He Chose My Sister Three Times

The blindfold test. That was what the bridesmaids called it. Just a little pre-wedding game to liven up the bridal suite before the ceremony.

The rule was simple: the groom had to identify his bride blindfolded. Only then could he take her to the altar.

In the first round, he had to recognize me by touch alone.

Wyatt closed his eyes, his hands sliding over mine. He gripped my fingers for a split second, then let go.

Without a single beat of hesitation, he pointed to Cassidy.

For the second round, Cassidy and I lay side by side on the bed, buried under a heavy duvet, leaving only our feet exposed.

I purposefully wiggled my toes, a playful hint.

But when the blanket was pulled back, the room erupted into laughter. The bridesmaids teased Wyatt for losing again.

He had pointed straight at Cassidy's feet.

Cassidy laughed, a little sheepish. "Your luck is seriously tragic, Wyatt. How did you manage to pick me twice?"

Wyatt let out a soft sigh, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "Getting stuck with you twiceIm the one whos cursed here."

I looked down at my right hand. The pinky finger was missing half its nail, a jagged scar cutting through the skin.

Then I looked at my shoes. They were the custom heels Wyatt had spent weeks picking out for me.

My gaze drifted to the two of them, lost in their shared laughter.

And then, with a slow, crushing delay, the truth finally sank in.

He didnt want to marry me.

The bridal suite was loud, filled with the clinking of champagne flutes and bright chatter.

I stood in the corner, fading into the wallpaper.

I listened to Wyatt and Cassidy fall into their usual rhythm, bickering back and forth like they always did.

Suddenly, Cassidy seemed to remember I was there.

She walked over to me, her expression a mix of guilt and playful exasperation.

"Rachel, seriously, Wyatts intuition is absolute garbage. He had two chances and blew both of them. Youre not mad, are you?"

I didnt say anything.

Cassidy patted my shoulder, her tone gentle. "Today is your big day. Dont let a stupid game ruin your mood."

She sounded so comforting, so rational. But I didn't miss the split-second shadow of sadness and longing that crossed her face.

My throat felt incredibly dry, like it was lined with sand. I couldn't squeeze out a single word.

Wyatt let out a dry laugh from across the room, his eyes fixed on her.

"You think Rachel is like you, Cassidy? Throwing a three-day tantrum over nothing?"

The blood drained from my face.

Whenever Wyatt and I fought, he would apologize for maybe a day or two. If I didn't let it go by then, he would simply leave me alone until I quieted down on my own.

I never knew he spent three days coaxing Cassidy.

Cassidy noticed how rigid I had become.

She pressed her lips into a thin line, shooting a warning look at Wyatt.

The rest of the room picked up on the sudden shift in temperature. The laughter died down, leaving an awkward, heavy silence.

Fortunately, one of the groomsmen stepped in with a quick joke, and the suffocating tension slowly dissipated.

Cassidy's face returned to its usual bright expression, and the small hiccup was swept under the rug.

Taking advantage of a moment when the others were distracted, Wyatt slid closer to me.

"Are you actually mad?" he murmured.

I remained silent.

I didnt miss the way his eyes instinctively darted toward Cassidy, who was now huddled with the other bridesmaids. It was a fleeting glance, but I saw it.

He leaned in, lowering his voice. "Give me a hint for the next round. I swear I won't get it wrong this time."

My hand subconsciously traced the scarred, half-nail of my pinky.

The shoes I wore were completely different from the bridesmaids' heels.

Not to mention, I had literally wiggled my feet to guide him.

What other hint did he possibly need?

Cassidy and the girls finished whispering.

I sat there quietly, waiting for the third round.

Cassidy had slipped into an identical white veil and a matching dress, her silhouette nearly indistinguishable from mine.

This round was about identifying me by posture and frame.

Someone laughed. "Alright, we're making this easy. No way the groom messes up now, right?"

Cassidy was slightly taller than me.

Even with the veil covering her face, anyone who paid attention could easily tell us apart.

Yet, Wyatt stepped forward, paused, and reached out.

He chose Cassidy. Again.

The tiny, pathetic shred of hope I had been clinging to shattered completely.

The room went dead silent.

"Wyatt, man, what are you doing?" a groomsman asked, his voice laced with genuine confusion. "Its so obvious. Stop messing around and pick your actual bride."

"Seriously, do it over."

The festive, playful energy of the room had vanished, replaced by a cold, clinical dread.

Cassidy looked furious. "Wyatt, what the hell are you doing? Why are you picking me?"

Wyatt simply shrugged, his expression blank. "I just got confused. My mistake."

I felt numb, as if my ears had been stuffed with cotton.

Slowly, I reached up and pulled off my veil.

I looked at Wyatt and forced a small smile.

We had been together for seven years. We knew the contours of each other's bodies better than anyone.

And yet, he dismissed it all as a simple "mistake."

Cassidy rushed over, her face pale. "Rachel, listen to me"

I didnt look at her. My eyes stayed locked on Wyatt.

"Lets call it off," I said, my voice steady. "We're not getting married today."

Wyatt didn't want to marry me.

