I couldn’t sleep the night before my wedding, so I crept downstairs to grab some aspirin. That’s when I stumbled upon a shocking scene: my mother on her knees, begging my fiancé, Zachary, to disappear from my life. But what she offered him in exchange left me reeling.
The night before my wedding was supposed to be a time of excitement and anticipation. Instead, it turned into a nightmare. I lay in bed, my mind racing with worries about the next day. What if something went wrong? What if I tripped down the aisle? What if Zachary got cold feet?
I tossed and turned, unable to shake off the anxiety. Finally, I threw off the covers and got out of bed. I needed some aspirin to calm my racing thoughts. As I made my way downstairs, I heard whispers coming from the kitchen. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest.
That’s when I saw my mother, kneeling in front of Zachary, her hands clasped together in a pleading gesture. I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. What was going on?
My mother’s words cut through the air, her voice low and urgent. “Please don’t show up at the ceremony tomorrow.” She paused, her eyes locked on Zachary’s. “I’ll pay you $20,000 to disappear.”
I felt like I was going to throw up. Zachary’s face was a mask of shock and disgust. He looked like he’d been slapped. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My own mother, trying to bribe my fiancé to leave me?
The rest of the conversation was a blur. I remember Zachary agreeing to my mother’s terms, but I knew he was just playing along. I knew he wouldn’t actually leave me at the altar.
The next morning, I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. I was dressed in my wedding gown, my hair styled perfectly, my makeup flawless. But I wasn’t going to go through with it. I wasn’t going to marry some stranger my parents had chosen for me.
I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of determination wash over me. I was going to take control of my life, and I was going to do it with Zachary by my side.
I walked out of the church, my head held high, my heart pounding with excitement. Zachary was waiting for me, a smile on his face, a twinkle in his eye. We exchanged a look, and I knew that we were in this together.
We drove away from the church, leaving behind the chaos and confusion. We drove towards a new future, one that we would create together. And as we sped away, I felt a sense of freedom that I’d never felt before.
We were finally free to be ourselves, to make our own choices, to create our own destiny. And as I looked over at Zachary, I knew that I would never let anyone take that away from me again.
