Love & Marriage in a Flash: My Sweet Strategist Chapter 2

While the bride and groom were grinning like absolute fools, Caleb and I stood there, our faces frozen masks of indifference.

After what felt like an eternity of ceremonies, I finally found my seat at the main table. I don't know if the seating planner was a chaos agent, but Caleb was seated right next to me.

The air buzzed with cheerful chatter, but a bubble of silence surrounded the two of us. We could have been mutes.

I watched him idly swipe through his phone before he turned his head, his gaze locking directly onto mine. Normally, when strangers make eye contact, one of them looks away after a second or two. This man did not look away.

Okay?

I was now certain he was challenging me. So I held his gaze, refusing to back down.

After a long moment, amidst the lively din of the reception, I heard his low voice. "Ms. Shaw. I've heard a lot about you."

So, he knew who I was.

I offered a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "Mr. Vance. A pleasure."

But that wasn’t enough to convey years of pent-up frustration. I added, my voice dripping with sarcasm, "This day wouldn't have been possible without you. Your contribution has been... invaluable."

A slight frown creased his brow. "Thank you. The same could be said for you."

I scoffed. "Oh, I don't think we're quite the same. If Grace and Liam's relationship was a road full of bumps, I was the pothole."

God knows when I started trying to break them up. From the moment they were just flirting, I knew Liam was wrong for her. And sure enough, their five years together were a dizzying rollercoaster of breakups and makeups. I don't know if they were exhausted, but the drama was enough to make me swear off men for life.

Dating? I’d rather adopt a dog.

A few seconds later, Caleb replied, "Then I must have been the roadblock."

"Huh?" I turned to face him again. "Weren't you the one always pushing for them to get back together?"

"Who told you that?"

Something wasn't adding up. I narrowed my eyes. "If you weren't his master strategist, then why did Liam always come crawling back right when they were on the verge of a real breakup?"