I Yelled ‘I Don’t!’ at My Own Wedding after Conversation with Groom’s Mother Whose Plan Almost Worked Out

After a chance encounter and years of dating, Ryan and Hanna are about to walk down the aisle and commit to each other. But when Ryan’s mother reveals an incriminating video of Ryan with another woman, Hanna feels her heartbreak. But later, the truth of the video is revealed, along with more deceit than Hanna ever expected.

Do parents just enjoy dropping bombshells before weddings? When I say before—I mean 30 minutes before?

Because that’s exactly what Ryan’s mother did.

An old clock on a piece of newspaper | Source: Pexels

An old clock on a piece of newspaper | Source: Pexels

Ryan and I met two years ago—it was one of those by-chance meetings. I was at the community theatre because one of my friends, Mila, was in the local musical with her directorial debut.

So, there I was, standing outside after the performance, holding a bouquet of flowers for Mila. Ryan walked out, and because of the crowd, walked directly into me, crushing the flowers.

A red curtain at a theatre | Source: Unsplash

A red curtain at a theatre | Source: Unsplash

“I am so sorry,” he said, picking up the bouquet.

“I hate crowds,” I said.

He chuckled and gestured for us to move away from the door.

“I’m not a fan either,” he said. “I’m Ryan.”

“Hanna,” I said, introducing myself.

Crumpled rose petals | Source: Pexels

Crumpled rose petals | Source: Pexels

Just three months into our romance, Ryan proposed in a pub while drinking Guinness and eating crispy potato skins.

Last week, we should have sealed that promise with our wedding vows. But our wedding went in the complete opposite direction it should have gone.

An interior of a pub | Source: Unsplash

An interior of a pub | Source: Unsplash

Initially, my family welcomed Ryan with open arms. As the only daughter, my parents were thrilled that I had met someone who genuinely made me happy.

“This is a different side to you, Hanna,” my mother said one evening when we had Ryan over for family dinner.

“He makes her happy,” my father said, smiling. “That’s all a father could want.”

An elderly couple embracing a younger couple | Source: Pexels

An elderly couple embracing a younger couple | Source: Pexels

Ryan felt welcome—he felt the warmth that they showered him, and through that, we grew stronger as a couple, too.

On his side, it was more or less the same thing. The Coles opened their home and hearts to me, and they wanted nothing more than to have us over as much as possible. Mrs. Cole, Audrey, had gotten into a coffee date and manicure routine with me, too.

A person getting their nails done | Source: Pexels

A person getting their nails done | Source: Pexels

Everything felt right—until the very moment it wasn’t.

Leading up to our wedding, I was the calmest I could have been. It was a small church wedding, and Ryan and I had planned the intimate affair right down to the little details. We knew exactly what we wanted and how to make it special for our day.

But on what was meant to be the happiest day of my life, just before the ceremony, my soon-to-be mother-in-law pulled me aside.

Flowers and tulle along church pews | Source: Pexels

Flowers and tulle along church pews | Source: Pexels

“Darling,” she said. “Can we chat for a moment?”

I nodded and told her to wait until my glam team was done with my hair and makeup.

Something about her demeanor made me feel anxious and nervous. I watched her movements from my reflection in the mirror.

Her eyes moved around the room quickly, often settling on my wedding dress hanging from its hook.

When I was ready, and my mother was buttoning up my dress, I turned to Audrey.

A hanging wedding dress | Source: Pexels

A hanging wedding dress | Source: Pexels

“I’m ready when you are,” I said, smiling at her.

Her eyes glazed over, seeing me in the dress. She had been at my fittings before, but this was the moment that Audrey and my mother would see the full effect of my bridal outfit.

“Hanna,” Audrey said. “There’s no easy way for me to say this.”

A bride in her wedding outfit | Source: Pexels

A bride in her wedding outfit | Source: Pexels

My heart thundered in my chest. While my hair was being done, and I sat watching her, I knew that nothing good was going to come from our conversation.

