When Paige\u2019s sister steals her fianc\u00e9, betrayal isn\u2019t enough, she wants to flaunt her little victory. One year later, an invitation arrives. Erica is getting married to the man she took, and she wants Paige to watch. But what Erica doesn\u2019t know is that Paige has a plan. And before the night is over, the bride\u2019s perfect day will be in ruins.
\nI wasn\u2019t supposed to be at this wedding.
\nThat much was clear from the sideways glances and the murmured whispers trailing behind me as I walked through the grand hall.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll admit, the wedding set up was stunning. Erica had taken her time to set the scene with shades of gold and ivory. The guests had come wearing their expensive gowns and tuxedos. Everything was\u2026 stunning.<\/p>\n
But no amount of elegance could mask the rot beneath the surface.<\/p>\n
This wasn\u2019t just any wedding. This was her wedding.<\/p>\n
Erica.<\/p>\n
My younger sister. My parents\u2019 golden child. The one who was handed everything on a silver platter while I scraped and clawed for every bit of success I had.<\/p>\n
And now?<\/p>\n
She had taken the one thing that was supposed to be mine.<\/p>\n
Stan.<\/p>\n
Stan had been my fianc\u00e9. He had been my future. He was the man I loved and trusted, until I came home early from work one night and found them tangled together in our bed.<\/p>\n
I still remember how he froze, his face twisted in guilt. As for my sister? She had only smirked, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction.<\/p>\n
\u201cI won, Paige,\u201d she had said simply. \u201cCheckmate.\u201d<\/p>\n
A month later, the wedding I had spent over a year planning was canceled, with all the vendors trying to keep my deposits. And what about Erica and Stan? They no longer had to sneak around. They were finally an official couple.<\/p>\n
After that, I left town for a few weeks, moving around hotels while working remotely. I tried to put it all behind me, and eventually, I did. When I was ready, I moved back in and got myself a kitten.<\/p>\n
Then, the invitation arrived.<\/p>\n
And now, a year after that entire fiasco, here I was, standing in the middle of their celebration, invited as nothing more than a spectator to their so-called victory.<\/p>\n
I bet it was my parents who forced her to invite me. If Erica had her own way, she would never have invited me. Or maybe she would have\u2026 just to gloat. She was as nasty as they came.<\/p>\n
But what Erica didn\u2019t know, what nobody knew, was that tonight, I wasn\u2019t here to mourn my loss.<\/p>\n
I was here to make sure that Erica would never forget what she had done to me. And with that, she would never forget the surprise I had planned for her wedding reception.<\/p>\n
The ceremony was a blur. I stood near the back, barely listening as the officiant droned on about love and devotion. Honestly, they were just words that meant nothing.<\/p>\n
Stan, dressed in a sharp black tuxedo, stared at Erica with a look of adoration I knew was fake. She, in turn, beamed up at him like she had won the grandest prize of all.<\/p>\n
I almost laughed.<\/p>\n
Enjoy it while you can, sweetheart, I thought while sipping my champagne.<\/p>\n
By the time the reception began, the hall buzzed with laughter and clinking glasses. A massive screen behind the dance floor played a slideshow of their engagement photos, Stan lifting Erica into the air, their foreheads touching as they smiled at each other.<\/p>\n
Honestly, if you didn\u2019t know the history of how they got together, you would think they were genuinely happy.<\/p>\n
And maybe they were. Maybe this was how things were supposed to turn out.<\/p>\n
But I wasn\u2019t going to give in that easily. I wasn\u2019t going to just let this go.<\/p>\n
Why should Erica get the happily-ever-after, especially after all the pain and betrayal I had felt?<\/p>\n
Nope. Not a chance.<\/p>\n
Soon, their perfect little fairytale was about to take a turn.<\/p>\n
I moved through the crowd unnoticed, my sleek black dress hugging my frame just right. I wasn\u2019t dressed like a guest. I was dressed like a reckoning, and I felt confident, more confident than I had in a long time.<\/p>\n
Reaching the laptop connected to the projector, I slipped in my flash drive. A few clicks, a deep breath, and then\u2026<\/p>\n
Showtime.<\/p>\n
The first few seconds went unnoticed. The guests continued sipping champagne and nibbling on canap\u00e9s, lost in conversation. The bridal couple made their way through the crowd, stopping to talk and hug people as they went.<\/p>\n
Then, Stan\u2019s voice filled the hall.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease, don\u2019t leave me!\u201d<\/p>\n
The video played on the massive screen, the footage grainy from the security camera mounted in my bedroom. Stan was on the bed, his face streaked with tears. I was standing on the other end listening to him try to \u2018explain\u2019 what had gone on between him and my sister.<\/p>\n
\u201cErica means nothing to me, Paige! Absolutely nothing!\u201d he sobbed. \u201cShe was a mistake! I love you, Paige! I made a huge mistake!\u201d<\/p>\n
A heavy silence fell over the room.<\/p>\n
I turned to look at Erica.<\/p>\n
