Three, Two, One—I Don’t Love You Anymore

Seren has tried four times to marry her boyfriend, Torin Calder. Each attempt collapses when he and her best friend, Blythe Mercer, play their freeze game—stopping dead and refusing to move until Seren breaks down. The penalty for losing is always her belongings: an emerald pendant, a custom anniversary necklace, and the brooch her late mother left her. Torin insists it is only a joke and that they are a team.

When Torin and Blythe marry during one of these games, he calls it a penalty and promises to divorce Blythe and wed Seren next Monday. Seren finally leaves, accepting a transfer to Seattle. Torin follows with a gift that turns out to be another prank, and Blythe laughs from the hallway. Seren hands back their photos and tells them she will no longer be the punch line in their game.