Days Before Our Wedding, My Fiancé Went on a ‘Closure Vacation’ with His Ex

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My name is Tessa, and just three weeks ago, I thought I had my entire future figured out. I was 35 and finally getting ready to marry the man I believed was my perfect match.

I had spent eight whole months planning the wedding of my dreams. And I mean everything—from the cake flavors to the ribbon color on the guest favors. I didn’t even mind the stress because I’d waited my whole life for this. Since I was a little girl, I used to dress up in my mom’s old bridesmaid gowns and pretend I was walking down the aisle. That dream was finally about to come true.

Jared and I had met two years ago at a friend’s housewarming party. I was in the kitchen, struggling to open a wine bottle, when this handsome guy with warm brown eyes came over and said, “Need some help with that?”

I laughed. “Only if you promise not to judge me for being a hopeless adult.”

He smiled and popped the bottle open like it was nothing. Then he poured us both a glass and raised his in the air.
“To struggling with basic adult tasks,” he toasted. “It’s what makes us human.”

That night, we talked for hours about everything—our families, our jobs, our dreams. The connection between us was instant. By the time the night ended, we had exchanged numbers and already set a dinner date for the next weekend.

Dating Jared felt easy. He worked as a marketing director at a tech company. He made me laugh constantly. He treated me like I was the most important person in his world. We liked the same movies, enjoyed cooking together, and even had the same take on pineapple on pizza—it doesn’t belong!

When he proposed last Christmas at my favorite Italian restaurant, hiding the ring inside a slice of tiramisu, I said yes before he even finished asking.

Planning the wedding was a whirlwind. We booked the venue, I found the perfect dress, we argued over table centerpieces, and we laughed through the chaos. Everyone warned me that wedding planning could drive a couple crazy, but I honestly thought Jared and I were immune. We just clicked.

Everything was perfect—until it wasn’t.


About a week before the wedding, I started noticing small changes in Jared. He seemed distracted. He was constantly on his phone. He brushed off conversations and got snappy when I asked about his upcoming bachelor trip.

“It’s just a chill weekend with the guys,” he had told me. “Some hiking, maybe a few beers. Nothing crazy.”

I even packed him trail mix and his favorite jerky bars like a sweet, supportive fiancée.

But three days before he left, everything fell apart.

I was at the mall picking up skincare samples and a thank-you gift for his mom. That’s when I ran into Dylan, one of Jared’s groomsmen. He looked excited and rushed over.

“Hey, Tessa!” he said. “So cool of you to be chill about the whole closure thing.”

I froze. “The… what?”

He laughed like I was making a joke.
“The closure vacation! My girlfriend would NEVER let me go on a trip with my ex before getting married. But hey, major respect to you!”

My entire world tilted.

I kept a fake smile on my face. I needed more info.

“Oh, yeah, totally,” I said casually. “Jared’s big on emotional clarity before big life events.”

Dylan nodded like I’d just said something very wise.

Then I asked, “That evening flight is going to be such a hassle though, right?”

He looked puzzled. “Evening? Nah, he told me it was 8:40 a.m. on Tuesday. He asked me to cover his morning meeting.”

I nodded again, heart pounding. “Right, right. I must be confused. Probably mixed up with another trip. I better pack him an umbrella if it’s raining in Bali…”

Now Dylan really looked confused.

“Bali? No, they’re going to Cancún. He said that at poker night last week.”

Cancún? With Miranda? His ex-girlfriend he’d dated for three years?

I somehow held my smile. “Of course! Thanks, Dylan. See you at the rehearsal dinner.”

He waved and walked off. I practically ran to my car. When I got inside, I locked the doors, gripped the steering wheel, and sat in silence.

I didn’t scream. I didn’t cry. I made a plan.


One hour later, I stood in front of my wedding dress. It was hanging like a ghost in my closet, all beautiful and useless.

I picked up my phone and called Liam.

Liam was my college ex—the one who got away. We had stayed in touch over the years, just the occasional birthday text or “Merry Christmas” message. I knew he was single and living a few states away.

When he answered, I said, “Liam, I need a huge favor. And it’s going to sound completely insane.”

I told him everything—about Jared, about the secret trip, about Miranda.

There was a pause.

Then Liam said, “So… you want me to be your fake closure trip guy to mess with your cheating fiancé?”

I smiled for the first time all day. “You still like margaritas, right?”

He laughed. “Book the tickets. I’ll meet you at the airport.”


Tuesday morning, I put on a white sundress and went to the airport—not to stop Jared, but to make a statement.

I saw them before they saw me. Jared and Miranda were in the security line, laughing and sharing snacks like they hadn’t hurt anyone.

I walked right up, smiling.

“Jared!”

He turned, and his face went pale. His mouth opened and closed like a fish. “Tessa?! What… what are you doing here?”

Then he saw Liam, standing beside me.

“Hi, baby,” I said sweetly, kissing Liam on the cheek. “Ready for our trip?”

Miranda looked like she’d seen a ghost.

Jared blinked. “What is this? Are you serious?”

I tilted my head. “You’re doing a closure trip before the wedding? I figured, hey, Liam and I could use one too.”

Liam stepped up like a pro. “Closure is so important before making a lifelong commitment. I’m really grateful to Tessa for suggesting this.”

Jared stared at him, stunned. “Tell me this is a joke.”

“Oh no,” I said cheerfully. “This is very real. It’s a double-closure trip now.”

Liam and I walked right past them and through security. We were actually flying somewhere—to Cabo.

This wasn’t just for show.


After Dylan’s accidental reveal, I’d gone straight home and booked tickets. I had called Liam, explained everything, and within hours, we had a plan. Cabo for a week. Margaritas, sand, and peace.

As soon as we passed through security, my phone blew up.

Text after text from Jared:

“Tessa, what the hell was that?”

“This is insane. I was going to explain everything when I got back.”

“You’re ruining everything.”

“CALL ME.”

I didn’t reply. I blocked him instead.

On the flight, Liam and I started talking like we’d never stopped. We caught up on everything—life, love, regrets. It was strange how easy it felt to fall back into our rhythm.

“I can’t believe you almost married that guy,” Liam said, shaking his head.
“I can’t believe he thought ‘closure’ meant a romantic vacation with his ex,” I replied.

As the days passed in Cabo, something surprising happened. Our revenge plan turned into something real. We laughed, we danced, we talked deep into the night. And I remembered exactly why I fell in love with Liam in college.

Back then, we broke up because I moved across the country for grad school. We were young and scared and thought love could wait. But now? We weren’t scared anymore.


One week turned into two.

After we got back, Liam moved to my city. He left his job, started fresh. Six months later, he proposed—with a quiet picnic in the park and a ring that made my heart race.

We got married the following spring. A small, intimate wedding, just family and our closest friends. No stress. No drama. Just love.

And Jared?

He sent one email. One line.

“Guess your closure worked.”

It did.

Oh, Jared. It really did.