Chapter 2

I had posted about my wedding photoshoot schedule with Xavier in our main group chat.

Immediately after, Chloe started a spam chain in her new, exclusive group chat.

[At our old spot on the basketball court! Need one more to make a full squad. The 'Tempest Four' that ruled high school can't be broken up!]

While I was in a meeting with Xavier and the wedding planners, Xavier sent a photo of our venue setup to the main chat.

Chloe immediately shared her live location in her private group.

[Guys, just found this hidden gem of a bar. Get over here right now!]

When Xavier and I planned to book our honeymoon registry, Chloe dropped a link in her chat:

[New skydiving base in Thailand! Xavier, this was your ultimate college dream!]

The next afternoon, Xavier texted me.

"Hey babe, there’s an emergency merger case overseas. I have to fly out for a few days. Sorry to leave you with the wedding prep by yourself. Xoxo."

But that very evening, Chloe posted a status on her social media:

"One last wild ride before my best friend ties the knot."

The attached photo was a selfie of her and Xavier strapped together, skydiving.

Of course, I didn't throw a tantrum. After all, I loved Xavier's money, not his soul.

I calmly liked her post, asked the wedding team for a picture of the half-finished venue, and posted my own status update:

"A romantic solo preparation."

Almost instantly, my phone buzzed. It was a PayPal notification from Xavier.

$800,000.

The note read: [Thanks for holding down the fort, babe. When I get back, I’ll make the guys help with the rest of the setup!]

Looking at the screen, I almost burst out laughing.

When Xavier returned, he kept his word and dragged his buddies to help with the decorations.

When Chloe found out, she insisted on joining. But once she arrived, she just held her phone and yelled to the guys.

"Come on, guys! It’s the last day of the competitive season! I’m one win away from ranking up. Let me carry you to victory!"

The guys, who were already bored out of their minds doing tedious flower arrangements, instantly looked tempted.

Chloe shot me a smug, sidelong glance, her chin tilted high.

Her eyes clearly said: *See? With just one word from me, look who they choose to follow.*

Even Xavier looked a bit swayed.

He looked at me with a slightly apologetic expression.

"We actually have a full five-stack for a lobby. How about you watch over things here first, and we go blow off some steam for an hour?"

I sighed with mock regret.

"If I didn't have to write down this guest list, I’d love to play with you guys."

Chloe instantly scoffed.

"Please. What does a girl like you know about competitive gaming?"

"We've been playing together since we were kids. Our roles are locked in. There's no room for you."

With a victorious smile, Chloe turned on her heel and led the boys to the private gaming lounge.

It wasn't until the next afternoon that the wedding venue was finally fully set up.

I was admiring the floral arch when Chloe walked over, sporting massive dark circles and a pitch-black expression.

Behind her walked a thoroughly exhausted Xavier and his equally drained friends.

Before I could even ask what happened, one of his blunt-mouthed friends couldn't help but complain loudly.

"Chloe, seriously, what happened to you over the last few years? Your skills have gone completely down the drain!"

"An entire night! You dragged us from Grandmaster all the way down to Gold! You promised to carry us, but you literally threw every single game! Don't ever ask us to play again."

Chloe’s face flushed bright red, but she couldn't find a single word to defend herself.

Catching sight of me, she instantly tried to regain her footing.

"You guys should be grateful! If Avery played with you, she’d drag you straight down to Bronze!"

A chorus of snorts and chuckles erupted from the guys.

"Are you kidding? Avery is the one who carried us to Grandmaster in the first place."

Chloe’s eyes widened in utter disbelief.

"No way!"

Xavier wrapped an arm around my waist, proudly introducing me to Chloe.

"Why is it impossible? My wife is literally the professional head coach of a championship esports team!"

"Honestly, just delete that new Snapchat group. You play like trash."

The guys chimed in with agreements.

I just smiled gently. Sure, some girls might not be great at gaming.

But the thing is, I wasn't just any girl. Internally, I was a seasoned pro-gamer.

Over the past few years, I had used Xavier’s generous allowance to fund and support a struggling underdog team, eventually turning them into national champions.

Naturally, Xavier and his friends had been coached by me to the next level.

They were lightyears ahead of Chloe's outdated gaming skills.

After that Snapchat group was deleted, Chloe behaved herself for quite a while.

Just when I thought everything was going smoothly, she suddenly made a request: she wanted to be my bridesmaid!