My stomach twisted. This wasn’t a joke or a mistake. This was revenge.
Jack swallowed hard as Jane walked down the aisle. His eyes darted around, searching for an explanation, a way out. She stood before him, her hands firm and her face unreadable.
The priest hesitated for a moment before clearing his throat. ‘We are gathered here today to witness the union…’
Jack chuckled nervously. ‘Babe, what is it?’ His voice shook. ‘What is that dress?’
Jane didn’t answer.
The waiter looked uncertainly between them. ‘Should we…continue?’
Jane nodded. ‘Yes. Let’s continue.’
The ceremony continued, but no one was listening. All eyes in the room were fixed on Jane and waited. The vows followed.
Jack took a deep breath and reached for Jane’s hands. She didn’t stop him. He licked his lips, nervous, and then smiled.
‘Jane, from the moment I met you, I knew you were the one. You are my best friend, my soulmate, my everything. I promise to love you, to honour you, to be by your side in everything. I can’t wait to spend eternity with you.’
His voice grew stronger with each word, as if he thought it could still be fixed.
Then it was Jane’s turn. She let go of his hands. A sharp intake of breath swept through the room. Jane lifted her chin and looked Jack straight in the eye.
‘In that dress,’ she said in an even voice, ’I buried all my hopes and expectations for this wedding and for us, because true love doesn’t betray you a few days before the wedding.
A collective sigh filled the room. Whispers spread like wildfire.
‘What did she say?’
‘Betrayed? What did she mean?’
‘Oh my God, Jack cheated?’
Jack’s face lost colour. ‘Jane…wait…’
She continued.
‘I trusted you. I loved you. I was ready to spend the rest of my life with you.’ She took a slow breath, but her voice didn’t waver. ‘And then I found out the truth.’
Jack’s panic became visible. His hands trembled. ‘Baby, I swear it’s not what you think…’
Jane didn’t blink an eye. ‘It’s exactly what I think.’
Jack dropped to his knees.
‘Please,’ he pleaded, his voice trailing off. ‘Jane, please, I love you. I swear I love you!’
She didn’t move. Jack clawed at her arms, but she pulled back. His fingers closed around the hollow.
Tears came to his eyes. ‘Please, let me explain everything!
Jane looked up at him from below. Unperturbed. Unruffled. Then, without a word, she picked up the bouquet and let it slip from her fingers.
It fell to the floor, landing right at Jack’s feet. A final goodbye. Jack stared at the flowers, breathing heavily.
Jane turned and walked down the aisle away from him. I jumped to my feet, my heart pounding. I wanted to say something, to ask what was wrong, to take away her pain.
But before I could do that, she reached out and took my hand. I squeezed it tightly. She squeezed it back.
As we stepped outside, the whispers behind us died down. The doors slammed shut behind us with a final, resounding thud. And Jane? She didn’t look back once.
Outside, the cold air hit us like a slap in the face. The murmurs and sighs were muffled by the heavy doors, but I knew people were still reeling from what they’d just witnessed.
I turned to Jane, and my heart clenched with pain. ‘Darling…’
She exhaled slowly, her shoulders rising and falling. ‘I found out three days ago,’ she said in a quiet but firm voice. ‘I saw the messages. The calls late at night. Lies.’
I squeezed her hand. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
She gave me a small, sad smile. ‘Because I knew what everyone would say. ‘It’s just cold feet. He loves you. You don’t want to throw everything away because of one mistake.’ She swallowed. ‘But love shouldn’t betray you. It doesn’t.’
Tears came to my eyes. ‘No, it shouldn’t.’
Jane looked up at the sky, blinking rapidly. ‘It was like losing my dad, you know? I thought I had something real. Something reliable. And then it just…disappeared.’
I pulled her to me, hugging her the way I’d hugged her when she was little. ‘You did the right thing,’ I whispered. ‘I’m so proud of you.’
She smiled through the pain. ‘One day I’ll wear white,’ she said quietly. ‘For the right man. For the right love.’
And I knew I would.
This piece is inspired by real events and people, but for creative purposes it was fictionalised. Names, characters and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental and is not intended by the author.