Chapter 1

Georgia Rowe's eightieth birthday was a month of chaos for me. I'd been busy preparing for it for a whole month.

When it was time for the family photo, Georgia walked right past me and slipped the family heirloom bracelet onto my best friend, Charlotte Lane.

"You and Ethan have been married for a year. This bracelet should've gone to my granddaughter-in-law ages ago," Georgia said.

I froze.

Ethan Rowe's parents didn't correct her. Instead, they smiled and pulled Charlotte right up next to him.

Even my brother, Thomas Reed, shoved the camera into my hands. "The old Mrs. Rowe is happy today. Don't fuss about it today. Take the family photo for us."

Right before the shutter clicked, Charlotte snuggled up to Ethan.

Everyone else had their spot, and nobody left a spot for me.

After the family shooting ended, I asked Ethan what his grandmother meant by that.

Ethan paused, his face tense, then finally confessed, "Charlotte and I got registered last night. Grandma only counts the legal wife, but you still get the wedding. You don't need to compete for everything."

*****

Charlotte took off the bracelet and handed it to me. "If you like it so much, take it. I'm already Ethan's wife. I don't need to fight you over things like this."

Lowering my head, I flipped through the photos on my camera.

Over the past year, at every Christmas Eve, Thanksgiving Day, and family dinner, Charlotte was always by Ethan's side. Thomas, my parents, and Ethan's parents were all there, too.

I took every single photo. I'd been the one taking their family photos for seven years and didn't realize until now: it wasn't that the camera couldn't fit me in, but that no one ever thought I belonged there.

*****

I made sure no one left after the party. I had Ethan, Charlotte, Thomas, and both sets of parents stay in the banquet hall.

"Since Mrs. Rowe said you two have been married for a year, let's get this out in the open," I said.

Ethan's expression darkened.

His parents exchanged a glance, but it was Thomas who finally broke the silence. "I was the one driving them to the City Hall. I took their marriage certificate photo, too. Both families held a dinner for them that night."

I stared at the family photo on the table.

In the picture, Charlotte was wearing the bracelet, holding onto Ethan's arm, while I wasn't even in the shot.

Thomas said that the day they got married was the same day Ethan and I had planned to go try on wedding dresses together.

That morning, Ethan told me that he had a sudden work emergency and couldn't come with me to the bridal shop.

I ended up waiting there alone for five hours straight. I tried on every dress in the store, from the first to the very last.

The shop assistant asked if I wanted to call my fiancé, but I told her that he was busy.

I kept wondering if I'd pushed him too hard, or maybe I was the reason he felt so tired. But he never even went to the office that day.

He was holding Charlotte's hand, getting their marriage certificate photo taken at the City Hall.

I turned to Ethan, fixing my gaze on him. "Why did everyone help cover this up?" I asked.

My mother's eyes reddened. She said, "Charlotte lost her parents early, so we've always treated her almost like our own daughter.

"She never had a real home. All these years, her biggest wish was to stay by Ethan's side, openly and rightfully."

She reached out and took Charlotte's hand as she said, "All she has is a marriage certificate. But you've had seven years with Ethan, and you're still getting a grand wedding.

"In the end, you'll be the one living with him. So what did you lose?"

I almost laughed out loud. So in their eyes, marriage wasn't about identity or commitment but was something they could divide up and give away as they pleased.

Charlotte took off the bracelet and handed it to me. "Olivia, if this is too much for you, I can skip your wedding. I'll give you the bracelet back, too.

"After all, I'm already Ethan's wife, so I won't take anything else from you." As she spoke, she started to slip off her ring, her fingers trembling.

Ethan quickly caught her hand, stopped her, and said, "You're my legal wife. Why should you back out now? No one can take away who you are because of a wedding."

He turned to face me. "Olivia, Charlotte's already stepped aside for you so many times. What more do you want? What else do you want?"

I stared at his familiar face.

Seven years ago, he confessed his love to me in the university auditorium. He once said that a marriage certificate was a formality, and what mattered was that he loved me.

But now, he was using that same piece of paper to tell me who counts as his wife.

Soon, the Rowe family's lawyer pulled out a document. "This is an agreement signed by both families," the lawyer explained.

I flipped it open. Inside, only three things were written: [First: Charlotte Lane is Ethan Rowe's one and only legal wife.

[Second: The wedding Olivia Reed attends is for show and doesn't mean Ethan Rowe and Olivia Reed have been married. Third: After the ceremony, Olivia Reed is not allowed to call herself "Mrs. Rowe".]

Ethan handed me the pen. "Charlotte even gave up her own wedding for you. Isn't that enough? What more do you want?"

I stared at the signature line at the bottom of the document. [Ceremonial Bride: Olivia Reed]

Everyone was waiting for me to give in. They thought that if they made my role sound pathetic enough, I'd give in because I couldn't bear to lose Ethan.

I didn't argue anymore. With a numb heart, I picked up the pen and signed my name under "Ceremonial Bride."

Ethan looked visibly relieved.

My mother came over and patted my shoulder. "That's my good girl. Charlotte won't get in the way of your relationship. The wedding is still yours."

Everyone thought I'd accepted this arrangement.

Back in my room, I pulled up the invitation for the company's overseas documentary project.

It was a project I'd wanted to be a part of for three years. It meant living overseas for two years, filming and organizing a collection of rare family memories.

I had already turned it down once because I was planning to marry Ethan. The project lead kept the spot open for me until midnight.

I stared at the email, then typed out a reply: [I accept this assignment.]

The date that I needed to be onboard was exactly the afternoon of our wedding.