The church was breathtaking. White roses cascaded down the altar, their petals scattered along the aisle like fallen snow. Golden sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows, painting everything in warm hues. The string quartet played softly as two hundred guests watched me walk toward what I thought was my future. My heart hammered against my ribs, but it was the good kind of racing—pure joy. Colton stood at the altar in his perfectly tailored black tuxedo, his dark eyes locked on mine.
He looked nervous, which made me smile. Even after three years together, he still got nervous around me. The pastor opened his worn Bible.
«We are gathered here today to witness the union of Colton James Wellington and Anna Rose Derrick in holy matrimony.»
I squeezed Colton’s hands. His palms were sweaty.
«Do you, Colton, take Anna to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, till death do you part?»
«I do.» His voice cracked slightly. The pastor turned to me.
«Do you, Anna, take Colton to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and—»
«Wait.» The voice cut through the sacred silence like a blade. Every head turned.
Gasps rippled through the congregation like a wave hitting the shore. My maid of honor, Karen Oscar, stood from her place at the altar. The woman I’d known since kindergarten. The woman I’d trusted with every secret, every fear, every dream. She wore the dusty rose bridesmaid dress we’d picked out together, but her face was twisted with something ugly I’d never seen before.
«I can’t let this happen,» she announced, her voice carrying to every corner of the church. «Anna, you need to know the truth.»
My father half-rose from his seat in the front pew. My mother grabbed his arm, her knuckles white. The whispers started immediately, a low buzz that grew louder by the second.
«Karen, what are you doing?» I kept my voice steady, but my heart had stopped racing with joy. Now, it was racing with something else entirely.
She lifted her chin, defiant. «I’m pregnant, Anna. And Colton is the father.»
The gasps turned into shocked exclamations. Someone behind me whispered, «Oh my God,» loud enough for everyone to hear. The string quartet’s music faltered and died.
Colton went as pale as paper. «Karen, don’t.»
«Don’t what?» She stepped closer, her voice getting stronger, more vicious. «Don’t tell her how you’ve been coming to my apartment for months? Don’t tell her how you said you were having second thoughts about the wedding? Don’t tell her how you whispered that you loved me while we…»
«Enough!» My brother, Tristan, shot to his feet, his face murderous. My sister, Sydney, grabbed his arm before he could charge the altar.
Karen smirked at me, triumph gleaming in her dark eyes. «Face it, Anna. You’re the consolation prize. He settled for you because I wouldn’t commit.»
«But now that we’re having a baby…» She placed her hand on her still-flat stomach. «Well, priorities change.»
The church had gone dead quiet except for my grandmother’s rosary beads clicking together as she prayed rapidly in Spanish. I looked at Colton. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his mouth opened and closed like a fish drowning in air. He couldn’t even look me in the eye.
That’s when I smiled. It wasn’t a happy smile; it was the kind of smile a shark might give right before it struck.
«Oh, Karen,» I said, my voice carrying clearly in the silence. «You poor, delusional little girl.»
Her smirk faltered. I reached into my bouquet and pulled out my phone. With one swipe, I activated the Bluetooth speaker system we’d installed for the reception music.
«Ladies and gentlemen, before we continue this fascinating display, I think you should all hear something.»
Karen’s face went from triumphant to confused to absolutely terrified as her own voice filled the church through the speakers. «God, Colton is such an idiot. He has no idea I’ve been sleeping with his brother and his best man. The pregnancy could be any of theirs, but Colton makes the most money.»
The recording continued. Karen’s laugh echoed off the church walls as she bragged to someone on the phone about her plan, about how she’d been manipulating all three men, about how she planned to take «Anna’s pathetic little prince for everything he’s worth.» Karen dropped to her knees right there at the altar, her face as white as a communion wafer.
«Anna, I can explain.»
«Oh, you’ll have plenty of time to explain,» I said calmly, «to the police, to the DNA lab, and to my lawyer.» I looked out at the stunned congregation.
Three hours later, my so-called husband and maid of honor were begging me not to press charges. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
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My name is Anna Rose Derrick, and up until that moment, I thought I was living my dream life. I’m a pediatric nurse at Children’s Hospital, the kind of woman who believes in «happily ever after» because I spend my days helping kids believe in miracles. At 28, I had everything mapped out: marry Colton, buy a house with a white picket fence, have two kids and a golden retriever named Buster.
Colton Wellington was everything I thought I wanted. Tall, handsome, successful. He worked as a financial advisor at his family’s investment firm—old money, good breeding, the kind of man who looked perfect in family Christmas photos.
We met at my cousin’s wedding three years ago. He was the best man; I was a bridesmaid. It was a classic story. He spilled red wine on my dress during the reception, then insisted on paying for the dry cleaning. One coffee date turned into dinner, dinner turned into weekend trips, and weekend trips turned into moving in together.
«He’s perfect for you, Mija,» my mother always said. She loved how he brought flowers every Sunday for dinner, how he remembered to ask about her book club, and how he promised to give her grandchildren soon. My family adored him. Dad called him «Mijo» and took him fishing. My brother, Tristan, who never liked any of my boyfriends, actually invited Colton to his poker games. Sydney, my younger sister and toughest critic, grudgingly admitted he had «potential.»
But Karen Oscar loved him most of all. Karen and I had been inseparable since we were five years old. We lived three houses apart on Maple Street, went to the same schools, were in the same classes, and had the same dreams of moving to New York to become fashion designers.
When high school ended and I chose nursing while she chose marketing, we promised distance would never change us. She was my automatic first call for everything. Bad day at work? Call Karen. Good news to share? Call Karen.
When Colton proposed at the beach last Christmas, she was the second person I told, right after I called my parents. «I’m so happy for you!» she’d squealed over FaceTime, her face pixelated but her smile bright. «You deserve this, Anna. You deserve everything.»
She threw me the most elaborate engagement party. She organized my bachelorette weekend in Vegas. She spent hours with me picking out bridesmaid dresses, arguing with the florist, and tasting cake samples until we were sick. «I can’t wait to stand beside you on your big day,» she said during one of our planning sessions. «We’ve been sisters since kindergarten. Now it’ll be official when I’m your matron of honor.»
«Maid of honor,» I laughed. «You’re not married yet.»
«Yet being the operative word,» she’d winked. «Maybe your wedding will inspire Angelo to finally propose.» Angelo Kim was her boyfriend of two years, a sweet, quiet accountant who worshipped the ground she walked on. I always thought they’d get married before Colton and me.
Looking back, I should have noticed the signs. Like how Karen always found reasons to drop by our apartment when Colton was home. How she’d linger after I left for early shifts, claiming she wanted to «catch up with Colton about work stuff,» since they both worked in finance. How Colton started working late more often, especially on nights when Karen said she was too tired to join our group dinners.