My Fiancé Played a Couple-Swap Game, I’m Done Being The Outsider Chapter 08

My Fiancé Played a Couple-Swap Game, I’m Done Being The Outsider Chapter 08

For a week, Dorian searched everywhere I might have gone.

No one knew where I was.

His messages shifted from commands to explanations.

Lyra. Come back.

I can apologize for the game.

We can redo the wedding.

That ring wasn’t meant for Lilith.

I already told her to return it.

Just come back-and from now on, you’ll be part of everything.

He stared at the last line and felt the irony.

I’d always been there.

They just never let me in.

Now that I was gone, he was finally offering me a seat.

None of his messages were delivered.

On the eighth day, Lilith showed up.

She placed the ring on the table. Her eyes were red-rimmed.

“Dorian, aren’t we the ones who should be together?”

“Before Lyra came along, you liked me for years.”

He looked at the ring.

“So what? She’s gone now.”

Her voice shook. “We can start over.”

“The five of us can go back to the way we were.”

Before me.

The five of them, close and complete.

No one to get jealous. No one to worry about. No outsider to accommodate.

Wasn’t that what they’d always wanted?

But all he could see was me sitting in the corner of the restaurant.

Standing behind the camera. Dragging a suitcase alone.

For the first time, he realized–I wasn’t the outsider messing up their group.

I was the one he’d brought in and promised to protect.

The year we graduated, I’d asked him, “Your friends don’t seem to like me.”

He’d held me close. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Wherever I am, you’ll be there. I’ll make them accept you.”

Seven years later, he hadn’t made them accept me.

He’d stood with them, laughing as I drew blank card after blank card.

A month later, Ronan got an email.

From me.

No accusations. No blame.

Just a bill.

Flights, hotels, yacht, meals, photography-everything from the trip.

I’d itemized each person’s share down to the last cent.

Below it: Please transfer to the following account.

Then we’re even.

Ronan called Dorian, annoyed. “Is she serious?”

“Friends travel together-why make it so cold?”

Dorian held the phone. “Transfer it.”

“But she always covered things for us before-”

“Check the past ones too.”

They did.

They realized that for years-every trip, every group meal-I’d paid first.

And when they’d forgotten to pay me back, I never asked.

So they’d let it slide.

Seven years added up to a significant amount.

Leander muttered, “It’s not like Lyra’s short on cash. She wouldn’t care about that, right?”

Dorian looked up.

“It’s not about the money.”

It never was.

She just wanted a clean break.

No debts. No ties.

That was what terrified him.

She used to care.

She used to be jealous.

She used to chase him for answers-because she still wanted to stay.

Now she wasn’t fighting anymore.

She just wanted to be done.