Stamped, But Not Real

"The marriage certificate's fake..." The clerk in the County Clerk's Office shot Serena a sympathetic look. "Vincent Schit legally married Maggie Cheape. Two weeks ago." Serena didn't even blink. Of course the guy she'd spent six years loving married his ex behind her back. "Thanks." Chapter 1 County Clerk's Office, Ardenburg "The marriage certificate's fake..." The clerk shot Serena a sympathetic look. "Vincent Schit legally married Maggie Cheape. Two weeks ago." Serena didn't even blink. Of course he married his first love behind her back. "Thanks." She slid the bogus paper into her bag, threw on her shades, and walked out. Outside, she fired off a text to her senior in college, Arya Ace: [Arya, I'm in. Let's do Seavora. Let's start that business.] No reply yet—Arya was probably swamped. Serena tucked her phone away, flagged a cab, and gave the address. She didn't get back till dusk, drained. Just as she pulled out her keys—ding. Elevator doors opened. Vincent stepped out, all smiles. "Serena, where've you been?" She stared at that dumb smile. "I went by the spot where we 'got married.' Thought I'd snap a few pics. But guess what? It's just an empty lot now. You know anything about that?" Her eyes didn't move, locked on his face, waiting for even a flicker of guilt. Vincent stiffened for half a second, then bounced back, smooth as ever. "You probably went to the wrong place. We've already got the certificate. We can take pictures later. I brought macarons—the new ones from your favorite place. Try them." He handed over the bag and headed straight to the bathroom. Serena looked down, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. "Vincent, there is no later for us." She went to the study and slid the fake certificate back into the safe. Three days ago, right after their so-called marriage registration, he showed it for a second before locking it up. She really thought it meant something to him. Last night changed everything. She'd gotten up for water and caught Vincent whispering on the balcony. "Vincent, why are you back with Maggie? You chased her for three years. She dumped you and ran off with some guy overseas. She almost wrecked you. Don't tell me you still love her?" Silence. Then his voice, low. "We registered our marriage two weeks ago. Her parents were trying to force her to marry some old dude... I couldn't let that happen." Serena froze, like she'd stepped into ice water. She and the guy on the phone both knew—it wasn't about pity. Vincent had never stopped loving Maggie. Six years. She thought she'd finally earned forever with him. But the truth? She was never even part of his heart. The 'County Clerk's Office' was fake. The marriage certificate—fake. Their six years? Might as well have been a dream. What a joke. What a mess. Vincent had already picked Maggie. So Serena made her choice too. This time, she was done—for real. Chapter 2 Vincent's phone lit up on the coffee table. The ringtone—custom, just for one person—blared through the silence. Serena hesitated, then stepped toward it. Before she could get there, something wet slammed into her. Her shin cracked against the corner of the table, pain shooting up like fire. Vincent—the culprit—didn't even look back. He grabbed his phone and disappeared into the bathroom. Serena limped to the couch, breath shaky. From behind the door came his voice, low and tense, trying to sound chill—but it wasn't. "Don't be scared. Stay in your room. I'm coming right now." Bitterness surged up in her chest. Six years, and Vincent had always kept his cool around her. But one phone call and he cracked. So that was it—he wasn't cold. He just didn't care. Vincent came out of the bathroom, still looking rattled. Didn't even stop. "Something came up at work. Don't wait for me." He didn't notice the girl who used to hand him his coat, who always told him to come home early, didn't say a thing this time. Didn't even look at him. Serena sat on the couch, frozen. When the sting in her leg finally dulled, she got up and headed to the bedroom. Time to pack. The couple's mugs—hers chipped, his never touched. The rings she made but never gave him. That charm bracelet she made for the wedding. The scrapbook—pages of memories she'd written, decorated, loved. Straight into the trash. No hesitation. Two hours later, half the room was empty. Just as she exhaled, her phone buzzed. Arya's voice came through, bright and wired. "Serena! I just woke up overseas and saw your message—so pumped you're joining! I'll be back in a week, then it's Seavora time. But... didn't you say you were getting married? Your boyfriend cool with you leaving?" Serena