The Five Year Wager for an Ordinary Wife

Nolan was at Vera Wang with Skylar, helping her try on wedding dresses, when he stumbled upon my wedding announcement on Instagram. The photo showed a vibrant, stunning Juliet, like a rose in full bloom, smiling sweetly on the arm of another man. A knot of unbearable irritation tightened in Nolan’s chest.

"Juliet… when did she get so beautiful?" Nolan muttered to himself. For five years, he had grown sick of her plain, dull face. A friend had once snidely commented, "What's with Nolan's taste? He picked such a tacky country girl," and he'd never taken her to a social event again. But the radiant woman in the photo was a stranger to him.

"Hey, Nolan, I'm talking to you!" A hand slapped his shoulder, followed by Skylar’s petulant whine. "What is your problem? I heard from your housekeeper that when Juliet married you, her dress was custom-made. Now you're making me pick from these simple styles? They're hideous! Do you even care about me?"

Nolan's brows furrowed. He irritably tossed a black card at her. "Fine. Pick whatever you want."

Skylar’s pout vanished instantly. She giggled and snatched the card, but as she looked up, her eyes met mine. Her smile froze.

"Juliet… what are you doing here?" Skylar’s gaze flickered between me and Nolan, her tone dripping with insinuation. "Don't tell me you're already having second thoughts. Are you here to stalk Nolan?"

Caleb and I exchanged a faint smile. "We're at a bridal shop. What else would we be doing but trying on a wedding dress?"

Hearing my voice, Nolan shot up from his seat and strode over, a scornful laugh on his lips. "Juliet, I didn't realize you were so resourceful, finding a replacement so quickly. But your acting is terrible. You think I can't see you're just using this guy to get my attention?"

I remained silent. He wasn't entirely wrong. In the raw days after I discovered his affair, I had stalked him like a woman possessed. Each time, he only found new ways to wound me, moving from hiding his infidelity to flaunting it, even taking Skylar to hotels right in front of me. But all of that ended the moment we divorced.

My face was serene as I said coolly, "You're mistaken. I'm getting married."

"Married?" Nolan looked as if I’d told the world's greatest joke. "You? Do you dare let that guy see you without all your designer labels?" He turned to Caleb, his words sharp with provocation. "Hey, buddy, you might want to see what she really looks like before you put a ring on it. You wouldn't want to find out she's just a country bumpkin and get the shock of your life. As her ex-husband, I stared at that face for five years. I know exactly what she's like. Just a friendly warning."

Caleb stood by my side, a half-smile playing on his lips as he looked at me, then nodded at Nolan. "Ah, Mr. Vaughn. What a coincidence." He smoothly produced an invitation from his coat. "I was going to have this delivered, but since you're here, you've saved me a trip. Juliet and I are getting married next month. We'd be honored if you'd join us."

The color drained from Nolan's face. He stared at the gold-embossed card for a long moment before letting out a cold, harsh laugh. "Wow, Juliet. You're really committed to the bit. You even had props made?" He scoffed. "You'll do anything for attention, won't you?"

Right in front of me, he crumpled the invitation and tossed it into a nearby trash can.

Caleb's expression darkened, and he took a step forward, but I placed a hand on his arm.

"It's fine," I said with a smile. "It's going to be a big wedding. He won't be missed." I turned to the waiting sales associate. "We're here to pick up my dress. We'll just be a moment."

When Skylar saw me leaving with the store’s one-of-a-kind, custom-designed gown, her face contorted with envy. She shrieked at Nolan, "Nolan, look! She bought that wedding dress!"