Gina had spent years saving for her dream wedding. But when she arrived early at the venue, she saw something shocking—her sister, Jessica, standing at her altar in a wedding dress. She was stealing Gina’s moment.
Gina had worked hard for this day. She and her fiancé, Leo, had saved every dollar, taking extra shifts and making sacrifices to make the wedding perfect. Now, her own sister was trying to take it away from her.
Jessica turned and smiled smugly. “Oh! You’re early. I thought I’d have everything ready before you arrived. Well… that ruins the surprise.”
“Surprise?” Gina asked, stunned.
Jessica sighed as if Gina was being unreasonable. “Why waste a perfect setup? Two weddings in one! Genius, right? And Ben has been pushing me to get married.”
“You planned to get married at my wedding? Are you serious?”
Jessica pouted. “Mom said we shouldn’t use the word ‘insane,’ Gina.” She rolled her eyes. “Come on, don’t be selfish.”
Selfish? On her own wedding day?
Jessica had spent years taking things from Gina—clothes, ideas, attention. But this was too much.
Gina looked around. Her wedding planner, Bella, was shocked. Some guests, who had arrived early, whispered in disbelief. Even Jessica’s fiancé, Ben, looked uncomfortable.
“Jess, you told me Gina agreed to this,” Ben said, shaking his head. “I should have known better.”
Gina took control.
“Bella, did you know about this?”
“No, Gina! I was just making sure everything was ready for you,” Bella said.
“Good,” Gina said. “Now, about this ‘double wedding’—Jessica should go first. But she needs to pay for her part.”
Bella, catching on, pulled out her tablet. “Of course. Jessica, let’s go over the costs. You’ll need to cover the officiant’s extra time, musicians, photographers, and food for your guests. We also need more chairs, and those aren’t cheap.”
Jessica’s smirk disappeared. “Wait… what?”
Bella remained professional. “Since your wedding wasn’t in the original plan, you’ll need to pay before we proceed.”
Jessica’s nervous laugh filled the air. “No, no, no! This is all one event. Gina, tell her.”
Gina folded her arms. “Not according to the contract, Jess. If you want a wedding, you have to pay for it.”
Jessica looked around, expecting support. But no one spoke up—not even their mother.
Their mother crossed her arms. “You planned this behind everyone’s back, Jessica. Fix it yourself.”
Jessica’s face turned red. She stomped her feet and yelled about how family should “share.”
Ben sighed. “I can’t believe you lied to me. I’m leaving.”
Jessica collapsed onto the floor. Their father called security to escort her out.
Gina took a deep breath. Bella smiled. “Ready to put on your dress?”
The wedding went on without a problem. It was romantic and perfect.
Later, Gina’s mother hugged her. “I can’t believe Jessica thought she could get away with that.”
“Neither can I,” Gina laughed. “I told Leo everything, and he was shocked. But honestly, if he had been there, he probably would’ve let her have her moment—just to keep the peace.”
“You’ve got a good husband,” her mom said. “Don’t take that for granted.”
That night, as Gina and Leo enjoyed their first hours as husband and wife, loud banging on the door interrupted them.
Gina sighed. She already knew who it was.
She opened the door to find Jessica in sweatpants, her face blotchy from crying. Her usual perfect curls were tied in a messy bun, and her mascara had smudged.
For the first time, she looked small.
“Gina,” she whispered. “Can I come in? I need to talk.”
Gina hesitated. Every instinct told her to close the door. But something in Jessica’s face—something raw—made her pause.
With a sigh, she stepped aside. “Five minutes.”
Jessica hugged herself as she stood in the living room, looking lost.
“Ben left me,” she said, her voice breaking. “He said he needed a break. He said he doesn’t know if I’m the kind of person he wants to be with.”
She let out a hollow laugh. “Guess I finally took it too far.”
Gina said nothing.
Jessica looked away. “I thought you’d be mad for a little while, then move on, like always. But then Ben left. Mom and Dad won’t talk to me. My friends…” Her voice cracked. “Turns out I don’t have as many as I thought.”
She looked at Gina, her eyes full of regret. “I don’t know why I do these things. I don’t know why I can’t just be happy for you. I ruin everything. And now… I’ve ruined myself.”
For the first time, Jessica admitted she had a problem. And for the first time, Gina didn’t feel like fixing it.
Gina took a step forward, her voice calm but firm.
“You spent years making me feel small. Stealing what wasn’t yours. Lying to get your way. And now, when you finally face the consequences, you want a fresh start?”
She shook her head. “I spent years hoping you’d change. But I’m done hoping, Jess.”
She walked to the door and opened it. “Now, you have to live with your choices.”
Jessica hesitated but didn’t argue. Instead, she stepped outside.
As she left, Gina spoke one last time. “I really do hope you figure yourself out.”
Jessica nodded once and walked away.
Gina closed the door, locking it behind her. Then, she put the kettle on.
For the first time in her life, she felt free.
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