Max is ready to marry the love of his life until he learns the truth. With only 72 hours left before the wedding, he devises a plan for ultimate betrayal. As Sofia walks down the aisle, she expects the fairytale wedding she has planned. But Max is determined to turn their wedding into payback.
Everything was perfect.
The venue was bathed in golden light, the floral arrangements were flawless, and the guests were smiling, chatting and sipping champagne.
Everything was exactly as it should be. It was the wedding of her dreams, the one Sofia had been dreaming of for months.
She had thought through every detail, right down to the little bags of sweets so that the guests wouldn’t get bored if they wanted to eat during the ceremony.
But just as my bride had planned her dream wedding, I had also planned every detail of my moment.
I stood at the entrance, clasping my hands and holding my breath. The music started, signalling the bridesmaids to get ready to come out.
I looked around: the expectant faces of our guests, the carefully selected decorations and the warm glow of the candles. It was the perfect romantic wedding scene.
Everything was exactly as it should be.
And yet I wasn’t nervous. Not one bit.
Not anymore.
72 hours ago
I don’t remember how I sat down.
One minute I was standing at the window of my flat, looking at the cityscape. The next minute I was lying on the sofa, resting my head on my hands and trying to catch my breath.
Elena sat across from me, silent and waiting. Her words still echoed in my head. Over and over, like a song I just couldn’t turn off.
‘I saw her, Max. With him. I wasn’t looking for it, I swear! But I saw them.’
‘Are you sure? Elena, I need you to be sure.’ My voice sounded thin and unfamiliar to me.
‘Max, I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t sure,’ she said.
The room felt too small. My flat, once filled with wedding gifts, seating plans and excitement, now felt like a prison cell. I wanted to run away, to escape this conversation.
How could Sofia have betrayed me?
‘Tell me everything,’ I said.
Elena hesitated for a moment. Then she straightened her shoulders and met my gaze with an expression of sympathy.
“I was at a new coffee shop that thrives on veganism. I was getting my coffee when I saw Sofia sitting at a corner table.”
She paused.
‘She wasn’t alone, Max.’
‘Who?’ I asked.
“I don’t know his name, but he looked so familiar. He could have been one of her friends. I know I’ve seen him before. But I know how he looked at her, Max. And I know how she looked back at him.”
‘That doesn’t mean anything, Elena,’ I said.
‘Sophia touched his face, whispered something, and then leaned towards him first, Max. And then they kissed.’
For a brief, pitiful second, I almost convinced myself it was a misunderstanding. A mistake. But Sofia wasn’t careless. She was calculating.
She wouldn’t have let a man kiss her in public if she didn’t know she wouldn’t get caught. Unless she thought she had all the power and none of the people who know us would catch her.
‘Max, I know it hurts,’ Elena said. “But I took a photo. I knew you’d need proof.”
‘Show me,’ I said, feeling my heart break as I looked at Elena’s phone.
I blinked, looking at my hands. They seemed different. They felt detached from me.
‘She said she loved me,’ I muttered. ‘Our wedding is in 72 hours, Elena. What am I supposed to do now? Call off the wedding?’
‘No way!’ Elena said. ‘Teach her a lesson!’
I looked up and for the first time since we started talking, I met Elena’s gaze with clear, unwavering fury.
‘She won’t get away with this.’
Elena didn’t look surprised.
‘What are you going to do?’ she asked.
Something cold settled in my chest. I stood up and walked over to the window. Deep, deadly clarity. I adjusted my tie, as if I had already made up my mind.
‘I’ll let her have her big day,’ I said. ‘But not the way she planned it.’
A slow smile played on Elena’s lips.
‘Tell me what you need, brother,’ she said. ‘I’ll do whatever you need.’
The Gift
The music grew louder, signalling the arrival of the first bridesmaid.
As they took to the stage one by one, a wave of unease swept through the crowd. The hall, once bustling with quiet conversation, was completely transformed.
The bridesmaids were dressed in black, as if in mourning. Some of them had to be persuaded, but when they saw the evidence provided by Elena and me, none of them wanted to stand behind a liar.
They weren’t wearing the soft sky blue colour that Sofia wanted. Not the carefully chosen pastel shades that matched the invitations and floral arrangements.
No.
They were in black.
One by one, they moved forward, their faces indistinguishable. Their dark dresses contrasted sharply with the delicate white petals scattered along the aisle.