On the day I was about to marry the man I thought I loved forever, someone unexpected walked into my life. It was in a flash—a look, a feeling, something I couldn’t explain. I met the love of my life at the worst possible time… on the day I was marrying another man.
We all expect to marry the love of our lives, don’t we? It’s what we dream of. But I didn’t know until that very day that the truth was different for me.
Rob and I had been together for six years. He was my best friend, my partner, my lover. I couldn’t imagine a better match.
We had met back in college, studying late together in the library, sharing coffee before class. I never thought of him as anything more than a friend at first. But then, one day, everything changed. It was gradual but undeniable. We became more than friends. We never fought, never argued. Our relationship was calm, always full of understanding, trust, and support. It felt so easy. So safe. Like I was home.
When Rob proposed, I couldn’t hold back. I screamed and jumped around like a little girl who’d just received her favorite toy. I had known he was going to propose—he wasn’t the best at hiding surprises—but even then, when it happened, I cried. Tears of joy, all over my face.
And then the big day arrived. Our wedding. We had planned every little detail, down to the last flower petal. No cutting corners. It had to be perfect, just like the love story we were about to begin.
As the car made its way to the church, my heart raced. My palms were so sweaty, I kept rubbing them against my dress. It wasn’t because I was scared of marrying Rob. It was because I was terrified that something would go wrong. Maybe the music would mess up, or I would trip, or worse—cry so much my makeup would smudge.
When we arrived, the steps outside the church were empty. The guests had already gone inside. And there, standing by the door with a proud smile, was my dad.
“Well, are you ready, honey?” he asked gently, his voice steady but full of love.
“I’ve always been ready,” I said, giving him a nervous smile.
He slid his arm through mine, and together we stepped inside. As we walked down the aisle, all I saw was Rob. His eyes locked onto mine, and I could see the tears welling up in them. Mine followed.
When my dad placed my hand in Rob’s, he whispered softly, “You look absolutely stunning.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I joked, trying to hide my nerves. He chuckled, and it made me feel a little better.
But while the priest spoke, something else caught my attention. The photographer. Rob had arranged everything for the wedding, so I hadn’t seen him before. But now, as our eyes met, something strange happened. It was like a spark, an unexpected wave of emotion rushing through me. I quickly turned away, but not before I saw the same confusion and intensity in his eyes. I turned back to Rob, who gave me a warm, reassuring smile.
We exchanged our vows, shared a kiss, and walked back down the aisle as husband and wife. But the celebration that followed was the moment everything changed.
I was standing by the punch bowl, heart racing again. The photographer approached and reached for a glass. Instinctively, I stepped in front of it.
“I wouldn’t do that,” I said, my voice a little shaky.
The photographer raised an eyebrow, his expression confused. “Why not? Is it poisonous?”
I forced out a nervous laugh. “No, not poisonous. Something’s in there,” I said, lowering my voice. “My wedding ring.”
His eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
“I wish I wasn’t,” I said, smiling despite the weird situation. “It flew off when I was trying to pour a glass. I’ve been standing here for the past ten minutes trying to fish it out, but no luck.”
“Well, then, cover me,” he said, already rolling up his sleeves.
“David,” he said as he pushed up his sleeves and plunged his hand into the punch bowl.
“I’m Amelia,” I said, watching the room as he felt around.
“Oh, I know. You’re the bride,” he said with a grin.
Just then, Rob’s boss, Michael, walked up. I didn’t care much for him. He was always cold and serious, and Rob spent so many late nights working because of him.
“Are you enjoying your day, Amelia?” Michael asked as he poured himself a glass.
“Yes,” I said with a small smile, trying to sound calm. “I feel like I’m in a fairy tale.”
At that moment, I felt something small and cold fall into my palm. David had found the ring. His fingers brushed mine, and that simple touch sent a wave of goosebumps up my arm.
I slipped the ring back on my finger quickly and stepped aside.
Michael poured himself some punch, glancing at David. “And who are you?”
“The photographer,” David said, still calm, his voice low.
Michael shook his hand, and David, without hesitation, shook back with the same hand that had just been in the punch. Michael’s expression twitched, but he said nothing.
David turned to me, smiling. “You’re welcome.”
And just like that, he walked away. But something was different. My heart felt strange—something I couldn’t put into words.
I forced myself to smile at Rob, pretending everything was normal, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was changing. Something I didn’t understand.
Life with Rob after the wedding was easy, calm. We laughed more. We stayed up late talking about our future. Everything seemed perfect. But no matter how hard I tried to focus on him, my mind kept wandering back to David.
I tried to push it away, but then one evening, Rob dropped a bombshell.
“Guess what? I invited David over for dinner,” he said with a grin. “I think he and Sarah might be a good match.”
My heart skipped a beat. I tried to hide it, but I was nervous. He wanted to set David up with his sister. I smiled, but inside I was struggling.
That night, we all sat together, eating, laughing, and talking. Then Sarah, after leaning back in her chair, said, “I don’t know. I don’t believe in love. How can you tell who’s the right one? Out of all people in the world?”
