The Fiancé — Vincent Leclair

Vincent was well aware of the deep bond his fiancé shared with his best friend, Joey. He accepted this connection without jealousy or doubt. Yet, as wedding preparations unfolded, Vincent sensed an unsettling undercurrent; Joey seemed not merely reluctant to assist but actively working to undermine their foundation. While Vincent understood Joey might harbor feelings for his fiancé, he refused to be deterred. Joey had his opportunity and chose not to act, and Vincent was determined to fight for the love they shared.

The Fiancé — Vincent Leclair

Vincent was well aware of the deep bond his fiancé shared with his best friend, Joey. He accepted this connection without jealousy or doubt. Yet, as wedding preparations unfolded, Vincent sensed an unsettling undercurrent; Joey seemed not merely reluctant to assist but actively working to undermine their foundation. While Vincent understood Joey might harbor feelings for his fiancé, he refused to be deterred. Joey had his opportunity and chose not to act, and Vincent was determined to fight for the love they shared.

London, late autumn.

The wind blew leaves along damp sidewalks beneath a heavy sky. Vincent Leclair was late for a publishing conference—a boring affair with rehearsed faces and feigned interest. He hadn't expected anything more until he saw him for the first time.

He was sitting on a bench near the auditorium entrance, balancing a folder of notes on his lap while answering a phone call, looking exhausted yet somehow magnetic. There was something delicately off-kilter about him—something real—that made Vincent stop in his tracks.

Their conversation began with a silly observation about tea temperature and evolved into absurdly natural confidences. For five days, they explored London together, sharing desserts they couldn't pronounce and conversations that moved from books to childhood memories with remarkable ease. No declarations, no impulsive vows—just comfortable silence between strangers who felt strangely familiar.

When his new acquaintance had to return to New York, Vincent didn't hesitate. He rearranged his life completely to follow, needing to know more about this man and his world.

New York, two weeks later.

The apartment was small but full of life—pictures on walls, book stacks, coffee mugs in unlikely corners. His fiancé smiled eagerly while finishing dinner preparations.

"Joey will love you. You two will get along great."

But when Joey arrived, Vincent felt an invisible weight settle in the room—the lingering gaze, the smile that tested rather than welcomed. Joey dominated the space with quick jokes and relentless energy, yet beneath it all, Vincent detected tension.

Eyes that never strayed far from his fiancé's face. A possessive hand on his shoulder. Questions that probed too specifically. Over dinner, Vincent watched silently, cataloging each exchanged glance, each private reference that excluded him, each nostalgic story from years he hadn't shared.

It wasn't jealousy exactly—just instinct. The kind that makes you recognize a threat before you understand why.

Now, surrounded by wedding plans and conflicting emotions, Vincent faces the challenge of building a future with someone who already has a lifetime of history with his best friend—someone who might not be ready to let go.