He was good at pretending, but a persons instinctive reactions don't lie.

Cassidys eyes welled with tears, her voice trembling. "Rachel, please. Whatever is wrong, can we talk about it after the ceremony? You've been waiting for this wedding for so long. Please don't do this."

Wyatt frowned, looking at me with a mixture of shock and annoyance.

He didnt argue.

In fact, I caught the split-second flash of profound relief in his eyes before he masked it.

Cassidy grabbed my hands, her grip tight and pleading. "Rachel, we're going to be late. Let's just go to the venue first."

I quietly pulled my hands from her grasp.

"Would you really want that, Cassidy?" I asked softly. "Do you really want Wyatt to marry me?"

Every word I spoke felt like a needle, thin and sharp.

She flinched, the color completely draining from her cheeks.

Wyatt stepped in front of her, his gaze turning accusatory. "Rachel, I'm the one who made a mistake. There's no need to take it out on her. This has nothing to do with her."

Bitter?

Well, the truth usually sounds bitter.

"It's not her fault," Wyatt added.

If it wasn't Cassidy's fault, then whose was it?

Mine?

Cassidy and I had grown up in the state foster care system. We were all each other had, surviving on a bond that felt thicker than blood.

She was the outgoing one, always throwing herself in front of me to shield my timid self from the world.

When our high school graduation rolled around, she told me she didn't get into college. She insisted that I go, promising she would work to support me.

My tuition, my rent, my foodshe paid for all of it.

"I'm not cut out for school anyway," she used to say with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Id rather start earning money early."

To keep me from feeling guilty, shed laugh it off. "You can just pay me back after you graduate and get rich."

Years later, I found out she had been accepted to a decent state college. She just chose not to go so I could.

If she had only told me she loved Wyatt...

I would have stepped aside. I would have let him go. I would have walked away with my dignity intact.

Instead, they chose to humiliate me on the day of my wedding.

Three rounds. Three opportunities. And Wyatt chose Cassidy every single time.

Everyone in that room saw what was happening. Everyone except the groom.

My scarred pinky finger suddenly began to throb with a sharp, phantom pain.

My voice shook. "Wyatt, do you think I'm an idiot?"

His jaw tightened into a rigid line.

He said nothing.

After seven years, I knew him too well. He didn't want to explain himself. Or perhaps, he had been waiting for a moment like this to force a confrontation he was too cowardly to start.

Cassidy grabbed my arm again. "Rachel, I never wanted to take anything from you. I swear. I'm begging you, let's just go to the church."

I let out a cold, hollow laugh, staring at her tear-stained face.

"No, Cassidy. I'm giving him to you. You two should get married."

I pushed past her and walked out of the room.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen stood frozen, staring at each other in stunned silence. The sudden cancellation of the wedding left them entirely blindsided.

I walked out of the hotel and hailed a cab.

Cassidy called my phone repeatedly. I rejected every call.

Wyatt called next. I ignored him too.

Eventually, I turned my phone off entirely.

Looking out the window at the passing city lights, I realized my vision had gone completely blurry.

I blinked, and a heavy tear rolled down my cheek, landing on the back of my hand.

I looked down at my right pinky. The jagged, half-missing nail looked ugly and out of place next to the others.

I had crushed it in a heavy metal door years ago, protecting Cassidy from a group of neighborhood bullies.

I had screamed and cried from the pain back then.

It had been so long since I thought about that scar.

But sitting in the back of that cab, the pain returned, sharper than ever.

The wedding was a disaster.

With hundreds of guests already seated at the venue, the families couldn't simply call it off.

So, Cassidy did exactly what I told her to do. She stepped into my place, put on the ring, and married Wyatt.

When I woke up the next morning, I walked into my living room to find Cassidy sitting on the sofa, looking utterly hollowed out.

She had the keycode to my apartment. I had even designed a bedroom specifically for her.

When I made my first real commission in the city, the very first thing I did was buy this small condo. I wanted to make sure Cassidy and I would never have to drift from place to place again. I wanted us to have a home.

My eyes were swollen and sore.

No matter how coldly I had walked away the day before, the grief was a physical weight crushing my chest.

The moment I got back to the empty apartment last night, I had broken down, sobbing until my ribs ached.

My best friendthe sister of my soulwas in love with my fianc.

And they loved each other. Behind my back, they had built a quiet, secret universe.

Cassidy scrambled to her feet, her expression frantic.

"Rachel... I'm so sorry. I swear, I never meant to steal Wyatt from you."

Her eyes were bloodshot.

"I never wanted this. I never wanted to ruin your wedding."

But the wedding was ruined anyway.

Last night, Wyatt's mother had sent me a barrage of furious texts, accusing me of being selfish and disrespectful.

Wyatt's parents had always looked down on me because I was an orphan. They treated me like a social climber. But they had tolerated me because Wyatt loved meloved me enough to fight his family for years.

People used to say Wyatt was completely under my spell, that he would never look at another woman.

Back then, hearing those rumors made me angry, but a small, foolish part of me felt cherished.

Now, I knew the truth.