Her face drained of color.<\/p>\n
Stan, too, stood frozen, his eyes wide. His hands twitched at his sides.<\/p>\n
But still, I wasn\u2019t done.<\/p>\n
The video cut to more security footage. I lived in a quiet neighborhood that was often targeted for break-ins, which was why I had security cameras installed everywhere and in every room.<\/p>\n
Now, the footage showed Erica and Stan sneaking into my house together, slipping into my bedroom when they thought I was working late. Timestamp after timestamp, betrayal after betrayal.<\/p>\n
Then, the final nail in the coffin.<\/p>\n
Erica, lying in my bed, laughing.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019ll never know\u2026\u201d she whispered, her voice light and breathy.<\/p>\n
\u201cPaige who?\u201d Stan said, laughing with her.<\/p>\n
A collective gasp spread through the crowd. Someone dropped a champagne glass.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh my God,\u201d a woman murmured.<\/p>\n
My mother looked like she might faint. My father\u2019s jaw clenched so tightly I swore I heard his teeth grind.<\/p>\n
And then, pure chaos.<\/p>\n
Erica stumbled back, her hands shaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis\u2026 this isn\u2019t real!\u201d she stammered.<\/p>\n
But the proof was right there, glaring under the bright glow of the screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cDinner will be served now!\u201d she blurted, waving her hands in the air. \u201cEveryone just take your seats and enjoy!\u201d<\/p>\n
Stan turned to her, his expression morphing into pure rage.<\/p>\n
\u201cErica, you told me that you went onto Paige\u2019s computer and deleted the footage.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh?\u201d I mused, my voice dripping with mock innocence. \u201cYou mean you knew about it? You knew that the security cameras were going to catch you in the act?\u201d<\/p>\n
His face paled, giving himself away.<\/p>\n
The guests murmured louder now, judgment and disgust flickering through their faces.<\/p>\n
And then, before Erica could retaliate, a voice cut through the tension.<\/p>\n
\u201cPaige.\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned.<\/p>\n
Jack stepped forward from the crowd, his crisp white shirt visible beneath the black vest of his waiter\u2019s uniform.<\/p>\n
Month ago, when I told Jack about what I wanted to do, he was adamant that he needed to be with me. He had just come over after work and the first thing he saw was my sister\u2019s wedding invitation on the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to go to the wedding,\u201d I said. \u201cI just don\u2019t want to be\u2026 I don\u2019t know. Jack, Erica is a problem. She\u2019s used to everything being about her. I want to teach her some kind of lesson.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack moved around the kitchen, chopping whatever I asked him for.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I\u2019ll come with, Paige,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I don\u2019t want to draw attention to you,\u201d I said, handing him a bowl of ramen. \u201cI don\u2019t want Erica to spoil my moment before I even get to it. And if she sees you, that\u2019s exactly what she\u2019ll do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I\u2019ll come in as a waiter, if that\u2019s what it takes!\u201d he said. \u201cBut I want to be there. That way, if you need me, I\u2019ll be right there.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the end, I gave in. I was switched off from my parents, and I hadn\u2019t been close with my family for a long time, so knowing that Jack was around made me feel better.<\/p>\n
Now, Jack set down his tray of champagne glasses on a table and smiled at me.<\/p>\n
His sharp blue eyes met mine. They were steady and unwavering\u2026 and reassuring.<\/p>\n
I had never been more grateful to see someone in my entire life. As much as I was surrounded by family, having Jack around was the one thing that had kept me grounded throughout the ceremony. I despised Erica and Stan but watching them actually get married did tug at my heart.<\/p>\n
But now? Seeing Jack?<\/p>\n
I was comforted.<\/p>\n
\u201cShall we go?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
Jack shook his head and walked over to me.<\/p>\n
Gasps rippled through the crowd as he strode toward me, each step measured and purposeful. And then, without hesitation, he dropped to one knee.<\/p>\n
The room, already reeling from the scandal on screen, now fell into a stunned silence.<\/p>\n
Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He opened it, revealing the most breathtaking ring I had ever seen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve waited long enough to ask you this, my love,\u201d he said, his voice strong, clear, and certain. \u201cPaige, will you marry me?\u201d<\/p>\n
A sharp inhale swept through the crowd.<\/p>\n
Erica let out a strangled sound.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you\u2026 are you kidding me right now?\u201d she screeched. \u201cPaige! Why? What the hell? Now? At my wedding?!\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked like a deer in headlights but she also looked a canon about to burst through the room, taking everything down with her. For a moment, I felt bad. But on a whole\u2026 I felt vindicated.<\/p>\n
