He Wanted an AI Bride Swap? Surprise, I Swapped Husbands for Real! Chapter 04

I got home and plugged my phone in. Messages flooded in.

My lawyer’s was at the top.

“The test report is out. The original has been submitted to the police. The copy was delivered to the wedding venue as you arranged.”

The last page bore the testing lab’s official certification. I read it three times before I could finally bring myself to put my phone down.

Then Damian’s messages popped up.

“Stop being difficult. We get the license tomorrow. Rest tonight.”

“The brand and your parents — I’ve handled both. Don’t make more trouble for yourself.”

A year ago, I would’ve teared up reading that. Now it just felt absurd.

I scrolled up. The chat was wall-to-wall with his reminders.

Eat on time. Come home early. Don’t answer unknown numbers. Stay away from shady people.

I didn’t reply. I opened his profile and blocked the man who’d been with me for three years.

The messages went quiet. Like someone finally shut a door for me.

*****

The next morning, Nathan came to pick me up.

I opened the door on crutches.

He shoved a dress into my arms.

“You planning to wear that hoodie to get married? Hurry up and change. I don’t want my bride looking shabby in our wedding photo.”

His mouth was sharp. His hands were gentle.

Half an hour later, we arrived at a different City Hall office across town. With the paperwork already arranged, we were married without a hitch.

When the clerk handed us the marriage paperwork, I looked down at our names printed side by side.

It felt as though a stone that had been weighing on my chest for so long had finally shifted, leaving me room to breathe.

…

Meanwhile, Damian stood outside the City Hall office where he had expected to meet me.

He clutched the marriage paperwork and looked toward the street corner for the third time.

Twenty minutes past the agreed time. I still hadn’t shown.

Sienna sat beside him, speaking softly. “Elara’s probably stuck in traffic. Let’s wait a bit more.”

Damian didn’t answer. He opened my chat.

The last message was still the one I’d sent three days ago.

*”I want to marry you looking my most beautiful.”*

He stared at it for a moment, then typed:

“Elara Voss. I’ll wait thirty minutes. If you’re not here, I’ll marry Sienna instead.”

He paused. Added one more line.

“Don’t come crying to me after.”

He hit send, but the message failed to deliver.

Damian’s fingers froze.

He stared at the screen for a few seconds, then tried again.

Still nothing. She had blocked him.

“Damian?” Sienna reached for his arm.

He pulled away. His face darkened, inch by inch.

He dialed my number. A cold mechanical voice answered.

“The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable.”

His grip tightened. His knuckles went white.

A friend next to him suddenly blurted out, “Nathan Rhodes just posted his wedding photos on Instagram! Elara is the bride?!”

Damian snatched the phone.

On the screen, Nathan’s post was clear.

[Just married. Mr. Cross, you had your chance. Now she’s my wife.]

Damian stared at the wedding photo, and a deafening roar filled his head.

*****