“Just say it,” I said. “Tell me.”

Audrey pulled her phone out of her clutch and held it out for me.

A woman holding a phone | Source: Pexels

A woman holding a phone | Source: Pexels

“There are videos on this phone that will explain everything. I am so sorry, Hanna, but Ryan needs to be caught out.”

My mind raced. I couldn’t fathom what I was about to see once her phone was unlocked.

“Here,” she said, handing me her phone as a woman’s voice echoed through the room.

The videos on Audrey’s phone revealed Ryan with another woman, in clandestine affection, undeniable betrayal.

An upset woman | Source: Pixabay

An upset woman | Source: Pixabay

“Are you sure?” I asked. “This is him?”

Audrey closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Well, look at the jacket on the bed,” she said. “Isn’t that the one you got him?”

I pressed play again, and looked at the jacket. The hotel room also looked familiar—I was so sure that we had been there before.

“But Ryan’s face isn’t in the frame,” I said.

A man wearing a black jacket | Source: Unsplash

A man wearing a black jacket | Source: Unsplash

I was struggling. I couldn’t believe that my almost mother-in-law was standing in front of me with a video showing her son’s affair.

“Hanna,” she said slowly. “It’s right in front of you. You can choose to overlook it, but think of the man that you would be marrying if you choose to ignore it. Could you live with yourself knowing that? Could you live with him?”

I shook my head. I wanted to cry because of how overwhelmed I was.

“Fine,” I said.

“You’re calling off the wedding?” Audrey asked, hope lining her voice.

A smiling older woman | Source: Pexels

A smiling older woman | Source: Pexels

“No,” I said. “I’m going to walk down that aisle. I’m going to walk to the man who has been unfaithful to me. And when the time comes for our vows, I’ll break it off then.”

“Okay, dear,” Audrey said, putting her phone back into her bag. “It’s almost time now, anyway.”

I sat down on the chaise, and waited for my father to come and get me when it was time to marry Ryan. I wanted nothing more than to get into a car and drive away to some place where I could eat my feelings in a mountain of fries.

A father and bride walking down a hallway | Source: Unsplash

A father and bride walking down a hallway | Source: Unsplash

My heart violently pounded with fury as I approached the altar on my father’s arm. Ryan, aware of the storm brewing beneath my skin, smiled tenderly at me. He took my hand and squeezed it.

It would have been absolutely perfect, except for the fact that he had been with someone else.

Our priest went on to quote scripture about love and matrimony from the Bible. And when it was time for our vows, my heart quietened down—finally realizing what was about to come.

A groom at the altar | Source: Pexels

A groom at the altar | Source: Pexels

“I don’t,” I said softly, more to the ground than to Ryan.

“Speak louder, Hanna,” the priest said.

“I don’t!” I said more confidently, the words echoing like a resounding shockwave.

Ryan’s shock morphed into confusion as I repeated those two words again.

“Hanna? What?” he asked, hurt and betrayal deep in his voice.

A couple at the altar | Source: Unsplash

A couple at the altar | Source: Unsplash

“Ask your mom,” I said, pointing at Audrey. “Mrs. Cole, please tell everyone what you told me earlier.”

The church hushed immediately, as if everyone were holding their breath. With shaking hands, she opened her bag and took out her phone. Like earlier, she held it out to me.

“Look,” I said to Ryan.

Ryan took a step back, almost falling over the wedding arch.

“That is not me, Hanna!” he said loudly. “Hanna, you know it’s not me!”

I refused to look him in the eye.

A woman holding a phone | Source: Unsplash

A woman holding a phone | Source: Unsplash

Then he confronted his mother.

“Mom, what is all this? What is that? Where did you get that video?”

Audrey shook her head and walked down the aisle, leaving the church in silence.

I could not bear to hear Ryan’s excuses.

“Hanna, please,” he said. “I need you to believe me.”

