Chapter 4

It was the first time the three of us had ever sat at the same table with the air this heavy.

Paddy had put on that shirt, the one covered in lipstick marks.

Brooklyn had stubbed out her cigarette too.

And I sat by the balcony in silence, my voice cold as I demanded answers.

"Talk. When exactly did the two of you start?"

Paddy was quiet for a long time, then let out a sigh.

"The truth is, Caroline, Brooklyn and I knew each other before you."

I froze. "What did you say?"

"You two became best friends in college, but she and I go back to high school."

He lifted his head and looked at me. "She was my first love."

Something churned violently in my stomach.

Paddy's eyes were the picture of sincerity.

"I never meant to hide it from you. I just didn't know how to bring it up."

"She and I had already broken up by the time I met you in college."

"Caroline, you were so wonderful. You made my heart race. After we got together, you were the only person I loved."

Nausea rose in my throat.

"And yet you still ended up in bed together?"

Paddy didn't argue. He lowered his head in silence.

"I just never imagined fate could be this cruel. Of all the twists and turns, you and Brooklyn became best friends."

"Brooklyn and I broke up ages ago. Everything I've had to do with her since has only ever been because of you."

Listening to his lies, so earnest, I let out a cold laugh.

"All because of me?"

"Going to the county clerk's office and registering a marriage with Brooklyn, that was because of me too?"

"Paddy, how much longer do you plan to keep lying to me?"

Paddy's head jerked up, stunned. "You already know?"

He whipped around to Brooklyn. "You told Caroline?"

"It wasn't me." Brooklyn sighed. "Paddy, I told you a long time ago. You can't keep a lid on something like this forever."

I closed my eyes in despair. He'd admitted it with his own mouth.

Our wedding was next month.

Both sets of parents had already met.

I'd thought our marriage would go off without a hitch. I never dreamed Paddy was already a married man.

I was the only outsider here. What was left to face down? I picked up my bag and turned to leave the hotel.

But Paddy came after me.

"Caroline, let me explain."

He was visibly panicking.

"Brooklyn only came to me for help so she could deal with her family. That's the only reason we got that certificate."

"We already agreed. The moment she gets through it on her end, we'll go straight to the county clerk's office for a divorce. No one will ever know, no one will find out..."

"Besides, it's just a piece of paper. You never cared about that either, did you?"

I almost laughed at how righteous he sounded.

I didn't care.

Because our love didn't need a piece of paper to hold it together.

But that didn't mean he got to go register a marriage with someone else on a whim.

"Fine, Paddy. So registering a marriage is that simple in your eyes. I guess I was the one overthinking it."

If it was that simple.

Then me getting that marriage certificate with someone else shouldn't be a problem either, right?

But hearing me say that, Paddy's tone finally softened.

He thought I'd come around.

"Good girl, Caroline. I knew you were reasonable. I knew you'd never hold a little thing like this against me."

"Don't worry, I've already booked the appointment to file for divorce with Brooklyn."

"It absolutely won't get in the way of our wedding next month."

Seeing me stay silent, he added one more gentle line.

"I promise you, after tonight I'll never have anything to do with Brooklyn again. I swear it."

But a man with no honesty.

His oath was no different from a dog barking.

After Paddy turned and left, I dialed a number.

"Are you free tomorrow? Come register a marriage with me."

The next day, the moment I finished at the clerk's office, I announced it on social media.

Plenty of mutual friends left comments and congratulations.

Some even called Paddy directly.

"Paddy, look at you. Didn't you say the wedding was next month, that you weren't registering until the end of the year?"

"Locking down the campus beauty of Pruitt University this fast, can we start calling her Mrs. Simmons early?"

Paddy's grip tightened around his phone. "What registration?"