You’re a traitor the wedding is off
“Oh darling, whats this nonsense youre showing me?” James barely glanced at the photos. “I love only you; I dont need anyone else. This is definitely a fake.”
“Really? Who would bother doing that?” Emily felt a pang when she realised how dismissive James was being. He could barely be bothered to defend himself.
The beauty salon Emily had inherited from her grandmother never really interested her that much.
She much preferred teaching art to children at the local art school. Of course, she didnt refuse the inheritance.
The salon brought in a good income and was run brilliantly by a trustworthy woman.
That meant Emily could do what she loved and never needed for anything. Well, apart from a family of her own.
When her grandmother passed away, 27-year-old Emily felt completely aloneuntil, a year later, she met James at an art exhibition.
He was a charming man with a slightly awkward smile who won her over with his manners, kindness, and care.
Two months after theyd met, James invited her round to his place to meet his stepfather, Mr. Richard Howard.
“My real father died when I was four,” James confided quietly. “Mum remarried when I was fourteen.”
“I never did call Richard dad, but weve always got on.”
“When Mum passed away two years ago, I stayed on living here with him.”
Emily took to Richard Howard straight away. He was fit, bright-eyed, spoke eloquently youd never have guessed he was 56.
It seemed he liked Emily too.
“Our young layabouts lucked out, hasnt he?” Richard said with a gallant kiss to Emilys hand.
“Oi! Layabout?” James pretended to be offended.
“Real men dont sell hobby supplies for a living, son,” Richard laughed. “But hey! The main thing is, youve found yourself a lovely fiancée!”
Emily blushed at first, but by the end of the evening she was in stitches at his jokesand James even began to get a bit jealous.
Six months later James proposed, and Emily was so wrapped up in love and plans for their life together, she didnt even clock what had arrived in her inbox.
When she finally looked, she almost dropped her phone in shock.
There was James, passionately cuddling and kissing some girl, smiling that shy smile of his.
The date stamped at the bottom was just a couple of weeks ago.
“Oh love, what on earth is this about?” James barely glanced at the photo. “I love only you. This is all a total fake.”
“Really? And who, exactly, would go to so much trouble?” Emily was stung by how casually James dismissed ithe couldnt even muster a real denial.
“No idea,” he replied lazily. “Loads of weirdoes about these days.”
That was it. Emily snapped. Another bloke might have gone out of his way to explain, to swear undying love, promise revenge on anyone hurting his fiancée but not James. He just betrayed her and didnt even care.
“Youre a traitor! Weddings off!” Emily shouted, tears streaming down her face as she ran from his flat, leaving James gaping after her.
She cried for three days at home, then didnt leave the house for a weekphoned in sick. She went over everything in her mind (James, by the way, never once called), then finally pulled herself together.
What if the photos really were fake? What if someone was just trying to split them up? These days, you can generate any image using artificial intelligence Shed given up so easily.
To her surprise, the girl in the photos turned out to be real. She found her onlinethree different social media pages under the name Sophie. Sophie was happy to meet up.
“Those photos? Oh, theyre ancient,” Sophie scoffed, looking at the images Emily showed her. “Over a year old.”
“Really? But looktheres a timestamp,” Emily said, confused.
“Oh, come on! Faking a date is the easiest bit,” Sophie gave her a sympathetic look. “If you want something badly enough.”
“Did you do it?”
“No way! Why would I? James and I split up yonks ago. We only dated a couple of monthsdidnt click at all. Besides, Im engaged, about to get married, actually.”
“Really? Doesnt look like theres any sign of a fiancé on your socials,” Emily said suspiciously.
“Happiness likes a bit of peace and quiet,” Sophie winked. “No point jinxing it… But Ill post the wedding pictures, dont you worry!”
So, it turned out someone really did stitch James up, and Emily had fallen for it hook, line, and sinkerand hurt him as a result. She had to put things right, and fast.
But James ignored all her messages and calls, so two days later, she decided to go round and see him in person.
She showed up in the evening to make sure hed be homeand saw him getting out of the car belonging to her old frenemy, Fiona.
