He Let My Bestie Test Our Marriage, So I Married His Brother Chapter 01

My fiancé, Dylan Sterling, had a habit.

Whenever he planned a surprise for me, he let my best friend, Jade Quinn, try it out first.

He said Jade had known me for fifteen years. Nobody understood my tastes better.

So on my birthday, he blew out the candles with her before I ever saw the cake.

She said the cake was too sweet.

By the time Dylan ordered a replacement and brought it to me, midnight had already passed.

When he proposed, he slipped the ring onto Jade’s finger first, too. She rehearsed the entire proposal with him. By the time it was my turn, he could barely summon any enthusiasm.

When I complained, he just frowned.

“Jade’s only testing things for you. You’re still the one I’m marrying. Stop making a big deal out of it.”

Then came the day we were supposed to get married at the courthouse.

Naturally, Jade came along.

We were almost next when Dylan patted his pockets.

“Left my phone in the car.”

He handed me the keys with a grin. “Mind grabbing it for me, future Mrs. Sterling?”

I couldn’t help smiling as I took the keys.

But when I returned with his phone, Jade was holding up a marriage certificate with a smug little smile.

“Guess I smiled too much in our wedding photo.”

Dylan’s smile faltered when he saw me.

“Back already?”

Then he hurried to explain.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. We just went through the ceremony as a rehearsal. I’ll get the marriage annulled and marry you properly.”

Jade glanced at the certificate, her tone light.

“Did you forget? We already signed the papers. It takes time to get an annulment finalized.”

Dylan’s brows knitted together. He caught my hand.

“I didn’t think this through. Can we postpone our wedding until everything’s sorted out?”

Slowly, I pulled away and placed my engagement ring in his palm.

“No, Dylan.”

“I don’t want to marry you anymore.”

***

Jade was the first to chase me outside. She grabbed my arm.

“Ellie, don’t be mad. We were going to rehearse everything and stop before the last step. Neither of us had done it before. We didn’t realize…”

Dylan pulled my hand toward him and pushed the ring back over my knuckle.

“Don’t say you won’t marry me just because you’re angry. I’ve put so much into this. You’re the only woman I want as Mrs. Sterling.”

There it was again.

Jade crossed a line. Dylan soothed me. I went quiet.

And somehow, that meant everything was settled.

After enough years of this, even my forgiveness had become the final step in their little routine.

Jade stacked the two marriage certificates and casually slipped them into her purse.

“Well, we’re legally married now, and we’re still going to your parents’ place tonight, right? Might as well let me test-drive meeting the in-laws, too.”

She turned to Dylan and held out her hand as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

“If we’re putting on a show, we should do it properly.”

Dylan glanced at her bare fingers. Then he turned, slid the slightly-too-small ring off mine, and slipped it onto hers.

“Fine. Don’t let Mom and Dad notice anything strange.”

It fit perfectly.

The ring left a faint red mark around my finger as it came off. I’d seen how beautifully it fit Jade on the day he’d proposed.

Exactly like this.

Back then, I’d loved him too much to admit what I was seeing.

Half an hour later, the car pulled up outside the Sterling family home.

I stayed in my seat.

Dylan opened my door and leaned down, offering me his hand.

“We’re here. Come on. Let’s go see Mom and Dad.”

I stared past him at Jade’s retreating figure.

“As what, Dylan? What am I supposed to be when I walk in?”

“The woman waiting for you to divorce your wife? Or your wife’s best friend?”

He paused, then bent down until his eyes met mine.

“The woman I love.”

“Jade can rehearse the steps, Ellie. She can’t take your place.”

He sounded so sincere. As though saying he loved me could somehow erase the marriage certificates in Jade’s purse.

Seven years was a long time to love someone. Long enough that even after I stopped believing him, I still let him take my hand.

We were almost at the front door when Jade darted ahead and rang the bell.

When the door opened, Jade waved the marriage certificate copies and called out brightly, “Mom! Dad!”

They looked stunned for a heartbeat. Then their faces lit up.

“I’ve always said Jade was the one who belonged in this family,” his mother said.

Then she spotted me standing behind Dylan and Jade, and her smile faded.

“They’re married now. Are you still going to cling to Dylan?”

Dylan frowned. “Mom, Ellie is actually the one—”

Jade looped her arm through his.

“Dylan, everyone’s happy today. Don’t ruin it. We can explain in a month.”

“It won’t take a month.”

My voice carried through the entryway. Everyone turned toward me.

“I was the one who was supposed to marry Dylan today.”

Jade’s smile slipped.

“Elise, do you have to humiliate me today of all days?”

I held her gaze.

“You weren’t embarrassed when you married my fiancé. But now you’re embarrassed because I told the truth?”

His relatives erupted.

“They’re in love. They’re legally married. And she’s still saying he should’ve married her?”

“Jade gets something, and Elise always wants it too. They’re married now and she still won’t let go.”

“Those things were mine to begin with—”

“Enough.”

Dylan clamped a hand around my wrist.

“I married her. That was my decision. Don’t blame Jade. If you’re angry, take it out on me.”

I laughed. My eyes burned anyway.

“Fine.”

“Looks like being Mrs. Sterling suits her just fine.”

“So let’s call it quits.”

The color drained from his face.

I turned to leave. He followed, catching my arm.

“Ellie, don’t try to scare me with a breakup.”

Behind us, Jade called, “Dylan! Your parents are waiting for us.”

His grip tightened.

A moment later, he let go.

The front gate closed behind me.

My phone lit up with a message from Alexander Sterling.

[You once told me you wouldn’t give me a chance unless Dylan married someone else.]

[Does that mean I have a chance now?]