So, my little sister, Sadie, was preparing for her wedding and asked me to be her maid of honor. I was thrilled but also kind of confused, since I always thought she didn’t really love me.
She had always been jealous of how our parents treated me. I was a sick kid, so they had to spend more time with me. That was it. However, she always blamed me, saying I was faking it and calling me a liar.
But maybe her wedding could change everything. At least, that’s what I thought.
She picked out the design for my dress and the other bridesmaids’ dresses. We went to a few fittings, and everything seemed perfect.
But on the big day, when all the girls put on their dresses, I grabbed mine and couldn’t believe it—it was huge. Definitely a few sizes too big, and there was nothing that could be done about it.
Me: “What the hell?!”
Her: “Oh, did you lose some weight?”
Me: “Like, 33 pounds? And no one noticed?”
Her: “Oh, come on. I guess you won’t be my bridesmaid then. Jess can replace you.”
She was so calm, not even surprised. That’s when it hit me—she did this on purpose. I was furious, but I felt totally helpless… until my aunt came up to me and said, “Don’t worry, hon, I was prepared for this.”
I turned to my aunt in shock. “Prepared? What do you mean?”
She smiled, her eyes glinting with something I couldn’t quite place, and handed me a garment bag. “Put this on. Trust me.”
Inside was a dress. Not just any dress—it was stunning. Elegant, perfectly fitted, and honestly far more beautiful than Sadie’s choice for the bridesmaids.
I slipped into it, my anger mixing with relief. When I walked into the venue, every head turned. The dress shimmered under the lights, and for the first time in years, I felt… seen.
Sadie’s smile froze when she saw me. Her eyes darted to the dress, then to our aunt, and I swear her face drained of color. “Where did you get that?” she hissed.
My aunt crossed her arms. “It was your mother’s. She wore it at her own wedding. I had it altered years ago, just in case you tried something like this.”
Gasps echoed through the crowd. Guests started whispering, glancing between Sadie and me.
Sadie tried to recover, forcing a laugh. “Oh, well… I guess it’s fine. But she looks overdressed, doesn’t she?”
Before I could answer, my father stood up, his voice stern. “No. She looks like family. Something you’ve been forgetting lately, Sadie.”
The room went silent.
Sadie’s lips trembled as though she might explode. But instead of arguing, she plastered on a fake smile and turned back to her groom. Still, I could see the storm brewing in her eyes.
For once, though, I wasn’t afraid of her anger. I stood tall, knowing she hadn’t ruined me. Not this time.
What I didn’t realize, however, was that the wedding wasn’t the only plan Sadie had prepared.
And her next move… was aimed to ruin far more than just a dress.
The ceremony went on, and although Sadie smiled for the photos, I could see her jaw tighten every time someone complimented me. Guests whispered about the dress, about how radiant I looked, and I knew it was eating her alive.
At the reception, things took a darker turn.
While I was mingling with cousins near the dessert table, Sadie clinked her glass for attention. “Everyone,” she said sweetly, her voice dripping with venom, “before the dancing begins, I have a little surprise for my sister.”
My stomach dropped.
On the big screen behind her, a slideshow flickered to life. But instead of wedding photos, old family pictures appeared—pictures of me. Me in hospital beds, pale and weak. Me with wires strapped to my chest. Me crying as a kid.
Sadie smirked. “For those who don’t know, my dear sister was always the center of attention growing up. She claimed she was sick all the time. Doctors, treatments, tests… but funny thing is, she always managed to bounce back when it suited her.”
The room went dead quiet.
My cheeks burned. This was her plan—to humiliate me, to frame my childhood sickness as some kind of lie.
Before I could even speak, my aunt stood up, her voice sharp as glass. “Enough, Sadie.”
But Sadie didn’t stop. “She stole my childhood. She stole my parents’ love. And now she’s trying to steal the spotlight at my wedding too!”
Her groom shifted uncomfortably, whispering something to her, but she shook him off, her eyes locked on me like daggers.
I wanted to sink into the floor. My hands trembled. But then, my father rose from his seat, his face pale but determined.
He took the microphone from Sadie’s hand. “You want the truth, Sadie? Fine. Let’s tell them the truth.”
He turned to the guests, his voice breaking. “Your sister didn’t fake anything. She was dying. And the reason she’s alive today is because we gave her the treatment money that was meant for you.”
Gasps filled the room. My heart stopped. Sadie’s face went blank.
“You were supposed to have that surgery on your leg when you were twelve,” he continued, tears streaming down his face. “We had to choose. We saved her. And we’ve lived with that guilt every day since.”
The room erupted in murmurs. Sadie’s groom stared at her in shock.
And me? I could barely breathe.
Sadie’s entire body shook as she whispered, “You… you chose her over me?”
The truth hung heavy in the air, shattering everything.
