Arnold finally said yes to marrying me.
He even told me to dress up, said he had a surprise for me.
But when I showed up, ready to walk down the aisle, there was no groom waiting.
Instead, Arnold stood next to Esther, grinning. “You always say weddings are boring. Well, let me show you how fun they can be.”
My brother, Peter, didn’t hesitate. “Hold up! Wedding’s on pause!”
Tyler, my childhood best friend, took it a step further—dumping a water balloon right over my head, soaking me through.
Arnold raised a teasing brow. “Come on, Sara. You didn’t actually think I was going to marry you, did you? It was just a joke.”
That’s when it hit me. This whole wedding had been a setup—a twisted little game to entertain them and lift my stepsister’s mood.
I just stood there, dripping, silent.
Arnold chuckled. “If you’re that desperate to get married, why not pick someone from the crowd?”
So I did. And the second I walked out with my new groom, they completely lost it.
**Prelude ends**
Peter finished reading the vows.
The groom never showed.
A murmur spread through the crowd, guests exchanging awkward glances.
And just like that, I knew.
This wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t some last-minute emergency.
It was a setup.
Sure enough, Arnold sat below the stage, casually twirling the wedding ring between his fingers. He turned to Esther with an easy grin.
“Didn’t you say weddings are dull? Just a few vows, a ring, and it’s over?” He chuckled. “Well, let me show you how fun a wedding can really be.”
Peter caught on immediately. “Hold up! Wedding’s on pause!” he called out.
Tyler, ever the instigator, hollered, “Esther, check this out!”
And then—
A water balloon came crashing down.
I tried to dodge. I really did. But I wasn’t fast enough. It hit me squarely, drenching me from head to toe.
My hair clung to my face, my wedding dress dripping. My fingers curled into the soaked fabric.
Esther burst into laughter, unable to hold back anymore.
Arnold strolled toward me, pretending to be concerned, but his voice was all amusement. “What’s wrong, Sara? You don’t look happy.”
Then, as if this was all just lighthearted fun, he turned to Tyler and playfully punched his arm. “Damn, man. That was a bit much. You do realize she’s the bride today, right?”
For half a second, I almost thought—almost hoped—he might realize they’d gone too far.
But then he pulled out the ring—the one that should have been on my finger—and dropped it into my palm like a cheap party favor.
“You wanted a wedding, didn’t you?” He smirked. “To be a bride? Well, here you go. Venue, guests, officiant—I set it all up for you.”
His gaze met mine, cold and mocking.
“You seriously thought I was going to marry you?” He laughed. “I never said that. I was just helping you live out your little fantasy.”
Then, with a dramatic pause, he added, “Oh no. No groom?”
Tyler burst out laughing. “Damn, Sara, you really went all out! Look at you, all dressed up and everything!”
More laughter followed.
If this had been before, I would have stood there, humiliated, choking back tears, begging Arnold not to do this.
But not today.
Instead, I wiped the water from my face, careful not to smudge my makeup, and smiled.
“Thanks, guys. That was a great practice run. I was a little nervous before, but now I think my real wedding will go even smoother.”
For a split second, Arnold hesitated.
Then he threw his head back and laughed.
“You really are that naive, huh? You still think I’d marry you?”
His expression darkened, voice dripping with mockery.
“Can’t you see? This was all for Esther. I just wanted to make her laugh.”
He leaned in slightly, voice lower but just as cruel. “Women who throw themselves at men like this… are just pathetic.”
Laughter erupted around me—Esther, Peter, Tyler. None of them even bothered to hide it.
A sharp, twisting pain coiled in my chest.
I had known.
I had known for days that this was a setup. That Arnold, Peter, and Tyler had planned this whole thing to humiliate me.
And yet… I had still come.
A few days ago, Arnold had called.
“Sara, you want to get married, right? You want to be a bride? The venue’s ready. Meet me there.”
My heart had skipped a beat.
He knew.
He knew how much this meant to me.
After my mom passed, I had lived with my grandmother—who was now gravely ill. Her only wish was to see me married before she left this world.
I had already booked the venue. I had begged Arnold to help me, even if it was just a fake wedding to put my grandmother’s mind at ease.
And when he called, I had wanted to believe.
But that night, as I walked past the study, I overheard them.
Laughing.
Plotting.
Excitedly planning how to turn my wedding into a joke.
And still… I had shown up.
