“No, this can’t be happening!” Greg’s face twisted in shock and horror as I took off my wedding dress. He’d been waiting all day for this moment, thinking our wedding night would be perfect. But he had no idea what was coming.

Our wedding had been like a fairytale. Greg stood at the end of the aisle, smiling like he had just won the biggest prize of his life. He thought everything was about to be perfect, but I knew better.

This perfect day was just a cover. A bubble that was about to pop—but only when I was ready.

At the reception, everything seemed like a dream. The guests cheered, glasses clinked with champagne, and laughter filled the air. Greg’s parents played the part of the proud in-laws. After all, their “perfect” son deserved a “perfect” wedding.

I did what was expected of me. I smiled, laughed at the jokes, and even danced with Greg like everything was fine. But inside, I knew something he didn’t.

Greg thought he knew everything about me. But he was wrong.

As the night went on, Greg’s excitement for our wedding night grew stronger. His hands lingered on me longer, and he smiled too wide. He thought everything was going according to plan. But I had my own plan.

We finally said goodbye to the guests, thanking them for coming and accepting their compliments. Greg’s parents stayed downstairs in the guest rooms, giving us privacy for our wedding night. Greg couldn’t wait to get me upstairs.

His grip on my hand tightened as he led me to the master suite. The same room his parents had offered for our first night together as husband and wife. How sweet.

He practically bounced with excitement as he closed the door behind us.

The room changed. The air felt heavy with excitement as Greg moved toward me. He didn’t even wait to start unzipping my dress. “I’ve been waiting all night for this,” he whispered against my neck, his breath warm and full of promises.

I gave him a small, secret smile. “Me too,” I said softly.

He carefully unzipped the dress, thinking everything was going perfectly. I stood still, my heart pounding in my chest. He had no idea what was coming.

When my dress finally hit the floor, I turned around slowly. The look on Greg’s face will stay with me forever. It was like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, struggling to keep from falling off.

“No…” His voice broke. “No, no, no! This can’t be happening!” His eyes locked onto the tattoo of his ex, Sarah, that covered my torso, running down to my waist. And underneath her face were the words Greg had said to her the night before our wedding:

“One last taste of freedom before I’m bound to the same body forever.”

The tattoo was temporary, but Greg didn’t know that. It looked real enough to make his legs give out. “Sarah was only too happy to rub your betrayal in my face,” I said coldly.

“I didn’t mean it,” he cried, his voice thick with regret. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it!”

That’s when we heard the footsteps. Greg’s parents, Marianne and James, burst through the door, worry written all over their faces.

“What’s going on?” Marianne’s voice shook as her eyes flicked between Greg’s sobbing face and me. Then, her gaze fell on the tattoo. Her face turned pale.

“How did you know?” Greg asked through his tears, staring at the tattoo.

“It’s simple,” I said. “Greg cheated on me.”

Marianne gasped, her shock filling the room. James, usually the quiet type, stood frozen in the doorway. His clenched fists and tight jaw told me all I needed to know. Even he couldn’t handle what was happening.

There was a long silence. The truth hung in the air, heavy and crushing. Greg stayed on the floor, gripping his hair like it could stop him from falling apart.

Marianne’s trembling gaze turned back to Greg. “Greg? Is this true?” She stepped closer to him, her voice shaky and full of hope that this was all some horrible mistake.

But Greg couldn’t answer. He was shaking, his body wracked with sobs.

“Tell me!” Marianne’s voice broke, the disbelief hitting her hard. “Tell me it’s not true!”

James stepped forward, his face hard and cold, fury burning just beneath the surface. “Gregory,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Is this true?”

Greg couldn’t speak. His sobs quieted, but he still sat in a broken heap on the floor, unable to face what he had done.

I took a step forward. “He slept with her the night before our wedding,” I said, my voice cutting through the tension like a knife. “He told her he needed ‘one last taste of freedom before he was bound to the same body forever.’”

Marianne let out a sob, collapsing onto the edge of the bed. James’s expression darkened, his anger and disappointment clear on his face.

“You’ve disgraced this family,” James spat, his voice dripping with anger. “How could you betray Lilith like this?”

Greg looked up, his face filled with panic. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I made a mistake.”

“A mistake?” I echoed, my voice rising. “You call sleeping with your ex the night before our wedding a mistake?” I stepped closer, letting my anger finally show. “No, Greg. You made a choice. And now you’re paying for it.”

Greg’s tear-streaked face turned toward me. “Please, Lilith… please, I love you. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I’ll do anything. Just don’t leave me.”

I laughed, cold and empty. “Love me? You don’t know the first thing about love.”

Greg reached for me, desperate. “Please…”

I stepped back, out of his reach. “I’m done, Greg. This is over. You destroyed us the moment you crawled back to Sarah.”

James stepped forward. “Get up,” he growled, his patience gone. “Get up and face what you’ve done.”

Greg hesitated, then slowly stood, looking pathetic in his wrinkled wedding suit, tears streaking down his face. His world was falling apart, and he knew it.

I turned to Marianne and James, both crushed by what had happened. “I’m leaving,” I said, calm and final. “You can deal with him now.”

“Lilith, please,” Greg called, but I was already reaching for my robe. I slipped it on, covering the tattoo, and headed for the door.

“Lilith,” Greg begged, his voice breaking. “I’ll change! I’ll make it right!”

But I didn’t look back. There was nothing left to say.

As I walked down the stairs, I heard James’s voice, low and furious. “This is what you’ve done, Greg. You’ve ruined everything.”

And Greg’s sobs filled the house, but I felt nothing. I was free. Free from him, from the lies, from the betrayal.

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