A Wedding That Ends as a Funeral

My best friend Claire and I had our dream wedding, marrying the Miller brothers. I married Joe, the swimmer; she married Liam, the surgeon.
But their childhood sweetheart, Scarlett, crashed our joint honeymoon. During a rafting trip, we were all thrown into the river. The brothers dove inbut swam only to Scarlett, leaving us to the rapids.
We were pulled from the water, bleeding heavily. Paramedics called our husbands. Mine snapped, "Sienna, must you be so needy? Scarlett's in the hospital. Be considerate for once!" Claire's husband was just as cold: "This better be important."
Told we were miscarrying and needed surgery, they both sneered, "If you're going to lie, be believable. A honeymoon baby was a mistake anyway."
Signing the consent forms alone, Claire and I made a silent pact. We were done.

1
The first thing I did after waking up from the anesthesia was call Joe to demand a divorce.
He finally answered on the seventh call, his voice dripping with impatience. What do you want now? Are you ever going to stop?
We werent even through our honeymoon, and he already despised me this much.
I heard a womans soft cry in the background, followed by the urgent, caring voices of Joe and Liam. Swallowing the bitterness that rose in my throat, I cut to the chase.
The honeymoons over. As soon as were back, Im filing for divorce.
There was a sharp intake of breath on his end, then an explosion of rage. Sienna, are you insane? I told you, Scarlett is in the hospital! I have to be here for her.
None of this would have happened if you and Claire hadnt insisted on sharing our raft! How else would Scarlett have fallen in? he yelled. Its bad enough you dont give a damn about her, but now youre pulling this jealous stunt? I married you, just like you always wanted. Isnt that enough? Why do you have to be so petty?
Youre right, he spat. The honeymoon is over. Take your pathetic best friend and get lost. Just stay the hell away from me and my brother!
He hung up before I could say another word.
Thats when I realized. He hadnt married me because he wanted to. Hed married me to grant my wish.
He seemed to have forgotten he was the one who once swore hed never marry anyone but me.
And the rafting trip? It was Scarlett who had insisted on it. All she had to do was say she wanted to go, and Joe and Liam made it happen. If it wasn't for her, Claire and I would have never set foot in that raft. Besides, a four-person raft was the perfect size. Scarlett was the extra passenger, yet Claire and I were the ones who were thrown away.
After falling into the water, the rapids spun us around until we were dizzy and disoriented. We swallowed mouthful after mouthful of river water, our struggles growing weaker. At one point, my head was about to smash against a rock, but Claire managed to pull me away just in time, her own body taking the brunt of the impact.
Who could have known that the babies we had longed for would arrive so quietly, only to be torn away just as silently? A tragically perfect mirror of our marriages.
Claire woke up after me, only to find she couldn't even reach Liam. He had blocked her number.
We just stared at each other, silent, as tears streamed down our faces.
Just then, a notification for a trending video popped up on my phone.
I opened it. It was a video of the Miller brothers heroic river rescue, and it had gone viral.
In the clip, Joe and Liam worked together, lifting a terrified Scarlett out of the raging water. No matter how powerful the current, they refused to let her go. Once on shore, she murmured something about her chest hurting, and Joe immediately began performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Liam was right there beside him, meticulously disinfecting and bandaging a barely visible scratch on her arm.
The comments section was flooded. Thousands of women wished they were Scarlett, to be saved so valiantly by two gorgeous men.
Scarlett herself commented under the viral video:
They saved my life how can I ever repay them? Taking suggestions! Urgent!
Her comment was immediately pinned to the top with a flood of likes. The internet had spoken.
A debt like that can only be paid back one way! With your body!
Two ridiculously hot heroes? Go for it, girl! Dont hesitate! You snooze, you lose!
Scarlett replied coyly to her new fans:
Well, if you all insist! Get the wedding bells ready, everyone!
So, a love triangle wasnt crowded after all. It was our marriages, Claire's and mine, that had made their perfect trio feel cramped.
No one noticed the two other figures in the video, being swept further and further downstream. Just like Joe and Liam, the world only had eyes for Scarlett.
Well, if they wanted a show, we would give them one.
With a shared, unspoken understanding, Claire and I posted our own comments under the video.
Just a heads-up to the two heroes: let us know when you have a free moment to sign divorce papers. Wouldnt want to get in the way of your real honeymoon.
Scarletts confidence came from the brothers blatant favoritism. If they loved her so much, why had they married us in the first place?
The moment we posted, our inboxes exploded. Mindless internet trolls told us to get out of the way and let true love run its course. A few kind souls offered their sympathy.
And Joe, who hadn't contacted me in two days, called me instantly, his voice a torrent of fury.
Sienna, who gave you permission to run your mouth online? Can you not survive a single day without throwing a jealous fit?
Scarlett cant swim! The situation was critical! Was I supposed to let her drown while you saved her?
She would be dead if we hadn't saved her! Would you have given your life for hers? Is that what you wanted?
The rescue team got to you. Youre perfectly fine, so stop your whining. And you paid a doctor to fake a miscarriage? Theres a limit, Sienna.
You and Claire are going to delete those comments, and then youre going to record a public apology to Scarlett. If one more person calls her a homewrecker because of you, Ill make you regret it.
This was the first time he had reached out to me since the accident.
Not to ask if we were hurthe assumed that since we could swim and the professionals had arrived, the worst wed suffered was swallowing a little dirty water.
He didn't care that his demand for an apology would only fuel the online mob calling for our heads.
His only concern was protecting Scarletts reputation. But wasnt forcing her way into two marriages the very definition of a homewrecker?
The man I had loved for five years truly had no heart for me. A five-year marathon, finally ending with the wedding hed promised. And now, not even two weeks later, the happy marriage Id dreamed of was ending with the death of my child.
Maybe our babies knew. Maybe they decided to leave the moment they realized their fathers wouldn't choose their mothers. The brothers had been clear: they would have made us get rid of a honeymoon baby anyway. Even without the accident, our children were never meant to be.
Joe was still on the line, waiting for me to break down, to apologize, to beg. His impatience was palpable. Im talking to you! Are you mute?
A cold laugh escaped my lips. Are you deaf? I said, were getting a divorce.

