My Boyfriend and I Got Married on the Same Day—But Not to Each Other

"A video of my boyfriend proposing to his secretary went viral, topping the trending charts. Everyone was calling it the most romantic and touching moment they’d ever seen. The secretary even posted a heartfelt message online: “I’ve waited so long for you, and I’m so glad I never gave up. Mr. Stone, here’s to spending the rest of my life with you.” The comments section exploded with excitement: “I’m obsessed! The boss and the secretary—this is the sweetest couple ever!” I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. I simply closed the page, then went to find my boyfriend for an explanation. That’s when I overheard him talking to a friend. “What else could I do? If I don’t marry her, her family will force her to settle for someone she doesn’t love.” “But what about Natalie? She’s your actual girlfriend. Aren’t you afraid she’ll be mad?” “So what if she’s mad? Natalie’s been with me for seven years. She can’t leave me now.” Fast forward to our wedding day. Yes, our wedding day. On that same day, he was tying the knot with his secretary, while I was walking down the aisle with someone else. Our wedding cars passed each other on the street. When we exchanged bouquets with the brides from the other car as part of the tradition, he caught sight of me through the window. The moment he saw me in my wedding dress, his composure completely shattered. 1 Chapter 1 “Mom, I’ve decided to go through with the arranged marriage.” In the dimly lit living room, my voice sounded distant and numb, like it didn’t even belong to me. Hearing my sudden change of heart, my mom was stunned. “You weren’t willing before. Why the sudden change? Natalie, marriage isn’t a joke. It doesn’t matter whether it’s arranged or not—what matters is that you’re happy. You need to think this through. Don’t rush into it.” Her words made my chest tighten, and for a moment, my eyes stung with tears. “Mom, I’ve thought it through. You can start planning the wedding.” Mom must’ve sensed how I felt because she paused for a second before softly reassuring me: “You’ve been with Zachary for so long, and he still won’t go public with your relationship. He hasn’t even agreed to meet us. Your dad and I have known for a while that things wouldn’t last between you two.” Her words felt like a knife twisting in my chest. It turns out that everyone on the outside could see the truth so clearly. The only fool here was me. “The Ford boy is someone your dad and I carefully picked for you years ago. We made sure he’s a good match. Not only is he from a solid family, but he’s also a man of great character. Natalie, you deserve the best.” I took a deep breath. “Thanks, Mom. I trust you and Dad’s judgment.” Mom continued, “Do you want us to arrange a meeting with him in the next few days?” “There’s no need. Just go ahead and plan the wedding.” After I hung up the phone, I realized Zachary had appeared behind me at some point, holding a small cake. He looked confused. “A wedding? Who’s getting mar...