Weddings are supposed to be moments of joy, but as Shanize walked down the aisle, I couldn’t shake this terrible feeling. Something was wrong, and I didn’t know what. At first, I brushed it off as pre-wedding jitters. Weddings make everyone nervous, right? But the more I watched Shanize, the more I realized something was off. Her walk wasn’t right—her steps were slow and awkward, like she was struggling.
I leaned over to Dave’s sister, Heather, and whispered, “Do you see that? Her walk… something’s strange.”
Heather glanced at the aisle and gave me a little shrug. “Janice, you’re overthinking it. She’s just nervous. It’s her big day,” she said, smiling to reassure me. But my unease only grew stronger.
As Shanize came closer to the altar, it became even more obvious. Her steps were heavy, and the way her dress flowed didn’t seem natural at all. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. Even though Heather told me not to make a scene, I had to figure out what was going on. My heart was racing, and when Shanize finally reached the altar, I couldn’t help myself. I bent down, hands trembling, and gently lifted the hem of her wedding gown.
What I saw froze me in place—underneath the white dress were large, polished men’s shoes. My mind spun. What on earth was happening? I looked up and noticed something else—suit pants peeking out from under the dress. That’s when it hit me. This wasn’t Shanize at all.
I stared up at the person in front of me, and the realization crashed over me. It was a man in a wig and veil.
I felt a wave of panic as I met Dave’s eyes. His joyful expression melted into confusion. “Janice?” Dave’s voice cracked, his happiness unraveling. “What’s going on?”
The entire church fell into an eerie silence. The man in the dress, pretending to be Shanize, just stood there, completely unfazed. Then, slowly, he removed the veil and wig, revealing short, dark hair underneath. The room exploded into gasps and whispers.
With a smug grin, the man said, “Surprise! You didn’t even notice, did you?”
Dave’s face went pale, and his hands began to tremble. “Where’s Shanize?” he demanded, his voice shaky with fear.
The man, who we now recognized as Dave’s best man, casually replied, “She’s gone. She left a few days ago. But don’t worry, she asked me to do this. She wanted you to have this moment.”
The whispers grew louder as people exchanged confused looks. My head was spinning, trying to understand what was happening. How could Dave’s best man be involved in something like this?
Dave, now visibly panicking, stuttered, “What are you talking about? What did you do to her?”
The best man raised his hand to calm the crowd, though his words were anything but soothing. “Relax, she’s fine. She just wanted you to know what it feels like to be blindsided.”
Dave shook his head, still confused. “What are you talking about?”
The best man’s grin stretched even wider. “She found out, Dave. About you and Vanessa.”
Suddenly, the entire room fell silent again, the weight of his words sinking in. Dave’s face went blank, horror spreading across his features. “No… that’s not true,” he muttered, but his voice was weak, uncertain.
The best man didn’t stop. His voice dripped with malice as he continued, “Oh, it is true. She found out about your little affair with Vanessa—one of her bridesmaids—a few days ago. She could’ve called off the wedding, but she wanted something more dramatic. She wanted everyone to see the real you.”
Gasps rippled through the crowd. I glanced over at Vanessa, who sat a few rows back, pale and shaking, her eyes glued to the floor. Dave’s face had lost all color. He frantically shook his head in denial. “No… no, this can’t be happening.”
But the best man didn’t stop. His voice grew louder, filled with satisfaction. “Oh, it’s happening, Dave. You betrayed her, and now you’re paying for it.”
Chaos broke out. Guests started talking over each other, everyone trying to make sense of what had just happened. Dave, looking desperate and broken, reached out to me. “Janice, please. This isn’t what it looks like.”
I just stared at him, my heart sinking. “Dave… what have you done?”
With that, the best man turned and walked away, leaving Dave standing there alone, his world shattered.
The wedding was over, but no one was celebrating.
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