Betrayal at the Wedding Table
Margaret Thompson hurriedly knocked on her son and daughter-in-law’s apartment door, brimming with excitement to show off photos from her youngest daughter’s lavish wedding the previous weekend. The door swung open, revealing her daughter-in-law, Jessica, whose face was sullen, her eyes red from crying. “Oh, it’s you. Come in,” she muttered coldly. Margaret immediately sensed something was wrong. “Jessica, what’s happened?” she asked cautiously, stepping inside. “What’s happened? Your son and I are getting divorced!” Jessica blurted, her voice trembling with hurt. “Divorced? Why?” Margaret gasped, unable to believe her ears. “Don’t you know what your son’s done?” Jessica snapped with bitter sarcasm. “No! What did he do?” Margaret stared in confusion, her heart tightening with dread.
Two months earlier, in a quiet town by the Thames, an argument had erupted between Jessica and her husband’s sister, Emily. “A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event! Why wouldn’t you want to celebrate it properly?” Emily had protested upon learning Jessica and her brother, James, had opted for a modest ceremony. “It feels like a waste of money. Better to spend it on something worthwhile,” Jessica replied calmly. “Like what?” Emily narrowed her eyes, skepticism lacing her tone. “A holiday, a car, or a deposit for a house,” Jessica listed. “So you have the money but just don’t want to spend it on a wedding?” Emily marveled. Jessica didn’t answer directly, but her silence spoke volumes.
James and Jessica settled for a simple registry office ceremony and a small dinner with close family. Emily and her fiancé were reluctantly invited. At first, she refused to come, but changed her mind at the last minute—she had a surprise in store, one that would overshadow the entire evening.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests gathered at Jessica’s parents’ spacious home on the outskirts of town. Her parents had prepared a feast, and though the guest list was small—just twelve people—the table groaned under the weight of homemade dishes.
As the toasts began, Emily suddenly stood, glass in hand. Her voice quivered but carried clearly: “To the happy couple! But I’ve got something else to share—Oliver and I are getting married too!” All eyes turned to her. The room erupted in congratulations, but Jessica’s heart sank. Emily basked in the attention, boasting about her upcoming grand celebration, one the whole town would talk about.
Jessica spent the rest of the evening swallowing her bitterness. Her special day had been hijacked. Once the guests left, she vented to James: “Why did she have to announce it tonight? To spite us? To rub it in that we didn’t throw a big wedding?” “Just forget it, Jess,” James soothed. “At least we’ve still got our savings for something important.” “Let’s book a holiday then,” Jessica brightened. “Somewhere far from all this drama.” “We’ll decide tomorrow,” James hedged, and Jessica, exhausted, agreed to drop it.
Two weeks later, Emily handed them a wedding invitation. “I don’t want to go,” Jessica grumbled, fiddling with the envelope. “Then we won’t,” James smiled. “How about that holiday instead?” Jessica pressed. “After what Emily pulled, I can’t stand the sight of her.” James grew uneasy, his forehead glistening with sweat. “Maybe later? I can’t skip my sister’s wedding,” he faltered. “Then why even suggest it?” Jessica snapped, pulling away.
Reluctantly, Jessica attended Emily’s wedding. The extravagance was staggering—a limousine, a banquet at the town’s finest restaurant, fireworks, professional photographers. “What a waste,” Jessica muttered. “That dress must’ve cost thousands. All for one day?” James mumbled something indistinct, leaving Jessica unsure whether he approved.
The next day, Jessica brought up the holiday again: “I found great flight deals—let’s go!” “Jess, we can’t,” James said stiffly. “What do you mean? We’ve got twenty grand saved!” “I… lent it to Emily for the wedding,” he admitted, avoiding her gaze. “She’ll pay us back.” Jessica paled. “You lent it? Without asking me? We saved that together!” “Emily was desperate,” James pleaded. “She’ll repay it in installments.” “I don’t want it later—I want it now!” Jessica shouted, her world crumbling.
Just then, Margaret knocked at the door, radiant with pride over her daughter’s wedding photos. Jessica, seething, confronted her: “Did you know your son paid for Emily’s wedding?” “Of course,” Margaret replied smoothly. “What’s a brother for?” “Unbelievable!” Jessica choked. “We skipped our own wedding to save money, and he handed it all to Emily! You’re a traitor, James!” “Making a scene over a bit of money?” Margaret scoffed, pulling Jessica back. “Half that money was mine!” Jessica hissed. “Return it by the weekend, or I’ll sue!” With that, she stormed off, leaving Margaret and James stunned.
“Ungrateful girl!” Margaret called after her. “Married five minutes and already causing trouble!” But Jessica wasn’t bluffing. She filed for divorce and took James to court, demanding her share. She won—James was ordered to repay half the sum he’d given Emily.
With her money reclaimed, Jessica flew to the coast. There, under the sun and the sound of waves, she met a man who became her new love. Returning home, she was no longer alone. And in her heart, at last, settled peace and hope for a fresh start.