paused. After six years with Vincent, barely anyone even knew they were a thing. He hated attention. It wasn't until three days ago, when Arya brought up the studio, that she'd mentioned the wedding. Funny how fast everything crumbled. Her voice stayed steady. "It's fine. The wedding's off." Vincent froze in the doorway. His eyes flashed—panic, sharp and sudden. "What do you mean, the wedding's off?" Serena flinched at his voice but recovered quick. "A friend had something come up. So, wedding's canceled." He didn't push. "Didn't you want couple photos for your birthday? The photographer called. We can go tomorrow." Her instinct screamed no. But before she could answer, his gaze swept the room and landed on the now-empty table. "Were you cleaning? Kinda feels like half the stuff's missing." She nodded, cool and collected. "Yeah. We weren't using it. No point keeping clutter." For some reason, that hit Vincent weird. Chapter 3 Vincent stared at the empty table like it still had answers. Serena swallowed the comeback sitting on her tongue. No drama. She just wanted to leave clean. "Get some rest. We've got the shoot tomorrow," she said, all calm. He didn't catch anything weird in her face, so he let it go. They climbed into bed, backs turned, heads loud. Next morning, Serena dragged a trash bag down the stairs, arms straining. Vincent grabbed it. "Why's this so heavy? What's in here?" He started to peek inside. She pushed his arm down. "Just junk." The elevator dinged. He dropped it without a second thought. Watching him toss it in the dumpster made her feel ten pounds lighter. At the studio, someone led them to the racks. Serena was about to ask if they had anything non-wedding-y when Vincent stopped. "Serena, try this one. Didn't you say you liked this style?" She froze, eyes locked on the vintage dress. A couple weeks ago, she'd shown him one just like it. Back then, it would've meant something. Now? Nothing. Still, she didn't bother choosing another. Let him think he scored a win. A few minutes later, a staffer was fluffing her gown, all bubbly. "Miss Saun, you and your boyfriend must really be in love. This dress is perfect on you. The photos will be gorgeous." Before Serena could react, another girl leaned in, voice low. "Mr. Schit had a work emergency. He said to go ahead with your solo shoot—he'll do the couple shots later..." Her smile was stiff, like she was ready to dodge flying objects. They'd clearly seen meltdowns here before. Serena just nodded, chill and unreadable. After the shoot, she caught a cab home—alone. She hadn't even made it past the front door when a soft voice floated from the living room. "Vincent, I can't believe I'm eating your cooking again after all this time." He was at the table, slipping a shrimp into her bowl like it was totally normal. He turned—then froze when he saw Serena. Took him a beat. "Serena, this is Maggie. She ran into some trouble, so she's crashing here for a few days." Maggie gave her a quick once-over, barely hiding it. "You must be Vincent's girlfriend," she said sweetly. "He's talked about you. Sorry for the trouble. Oh, he made my favorite baked shrimp—come sit with us." She stood, surrendering the seat across from Vincent and sliding in beside him like she never left. Serena had thought this was just Vincent stuck in the past. Now she saw it—birds of a feather. "You two enjoy. I'm wiped. Going to bed." She turned toward the bedroom—then stopped cold at what was behind the door. Chapter 4 A huge wedding photo dominated the wall. Maggie, strapless gown and all, was wrapped around Vincent like they were soulmates. Noses touching. Eyes locked. Total fairytale vibe. Vincent burst in from the living room. "Serena, you should crash in the guest room. Maggie's not feeling great. This one gets good sun, so I figured she could stay—" His words hit the brakes when he spotted the photo. He stiffened. "It was just to calm her family. That's all." The marriage certificate? Just helping out. The photos? Pure PR. Serena stared him down, ice cold. Vincent scrambled, reaching for her hand. "It's not what you think. I just—" She backed off. "Don't touch me." First time in six years she'd ever pulled away. His chest clenched. He opened his mouth— But Maggie stormed in, voice shaky and tear-soaked. "Miss Saun, please don't fight with Vincent. It's my fault. I shouldn't have come. I'll leave right now..." Vincent cut in, stepping between them. "This has nothing to do with you." Maggie's tears spilled fast. "Vincent, you've already done so much for me. I can't be the reason she's upset. Maybe I deserve this—maybe it's karma for all my screwups. I'll take it." Her puffy