Lena has spent her whole life being excluded, left out of every sibling’s wedding, and treated like an afterthought.
But when she refuses to invite them to hers, the truth finally comes out… Faced with betrayal, Lena makes a choice, one that leads to the happiest day of her life.
I used to dream about weddings.
Not in the fairytale-princess way, with flowing white dresses and ballroom receptions. No, my dreams were much simpler. I just wanted to sit in the pews, watch my siblings exchange vows, and be part of their happiness.
But I never got that chance.
Because every single one of them left me out.
Oak, my oldest brother, got married when I was ten.
“You’re too young, Lena,” they said.
Then at twelve, another wedding, but I was still not allowed.
At fifteen, I begged Ivy, my sister, to make an exception, but she gave me that fake, sympathetic smile.
“If I let you come, Lena, I’d have to let other kids come too. It wouldn’t be fair, you know that.”
When would it be fair? I wondered for years.
When I was seventeen, my brother, Silas, got married.
By then, I had stopped caring. His twin brother, Ezra’s wedding happened soon after, and I didn’t even ask if I could attend.
Honestly, what was the point? Why did I have to beg to be a part of my siblings’ big days?
But the heartbreaking part?
My step-cousin, who had just turned eighteen, made the cut. And I didn’t.
I sent a half-hearted congrats and spent the evening in my room with my boyfriend, Rowan, who’s now my fiancé.
That was the last time I let myself feel hurt over them.
So when I started planning my wedding, I made a simple decision:
None of them would be invited.
“Are you sure, Lena?” Rowan asked when he looked at our wedding invitation mock-ups. “I know that they’ve been… problematic.
But do you want to do the same thing? Or do you want to show them that you’re better than them? That you can do things differently?”
“I’m not inviting them, Rowan,” I said.
“I want them to realize that their actions have consequences, and this is one of them. They don’t get to be there. They don’t get to share in our big day.
They don’t get to laugh or cry or clap or throw rice and confetti. Nope.”
“Whatever you want, my love,” he replied, pouring a glass of wine for me. “It’s just that we’re twenty-three years old, you know… We’re getting married young.
And I don’t want you to regret not having your mother there.”
I smiled at his thoughtfulness.
“No regrets, Rowan. I promise.”
So, the invitations went out, and it didn’t take long for my family to notice.
They stormed my apartment like a SWAT team, demanding answers from me.
“Why didn’t we get an invite to your wedding, Lena?” Oak asked, his arms crossed.
I leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed right back.
I had waited for this moment. I had waited years for this moment…
“You didn’t want me at your weddings.
Literally none of you wanted me there. So, guess what? I don’t want you at mine.
It’s simple logic.”
Silence took over my apartment.
Their faces flickered between confusion and outrage.
“That’s different!” Ivy snapped after a moment. “There was alcohol and rowdy uncles! We were protecting you, Lena!”
I laughed.
It came out ugly and bitter.
“I didn’t care about the party. I wanted to see you get married. You guys are my family.
My older siblings, who I loved most in the world. All I wanted was to be included.”
Then, my mother, Marigold, stepped in.
“This is cruel!” she shouted, her voice shrill. “I want all my kids together on your beautiful day!
Lena!”
I tilted my head.
“That’s ironic, Mom,” I said, glancing at my siblings. “But you really didn’t seem to care when I was left out of their beautiful days.”
The guilt was starting to creep in. I could see it on their faces.
My siblings exchanged awkward glances, shifting on their feet. I could feel it. The discomfort and the realization.
“It wasn’t personal, Lena,” Oak muttered.
I let that hang in the air for a moment.
“It was personal to me,” I said.
Another silence.
More shifting. Ivy tried to get my dog’s attention. He ignored her.
Finally, I sighed, wanting answers.
Or a resolution of some kind.
We couldn’t go on like this.
“You know what? Fine. I’ll invite you.
But only on one condition.”
They perked up instantly, desperate for a way to fix this.
“What is it?” my mother asked.
“Tell me everything. No lies. No bullshit.
Just the truth. Tell me, why was I really never included?”
I folded my arms tighter. For a second, I thought of how rude I’d been, I hadn’t offered my family any tea or coffee.
But that thought flew away quickly when I realized why they were here.
They all went quiet.
Too quiet.
And my stomach twisted. There was more to this. I could sense it.
Then, Oak rubbed his beard and exhaled sharply.
“You really don’t know, do you?” he said.
“Know what?”
A weird tension filled the room.
My siblings all exchanged looks, as if daring one another to be the one to speak.
What could they know that I was so in the dark about? What secret had been so well hidden that the thought of uttering it aloud shocked my siblings?
Then, finally, Ivy sat down, clasping her hands in her lap.
“Lena… you’re not actually our sister.”
Her words hit me like a slap to the face.
“What?” I gasped, feeling faint.
“You’re our cousin,” Ivy continued. “Our dad’s brother was raising you alone when he got sick and passed on.
Mom and Dad took you in. But… we don’t know who or where your mother is.”
The room started spinning.
“No. That’s not… That is not
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