Emily and Fiona grew up on the same street and were mates for a while, but Emily never really clicked with herFiona was brash, pushy, and always trying to be the centre of attention.
They gradually drifted into just saying hello, only really reconnected after Emilys grandma died.
Fiona had been pestering her to sell the salonsaid the spot would be perfect for some new massage treatment rooms.
Fiona already owned two, but this was, apparently, the perfect location.
Emily knew full well what sort of services went on in Fionas placesshe wasnt going to hand her beloved salon over!
Shed turned down Fionas very tempting offers more than once. So now, Fiona was pinching her fiancé?
While these thoughts raced through her head, the pair said a fond goodbye, and Fiona drove off.
“Told you, James is a wastrel,” came a low voice behind Emily, making her jump.
“Hello, Mr. Howard,” she whispered, embarrassed.
“Hello, my dear. James wont be missing you. Marry me instead,” Richard gave a half-joking smile, but his eyes were serious.
“I Im in a rush, sorry,” Emily blurted, red-faced, and shot off practically at a sprint.
It wasnt hard to find Fiona. When Emily made it back to her street, Fiona was just getting out of her car.
“So, you decided to snatch my fiancé?” Emily stared directly at her. “Bit sloppy with the photos, thoughI know all about it.”
“What photos?” Fiona looked genuinely puzzled. “What are you on about?”
“Dont pretend you didnt send me those snaps of James and another woman. Let me guesstrying to ruin him and me together?”
“Em, have you lost the plot? I didnt send you anything. James started chatting me up last week, anyway. I thought you two were finished”
Emily studied Fiona’s faceshe seemed honest. She definitely needed some quiet to think it all through.
“And there I was thinking you finally decided to sell me the salon!” Fiona called after her, but Emily didnt even look back.
At home, after collecting herself, she tried Jamess number again. To her surprise, he picked up.
“Yeah, alright, come by,” he replied flatly to her request. “Im not feeling great. Probably coming down with something.”
Emily didnt need asking twice.
“James, I got it all wrong! Please forgive me. I love you so much, I just got jealous. It all looked so real Please, forgive me.”
“Alright then,” he shrugged. “It happens.”
“Youre wonderful!” Emily threw her arms around him. “I love you more than anything!”
But James gently moved her aside.
“Lets just be friends.”
“What? What do you mean? We were about to get married”
“Em,” James grimaced, “Im marrying Fiona.”
“What? You swore you loved me We were about to”
“Look, spare me the drama. Honestly? Its your emotional outbursts. I cant be bothered. And, to be fair, Fiona owns a better businessmakes more money. I need to think about my future.”
She was speechless. She literally couldnt say a wordwhat could she possibly say?
James had used her, then swapped her for someone else without a backward glance.
Emily shot out of the flat, bolted down the stairsthen outside, her legs gave out and she slumped onto a bench.
A few minutes later, Mr. Howard sat down next to her.
“My poor girl,” he said softly, gently stroking her hair. “Dont worryyoure better off knowing now.”
“But who set all this in motion?” Emily suddenly burst out crying.
“It was me,” Mr. Howard quietly confessed.
“You? Why?” she stopped crying in shock.
“I fell in love with you the night you first came round. I immediately decided Id marry you, but you never noticed me. It was always James this, James that. Why do you need him, anyway”
“But youre so much older than me! And anyway, I love James or I did”
“I know. Honestly, I meant to ruin you in his eyes at first, but then overheard him bragging to a mate about how hed bagged himself a wealthy fiancée. Thats when I realisedhe wasnt going to let you go. So, I changed tactics. I had the opportunity never mind the details.”
“Do you get that youve just ruined my life?”
“No. I saved it. Youd have been far more miserable later on. Marry me, Em, eh?”
“Youre mad!” Emily sprang to her feet and stormed off towards home.
She left town, but Mr. Howard tracked her down and kept reaching out. In time, they became friendsjust friends.
A year later, the old man passed away and left everything to Emily, but she didnt rejoice. Shed got used to him, in a strange way.
James, apparently, was livid about losing the flat, but Emily couldnt care less about him by then.
