It was a radiant Saturday noon, the guests sat expectantly, their faces glowing with joy. The air was filled with music, laughter, and whispers of excitement as everyone gathered to witness the long-awaited union of Elena Cross and her beloved, Reed Brown.
The ceremony had gone perfectly, every detail polished, every moment magical. Elena stood at the altar in her gown, her heart pounding with nervous happiness. This was the day she had dreamed of, the day she would finally step into a future free from the shadows of her family's scorn.
Then came the solemn voice of the officiating pastor, ringing across the hushed hall:
"Is there anyone here who objects to this union? Speak now, or forever hold your peace."
The room fell silent. For a moment, Elena's heart swelled with relief. No one would dare
Until a hand lifted.
Gasps rippled through the crowd as her stepsister, Selena, rose to her feet, her expression sharp with malice.
"Yes," she said, her voice cold but steady. "I object."
Elena's breath caught. "Selena… what are you doing?"
Selena's lips curled into a cruel smile as she strode down the aisle, a folded document in her hand. "Because, dear sister, you are already married."
A stunned silence fell over the hall.
"What nonsense is this?" Elena's voice trembled.
Selena stopped before her and held up the paper for all to see. "This is a marriage certificate—signed and sealed by the government itself. It declares that Elena Cross is the lawful wife of Damien Voss."
"I-Reed, this document is fake. I never married anyone. I don't even know the man in this document. I have never met him or even heard his name!"
Aiden Voss was a stranger to her.
Reed examined the signatures at the bottom of the document.
"But the signature is yours," he said, his gaze furious.
"It's you who signed it. You know it well."
Elena couldn't deny it; it was indeed her signature, and it didn't look forged.
"But the certificate could still be faked," she protested. Elena hoped that her future husband would trust her, but before he could respond, someone snatched the document from her hand- her grandmother Sephina Cross, the head of Cross family. She observed the document and snorted.
"You dare call a government certificate fake?"
"Grandma..."
Slap!
"You wretch, you are just like your mother, filthy and immoral," she spat out and turned to her son, "You should have died with your mother back then and saved us this humiliation."
It was not unexpected for Elena to hear it. Sephina had always hated her while she loved her half-sister Selena. Elena always wondered why this woman hated her this much when both shared the same blood as her.
"Mother, calm down," Clara Smith, Elena's stepmother, intervened, "My brother Henry can help us check if this document is fake. He is a high-ranking official after all."
A middle-aged man in a brown suit, Henry Smith, stepped forward and took the document from Clara. Everyone in the wedding hall held their breath, waiting for his verdict. Elena's hopeful eyes were fixed on him, he was her only chance out of this nightmare situation.
Henry's voice cut through the tense silence, firm and certain.
"This certificate is real. It is an official record showing Elena Cross and Damien Voss as husband and wife."
The words struck Elena like a thunderbolt. Her fingers tightened around her gown, her mind spinning. As if the humiliation of having such a document revealed at her wedding wasn't enough, now it was confirmed to be genuine.
"This isn't possible!" she cried, shaking her head in disbelief. "Uncle Henry, please check again. There must be some mistake."
But Henry's expression held no sympathy. His eyes were cool, edged with disappointment. "If you doubt me, take it to the registry yourself. You'll find the same result." He placed the paper back into her trembling hands and stepped away from the altar without another glance.
The weight of the crowd's stares bore down on her. Every whisper, every accusing look, felt like knives piercing her skin.
Desperate, Elena turned to Reed. He had been silent all this while, but the look in his eyes was enough to make her chest tighten anger, hurt, betrayal.
"Reed, you have to believe me," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "I never "
"The proof is right in front of you," Selena's voice cut her off, smooth and triumphant. She stepped closer, her hazel eyes glowing with cruel satisfaction. "How long do you plan to keep denying it?"
Elena's jaw tightened. "Stay out of this, Selena."
Selena let out a mocking laugh, tossing her honey-colored hair over one shoulder. "Your lies stain this family's name. Father is disgraced, Reed is humiliated, and you dare stand there pretending to be innocent?" She turned deliberately to their father, then back to Reed with feigned sorrow. "You never deserved her, Reed. She's betrayed everyone."
Then, softening her tone, she lowered her gaze as if in sympathy. "I'm sorry on my sister's behalf. Please don't hold her shame against the rest of us."
Reed's eyes, cold and unreadable, shifted from Elena to Selena. After a long pause, his voice was like ice:
"Would you take her place, then? Would you be my wife?"
Selena blinked, stunned. For years she had chased Reed's attention, only to watch him favor Elena. And now, here he was choosing her instead. Her breath caught in her throat, while her mother, Clara, sat rigid in her seat, trying to contain her delight.
"Reed…" Elena's voice cracked as she called out to him, but he did not turn back.
"What are you talking about, Reed?" Clara asked. "I know Elena has hurt you, but you should not make any decisions in haste. You should be calm and talk to your parents first."
"We do not mind our son's decision," declared Amelia Brown, Reed's mother, while her husband, Lucas Brown, nodded in agreement.
Elena tried to explain. "Mother, trust me "
"No more words, Elena," Amelia interrupted. "I was never happy with this marriage, but I agreed because Reed wanted to marry you. Now he can see what kind of woman you are before it's too late, and I couldn't be happier. My son deserves someone like Selena, not a wretch like you."
Amelia went to Selena and held her hand, "Would you like to be my daughter-in-law, Selena?" Her gaze and tone were gentle, the opposite of how she had spoken to Elena.
Selena looked at her grandmother, who said, "We know you are the responsible daughter of the Cross family, and you would make the right decision."
Clara looked at her husband. "Jay, won't you say anything?"
Jay, who still had his fists clenched over Elena, relaxed slightly. "Selena, I would agree with your decision."
"Father," Elena pleaded, feeling invisible in the wedding hall that was meant for her.
Jay Cross glared at her, gritting his teeth. "I will deal with you later."
Helpless, Elena turned to Reed once more. "Reed, for the last time, I am telling you I don't know anything about this marriage certificate. I will prove to everyone that I am innocent," her gaze turned determined, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "But if you do not trust me now and humiliate me by marrying Selena, I will never accept you, even if you beg me to."
Reed was about to respond, but Selena held his hand and spoke instead. "How are you going to prove it, Elena? To register a marriage and get this certificate, you have to be present at the bureau, submit your national IDs, take photographs, and sign the document. Do you think there's a clone of you who did it?" Selena sneered.
"Who are you trying to deceive? Reed, who has loved you unconditionally despite how pathetic you've been acting all these years? Have some self awareness."
"I only know one thing: I am innocent," Elena repeated, her gaze turning angry as she looked at Reed. "Do you choose to believe me or not?"
Reed scoffed. "I didn't know you were this stubborn. Instead of accepting how you betrayed and deceived me, you dare threaten me." He walked towards her, glaring into her eyes. " Elena Cross, you are the biggest mistake of my life and this is the time to correct it. I choose your sister over you. You don't deserve to even stand in front of me at this moment. Do whatever you want, but one thing is sure, you are absolutely nobody to me." He turned to his mother. "Give me the ring."
Amelia handed him a small box containing the wedding ring that was meant for Elena. Reed walked towards Selena, held her hand, and slipped the ring onto her finger. "From today onwards, you are my fiancée. I do not wish to marry in this wedding hall, tainted by your sister's presence. But I promise you a great wedding that you will never forget."