They Swapped Brides At The Wedding, I Swapped Grooms Chapter 01

They Swapped Brides At The Wedding, I Swapped Grooms Chapter 01

In Rowan Berkeley’s hometown, there was an old wedding-day custom they called the “bride swap.”

If two wedding processions crossed paths, the brides would switch cars and take part in a symbolic ceremony with the other groom.[原句表达缺少代入感]

When the limousines met, Lorinda Chester leaned in and kissed my fiancé on the cheek before all our friends and family, grinning.

“I’ll take your groom off your hands for now.”

A wave of hoots and hollers rose around us.

“Lorinda, why not just spend tonight with Rowan?”

“Right. Everyone knows you and Rowan grew up together. He probably won’t sleep a wink if someone else is in that bed.”

Everyone laughed.

I sat in my limousine, watching Rowan through the window, waiting for him to speak.

I thought, if only for today, he’d take my side for once.

But he just took my hand, the same way he always did when he tried to smooth things over.

“Lillian, tradition can’t be broken.”

Right then, I stopped wanting to fight.

In the past, I would’ve kicked up a fuss.

But this time, I quietly pulled my hand back, turned, and looped my arm through Bryce Rainer’s in the other limousine.

As the crowd stared in stunned silence, I said softly, “Let’s go, fiancé.”

If they all said it was tradition, then this once, I’d give him exactly what he asked for.

…

Before I left, Rowan called after me.

“Wait.”

I turned back, thinking he’d finally remembered that I was the bride today.

But he reached past me and only grabbed the boutonnière lying beside me.

“Lorinda needs that.”

He said that, then got out of the car without looking back.

The light turned green, and the two limousines headed in opposite directions.

I leaned against the window and noticed a bottle of grape juice on the seat. It hadn’t been chilled.

So someone really did remember I don’t drink bitter things, and I don’t like ice.

Rowan had been giving me iced Americanos for three straight years.

I told him many times. He always nodded along.

And the next time, it was the same.

My phone buzzed.

It was Rowan.

[Don’t read too much into it. The bride exchange is just a tradition. You know I don’t have anything real with her.]

I stared at those words and suddenly remembered that years ago, Lorinda only casually said she liked the position I’d already accepted at Berkeley Group was reassigned to her.

Rowan had told me the same thing back then.

“She needs it more than you do right now.”

It was the same with the engagement ring later.

Whenever Lorinda asked for something, I was supposed to step aside.

My phone buzzed again.

This time it was Lorinda.

She sent a photo.

She was sitting in the back seat in her wedding gown, her head tilted against Rowan’s shoulder.

Rowan didn’t move away.

She added one short line:

[It’s just tradition. You don’t mind, do you?]

I stared at that photo for a few seconds and felt strangely calm.

Before I could reply, Rowan’s next message came in.

[Lorinda’s never been married before. She’s nervous. Don’t hold it against her.]

[At the ceremony, keep your distance from Bryce. No vows, no ring exchange, no kissing.]

[If you have to, step out for a while and come back after the ceremony ends.]

I swallowed the bitterness and replied with just two words:

[And you?]

He answered almost instantly:

[There are so many people at this wedding. I can’t embarrass her in front of everyone.]

[You’ve always been the sensible one. Just bear with it for now.]

Sensible.

I’d heard that word for years.

I didn’t reply. I just turned off the screen.

But Lorinda’s last few words still burned into my eyes.

[Rowan nearly knocked my earring off when he fixed my veil.]

[He’s still as clumsy as he was as a kid.]

As if she were afraid I wouldn’t know how much history they had.

I lowered my gaze and blocked her too.

Finally, I felt peaceful.

When the car stopped, I looked up and saw the wedding sign at the hotel entrance.

The photo on it wasn’t mine and Rowan’s.

It was mine and Bryce’s.

I blinked, then understood.

According to Rowan’s family tradition, the wedding portraits had to be swapped too.

When we took the wedding photos, I’d fought so hard against the tradition that they eventually agreed to shoot two sets.[Back when 导致时间不清晰，以及逻辑混乱]

I never expected that, after everything, this was the one that ended up on display.

I looked down and took off the engagement ring that had never fit right.

It was the one Lorinda had passed over.

Now it was time to give it back.

I opened the door and stepped out.

Bryce stood beside me. He didn’t rush me, and he didn’t ask if I regretted it.

I just reached out my hand to him and said softly,

“Let’s go in.”

“Don’t miss the ceremony time.”