And I wanted to. Of course, I wanted to believe the man I loved. But it was clear, the jacket that I bought him lay across the bed in the video. He had been with someone else.

An upset man | Source: Unsplash

An upset man | Source: Unsplash

And if there was the possibility that he wasn’t with another person—how would he explain the video? And the woman who was barely dressed? And the sound effects?

“I can’t do this,” I said. “I won’t.”

I ran out of the side door, my parents following closely behind.

Ryan continued to reach out to me for the rest of the day—and when night settled, I finally blocked his number.

A woman using her phone | Source: Pexels

A woman using her phone | Source: Pexels

Yet, two days later, when I was wrapped in a blanket wondering where everything had gone wrong—Ryan showed up at my parents’ house with takeout and flowers.

“You expect this to fix everything?” I asked.

“I need to talk,” he said simply.

Against my better judgment, I listened.

What Ryan revealed next sent me down another spiral.

He had confronted Audrey after the wedding.

Tulips in a vase | Source: Pexels

Tulips in a vase | Source: Pexels

“I went straight to her house,” he said. “She was sitting there, in her kitchen, eating toast and listening to old records as though she hadn’t just ruined our wedding.”

“I think you did that,” I blurted out.

“Hanna,” he warned. “My mother orchestrated that video. The people in it are her students. And it was all because she didn’t want us to get married.”

My jaw hit the ground.

A shocked woman covering her eyes | Source: Unsplash

A shocked woman covering her eyes | Source: Unsplash

Audrey was a high school teacher—but she also tutored first-year college kids in English. So, when it truly came down to the fact that Ryan and I were actually getting married, she panicked. She called two of her college students, who were too eager to make a bit of extra money, to play the part.

“I thought she liked me,” I said while digging into the food Ryan had brought over. “Clearly she doesn’t if she put an entire video together.”

“She did say that the sounds were edited,” Ryan chuckled nervously. “But I’ve got to hand it to her, adding my jacket was a good touch.”

A black jacket lying on a bed | Source: Unsplash

A black jacket lying on a bed | Source: Unsplash

I didn’t understand how I felt. For the past two days, since walking away from my own wedding—I convinced myself that Ryan had been the bad guy in my story. That he was the villain who broke my heart, while his mother exposed him for who he was.

And yet, the reality was so much worse.

Here was a woman who had claimed me as the daughter she never had, only to break my heart before marrying her son.

She believed I was unworthy of Ryan.

I forgave Ryan immediately, and he did the same in return—I did accuse him of cheating on me in front of all our guests.

A woman sitting and looking out the window | Source: Pexels

A woman sitting and looking out the window | Source: Pexels

We’re still together, but I don’t know what the future holds. For now, I feel hurt and betrayed by Audrey. And I know that forgiveness will be difficult to come by for her.

What would you do?

If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |

My Mother-in-Law Tried to Ruin Our Wedding by Pitting Us against Each Other

Maya, as a wedding planner, is used to crazy weddings. So, when her wedding rolls around, she thinks that she has planned everything right down to the final detail. Until her fiancé goes missing and her mother-in-law plots for the end of their relationship…

As a wedding planner, I’ve had my fair share of crazy weddings. From bridezillas to lazy grooms, to the most insane requests. Once, I had a couple who wanted to say their vows on a hot air balloon — only for the bride to realize that she was afraid of heights.

For my wedding, I was so sure that Fred and I were ready. That we had finally gotten everything done right. But I even so, I wanted my colleague, Jenna, to take over the logistics behind the wedding. I wanted to have my moment as a bride.

An orange hot air balloon | Source: Pexels

An orange hot air balloon | Source: Pexels

Fred knew that I was in my element when it came to our wedding, so he left everything to me — other than making sure that there would be sliders are the wedding reception, everything was on me.

We met Jenna in a restaurant about a year before our wedding, and I gave her everything she needed to know in a planner. It was going to be easy for her — all she needed to do was the admin behind the plans. And to bring the vision to life.

