Jade and I grew up together—inseparable from childhood, through college, and into adulthood. She was my bridesmaid, my cheerleader, the friend I thought would always stand by me. When she asked me to be part of her wedding, I was thrilled. She even invited my husband James and our kids—it felt like family.
But just days before the big event, she called me, her voice heavy.
“Evie… I need to ask you something important.”
“Of course, anything,” I said, thinking she needed help with flowers or nerves.
Her next words cut deep: “Please don’t bring James to the wedding.”
I froze. My entire family had been invited—why exclude my husband? When I pressed her, she broke down and admitted the truth: James had kissed her at a party months before, a secret she had kept until now. She swore she regretted it, that it meant nothing—but she couldn’t face him on her wedding day.
My world shattered. The man I loved and the friend I trusted most had betrayed me. Standing in that moment, I realized nothing would ever be the same.
I chose not to attend the wedding. And as painful as it was, I finally understood: sometimes the people we hold closest are the very ones who can break us the hardest.
