I sat before the mirror, my fingertips grazing the delicate lace of my wedding gown, tracing the intricate floral patterns woven into the fabric.
Today was the day.
The day I would become Sam’s wife.
A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I blinked away a tear that threatened to spill. I couldn’t believe this moment had finally arrived.
“Careful now,” my maid of honor, Lauren, teased from the doorway, holding out a flute of champagne. “We didn’t spend an hour on your makeup just for you to cry it off.”
I took the glass with a grateful smile, my voice barely above a whisper. “It just feels so surreal.”
In just thirty minutes, I would walk down the aisle toward the man I had loved for what felt like forever.
But then, the unexpected happened.
I stood at the altar, my heart pounding, hands gripping my bouquet. My gaze met Sam’s—my fiancé of five years.
Then the doors creaked open.
A woman walked in.
She was stunning. Long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulder, and her lips were painted a striking shade of red.
But it wasn’t her beauty that sent a chill down my spine.
It was the way she looked at Sam.
And then she spoke, her voice smooth and unwavering.
“Aren’t you going to tell them?”
A hushed murmur rippled through the crowd.
“Tell us what?” My throat felt tight.
She smiled faintly before turning her piercing gaze to Sam.
“That you’re already married.”
A wave of shock crashed over me. My fingers loosened around the bouquet.
I turned to Sam, expecting him to laugh, to shake his head—anything to prove this was some kind of misunderstanding.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he took a step forward.
And then, right in the middle of our wedding, he walked over to her.
My stomach twisted.
God help me… he wrapped his arms around her.
Sam leaned in, whispering something into her ear—words only she could hear.
She let out a soft laugh.
I felt the blood drain from my face. “Who… who are you?” I asked, my voice barely steady.
The woman met my gaze. “My name is Anna.”
The name struck a chord.
I had heard of Anna before—Sam’s childhood best friend. He had mentioned her in passing but never anything about a marriage.
“Sam,” I forced out, my voice sharp, “I need the truth. Right now. In front of everyone.”
He let out a deep breath, rubbing a hand down his face. “When we were kids, we had a pretend wedding,” he admitted. “Candy ring pops, scribbled vows, and Anna attempting to play a song on her ukulele. We thought it was real at the time. We were twelve.”
I stared at him, waiting.
“But Anna is just my best friend. That’s all.”
“Then why did she say that? Why did you hold her like that?” My heart pounded against my ribs.
Sam hesitated.
Then Anna spoke, her voice softer this time. “A few years ago, I was in a terrible car accident.”
A gasp echoed through the room.
“The doctors told me I might never walk again.”
Sam’s expression was pained. “Anna spent years in rehab, fighting to regain her strength. She told me she wouldn’t be able to come to the wedding. I understood.”
“But I wanted to be here,” Anna added. “I wanted to walk through those doors on my own, on your big day, Sam. And I did.”
Her eyes shimmered with emotion. “I’ve spent so long relearning how to walk, and recently, I pushed myself even further—learning to walk in heels. I wanted this moment, for myself and for you.”
Silence blanketed the room.
Then Anna let out a small, guilty laugh. “And, well… Sam and I have been pranking each other for years. I figured, what better way to make my entrance than with one last joke?”
Tears welled in my eyes—but this time, for a different reason.
She had fought her way back. She had conquered something unimaginable.
The weight in my chest lifted as I turned to Sam, who looked equally overwhelmed.
A smile crept onto my lips.
Anna exhaled, relief washing over her. “I really am happy for you both.”
A moment of stunned silence. Then, like a ripple in still water, laughter spread through the room.
The tension melted away, replaced with warmth and joy.
And as I stood there, surrounded by love, I knew—my wedding day had turned out to be even more unforgettable than I had imagined.