eyes and broken look hit him hard. He softened. "Don't worry. As long as I'm here, no one's forcing you into anything. Serena won't be mad. You're staying. End of story." Serena let out a cold, crooked smile. "Of course I'm not mad. This is your house now, after all." She turned and walked out. Maggie whimpered behind her. "Vincent, is she still mad at me...?" Vincent stayed quiet. Serena's words rattled something in him. He chased after her, grabbed her wrist. "What's that supposed to mean? Her house? Maggie's getting forced into some sketchy marriage—she's being harassed. I was just trying to help. You're a woman too. Can't you just try to understand? Do you have to be so jealous and dramatic right now?" Before she could clap back, a loud crash exploded from the bedroom. Vincent's face dropped. He shoved past Serena and bolted. "Maggie! What are you doing?" Full-blown panic. Maggie was on the floor, crying hard. Blood streaked down her wrist. "Just leave me alone. No one cares about me anyway. If dying makes Miss Saun stop hating me, at least I'll have peace..." Vincent ripped the broken glass from her grip, pressing on the cut. He spun toward Serena, shouting— "This what you wanted? You happy now? Feel even a little guilty? No wonder people say you're heartless. You didn't shed a single tear when your dad died. How could someone that cold ever care about anyone else's life?" His words hit like a punch to the gut. Serena froze. Her whole body went cold. Her dad had been a drunk. The beatings were constant. So when he died in that accident, she didn't cry. Relatives called her a monster. Vincent had been the one who held her through it—who swore she wasn't broken. Now he was the one tearing her open. Whatever love she had left? Dead. "Vincent, I never said she couldn't stay. I wasn't being dramatic. I stepped back because I'm SEVERELY ALLERGIC to seafood." Only then did he notice the rash blooming across her wrist where he'd grabbed her. Her eyes were red—not with anger, but from the weight of what he'd just thrown at her. Guilt flickered across his face. "I..." But Maggie started thrashing, her voice raw and wild. "Vincent, don't stop me! Just let me die..." Blood started dripping again. Vincent didn't think—he scooped her up and ran. "I'm taking you to the hospital. I won't let anything happen to you!" Serena didn't move. Just stood there. Silent. Watching them disappear. Chapter 5 The floor looked like a war zone. Serena popped her meds and hauled her stuff to the guest room. On the way out, she paused by the shattered glass and grabbed a photo. The only one she and Vincent ever took. Now officially the last. She hadn't figured out what to do with it while packing. Guess Maggie handled that for her. Serena smirked, ripped it up, and let the pieces fall into the trash. Vincent didn't show up that night. *** Serena woke to clattering in the kitchen at five a.m. Vincent froze when he saw her, guilt flashing across his face. "Did I wake you? Maggie didn't eat last night, so I'm making her creamy seafood soup. You should grab a bowl too." She stared at the pot, silent. He still remembered every single thing Maggie liked—even after all that time apart. Just yesterday, she mentioned her seafood allergy—he hadn't even registered it. She hadn't known he could cook until now. Love hits different when it's one-sided. "I'm good. Don't save me any," she said, voice low. She turned to leave. "About last night..." he called. "I panicked when I saw Maggie hurt. I didn't mean what I said. Don't take it personally." She nodded. "Right. Emergency. I get it." Her calm threw him. Watching her eyes drop, guilt clenched his chest. "It's been forever since we went anywhere. Once things settle, let's take a trip. Just us." She gave a vague hum. Didn't matter. She'd be out of there in a few days anyway. *** Three days later, Serena got back from a day out with friends and found Vincent and Maggie already home. They were curled up on the couch, flipping through some old photo album. Maggie lit up when she saw her. "Miss Saun, you're back! Vincent and I were just looking at old pics. Our friends always said we looked like a married couple. I thought they were just joking, but even the photographer said so during our wedding shoot. Come see—don't we look totally husband-and-wife?" The air turned icy for a second. It was a straight-up power move, but Serena didn't flinch. She nodded. "Yeah, they're right. You two really—" Vincent jumped in. "There's a class reunion tonight. Serena, come with us." She almost laughed. Nice try. He clearly thought she was hurt and was scrambling to fix it. *** The drive over was dead silent. Everyone