“Maya,” she said, sipping on her drink. “This is perfect. You’ve planned everything.”

A wedding planner's notebook | Source: Pexels

A wedding planner’s notebook | Source: Pexels

Everything was ticking along perfectly, with each detail meticulously planned and poised for what was meant to be the happiest day of our lives.

Until three nights before the wedding, when all hell broke loose.

A couple sitting at a table | Source: Pexels

A couple sitting at a table | Source: Pexels

It must have been around 8PM, and I was unwinding by watching reality television and eating a slice of pie.

I had my nail appointment the next morning, and I was finally starting to feel like a bride. In the past few weeks, Fred and I seemed to find anything and everything to fight about. We argued with no reason, until it was time to sleep.

At least, this week, Fred was staying with his best man.

“Just to get him out of your hair for a bit, Maya,” he said.

“You’ll get no complaints from me,” I told him. “Just keep him out of trouble.”

A brown duffel bag on the floor | Source: Unsplash

A brown duffel bag on the floor | Source: Unsplash

But it’s never so simple, right?

No. My doorbell rang, disrupting my night in.

The person standing on the other side was a delivery man, holding a huge bouquet of flowers.

“That’s beautiful,” I said. “Who is it from?”

“There’s a card, ma’am,” the delivery man said.

He handed the bouquet to me and turned around to walk down the stairs.

A bouquet of flowers | Source: Pexels

A bouquet of flowers | Source: Pexels

“Oh, Fred,” I said, sniffing the flowers.

Sending me random flowers was something that he would do.

But then I read the card and my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach.

I Don’t was written on the card.

All the air inside my lungs suddenly went out. I sat down on the couch and cried my heart out.

After a few hours, I called Fred about twenty times. He never picked up.

A woman holding a phone at night | Source: Pexels

A woman holding a phone at night | Source: Pexels

Want to know what happens next? Read the full story here!

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

My Husband Found a 17-Year-Old Letter in a Bottle While Fishing — Reading It Sent Him to Find Its Late Author’s House

When my husband found a dusty old bottle floating in the lake, we never imagined it would send us on a journey straight out of a mystery novel. The letter inside spoke of betrayal, hidden treasure, and a life on the brink. Eventually, its contents dragged us into the eerie remnants of a stranger’s past.

I had just curled up on the couch with my favorite book and a hot cup of tea in hand. The house was quiet, the way I liked it when Tom was out fishing. Through the open window, I could hear birds chirping, and the cool lake breeze carried the scent of pine.

A woman drinking tea with a book | Source: Pexels

A woman drinking tea with a book | Source: Pexels

Tom had left before dawn, as usual, with his tackle box and that old fishing rod he still refuses to replace. He never caught much, but he loved that it was just him, the water, and the quiet. I figured he’d be back around dinner, like always.

But this day was anything but regular.

A man fishing | Source: Pexels

A man fishing | Source: Pexels

The sound of the door bursting open made me jump, nearly spilling my tea. Tom came rushing in, out of breath, his boots thudding across the floor. His grin stretched ear to ear, and his eyes sparkled like he’d just found buried treasure.

“Katie! Honey! Get ready — we’re going to the next town over!” he shouted, holding something behind his back.

A happy man coming home | Source: Freepik

A happy man coming home | Source: Freepik

“What on earth are you talking about?” I asked, setting down my tea. “What’s going on?”

“Look!” he said, pulling a dusty old bottle out from behind him. The glass was foggy, but I could see a yellowed piece of paper curled inside.

I stared at him, then at the bottle. “What is that?”

“It’s a letter!” he said, practically buzzing with excitement. “I found it out on the lake! You won’t believe what it says.”

A bottle with a note | Source: Freepik

A bottle with a note | Source: Freepik

Tom and I have been married for twelve years, and life with him has always been a little unpredictable. He’s the kind of guy who can turn a simple walk into an adventure. I’m the opposite. Careful, steady, always thinking things through.