2
With me, Joe was usually a man of few words. Even during arguments, he preferred to let things cool down.
The only exception was Scarlett. When it came to her, he could unleash a firestorm of rage at me. And it always ended with me being the one to apologize. I loved him, so I always gave in. I believed that since he had promised to marry me, he would honor it.
Looking back, a clean break would have been kinder.
On the other end of the line, Joes breathing grew heavy. He was clearly enraged by my defiance.
Sienna, I hate being threatened. I brought you on this honeymoon as a courtesy, not so you could compete with Scarlett like some catty teenager. Why do you have to be so damn insecure? My own brother is at his wits end because of your brainless friend. If you keep this up, dont blame me when this is all over.
Oh, itll be over, Joe, I said calmly. The moment the divorce is final.
He was stunned into silence for a second, then he hung up and immediately video-called me. His face was a thundercloud, a clear sign he was at the end of his rope.
Say that again. You want a divorce? he snarled. Did you think marriage was a game? You were the one rushing to the altar, and now youre the one screaming for a divorce. Are you trying to make a fool out of me?
Youre almost thirty, throwing tantrums and getting jealous over nothing. Who else would have married you? No one wants a woman like you!
He had spent five years emotionally manipulating me about my desire to get married. He knew exactly where to stick the knife.
Whats wrong with being almost thirty? Its not a death sentence. And its not like youre the last man on earth. And even if you were, Id still divorce you.
Because of them, because of their choice, Claire and I had almost died, taking our unborn children with us. I would rather die than stay married to him.
Marrying Joe had once been my greatest dream. Id ignored my parents warnings, determined to have him. If I could be stubborn enough to marry him, I could be resolute enough to leave him. He was the wall I had to run into. Now, bruised and broken, I finally understood: marrying a man who doesn't truly love you is a lifetime of misery.
Before the wedding, no matter how much I fought with him over Scarlett, I never once considered leaving. I foolishly believed that being his first real love made me special.
It wasn't until he swam toward her, watching me get swept away without a flicker of concern, that I finally understood my place. I was just something to keep his bed warm.
Sienna, youre not a child anymore. Are you really going to throw away our marriage over something so trivial?
Trivial. Watching me nearly die was trivial.
Yes, I said. For this one, trivial thing.
He once draped his swimming medal around my neck and joked that if my mother and I were drowning, he was fast enough to save us both. I was so touched at the time. I didn't need him to lie and say hed save me first; those were just words.
But I never imagined that when a real-life drowning scenario played out, he would swim to his childhood sweetheart without a second thought. For him, there had only ever been one right answer. I was the wrong one.
Two weeks ago, at our wedding, he took my hand from my father and promised to protect me for the rest of his life. His rest of his life was short. It lasted fifteen days.
Fine! Have it your way! Well get a divorce. But dont you come crawling back to me, because I never go back for seconds.
He ended the video call abruptly.
I knew why. In the background, Id heard Scarletts sweet voice, telling him she was thirsty. One word from her, and Joe would give her the world. He was an expert in the water, yet he hadn't noticed that Claire and I were in real trouble. He didn't even notice I was lying pale in a hospital bed on his video screen.
Before Scarlett returned, he had been lukewarm, but he would at least stay up all night with me if I had a fever. We had been in love once, for a little while. Now, that love was gone, washed away. All it took was one look from Scarlett, and I lost everything.
Joes voice had been loud. Claire, lying in the bed next to me, had heard every word. She crawled onto my bed and hugged me, her body shaking with angry sobs.
Sienna, we were so blind. How could we have mistaken those scumbags for the loves of our lives?
Before I could comfort her, her phone started ringing incessantly. Liam, apparently willing to unblock her just to give Scarlett a victory, was calling.
Tears streamed down Claires face. She meant to reject the call, but a teardrop landed on the screen, and her swipe accidentally answered the video chat.
Why are you crying, Claire? Do you think red, puffy eyes are going to make me forgive your monumental screw-up? Liams face filled the screen, twisted with contempt.
If you and Sienna are so bored, go find your own fun. Go to a club, hire a male stripper for all I care. But you do not get to drag Scarletts name through the mud online!
She poured her heart and soul into planning this trip for us, and this is how you repay her? By getting her torn apart by strangers online? Do you have any conscience at all?
Claires tears became a torrent.

