It was a wedding fit for royalty.
The grand church glistened with chandeliers and blooming white roses, packed with high-society guests dressed in designer gowns and sharp tuxedos. At the center of it all stood the bride and groom.
The bride, though not stunning, carried herself with grace and elegance. Her white dress shimmered under the lights, hugging her form in all the right places and her eyes brimming with joy. She looked every bit the woman ready to begin her fairytale.
Beside her stood the groom; a tall, devastatingly handsome man with a jawline sharp enough to cut glass and eyes that held just the right amount of mystery. Together, they were the picture of happiness.
As the priest raised his hand, a hush fell over the crowd.
"If anyone here has a reason why this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony," he proclaimed, "speak now or forever hold your peace."
The bride and groom exchanged a smile of quiet anticipation. The silence in the church was absolute, sacred until a soft, trembling voice shattered it.
"I don't agree."
Gasps of surprise echoed through the pews as all heads turned.
Walking slowly down the aisle was a heavily pregnant young woman, her delicate features framed by wisps of black hair. She wore a simple floral dress, and beside her was a tall, lean man supporting her arm.
Seeing her, whispers began to ripple through the guests.
"Who is she?"
"What's going on?"
The bride and groom both stared in stunned silence.
The young woman's eyes filled with tears as she gazed at the groom. Her gaze affectionate yet sad. Her voice trembled.
"Hubby… how can you do this to me—and to our child?"
The groom's face drained of color. He stepped back in shock, pointed to himself, and blurted out, "Do you… do you know me?!"
The bride turned, her expression a mask of fury. "Bitch! How dare you accuse my fiancé of being your husband?!"
She lunged forward in a rage, but the man beside the pregnant woman moved swiftly. With one ruthless kick, he knocked the bride back, sending her stumbling to the floor before she could lay a finger on the pregnant woman.
Chaos erupted.
"Bastard! Explain this to me!" a middle-aged man growled, storming toward the groom. His fist flew before anyone could stop him, and the groom crashed to the floor with a hard thud.
"I didn't come to cause trouble," the pregnant woman said, crying softly now. "But this man is my husband. We've been married for two years. I don't know why he's marrying someone else."
Gasps followed her words.
The bride, now being lifted and consoled by her parents, shouted with disbelief, "You're lying! We've been together for one year! He wouldn't dare cheat on me!"
The groom scrambled toward her, desperation written all over his face.
"Baby, please! Don't listen to them—they're lying. I don't even know these people!"
"Stop lying," the pregnant woman said through her sobs. "We both know the truth. You're doing this for the money, aren't you?"
The church fell silent again.
"You don't have to sacrifice yourself for our family. We'll survive without her money."
Every eye turned to the bride and her family. Their faces turned from confusion to humiliation. The bride shoved the groom away with all her might.
"Get away from me, you bastard!" she screamed.
"If you don't believe me," the woman said, "I have proof." She nodded to the man beside her. He reached into his coat, took out a folded paper from his pocket and handed the paper to the bride's father, his expression stoic and unconcerned.
The moment the father read it, his expression turned cold and murderous.
It was a marriage certificate—with the groom's name and signature in bold ink.
"You… you… YOU!" the father bellowed, unable to contain his fury. He stared at the groom like a predator ready to tear its prey apart.
The bride collapsed, weeping in despair. Her perfect world had shattered in seconds. She was the only child of a powerful family, raised in luxury, worshipped and envied. She had always believed the world was hers to command.
She had met Jake at her father's company—charmed by his looks, smitten by his politeness. She had pursued him relentlessly until he said yes. She thought her life was a fairytale.
Instead, she had become the biggest joke in the city.
"Good. Good." Her father's voice was low and dangerous. "You dare to make a fool of my family… I'll make you regret it."
Without another word, he dragged his daughter away, even as she clawed toward the groom, screaming threats of vengeance. The guests watched in horror—and amusement. The perfect wedding had become a perfect scandal.
But as the chaos spiraled, no one noticed that the pregnant woman and her companion had slipped away.
The groom's eyes darted frantically around the church in search of them. But they were gone.
Far from the church, inside a quiet little coffee shop, the same young woman now sat across from a petite, fashionable girl in a designer tracksuit. She was no longer pregnant.
In fact, she looked no older than nineteen or twenty.
"Thanks for helping me today," the woman said, sliding a thick envelope across the table.
The girl accepted it with a grin. "Don't mention it. It was a pleasure doing business with you. Honestly, you did the world a favor. That jerk's life is over now that he messed with the wrong family."
The woman nodded solemnly.
She had loved Jake for two years—trusted him, built dreams with him. In the end, he repaid her with betrayal. He had left her for a richer woman, killed their unborn child, and nearly killed her too.
This was justice.
Outside, the stars twinkled in the night sky. The woman took a deep breath of the cool evening air before walking away. She felt refreshed after getting her revenge. She can now move on.
Walking home, Ana turned to the tall man who had supported her at the wedding. "Brother, we're eating good tonight, right?"
He ignored her and kept walking.
She pouted, skipping after him.
"I want pork! Don't ignore me. I'm tired!"
She suddenly squatted on the pavement, holding her back dramatically.
"Oh, my waist! My poor legs—I can't walk anymore!"
Her brother Adonis stopped with a sigh and returned to kneel in front of her. Grinning, she jumped gleefully onto his back.
"You're such a drama queen," he muttered.
"I know! One day, I'll be a famous superstar."
"You dream too much."
"You're just jealous."
Chattering and teasing, the two siblings disappeared into the night, their laughter echoing in the wind. Carefree and full of innocence.