But somehow, we balance each other out.

A couple talking | Source: Pexels

A couple talking | Source: Pexels

What we both share, though, is a love for stories. Whether it’s a mystery novel, a family tale, or even a rumor in town, we’re both suckers for a good narrative. That’s probably why I didn’t stop him right away when he said we needed to drive to another town because of a letter in a bottle.

Still, I wasn’t about to let him drag me into something ridiculous without knowing more. “All right,” I said, crossing my arms. “What’s so important that you’re ready to drive twenty miles for it?”

Couple having a serious talk | Source: Pexels

Couple having a serious talk | Source: Pexels

Tom’s grin grew even wider. “You have to read it to believe it.”

Tom plopped down in his favorite chair, the bottle clutched in his hands like it was the most precious thing in the world. “So, there I was,” he started, “out by the reeds on the north side of the lake. You know the spot?”

I nodded.

A couple having an argument | Source: Pexels

A couple having an argument | Source: Pexels

“I was reeling in my line when I saw this thing bobbing in the water. At first, I thought it was just trash, but when I got closer, I saw the paper inside. I nearly tipped the boat getting it! Just listen.” He pulled the cork from the bottle and carefully slid out the brittle paper.

The letter was faded, the edges crumbling slightly, but the words were still readable. Tom cleared his throat and began:

An old letter | Source: Pexels

An old letter | Source: Pexels

“My friends called me “The Joker.” That was my code name in our gang. I will probably die tomorrow. I have no relatives, and all my friends betrayed me. We recently robbed a jewelry store, and all the jewelry is now in my basement. I want it to go to the person who found this message. Congratulations, lucky guy!”

Tom looked up at me, his face alight with excitement. “Can you believe it?”

A man reading a letter | Source: Freepik

A man reading a letter | Source: Freepik

I blinked. “Wait… What? A gang? Jewelry? Are you serious?”

“That’s what it says!” he replied, holding the letter out to me.

I took it, scanning the words myself. The handwriting was shaky, almost desperate, and the whole thing sent a shiver down my spine. “Tom, this could be a prank. Or… I don’t know, shouldn’t we call the police?”

A woman reading a letter | Source: Pexels

A woman reading a letter | Source: Pexels

“No way,” he said, shaking his head. “This is our story now! We’re going to the house in the letter!”

“Tom!” I exclaimed. “We don’t even know if the house is still there—or if any of this is real!”

“Only one way to find out,” he said, standing up and grabbing his keys.

I sighed, holding the letter tightly. Tom was stubborn, and once he got an idea in his head, there was no stopping him. Against my better judgment, I grabbed my jacket.

A couple getting ready to leave | Source: Pexels

A couple getting ready to leave | Source: Pexels

“Fine,” I said, glaring at him. “But if this turns out to be nothing, you’re buying me dinner.”

“Deal,” he said, already halfway out the door.

The house stood before us like something out of an old ghost story—its paint chipped, windows cloudy, and the yard overgrown with weeds. “Well,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, “this definitely fits the description of ‘rundown.’”

A rundown house | Source: Pexels

A rundown house | Source: Pexels

Tom grinned, unfazed by the eerie sight. “Come on, Katie. Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“Back in the car,” I muttered.

The front door creaked as Tom pushed it open, revealing a dim, dusty interior. The air was thick with the smell of mildew, and the wooden floors groaned under each step. Faded wallpaper peeled from the walls, and the shadows seemed to stretch endlessly.

An abandoned house | Source: Pexels

An abandoned house | Source: Pexels

Tom waved his flashlight around. “Let’s find the basement doors,” he said, his voice full of excitement.

“Sure,” I replied, glancing over my shoulder. “Let’s just ignore the fact that this place could collapse on us at any second.”