I looked at Cassidy, my voice dry and raspy. "When did it start?"

Wyatt and I had started dating during my freshman year of college. I had introduced him to Cassidy shortly after.

Initially, Cassidy claimed she couldn't stand him. She complained that a rich, pampered guy like Wyatt wasn't good enough for me.

"Three years ago," Cassidy whispered, her eyes dropped to the floor. "The time you asked him to check on me..."

My mind went blank for a second.

Then, the memory slotted into place.

It was during my first year of corporate work. I was away on an intense business trip and couldn't get ahold of Cassidy for hours. Fearing the worst, I swallowed my pride and texted Wyatt, asking him to check her apartment.

Cassidy had collapsed from a severe, neglected stomach ulcer.

Because I was miles away, Wyatt stayed at the hospital, managing her admission and keeping her company.

"Rachel, I tried to fight it," she sobbed, her voice laced with agony. "I didn't want to feel this way. I hated myself because of what it would do to you."

"But Wyatt confessed to me on Christmas Eve."

"Rachel... he loved me."

A loud ringing echoed in my ears, drowning out her voice.

A sudden wave of nausea hit me so hard I had to press a hand to my stomach to keep from gagging.

"So that's what it was," I murmured. "No wonder he told me he had to work late that Christmas Eve. He was with you."

I let out a soft, bitter laugh.

I had been so incredibly stupid.

I had lived in the dark for years, celebrating when Cassidy finally stopped complaining about Wyatt, thinking they were finally getting along for my sake.

They had spent years flirting and bickering right in front of me, and I had smiled through it all.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" I asked, staring at her. My chest felt like it was being crushed by a vice.

Cassidy looked up, a miserable, broken smile on her lips.

"And what would you have done, Rachel?"

"Would you have just handed him over to me?"

By the time Wyatt arrived, Cassidy was sitting numbly on one end of the sofa, and I was on the other.

We hadn't spoken another word.

Wyatt stormed into the apartment, but the name on his lips wasn't mine.

"Cassidy..."

She looked up, her eyes instinctively darting to me in fear.

The raw worry in Wyatt's eyes was unmistakable. He immediately stepped between us, shielding Cassidy from me.

His tone turned cold and defensive. "Rachel, if you're angry, take it out on me. She didn't do anything wrong."

Watching him play the protective hero to my sister-soulmate made me want to laugh.

It was pathetic.

I had believed Wyatt's warmth was reserved solely for me. I had believed I was his exception.

It turned out he was fully capable of shielding someone else.

When I didn't reply, Wyatt softened his tone slightly, though his posture remained rigid. "Rachel, I'll make this up to you. Ask for anythingfinancial support, the apartment, whatever you want. Just... not the marriage."

We ended up standing on the small balcony alone.

He remained silent for a long time, staring out at the city skyline.

"I never wanted to break up with you," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I never wanted to betray you."

"But I couldn't control my feelings."

"Rachel, you mean everything to Cassidy. She didn't want to hurt you, so she tried to keep her distance. I was the one who kept pushing. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

I stared at him, feeling a sudden, terrifying sense of detachment. He looked like a complete stranger.

"I'm sorry, Rachel," he repeated, looking down at me. "I'll compensate you."

The corners of my mouth twitched.

Compensate.

How do you compensate for seven years of devotion?

How do you pay someone back for the prime of their youth?

"Wyatt, the name on your marriage license is still mine," I said quietly. "Its not Cassidy's."

His face darkened instantly. "Rachel!"

I ignored him, turning on my heel and walking back inside.

As soon as I crossed the threshold, a violent fit of coughing seized me. It felt like my lungs were trying to tear themselves out of my chest.

Tears pricked my eyes as I gasped for air.

Cassidy immediately rushed over, pulling tissues from her bag to wipe my face.

"I'm sorry, Rachel. I'm so, so sorry," she wept, her hands shaking violently.

Her eyes were filled with a deep, suffocating guilt.

I remembered when she was eighteen, working at a brutal distribution warehouse because she had no degree. It was backbreaking, exhausting labor, and she was constantly bullied by the older shift managers.

But she never complained.

Every time she got paid, she kept barely enough to buy cheap ramen and sent every remaining dollar to my student account.

I had visited her once without telling her. I watched her running across the concrete floor, being yelled at by a supervisor, nodding and smiling through the humiliation.

On that day, I promised myself I would spend the rest of my life making things easy for her.

Whatever she wanted, I would give her.

Cassidy's eyes were red and swollen. "Aside from you, no one had ever been good to me. Wyatt was the first person who ever looked out for me."

She looked up at me, her voice trembling. "Rachel... since you don't want him anymore..."

"Can you let me have him? Please?"

A terrible, cold peace washed over me. I smiled. "Sure."

"Cassidy, consider this my final payment to you. We're officially even."

Before Wyatt took her away, he hesitated at the door. "If you need anything, Rachel... you can still call me."

I didn't bother to look up.

The very next day, they registered their marriage and posted the certificate on social media.

I scrolled through my feed and liked the post.

Then, I left a comment:

Congratulations. I hope you two get exactly what you deserve.