was stuck in their own heads. At the hotel, Maggie stayed close to Vincent, chatting about high school like they were still living it. Halfway through a story, she slipped her arm through his. Serena trailed behind, quiet. The second they walked into the room, people swarmed. "What's going on with you two?" "Didn't think you'd actually end up together after all this time!" Maggie didn't say a word—just blushed and smiled like it said everything. Then someone spotted Serena standing by the door. "And she is...?" Chapter 6 Vincent froze, like he'd just remembered Serena existed. He opened his mouth to say something, but she beat him to it. "I'm their friend," she said, calm and steady. He glanced her way—expression all tangled up—but with Maggie clinging to his side, he kept quiet. People looked confused but let it slide, waving her over to join the group. Old friends, same energy, like nothing had changed. Vincent jumped right in, laughing, chatting, and carefully fixing a plate for Maggie—making sure to leave out the onions she hated. Serena sat beside them, wearing her 'just a friend' mask. Midway through, she ducked out to the bathroom. On her way back, a voice from inside stopped her. "Vincent, be real. While Maggie was gone all those years, did you ever catch feelings for someone else?" The room went dead quiet. Everyone turned, waiting. Maggie jumped in fast. "Okay, let's not do this. I was gone forever—it's normal if he liked someone else..." She tried to smile, but her eyes were shiny, and the smile was barely hanging on. Vincent's chest tightened. His voice dropped. "No. I never liked anyone else." Maggie finally cracked a real smile through her tears and tucked herself into his arms, all shy and glowing. The group burst into cheers and teasing. Serena didn't say a word. She slipped out and called a cab home. *** A few hours later, Vincent showed up carrying a wasted Maggie. He laid her down gently. Her arms looped around his neck, loose and clingy. "Vincent, don't go. If I hadn't left back then, maybe there wouldn't be a Serena. I'm the one who should be in those wedding pics with you. We're the real thing, right? Please... don't leave me..." He froze. Maggie leaned in and kissed him. Right then, Serena opened the door. She stopped, stared for a beat, then turned and walked away. Anyone else would've broken down. But maybe she'd already seen it coming. It didn't sting the way it should've. Vincent panicked, shoved Maggie aside, and ran after her. "Serena, wait—let me explain. She—" "I get it. She's drunk. Go take care of her. I'm not gonna cause a scene." Her voice was calm, her eyes honest—and that's what wrecked him. Something shifted. Slipped. "Why aren't you mad at all?" he choked out. Chapter 7 Vincent pressed on. "At the reunion, you said we were just friends. You didn't blink when Maggie kissed me. You even told me to look after her... Serena, I'm your boyfriend. Why are you handing me off?" She went quiet. Right as she was about to say it— A scream shot out from the bedroom. Vincent's face snapped. He took off. Maggie, barefoot, wobbled off the bed and collapsed into him. "That creep came back for me. Vincent, I'm scared. Please don't leave me. Don't—" He didn't let her finish. Just scooped her up, voice low and gentle. "You're safe. I'm here. No one's gonna hurt you. I'm not going anywhere..." Maggie melted into him, throwing a smug look over his shoulder—stone-cold sober now. Serena scoffed in her head. 'So that's it, huh, Vincent? It was never me pushing you away. You've always picked her. EVERY. DAMN. TIME.' He stayed with Maggie all night. Serena? She couldn't care less. *** Arya had wrapped early and was flying back in two days. The news gave Serena a tiny spark of relief. Next morning, mid-breakfast, she spotted Vincent's phone on the table. After a beat, she headed to the master bedroom. Before she could knock, Maggie swung the door open. "Miss Saun, Vincent took care of me all night. He's still asleep. Maybe don't bother him right now." She tugged her collar just enough to flash some faint red marks. Serena didn't flinch. Just held out the phone. "Cool. Just make sure he gets this." She turned to leave—but Maggie caught her arm. "How thick can your skin be? Vincent never loved you. We didn't just take wedding pics—we already signed the papers. I'm his real wife now. So how about you leave our house?" A sound came from inside the room. Maggie's face flipped in a second. Gone was the smug, replaced with full-on panic. "Miss Saun, I'll move out. Please don't be mad..." Then—bam. Her back hit the door, and she crumpled to the floor. A second later, Vincent burst out. The