He Wanted My Bestie Reborn Me Said YES—So Why Regret Chapter 03
In my past life, when we were getting married, Ethan’s college friends came to help.
At the rehearsal dinner, everyone got drunk.
He walked Jessica to her car first; the rest followed.
Someone’s slurred words cut through the noise.
“Can’t believe Ethan’s actually going through with it. She’s out of Jessica’s league—doesn’t deserve him.”
They didn’t realize I was still there. They laughed.
“Ah, he’s settling because she’s easygoing and never causes drama. She’s stuck with him all these years without a single complaint.”
I froze.
Ethan spun around, horrified, and punched the guy.
The others sobered up fast and stammered, “He’s drunk—don’t take it seriously, Meredith.”
The guy slapped himself. “I was talking crap. You won’t make a big deal out of this, right, Mer?”
I managed a weak smile.
But those words stayed lodged in my chest.
I started dressing differently, wearing makeup every day, imitating Jessica.
The first time Ethan saw me changed, he blinked, then smiled. “Not bad. You should try different looks.”
I smiled back, enduring the itch and sting of lace.
Then Jessica vanished.
He came at me, eyes bloodshot, and hurled an ashtray at my head.
“You think you can copy her? Don’t you know how disgusting that is?”
The pain from that gash still throbbed somewhere deep.
And it wasn’t just him. Everyone hated me.
His parents blamed me for their goddaughter’s death.
My own parents called me a home‑wrecker and disowned me.
His friends cursed me on sight.
But it was Jessica who’d chosen to dive. The accident wasn’t my fault.
And Ethan had proposed to me.
Yet for five years after the wedding, I might as well have been a widow.
At the end, I was just a tool to bury them together.
Watching them still locked in that embrace, I took a breath and called my mother.
“Mom, I’m calling off the wedding.”
She snapped back, “Call it off now? The gossip will be all over town. Everyone will say Jessica was the other woman. Do you want that scandal?”
I couldn’t process it. Finally, I choked out, “What about my happiness?”
“You’ve always been easygoing. You bounce back. Jessica’s different—she takes things hard.”
I hung up.
They all thought I didn’t care. But I remembered everything.
I remembered being compared to Jessica since childhood, and called a failure when I fell short.
I remembered Ethan’s wistful look on our wedding day.
Clutching my phone, I bought a ferry ticket off Keyhaven.
On the way, I contacted a realtor to sell our condo.
But since the deed hadn’t been recorded in my name, I needed to request a copy of the title from the county clerk’s office.
After hours at the county office, I finally handed over my documents.
The clerk said, “I’m sorry, ma’am, but the registered owner on this deed isn’t you.”
I stared. “That’s impossible. I was on the mortgage—I paid half.”
She shook her head and returned my papers.
People behind me grumbled.
I stepped aside, staring at my documents, mind blank.
I asked a friend to run a title search.
Meanwhile, Ethan’s messages kept coming. I ignored them.
Until my friend replied: [Meredith… the title isn’t in your name.]
My heart dropped.
“Who is it? Ethan?”
“No. Jessica Sterling.”
My grip on the phone went white.
Before I knew it, tears were dripping onto the screen.
No wonder Ethan kept putting off the closing documents.
I’d paid half. He’d paid half. And we’d bought Jessica a house.
I covered my mouth, but the sobs broke through.
Now I truly had nothing.
