Lila's POV: The Fallout Begins
The marriage certificate trembled in my hands, but I couldn't tell if it was because I was shaking or if the universe was laughing at me so hard it was making the paper vibrate.
My name was printed in neat black ink: Lila Harper.
Right underneath it, in bold betrayal: Jackson Carter.
Behind me, Ethan Grey—the man I was supposed to marry—looked like he was seconds away from breathing fire. His nostrils flared, his jaw was tight enough to shatter granite, and his designer suit seemed to be waging a silent battle not to rip under the force of his rage.
In front of me, Jackson—the wrong groom and my accidental husband—was leaning casually against the clerk's desk like he'd just won the lottery. And apparently, the prize was me.
"Worst. Prize. Ever," I muttered under my breath.
"Excuse me?" Ethan snapped, yanking the certificate out of my hands like it had personally insulted him. He waved it in my face. "What is this?"
"It's a marriage certificate," Jackson said, his voice way too cheerful for someone who had just derailed my entire life. "Pretty self-explanatory, don't you think?"
Ethan ignored him, his eyes boring into mine. "Lila. What. Happened."
---
Lila Tries to Explain
"I—uh—it was a mix-up!" I stammered, my voice breaking under the pressure of Ethan's death glare. "The clerk called for Harper and Carter, and Peter handed him the papers, and—I thought he was a stand-in for you!"
Jackson smirked, clearly enjoying every second of my humiliation. "If I knew being a stand-in groom came with a wife this cute, I would've signed up sooner."
"You are not my husband!" I hissed, spinning toward him.
Jackson raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "That's not what the paperwork says, sweetheart." He tapped the certificate with his finger for emphasis.
Ethan, who looked like he might combust at any second, turned on Jackson. "You think this is funny?"
"Kind of," Jackson replied, shrugging. "I mean, I didn't show up late to my own wedding, so... yeah. I'm having a great time."
Ethan took a step forward, and for one horrifying moment, I thought he might actually punch Jackson.
I threw my hands up, stepping between them. "Stop it! Both of you! This is already the worst day of my life. Don't make it worse by turning the courthouse into a boxing ring!"
Jackson, of course, wasn't fazed. "Don't worry, Mrs. Carter. I'd never hit your ex-almost-husband."
"I'm not—!" I sputtered. "You're not—!"
My words tangled into an incoherent mess, and Jackson just smiled like he was enjoying the show.
---
Legally Stuck
Just when I thought the day couldn't get worse, the clerk chimed in from behind the desk. "Just so you're aware, annulments in this state require a 30-day waiting period unless there's evidence of fraud or coercion."
"Wait—what?" I turned to her, my eyes wide. "You mean I'm... stuck?"
She adjusted her glasses, utterly unbothered. "Legally speaking, yes. You're married for the next thirty days unless you go through the proper channels."
Ethan groaned like the universe had personally offended him. "You've got to be kidding me."
Jackson, on the other hand, looked delighted. "Well, well. Looks like we're really doing this, Mrs. Carter."
I glared at him. "Stop calling me that!"
Jackson leaned closer, his voice dropping into a mockingly affectionate tone. "But it's so cute. You're Mrs. Carter now. Legally."
---
Chaos Continues: Jackson's Perspective
Ethan turned back to Jackson, pointing an accusatory finger. "You. Who even are you?"
"Jackson Carter." He extended a hand toward Ethan like they were meeting at a networking event. "Your new competition, apparently."
"You're a nobody," Ethan snapped, his voice dripping with disdain.
Jackson's grin didn't falter. "A nobody who just married your fiancée. Oops."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, willing myself not to scream.
"Would you stop antagonizing him?" I hissed at Jackson.
Jackson shrugged, his smirk still firmly in place. "What? I'm just pointing out the facts. I'm your husband now. And your ex-overlord here needs to deal with it."
"Ex-overlord?!" Ethan sputtered.
I groaned. This was my life now.
---
The Parents Find Out
Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, my phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen and froze. It was my mother.
I hesitated, but there was no avoiding it. I pressed the button and put the phone to my ear. "Hi, Mom."
"Lila!" she squealed. "Darling, I heard the news! You're married! Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
I blinked, my heart racing. "You... heard?"
"Of course! One of the ladies from the country club saw you leaving the courthouse with your new husband! Oh, I can't wait to meet him. We're having dinner tonight—bring him along!"
"Uh... dinner?"
"Yes, dinner! Your father's already planning a toast. Bring your husband home, Lila. And dress nicely."
I hung up before she could ask more questions, panic bubbling in my chest.
Jackson, who had overheard the whole thing, leaned against the desk with a smug expression. "Family dinner? Sounds fun. Should I bring flowers to win them over, or do they already love me?"
"You are not coming to dinner," I snapped.
Jackson clutched his chest in mock offense. "Aw, come on, Mrs. Carter. You're gonna deny me the chance to charm your family?"
"This is not funny!"
"Oh, it's hilarious," he countered. "You just don't see it yet."
---
Jackson Moves In (Temporarily)
Thanks to some ridiculous reasoning (Peter insisted it would look bad if we weren't living together "as a married couple"), Jackson somehow ended up at my apartment that afternoon, dumping a duffel bag on the couch.
"You can't just move in here," I said, staring at him in horror.
Jackson shrugged. "Legally, I'm your husband. Where else am I supposed to go? Should I sleep on the porch?"
"Actually, yes."
He ignored me, tossing his leather jacket onto my pristine white armchair and raiding my fridge.
"You're out of beer," he called over his shoulder. "And snacks. What do you even eat? Almond milk and disappointment?"
I threw my hands up in frustration. "This is going to be the worst month of my life."
Jackson grinned, popping open a soda. "Or the best. It's all about perspective."
---
The Dinner Invitation
By the time dinner rolled around, I was ready to crawl into a hole and stay there forever. Jackson, of course, was thrilled, dressing in ripped jeans and a T-shirt just to mess with me.
"You're not wearing that," I snapped.
"Why not? It's dinner. Not a fashion show."
Ethan, who had arrived to "supervise," glared at Jackson. "You're doing this on purpose."
Jackson smirked. "What? Just trying to make a good impression."
My internal monologue, as we left for dinner, said it all:
"I don't know what's worse: being married to a stranger, inviting my ex-almost-husband to dinner, or the fact that Jackson seems to be enjoying this way too much. One thing's for sure—my life officially stopped making sense the moment I said, 'I do.'"
---
Last Line:
"And knowing Jackson, dinner was going to be an absolute disaster."
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