I never imagined my wedding day would turn into a full-blown mystery, but here we are.
Fifteen minutes. That was all I had before I was supposed to walk down the aisle. The dress was perfect, my makeup flawless, and the venue looked like something out of a dream. Everything had come together exactly as I had imagined.
Then, I sat down to slip on my shoes, and my heart stopped.
Something was wrong.
I slid my foot in, expecting the usual snug fit, but the shoe wouldn’t budge past my toes. Frowning, I tried the other one. Same thing.
A sinking feeling crept into my stomach as I turned the shoes over in my hands and checked the size.
Three sizes too small.
My breath caught in my throat. I had worn these shoes just yesterday, and they fit perfectly. This wasn’t a mistake. Someone had swapped them.
For a few seconds, I just sat there, gripping the tiny heels, trying to process what was happening. My mind raced through possibilities, but none of them made sense.
“Uh, guys?” My voice came out shakier than I wanted. “Did anyone move my shoes?”
My bridesmaids turned to look at me, their faces puzzled.
“No,” Katie, my maid of honor, said with a small frown. “You left them in the bridal suite, right?”
I nodded, my grip tightening around the shoes. “I did.”
An uneasy silence settled over the room as the girls exchanged glances.
Emma, one of my bridesmaids, stepped forward. “Maybe someone mixed them up? Did the hotel staff come in while we were gone?”
“They shouldn’t have,” Katie said. “We locked the suite after we left.”
I swallowed hard. “Then how did these get here?”
No one had an answer.
I glanced around the room, scanning their faces. Everyone looked genuinely confused, shifting uncomfortably as they tried to figure out what happened. Then, my gaze landed on Hailey, Ryan’s sister.
She was sitting in the corner, legs crossed, sipping champagne. Unlike the others, she wasn’t looking around in concern or trying to come up with an explanation. Instead, she was watching me.
And she was smirking.
My stomach twisted.
I had never been Hailey’s biggest fan, but for Ryan’s sake, I had always tried to keep things civil. She was the kind of person who needed to be the center of attention, always making little passive-aggressive comments and rolling her eyes when she thought I wasn’t looking. But this? This was something else.
I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself. I wasn’t going to jump to conclusions—at least, not yet.
“Katie,” I said, keeping my voice as even as possible, “can you check the closet? Maybe my real shoes are still in there.”
She nodded quickly and hurried off, but I already knew what she would find.
Nothing.
I turned back to Hailey, who was still lounging in her chair like this was all some sort of joke.
Her smirk widened as she caught my gaze. Slowly, she raised her champagne glass and took another sip, her eyes never leaving mine.
That was it. That was all the confirmation I needed.
I stood up, smoothing my dress, and walked straight over to her.
“Hailey,” I said, forcing a polite smile, “would you mind helping me find my shoes? I can’t seem to find the right ones.”
Her lips twitched like she was fighting back laughter. “Oh no,” she said, tilting her head in mock sympathy. “That’s awful. Maybe they got misplaced?”
I clenched my jaw. “Yeah. Such a shame, right before the ceremony.”
She blinked innocently. “Guess you’ll have to go barefoot. It’s not like anyone’s looking at your feet.”
My fingers curled at my sides, but I kept my tone light. “Cut the act. I know it was you.”
For the first time, her smirk faltered just for a second, but then she let out a soft laugh.
“Relax, Teresa. It’s just shoes.”
Just shoes. My wedding shoes.
I took a slow breath, forcing myself to stay calm. “Why did you do it, Hailey?”
She twirled the stem of her champagne glass between her fingers, her expression unreadable. Then, she leaned in just enough that only I could hear her next words.
“Because,” she whispered, “you don’t belong here.”
A chill ran down my spine.
I stared at Hailey, my mind racing.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I asked, my voice low.
She let out a soft, almost amused sigh and swirled the champagne in her glass. “It means,” she said, tilting her head, “that you don’t fit in here. You never have.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Your family loves me.”
Her smirk didn’t waver. “That’s exactly the problem.”
I stiffened.
“They talk about you all the time,” she continued, her voice laced with bitterness. “Mom adores you. Dad calls you ‘the daughter he never had.’ Grandma won’t shut up about how wonderful you are. Even my brother—” She rolled her eyes. “He looks at you like you’re the only person in the world.”
Something inside me twisted, but I kept my expression neutral. “And that bothers you?”
Hailey let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Oh, please. You think I care that they like you? It’s not about that.” She leaned in slightly, her champagne breath warm against my cheek. “It’s about the fact that you stole his future. Her future.”
I froze.
That’s when it all clicked. This wasn’t just jealousy. This wasn’t just Hailey trying to ruin my wedding out of spite.
She had wanted Ryan to marry someone else.
“His ex,” I murmured.
Hailey’s smile turned cruel. “Finally, you get it.”
I felt a rush of heat surge through me.
She shook her head. “If Ryan had any sense, he’d be marrying her instead.”
I saw red.
But I wasn’t about to let her win. Not today.
I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and smiled. “You know what?” I said, my voice suddenly loud enough for everyone to hear.
The room quieted.
“Since I can’t wear my shoes, I’ll just have to borrow someone else’s.”
Hailey’s smirk started to fade.
I turned to her, grinning. “Oh! Hailey, what size do you wear?”
Her eyes darted around the room. “Uh… six.”
I clapped my hands together. “Perfect. That’s my size. Hand them over.”
The room went dead silent.
Hailey blinked. “Wait, what?”
I held out my hand expectantly. “You heard me.”
Hailey let out a nervous chuckle. “Teresa, come on. I was just—”
“Shoes. Now.”
Slowly, she slipped off her designer heels and handed them over.
I put them on.
Perfect fit.
I turned to my bridesmaids. “Well, ladies, I think it’s time we got me married.”
And as I walked down the aisle in Hailey’s shoes, I knew I had won.
