After I Met Him

Harmony’s POV. They say your wedding day is supposed to be one of the best days of your life. The white gown, the bridal train, walking down the aisle, the cake, the guests, friends and family gathered… but the most important part is tying the knot with the man you love most. But my wedding day felt like a nightmare. I sat on the couch beside my so-called future husband, Josh. My chest tightened, my mind raced, my palms were sweaty, and my eyes stung as I tried to hold back tears at what was displayed on the screen. My younger sister… and the man who claimed to love me… having an affair behind my back all this time. So everything had been a lie? “Harmony, my dear sister… I love you very much but I just wanted to tell you,” Nora’s voice echoed through the microphone. How could she? My own sister. My own blood. I had always seen things like this in movies and online stories, but I never imagined it would happen to me. “Sweetie, she’s lying, okay?” Josh said quickly, grabbing my hand. His grip was firm, almost desperate. “You know I love you.” A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. I wanted to believe him. I really did. But the truth was right there in front of everyone, burning into my skin. Why didn’t she tell me before today? Before I wore this dress… before I walked down the aisle… before I said my vows… before I gave him my heart? Why today? Murmurs filled the hall. Whispers grew louder, spreading like wildfire. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. My body felt frozen, my throat dry, my breath uneven. Suddenly, my vision blurred at the edges. My chest rose and fell in shallow, broken breaths. Before I could collapse, Josh caught me. “Harmony… Harmony… Harmony!” voices echoed around me. Then everything went black. ********* I blinked awake to the sharp smell of antiseptic. White walls. A steady beeping somewhere nearby. “What… happened?” I muttered, my voice rough. I tried to sit up, wincing as the room slowly came into focus. A hospital bed. Machines beside me. A curtain half-drawn across the space. My eyes moved carefully, taking it all in like it didn’t belong to me. For a moment, there was nothing—just confusion. Then it hit me. I passed out during my wedding. I looked around the room. How long have I been here? A day… a week… a month? Suddenly, the door handle turned, and my mom walked in. Her face lit up with joy when she saw me. She rushed toward me and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, unsure of anything anymore. “Oh my love,” she said softly, stroking my forehead. “How are you?” she asked. “I—I don’t know,” I replied, staring down at the bedsheets. “Why would Nora do this to me? I thought she was happy for me. Why did she wait until my wedding day to disgrace me in front of my friends and family?” My voice shook as I spoke. “Harmony,” my mom said, holding my hand tightly. “Don’t think too hard. Don’t waste your tears on people like them. You’ll find someone better.” Someone better? Could there really be anyone better than Josh? How do I get rid of this feeling? I just wanted someone to pinch me so I could wake up from this nightmare. Just then, Nora walked through the door. “Oh my…” she said, stopping as she saw me. She moved closer, as if she wanted to touch me, but I quickly pulled my hand away. “Get out,” I said coldly, staring at the wall. She scoffed. “Come on, sister. You can hate me forever. Besides, I did you a big favor.” I turned to her slowly, narrowing my eyes. “What did you just say?” “I said I did you a big favor.” The audacity. The guts. The nerve to look me in the eye without remorse and say that? “Nora, that’s enough. Why won’t you accept your mistake?” my mom said sharply. Nora raised an eyebrow slightly. “Really? You aren’t going to tell her?” I turned quickly to my mom. “Tell me what?” I asked, confused. Silence. It was obvious something was wrong. Could it be… that she knew about their affair? “Are you going to make it seem like I’m the only hypocrite here?” Nora said, pointing at herself. My mom still stayed silent. I prayed in my heart that it wasn’t what I was thinking. “Fine! If you won’t talk, I will.” Nora turned to me, her expression hard. “Mom knew about the affair even before your wedding. She even encouraged it because I was going through heartbreak from my last relationship,” she said without stuttering. My breath caught. I slowly turned to my mom, tears shimmering in my eyes. “Mom… is this true?” She avoided my eyes. I opened my mouth slightly before closing it again. She didn’t need to say yes or no. Her silence said enough. “But why?” My voice cracked. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “Honey, it’s not what you think,” my mom said quickly. “I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how to.” I turned away from her and faced the wall, letting out a shaky breath. “The both of you should leave,” I said quietly, my tone icy. “Harmony, please calm down,” my mom pleaded as she reached for me. I leaned away before she could touch me. “Leave.” The two of them stood there silently for a moment, staring at me as if they expected me to change my mind. A few seconds later, I heard the door open and close. They were gone. The moment they left, the tears came. I cried harder than I ever had in my life, my body trembling with every broken breath. Even my own mother knew…she still let me walk down, that aisle…she still let me say ‘i do’ How could she look me in the eyes knowing the truth? Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. Instead, it became the day everything fell apart.