3: 3
I gave a mocking little laugh.
"A mix-up? A hacker who somehow knows which complex I live in, which building, which floor? What a coincidence."
"Sebastian, I said it clearly last night. You can cover for her with no limits if you want, but I'm not obligated to. Cancel the wedding. We're done."
Sebastian froze, then flushed with anger. "I already told you, Jill had no idea. And nothing even happened to you. Do you really have to blow this out of proportion?"
"Instead of blaming an innocent person, you should ask yourself whether you're just hard to get along with, whether you offended someone. Otherwise why would they only forward your photos and not hers?"
"The wedding is five days away. The invitations are already out. You call it off now, and even if you have no shame, the Hensons do!"
Something seemed to occur to him, and he sneered.
"Thelma, we all move in the same circles here in L.A., and in this circle reputation is everything. If you break off the engagement right before the wedding for no reason, aren't you afraid you'll ruin your parents' name, that no one will ever dare do business with the Sullivans again? My advice is to quit while you're ahead."
Before I could answer, Jill called him on video.
"Sonny, we're here, why aren't you down yet? You promised you'd come pick out my dress with me today. If you dare stand me up, then your daddy here won't show up at your wedding."
Sebastian panicked at once. "No, no, if you're not there my wedding might as well not happen. Wait, I'm coming right now."
I watched him head for the door and asked, "Weren't we supposed to go pick out the party favors for the guests together today?"
Sebastian paused, then frowned.
"It's a small thing. You can handle it yourself."
"Oh, right. The others don't matter, but Jill's my buddy. Her party favor has to be something valuable, something that really hits the mark."
"I sent you the pictures of that jewelry set she likes. Go buy it today so we can surprise her at the wedding. You pay for it. Consider it your apology to her."
He'd been gone only a few minutes.
Then Jill updated her socials: 【Look at the treatment my best buddy gives me!】
On the passenger seat that used to be mine alone, there was now a decal in fancy lettering.
【Queen Jilly's reserved seat. No bitches allowed.】
At the same time, Sebastian sent over the pictures of that jewelry set Jill liked.
I glanced at it and laughed.
I'd never once heard of a groom having his bride prepare a surprise for one of his female buddies at his own wedding.
A diamond necklace with a rock the size of a pigeon's egg, close to ten million. The nerve of him, to even ask.
Since he was so set on having this wedding, I'd let him have it.
I wanted to see exactly who ended up humiliated.
I opened that familiar profile picture and sent over the wedding venue and time.
【Didn't you say you wanted to marry me?】
【I'm giving you the chance.】
……
That evening, my best friend Serena called.
She said she'd booked a private room and gathered a few of the girls to throw me a bachelorette party.
Partway through, one of the girls came back from the restroom and sat down next to me with a strange look on her face, murmuring, "Thel, I think I just saw your fiancé Sebastian in the room next door."
"I don't know if he's drunk or if he mistook Jill for you… the two of them looked pretty close. You should go check."
Serena was sitting close and heard it.
The two of us exchanged a glance, told the others to keep drinking, and slipped out with an excuse.
When we reached the door of the next room, we found it left ajar.
And what was going on inside was far past close.
The girl had only put it delicately to save me face.
Jill was sitting on Sebastian's lap, her new dress half off, the two of them locked in a kiss neither wanted to break.
They didn't come apart for a full five minutes, and when they did, they were both flushed and breathless.
His buddies whooped and egged them on.
"Damn, there's a string of spit between you two. If that tigress Thelma were here, no telling how furious she'd be, hahaha…"
"Tch, we only left her alone yesterday for Seb's sake. Doesn't she know Jill always comes first with him? Who does she think she is, going after Jill?"
"Right. Ever since she came along, we've had to talk in a separate group every time. So annoying."
I gave a self-mocking laugh. So they'd never accepted me at all.
Someone looked over at Sebastian. "Seb, you really planning to give the wedding ring to Jill and put a fake one on Thelma? Aren't you worried she'll be pissed when she finds out?"
Jill toyed with the diamond ring on her finger and scoffed.
"Worried about what? It's been like this every time before, and that idiot still gets coaxed right back into line, doesn't she?"
"My good boy Sebby said it himself. His money is all meant for daddy here. A certain tigress only deserves a ten-dollar knockoff~"
