Eight Years in the Shadows, Eight Days to the Altar Chapter 1

For eight long years, I was trapped in a blurry, toxic situationship with Liam Spencer. Whenever he introduced me to his friends, he would just say lightly, "She's my sister."

Until a few days ago, when he eloped with a girl he had known for exactly eight days.

She posted a picture of their marriage certificate online.

In the comments, she pinned a sweet reply: "Love isn't measured in time."

* * *

The night before Liam’s "business trip," we spent the entire night tangled in his bed.

"...Are you not tired at all?"

I bit my lip, looking up at the man I had loved for eight years with a mix of obsession and pleading, hoping he would finish soon.

Or at least, be a little gentler.

"I'm flying out tomorrow."

Liam kissed my sweat-dampened forehead and chuckled. "Just cashing in an advance for the next month."

I was about to protest when he suddenly covered my lips. "My parents just got home."

"Be good. Don't make a sound."

But his movements didn't pause for even a second.

A sudden wave of grievance washed over me.

"Do you really hate the idea of them knowing... about us?"

Liam gave a faint "Mhm," and went back to kissing me.

"It's hard to explain."

"..."

By the time the thunder woke me up, Liam was already gone.

The AC in the room was blasting, but my entire body felt scorchingly hot.

First thing the next morning, I sent Liam a text with a photo of a thermometer reading 102°F.

He didn't reply.

While waiting for my medicine to be delivered, I started scrolling through Instagram.

And then, I saw a post shared by a mutual friend.

It was Liam's official announcement—

"I haven't known you long, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

The post included a picture of a marriage certificate.

The date of the marriage was today.

The bride was a beautiful, gentle-looking stranger.

I stared blankly at that tiny ID photo, a dull, throbbing pain spreading through my chest.

We had been entangled for eight years.

Every time he introduced me, he always said, "My sister."

Yet he had eloped. With a girl he had known for barely eight days.

Under the post, she replied intimately: "Love isn't measured in time."