I smiled, the weight of the past year lifting from my shoulders.<\/p>\n
She had stolen the wrong man. Stan was nothing compared to Jack. Jack was everything that Stan hadn\u2019t been. He was trustworthy and certain about life and his love for me.<\/p>\n
Stan? Stan had just wanted a good time.<\/p>\n
But as I looked at him now, he looked heartbroken. He looked like everything wrong had happened to him and the weight of it all was suffocating. He looked at Erica who was still fuming. He even tried to reach out to hold onto her hand but she tugged it away with such a force that he looked shocked.<\/p>\n
I would have checked on him. But he wasn\u2019t my problem.<\/p>\n
Instead, I turned back to Jack, my chest tight with emotion.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes!\u201d I said, my voice unwavering. \u201cYes, Jack! I will!\u201d<\/p>\n
The room erupted. Some guests, still reeling from the scandal, now cheered. My mother wiped away tears, not of shame this time, but of joy.<\/p>\n
Erica\u2019s face twisted in pure, unfiltered rage. There was something unfamiliar about her rage. I hadn\u2019t seen her so upset in my entire life. Erica was used to getting everything she wanted but now on the most important day of her life, she had lost control. There was no joy in her actions. There was no victory over me anymore.<\/p>\n
There was just\u2026 anger and hurt. And disappointment. I should have felt bad, right?<\/p>\n
But I couldn\u2019t. I just couldn\u2019t bring myself to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is my day!\u201d she shrieked, stamping her foot and knocking her chair over.<\/p>\n
I turned to her, tilting my head.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, honey,\u201d I said, my voice dripping with sweetness. \u201cYou stole that fool from me and my wedding. I just returned the favor and stole the show.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then, with Jack\u2019s hand firmly in mine, I walked out of the hall, leaving my sister standing at her wedding reception, humiliated, betrayed, and hurt.<\/p>\n
The wedding was far behind us, but my heart was still racing. The echoes of gasps, whispers, and Erica\u2019s shriek still clung to the edges of my mind.<\/p>\n
Now, though, it was just Jack and me.<\/p>\n
We sat across from each other in a tiny 24-hour diner, both of us absurdly overdressed for a place that served greasy fries and milkshakes in chipped glasses. My sleek black dress felt out of place against the cracked leather booth, and Jack looked like he had just stepped out of a movie scene.<\/p>\n
And yet, this was the most comfortable I\u2019d felt all night.<\/p>\n
Jack slid a plate of fries toward me.<\/p>\n
\u201cEat,\u201d he commanded. \u201cYou\u2019ve had a long day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s an understatement,\u201d I laughed, but I picked up a fry anyway.<\/p>\n
For a while, we just sat there, the hum of the diner filling the silence. It wasn\u2019t awkward, it was easy. But that had been life since I met Jack.<\/p>\n
Finally, I set my drink down and met his gaze.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo\u2026 how long were you planning that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe proposal?\u201d he smirked.<\/p>\n
He exhaled, leaning back against the booth.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve wanted to ask you for months, Paige. But I knew you weren\u2019t ready. Not just for marriage, but the whole commitment thing? You needed time to heal. I wasn\u2019t going to rush that.\u201d<\/p>\n
His fingers traced patterns on the table and then picked up his milkshake.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when I found out that she invited you? That was the final straw. I wasn\u2019t going to let you stand there alone while she flaunted him in front of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you got a job in the catering industry, or you snuck in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI called in a favor, honey,\u201d he grinned. \u201cApparently, I look good holding a tray.\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed, really laughed, for the first time in a long time.<\/p>\n
Jack leaned forward, his expression much softer now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI meant every word, Paige. I love you. And I\u2019ll wait as long as you need. But this evening felt like the right moment to finally ask.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think,\u201d I said after a moment, \u201cthat you chose the perfect moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had won.<\/p>\n
When Paige\u2019s sister steals her fianc\u00e9, betrayal isn\u2019t enough, she wants to flaunt her little victory. One year later, an invitation arrives. Erica is getting married to the man she took, and she wants Paige to watch. But what Erica doesn\u2019t know is that Paige has a plan. And before the night is over, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":8035,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tales"],"yoast_head":"\n