3
Her crying didnt stop Liam. It only fueled his tirade, as if he and his brother wouldn't rest until they had verbally beaten us into submission.
Dont just sit there and cry. If you werent my wife, Id give you a taste of your own medicine. With my brothers and my reputation, turning the internet against you would take minutes.
If I were you, Id be crawling over here to beg for Scarletts forgiveness, and then Id get the hell out of sight. Crying won't solve anything.
Claire hadnt even wanted to answer. Seeing her get ripped to shreds without saying a single word, a protective fury surged through me. I snatched the phone.
Liam, youre a bastard, just like your brother. Go file the damn papers!
Claire found her voice, a choked sob. Liam, I want a divorce!
After the call, she was a wreck, trembling with a mixture of grief and anger. I held her tight, and we cried together, letting it all out.
Who would have thought? A celebrated swimming prodigy and a life-saving surgeon, leaving their own wives to die. Their polished public images had charmed everyone, including us. But we were the only ones who knew the ugliness that lay beneath the surface.
Sienna, maybe this is a blessing in disguise, Claire whispered, her voice raw. At least we see them for who they are now. We dont have to waste our lives, or bring children into a loveless marriage.
Claire, Im so glad you can see it that way. I was so afraid you wouldnt be able to let Liam go
She had chased after him since she was a teenager. That kind of first love is hard to forget. She had dedicated more than a decade of her life to him, only for it to end like this.
Sienna, a heart doesnt turn to ice in one day. I dont regret marrying him, and I certainly dont regret divorcing him. It was my choice, and now Im choosing to cut my losses.
We held each other again, drawing strength from one another. Our marriages were over. We had accepted that the moment we woke up from surgery. Our only regret was for the two small lives that had flickered briefly inside us, sacrifices on the altar of our failed relationships. We prayed they would find happier homes next time.
Composing ourselves, we began preparing for the divorces. Being newlyweds, there were no complicated assets to divide. All we needed were their signatures and a trip to the courthouse.
Just as we finished drafting the agreements, we both received notifications on our phones. It was from a social media app. Our husbands, using their verified public accounts, had replied directly to our comments under the viral video.
Joe Miller: My wife gets a little jealous sometimes and likes to make a big deal out of small things. If you have questions, ask me. Please dont attack an innocent person!
Liam Miller: My wife and sister-in-law are both excellent swimmers, and they were immediately picked up by the professional rescue team. They werent hurt. Please dont get carried away by their little joke.
They even posted a group photo of the four of us from earlier in the trip, trying to prove we were fine.
Their posts ignited a firestorm. The internet collectively decided we were manipulative drama queens, trying to piggyback on Scarletts newfound fame. After all, she had leaned into the viral moment, building a brand and gaining hundreds of thousands of followers.
I checked my messages and saw Joe had been demanding my login credentials. Because I hadnt deleted the comment and apologized, he was going to log in as me and do it himself.
I had to laugh. He would literally walk through fire for Scarlett. For me, there wasn't an ounce of sincerity. All my passwords were our anniversary dates. He had forgotten.
Thank god he forgot. I cant imagine the ways he would have publicly humiliated me to appease her.
Their self-righteous declarations online showed a complete disregard for the torrent of abuse we would face. It was just like in the riverthey had left us to drown.
You two bitches should just die.
Threatening divorce like its a joke. You think youre so special? Get a real divorce then, or Ill curse you out myself!
What did your husbands do wrong, you psycho? They saved someone! Youre fine, so stop being so bitter!
Attention-seeking whores, get a divorce and leave those poor men alone. I can picture your ugly, jealous faces.
You two are so obsessed with each other, why dont you just get together and make room for the real queen!
The internet may have rules, but online mobs don't need a reason to attack. The pain of the drowning, the miscarriage, the decision to divorce it was a private agony that only Claire and I could understand. Joe and Liam couldn't see the hospital beds we were lying in, but their indifference was one thing. To actively lie and paint us as villains was pure poison.
We looked at the flood of hate pouring into our phones. We were done being punching bags. If the brothers wanted to weaponize the internet to protect Scarlett, we weren't going to just lie down and take it.
We took a picture of our surgery consent formsthe ones detailing the procedures for our miscarriagesand sent them directly to our husbands.

First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "286447" to read the entire book.