I glanced at her and said softly, “I think you know over time. Love grows. You feel safe. You feel at home.”
I looked over at Rob, who gave me a warm smile.
David shook his head. “No. I think you know right away. One look, and something clicks. You feel it deep inside.”
“That’s not real,” I said, shaking my head.
David’s gaze locked with mine. “It is. If it’s true love, you don’t have to wait. You just know.”
I didn’t know what to say. Silence fell over the table. Finally, Rob broke it. “Amelia, didn’t you once say you wanted to learn photography? Maybe David could show you some things.”
I froze. It was like the air had been sucked out of the room. My mouth went dry.
David smiled at me. “Sure, I’d be happy to.”
I nodded, though I wasn’t sure what to feel. Inside, my nerves were on fire. It wasn’t about photography anymore. It was about something else. Something I wasn’t sure I could control.
And so, we began meeting. We talked about lenses, light, settings—everything but the growing tension between us. We walked through parks, open fields, and quiet streets, sometimes taking pictures, sometimes not. Mostly, we just talked.
But with each meeting, the feeling deepened. The connection between us. The chemistry. It was like something I couldn’t explain but couldn’t ignore.
One afternoon, we were in the woods, and as David stood behind me to help me frame a shot, his arms brushed against me. I couldn’t breathe. My chest tightened.
“Stop doing that!” I said, my voice louder than I’d meant.
David stepped back, confused. “Doing what?”
“All of this. The looks. The touches. The time we spend together. I know you feel it too.”
He was silent for a long moment before speaking softly. “We haven’t done anything. We’re just talking. Just taking pictures.”
I shook my head, desperate. “No. It’s more than that, and you know it. I can’t pretend anymore.”
David’s gaze softened. He stepped closer, his voice barely a whisper. “You’re right. I won’t lie. I do feel it. I’m sorry. I never meant for this to happen. Tell me what to do. If you want me to leave, I will. I’ll never come near you again.”
I paused, trying to steady my breath. “What do you want?”
He looked down, then met my eyes with something raw and real. “I want you.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. “I can’t… I’m sorry.”
I turned and ran for the car. I didn’t want him to follow me. Because if he did, I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist. And I was terrified of what that might mean.
When I got home, the house felt too quiet. Rob was already in bed. His eyes were closed, but I knew I had to speak.
“Are you asleep?” I asked softly.
He opened one eye. “Not yet. Long day at work.”
I stood by the bed, my hands trembling. “Rob, I need to tell you something. It’s hard, and I don’t even understand it myself.”
He didn’t move.
“I didn’t plan this. I don’t want to hurt you. But I’ve fallen in love with someone else.”
Rob didn’t say a word. His breathing stayed steady. He was asleep.
“No, please don’t sleep,” I whispered. “I’m trying to be honest.”
But he didn’t respond.
I stood there for a long moment, tears falling down my face. I pulled the blanket over him and said softly, “You’re still my best friend. I never wanted this.”
And then he slept, and I stayed quiet.
I tried to move on. I tried not to think about David. But life with Rob felt like a routine. Everything felt too still, too easy. But then came the day I could no longer ignore it.
We were at Sarah’s house. Rob and I hadn’t spoken much lately. I could feel the tension, thick in the air. Sarah smiled as she talked about the wedding. “It was beautiful. Like a dream.”
Then Rob stood up, his face tight, his eyes sad. “I can’t do this anymore.”
“Rob, what—”
“I heard you,” he said, his voice cold. “I heard what you said that night. I wasn’t asleep. I just didn’t want to deal with it.”
My heart pounded. “Rob, please. I’ll stay. I’ll be with you.”
He turned to face me, his expression calm, but his eyes were full of sadness. “But you love someone else, Amelia. I know it. And you deserve more than what we have now.”
“We can fix this,” I said desperately. “I won’t leave you.”
“I know,” he said. “That’s why I have to leave. If I stay, you’ll stay. You’ll never go to him. But you’ll always think about him. That’s not fair for either of us.”
I whispered, “Rob, please. I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “Go live your real life. With the one you love.”
With that, he turned and walked away.
I stood frozen, shaking. I wanted to go back inside. But when I turned, I saw Sarah standing in the doorway, her eyes full of understanding.
“Sarah, I—” I began, but she stopped me with a shake of her head.
“He’s right,” she said softly. “We all deserve love. Real love. So go. Go to your stranger.”
Tears welled up again. I gave her a small nod before rushing out the door. I ran to David’s house, my legs aching, my chest burning.
When I finally reached him, I saw him about to step into a taxi.
“David! Wait!” I yelled, breathless.
He turned, his face serious. “No, Amelia. You have someone else. I can’t do this.”
“Rob left me,” I said. “I’m free now.”
David’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest.
He hesitated for a moment, then rushed toward me. Without a word, he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me.
Everything else faded. The world disappeared. I couldn’t hear a thing. My heart raced faster than ever before. It was intense, electric, like nothing I’d ever felt.
I knew it was wrong. I was scared. But in that moment, it felt right.
And that kiss? It changed everything. It was the best decision I’d ever made. Because now, every day, I feel that same love.
