depressed—standing out in the cold on the rooftop for half an hour. Yverson's expression shifted dramatically. He pushed his chair back and stood up. Yverson said, "Vivian's having a rough time right now. You're an adult, you should understand." "We'll get the certificate on this same day after the New Year. Just trust me, alright?" He left me standing there, facing the awkward looks from the staff and the blatant pointing fingers and gossip from everyone around. My phone buzzed with a follow-up text from him: "Don't throw a fit. The wedding's pushed back two weeks. I have to stick with her." I stared at the date on the screen, but for once, I didn't freak out like I usually did. I took a deep breath and scrolled through my contacts, pulling up the number I'd labeled as "Match #1." The staff member asked carefully, "Ma'am, are you still going to use your slot today?" I fired off a quick text message. Then I looked up, keeping my cool, and said, "Yes, we're still going ahead. Just wait a bit—the groom will be here soon." My phone screen lit up with an instant reply. Just one word: "Coming." ***** Ten minutes later, a man in a black coat stepped inside.