Just as I was about to hit send, messages started blowing up across the top of the screen.
Ever since Lorraine had added me, her girlfriends' group chat had stayed dead silent. Now it was suddenly buzzing.
【Chad: Keeping the wedding low-key today.】
A dozen photos flooded the screen in an instant.
The backdrop was the inside of the bridal car, Chad pulling Lorraine close for a whole string of cozy couple shots.
Heart-hands, cheek to cheek……
My eyes caught on the last photo and stayed there.
In it, Lorraine had her head resting in Chad's palm, smiling soft and doting.
I'd shown her that exact pose from a reference photo when we were shooting our engagement pictures. She'd called it corny and childish.
The replies piled up fast.
【You two really are the perfect match. The couple I've been rooting for since we were kids finally happened.】
That was Lorraine's childhood friend.
She'd once thanked me for healing the heartbreak Lorraine carried after Chad went abroad, said the two of us were made for each other.
【If I'd known you two were getting married today I wouldn't have skipped the reception. Could never stand watching that social climber swoop in the second our Chad left the country. Is there still time if I book a flight and rush over?】
That was Lorraine's cousin.
Lorraine had once asked me to bring her some documents she'd left at home.
It was pouring rain that day, and my tires skidded and hit a lamppost.
By the time I limped in to hand them over, she'd nearly cried, saying those documents were tied to a multimillion-dollar deal, that I was her lifesaver.
Then there was Lorraine's other cousin, her college roommate, the senior from her dorm floor……
Every single person in this chat, Lorraine had introduced me to. To my face they were all decent and warm.
Behind my back, they tore me down and insulted me however they pleased.
Delusional, entitled loser. Clingy simp swooping in on someone's weak moment……
Lorraine dropped one flat line into it.
【Don't bring him up. Let's talk about how handsome Chad looks.】
Teeth clenched, hands shaking, I typed out a few lines.
【Nice face-swap.】
【Do you people even hear yourselves?】
The second my messages landed, the chat went quiet for two full seconds.
The last message read:
【Oh crap, ladies, wrong group.】
Lorraine's incoming call flashed up, fast and frantic, cutting off my typing.
I tapped to answer.
No apology, no explanation. Just two words, almost cold.
"Apologize."
The absurdity of it spread through me before I could stop it.
"Me? Apologize?"
I was so angry I nearly laughed.
"Apologize for what? For them trashing me behind my back? Or for the fact that after you added me, you all just built a second group somewhere else?"
The line went silent for a few seconds.
I heard Lorraine sigh, put out.
"Jules, you're not a hundred-dollar bill. You can't make everyone like you."
"Those people in the group grew up with me and Chad. You showed up out of nowhere. It's normal that some of them don't accept you. Chad adding you to the chat was already a lot of respect."
I tipped my head back and forced the tears down.
"So?"
Lorraine paused, her voice dropping a notch.
"Just apologize in the group. Say you don't mind."
"Chad, he……he's crying so hard right now. He feels awful, blames himself, thinks it's his fault for adding you in the first place."
Something tore open in my chest, and cold wind came whistling through.
So it turned out that all it took was Chad crying, and I was supposed to go bow my head to the people who'd insulted me.
She seemed to keep talking, but I couldn't make out anything after that.
Everything in front of me blurred. My voice came out raw.
"Lorraine, let's break up."
"I'm not getting married. And I'm not going to sign for the license either."
Lorraine didn't answer.
The receiver was muffled by a hand. From the other end came the faint rustle of plastic and paper, and the sound of Chad crying.