second he saw Maggie on the floor, his face twisted with anger. "Serena Sauna, what the hell is this?! You told me to look after her. I thought you were being mature, and now you're pulling this PETTY CRAP?" Serena's face went cold. "I didn't touch her. Didn't lay a hand on her. Check the security cam if you're so sure." Maggie's eyes flicked nervously. "Vincent, don't blame Miss Saun... I just slipped..." But with her soft voice and that broken look, she played the victim like a pro. Vincent's expression melted. He scooped her up, gentle as ever. "Stop. You don't have to cover for her. Serena, you're my girlfriend, but if you ever lay a hand on Maggie again... don't blame me for what comes next." And just like that, he carried her off. Serena took a deep breath, stuffing the fury back down. Didn't matter what she said. Vincent was never gonna believe her. So why even bother? She pulled it together and spent the day out, surrounded by friends who actually gave a damn. *** By evening, she grabbed a cab home. As she reached into her bag for the keys, something shifted in the corner of her eye. Her whole body tensed. She spun to run— Too late. Someone yanked her hair and dragged her back. A knife pressed against her neck. Serena froze, heart slamming, brain scrambling to stay calm. "I've got cash in my bag. Take it. Just—don't hurt me..." The man didn't answer. He just grabbed her phone and started a video call. Chapter 8 The call rang and rang. Just before it dropped, someone finally picked up. "Vincent Schit, bring Maggie back. Fifteen minutes. Or say goodbye to your girlfriend." Vincent's face went pale when he saw the knife at Serena's neck. "Don't hurt her! Where are you? I'm coming! Maggie, Peter's got Serena—tell him to stop!" The camera shifted—Maggie's face popped into view. "Peter?" The guy stared at her. "It's me, Maggie. You said you'd marry me. I gave up everything for you. You can't just ditch me..." His voice cracked, and his hand twitched—the knife sliced Serena's skin. She gasped. Vincent's heart dropped. "Don't touch her! Serena, just hold on—I'm on my way!" Tears blurred Serena's vision, but she stayed still, jaw clenched. Then Maggie opened her mouth—and everything stopped. "Vincent, relax. That's not Peter. Miss Saun, come on. There's nothing between me and Vincent. You didn't need to fake a whole kidnapping just to test him." Vincent's face shifted, doubt creeping in. Serena's heart dropped. "I'm not pretending. Vincent, please. Just this once... believe me." Knife at her throat, she pushed the fear down and begged. But Maggie just let out a sigh. "Stop guilt-tripping him. If I leave, will you quit pulling stunts like this?" Vincent's face iced over. "Serena Saun, I'm done with your games. Even if this is real, I'm not giving Maggie up." Click. He hung up. Serena stared at the screen, frozen. Cold flooded her chest. Behind her, Peter's voice snapped. "Blame yourself for being his girl. Next life, pick better." *** When Serena opened her eyes, she was in a hospital bed. Vincent was right there, looking wrecked. "You're awake. Are you in pain?" Her head was spinning, but she remembered everything—he chose Maggie. Again. Left her hanging when it mattered most. If the neighbor hadn't shown up, she might've been dead. "I'm sorry. I was wrong. I should've believed you. Don't be mad, okay? I didn't know that guy was really Peter—" She yanked her hand back. "And Maggie didn't recognize him either?" He froze. Voice strained. "It was dark. Maggie just didn't see clearly. When she realized it was Peter, she cried for hours. "Anyway, he's been arrested. Can you stop blaming her now? You're the kindest person I know..." Serena almost died. Maggie just shed a few tears, and Vincent rushed to ask for forgiveness. A nurse burst in. "Mr. Schit, Miss Cheape's awake. She's crying and asking for you." This time, Vincent didn't budge. He just stared at Serena like he was waiting for her to say something else. She forced a smile. "Go. I'm tired. I want to sleep." She rolled away and shut her eyes. Vincent thought that meant she'd forgiven Maggie. He tucked the blanket around her like everything was fine. "I'll check on her. I'll be right back." Then he followed the nurse out. *** Minutes after leaving the hospital, Serena grabbed a cab. Halfway home, Maggie sent a pic—Vincent on one knee, sliding her shoes on like some rom-com prince. Before the typing bubble could even finish bouncing, Serena hit block. Back at the house, she headed straight to the study, yanked the fake marriage certificate from the safe, and ripped it to shreds. Suitcase in hand, she was out. Vincent? Not part of her future anymore.