A woman in an abandoned house | Source: Freepik

A woman in an abandoned house | Source: Freepik

We found the basement doors exactly where the letter had said they would be. They were old and heavy, their brass handles tarnished with age. Tom knelt down and began tapping on the floorboards near the doors.

“This better not be a wild goose chase,” I said, crossing my arms.

A man searching the floor | Source: Midjourney

A man searching the floor | Source: Midjourney

“Trust me,” Tom replied, grinning as he pried up a loose board. His eyes lit up as he pulled out an old, rusty key. “Jackpot.”

I swallowed hard, my stomach twisting with a mix of fear and curiosity. “Are we really doing this?”

Without answering, Tom slid the key into the lock. It resisted for a moment before finally turning with a loud click. He gave me a triumphant look before pulling the doors open.

A man holding a rusty key | Source: Pexels

A man holding a rusty key | Source: Pexels

The hinges groaned loudly, the sound echoing through the house. A rush of stale, cold air hit us, carrying the scent of dirt and something faintly metallic.

“After you,” I said, gesturing toward the dark abyss.

Tom laughed nervously. “Ladies first?”

“No way.”

An old rusty door | Source: Pexels

An old rusty door | Source: Pexels

He started down the narrow staircase, his flashlight beam cutting through the darkness. I followed closely, clutching the railing as the wooden steps creaked under our weight. The basement was damp, with cobwebs hanging from the low ceiling. They were so dense they almost looked like curtains. Dust floated in the air, glinting in the flashlight’s beam.

Tom shined the light across the room, revealing dusty shelves and piles of old boxes. “Let’s look around,” he said.

An old basement | Source: Pexels

An old basement | Source: Pexels

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” I muttered, brushing a cobweb off my sleeve.

As we scanned the basement, something on the far wall caught my eye—a folded piece of paper pinned to a wooden beam. “Tom,” I said, pointing.

He hurried over and pulled it free. “It’s another letter!”

“Wait,” I said, grabbing his arm. “Maybe we should think about this.”

A folded note | Source: Midjourney

A folded note | Source: Midjourney

But Tom was already unfolding the paper. His flashlight beam danced across the handwritten words as he read aloud:

“Looking for easy money? Hahaha. The only thing true in my letter was that my friends called me THE JOKER! Hahaha.”

Tom’s voice trailed off, and we stared at each other in stunned silence.

A man reading a note | Source: Freepik

A man reading a note | Source: Freepik

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I finally said, throwing up my hands. “All of this—for a prank?!”

Tom let out a laugh, one of those uncontrollable ones that you get when you’re both frustrated and amazed. “It’s kind of brilliant, don’t you think?”

As we made our way back to the car, an elderly man emerged from the neighboring house, leaning on a cane. He waved and shuffled toward us.

An elderly man outside of his house | Source: Pexels

An elderly man outside of his house | Source: Pexels

“You two find what you were looking for?” he asked, his voice raspy but kind.

“Not exactly,” Tom replied. “Do you know who used to live here?”

The man smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Oh, you must’ve found one of Harold’s little pranks.”

“Harold?” I asked.

Smiling elderly man | Source: Pexels

Smiling elderly man | Source: Pexels

“Yep,” the man said with a chuckle. “Harold lived here for decades. We all called him ‘The Joker.’ He was always pulling stunts—fake treasure maps, phony letters, stuff like that. Kept us on our toes. Died about five years ago, though.”

I glanced at Tom, who was grinning ear to ear. “Sounds like he was quite the character.”

“Oh, he was,” the man said. “Always said life was too short to take seriously. Looks like he got you two good!”

A laughing man in a black suit | Source: Pexels

A laughing man in a black suit | Source: Pexels

We laughed with him, and for a moment, I could almost picture Harold, somewhere out there, having a good chuckle at our expense.

Liked this story? Consider checking out this one: A freezing night and a simple act of kindness brought a homeless man named Jeff into Ellie’s home and her life. But as their bond grew, an unexpected discovery unraveled secrets from the past.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

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