My Wife is His Wife

Jesse's POV

Sinead Smith kept shooting me looks, trying to get me to leave.

I had planned to keep driving, but I pulled over instead. I opened the door and got out. "I hope you don't mind one more guest. You all look so happy, I thought I'd join the celebration. Here's my wedding gift."

No one at a wedding wanted to turn away someone who had come to offer their blessing. The groom, Zachary Lane, looked delighted. "Of course not!"

I sat down. It was almost funny, attending my own wife's wedding and whatnot.

I started looking around. Before long, the older woman beside me struck up a conversation. "Those two look perfect together, don't they? It wasn't easy for them to get married."

I gritted my teeth, but the bitterness still came. "What made it hard?"

The woman instantly let it spill. "The bride's brother never approved this marriage. Tell me, how can a match this fine keep running into trouble? I heard her brother refuses to get married himself, but he won't let his sister marry either. These two waited five years before they could finally have their wedding. Luckily, the groom was willing to wait."

I pressed my fingers hard into my palm.

I understand it now. Sinead was an only child, which meant I was that unreasonable brother. I was the obstacle.

Five years…

Sinead had really outdone herself this time.

The night before she left on her business trip, she looked so guilty. "I have to be gone for a few more days. Sorry, Honey. I've been so busy lately. Once things settle down, I'll spend more time with you."

I told her I understood and even packed her luggage for her.

Sinead sent me her schedule every day and told me funny stories from her trip. She looked exactly like a good wife.

It turned out everything had been made up. Every business trip had been fake. Maybe guilt had gotten to her, so she had used an even more obvious cover, trying to make me feel loved while making herself look like a good wife.

Every dish served at the reception was expensive, but none of it tasted like anything to me. When it was time to make the rounds for the toast, they came to our table.

Sinead looked a little awkward, and so did the friends around her. Still, they all played along well enough. One of Sinead's timid friends almost called me by name, but Sinead stopped her in time.

I smiled and asked, "When are you two going to make it legal? I can help with the paperwork. Newly registered couples get gifts now, too."

Zachary looked somewhat embarrassed and said, "Tomorrow."

I kept smiling gently.

I didn't expose the truth and ruin the wedding right away because I wanted to play along and see whether he really didn't know what was going on. I was curious to see how Sinead planned to keep this lie going tomorrow.