The morning of my wedding, I woke up feeling light, happy, and a little nervous. Today was the day—after years of saving, planning, and dreaming, I was finally going to marry Leo.
Leo and I had worked hard for this. Extra shifts, late nights, skipping vacations—every dollar we had went into making this day perfect.
“Gina, just think about all the money we’re saving by not ordering takeout every night,” Leo had joked.
“That’s because we’re on a healthy eating plan, remember?” I grinned.
Now, after all that sacrifice, it was finally here.
I arrived at the venue an hour early, wanting a quiet moment to myself before everything began. I wanted to take it all in, breathe in the magic, sip some champagne, and soak in the beauty of the space before the guests arrived.
But as soon as I stepped inside, my dream turned into a nightmare.
There, standing at my altar, was a bride. Not just any bride—Jessica. My sister.
She was smoothing out her veil, completely at ease, as if she belonged there.
My stomach twisted.
Some guests had already arrived. The venue’s staff were busy with the final touches. The soft hum of classical music played in the background. Everything was set… for my wedding. But here was Jessica, standing in my place.
She turned and saw me. Instead of looking guilty, she smiled—smug and pleased with herself.
“Oh! You’re early!” she said cheerfully, clasping her hands together. “I thought I’d have everything sorted before you got here. Well… that ruins the surprise.”
Surprise?
I could barely find my voice. “What… surprise?”
Jessica let out a dramatic sigh, as if I was the one being difficult. “Gina, come on. Why waste a perfectly good setup? Two weddings in one! Genius, right? And you know how Ben has been pushing me to get married lately.”
My whole body went cold. “You… planned to get married at my wedding? Without telling me? Are you insane?”
Jessica tilted her head, pouting like a child. “Mom said ‘insane’ isn’t a word we use,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Be nice. And come on, don’t be so selfish!”
Selfish. Me. At my own wedding.
I clenched my fists. Jessica had always taken from me—my clothes, my ideas, my moments. But this? This was a new level of audacity.
I scanned the room. My wedding planner, Bella, was staring at Jessica like she was a ticking time bomb. The guests who had arrived early were whispering, shocked. Even Ben, Jessica’s own fiancé, looked uncomfortable.
“Jess, you told me Gina was fine with this,” Ben muttered, running a hand through his hair. “I should’ve known better.”
That was all I needed to hear.
I took a deep breath and smiled. Fine. If Jessica wanted a wedding, she was going to get one.
“Bella, did you know about this?” I asked calmly.
“No, Gina, not at all!” she said quickly. “I was just making sure your bridal suite was ready. Your hair and makeup team are setting up now.”
“Thank you, Bella,” I said. “Now, about this ‘double wedding’ situation. Please put my sister’s ceremony before mine. But let’s talk details. Could you pull out the invoice?”
Bella’s face lit up with understanding. She whipped out her tablet. “Of course. What would you like to add?”
“Well,” I said, glancing at Jessica, “the officiant will need extra time, the musicians too. And the photography students Leo arranged—Jessica will need to pay them, of course. As for the food, I’m not splitting costs, Jess. Leo and I catered for our guests only.”
Jessica’s smirk vanished.
Bella, ever the professional, turned to Jessica. “Gina’s right. And there are additional charges—extra chairs, an extended venue rental, and a separate cake. Since this wasn’t in the original contract, we’ll need full payment before proceeding.”
Jessica blinked, stunned. “Wait… what?!”
Bella gave her a patient smile. “Since you’ve added your own ceremony, those costs need to be covered before we move forward. Would you like to pay now?”
Jessica let out a nervous laugh. “No, no, no! This is all one event! No extra charges! Gina, tell her!”
I shrugged. “Not according to the contract, Jess. Weddings cost money. If you want one, you have to pay.”
Jessica’s face turned bright red. She looked around, searching for help.
“Mom?” she whimpered.
Mom folded her arms. “You planned this nonsense without telling anyone. Fix it yourself.”
Jessica’s lip trembled. Then she exploded.
She stomped, shrieked, and demanded that I “just share” because we were “family.”
Ben sighed, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you lied to me, Jessica. I’m leaving.”
Jessica collapsed to the floor in a heap. Our father called security to escort her out.
Bella turned to me. “Ready to get into your dress?”
I exhaled. “Yes.”
The wedding was perfect. Without Jessica’s drama, the air felt light, joyful, and magical.
Later that night, Leo and I stood hand in hand as he raised his glass. “To my beautiful wife, and to finally getting the wedding she deserves.”
Cheers erupted. I felt tears well in my eyes—tears of happiness.
Jessica’s absence? It didn’t matter.
Or so I thought.
A loud knock interrupted my peace. Relentless. Desperate.
I sighed, already knowing who it was. I opened the door.
Jessica stood there—disheveled, blotchy-eyed, dressed in an old hoodie.
For the first time in my life, she looked small.
“Gina,” she whispered. “Can I come in?”
I folded my arms. “Why?”
She swallowed. “Ben left me. Mom and Dad won’t talk to me. My friends…” Her voice wavered. “I guess I don’t have as many as I thought.”
I said nothing.
Jessica let out a hollow laugh. “I ruin everything, don’t I? And now, I’ve ruined myself.”
For the first time ever, she admitted she was broken. And for the first time ever, I didn’t feel the need to fix her.
She sniffled. “Can we start over?”
I stared at her, then shook my head. “No.”
Jessica flinched.
I stepped closer, my voice calm but firm. “You spent years making me feel small. Manipulating people. And now, when you finally face the consequences, you want a fresh start?”
She nodded, hopeful.
I let out a quiet laugh. “I spent years hoping you’d change. I’m done hoping, Jess. Now you have to live with the choices you made.”
Jessica’s face crumbled. She turned away without another word.
As she stepped outside, I called out, “I hope you figure yourself out.”
She hesitated, then nodded once before walking into the night.
I shut the door, locked it, and put the kettle on.
For the first time in my life, I felt free.
