He Got 3 Questions Wrong at Our Wedding

On our wedding day, my bridesmaid decided to test Carter with three simple questions before the ceremony.

I thought he'd ace them easily.

I never expected him to get the very first one wrong.

What's Chloe's shoe size?

Without a second thought, he blurted out, Size 6.

What's her favorite color?

Blue.

An awkward silence fell over the bridal suite.

Everyone exchanged nervous glances. He was wrong on both.

Then came the final question:

"What year did Chloe graduate from college?"

Everyone relaxed, thinking there was no way he could mess this up.

After all, we were college sweethearts.

"2013," Carter said confidently. "I made her a custom pair of crystal heels as a graduation gift that year. I'm 100% sure."

My gaze drifted to Hailey, my maid of honor, who was wearing a dusty blue bridesmaid dress and sparkling crystal heels.

She bit her lip, whispering to Carter in a small, tense voice:

"Chloe graduated in 2012. I was the one who graduated in 2013."

In that split second, everything clicked.

The last lingering doubt in my heart vanished.

I let out a cold, quiet laugh, looked down at my phone, and texted my parents:

"Mom, Dad, get the car ready. I'm calling off the wedding."

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"My bad. I mixed up the years. It was 2012," Carter corrected himself coldly, acting as if it was no big deal.

Hailey quickly forced a smile to break the tension.

"Chloe, Carter's just been super stressed about the wedding planning lately. It's normal to get a little confused. Don't make a scene. All our friends and family are waiting downstairs."

Instantly, the other bridesmaids chimed in, trying to appease me.

"Yeah, babe, it's your big day! Smile a little!"

"You can punish him tonight. Don't let a silly mistake ruin the ceremony!"

They all thought I was overreacting.

But only I knew that Carter had changed.

Years ago, if I so much as frowned, he would immediately panic, doing whatever it tookbuying me gifts, telling stupid jokesjust to make me smile.

But now, his eyes were glued to my best friend, and he couldn't seem to look away.

"Fine. Let's go," I said.

I didn't want to make things awkward for the guests who had flown in from across the country. I followed the itinerary and let Carter carry me out to the car.

As he lifted me, he laughed and said,

"Have you been stress-eating lately? You definitely feel heavier than 110 lbs."

110 lbs. That was Hailey's weight. She had just bragged about it on her Ins story yesterday.

"Have you been carrying someone who weighs 110 lbs lately?" I asked casually.

Carter stiffened. He quickly shook his head. "Of course not. Don't be paranoid."

Right then, Hailey jumped in, eager to clarify.

"Oh, actually, I'm 120 lbs now, so it's definitely not me!"

I looked down, hiding my mock scoff.

Guilty people always scream the loudest.

But I didn't call them out. I wanted to see how long they could keep up this pathetic show.

Inside the cramped sports car, Hailey insisted on squeezing in, sitting right between Carter and me.

"You don't mind, do you, Chloe? The other shuttle cars are totally full. Let's just squeeze."

I didn't say a word.

The entire ride, Hailey chattered away, looking far more excited than the actual bride.

And Carter answered her every word.

It made me feel like the third wheel at my own wedding.

As we rounded a corner, Hailey suddenly tapped Carter's shoulder. "Carter, I'm dying for those honey lavender cupcakes from that bakery uptown."

"Sure, I'll grab some for you."

With that, Carter spun the steering wheel, taking a sharp turn in the exact opposite direction of the wedding venue.

My brows furrowed. "Carter, stop. We don't have time."

"That bakery is ten miles away. The ceremony starts in an hour. We're going to be late."

He glared at me through the rearview mirror.

"It's on the way! Buying cupcakes takes two minutes. You're just being petty because of those trivia questions."

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, clenching my fists to keep from crying.

When he got my graduation year wrong and I stayed quiet, I was "ruining the mood."

But when Hailey wanted cupcakes from across town, it was "on the way."

Fine. If he wasn't in a rush, neither was I.

After all, I had no intention of marrying him anyway.

My phone buzzed.

A text from my parents: "Sweetheart, the SUV is parked by the side entrance of the venue. We're ready when you are."

I don't care for sweets, so I just stood near the bakery entrance, watching them.

The baker was incredibly friendly and offered Hailey a sample of their new flavor.

"Haven't seen you and your boyfriend in a while!"

"You guys look so fancy today. Going to a gala?"

Hailey blushed, pointing a manicured finger toward me.

"Oh, no! It's my best friend's wedding today. I'm her maid of honor."

The baker's smile froze. He looked back and forth between the three of us, his expression turning highly uncomfortable.

"Oh, my bad," he apologized awkwardly. "You two come in for afternoon tea so often, I just assumed you were a couple."

"I didn't realize there was a third party."

The "third party" he was referring to was, without a doubt, me.

I waited for Carter to speak up and defend me.

But he didn't.

He didn't care at all.

Instead, he bought every single flavor of cupcakes they had, walking out with three giant shopping bags.

I made one passing comment: "Don't waste food if you can't finish them."

And just like that, Hailey burst into tears.

"Chloe... I know this isn't about the cupcakes," she sobbed, sounding incredibly fragile. "You're just mad because Carter spent money on me."

"I'm so sorry."

She shakily pulled two hundred-dollar bills from her purse and tried to force them into my hand.

That was the final straw for Carter's patience.

His jaw tightened, and he looked at me with pure disgust.

"Chloe, do you have any sense of the bigger picture?"

"It's our wedding day, and you're choosing now to throw a tantrum? Hailey is your best friend. It's completely normal for me to buy her some treats."

Normal?

I looked at her. I wanted to laugh.

The LV bag on her shoulder, the Cartier necklace she was wearing, the designer heels on her feetCarter had bought every single one of them.

Meanwhile, in our seven years of dating, the most expensive gift I had ever received from him was a electric toothbrush.

Even the outdated wedding dress I was wearing today was a cheap rental I paid for myself.

I had never asked Carter for a single dime.

I used to think that by not caring about his money, I would get his pure, unadulterated love.

How naive. In the end, I got neither.

"Carter, don't blame Chloe," Hailey pleaded, playing the saint. "It's her first time being a bride, so she's probably just anxious. Please don't fight because of me. You know my parents got a messy divorce, and all I want is for you guys to be happy."

I stared at Hailey.

In that moment, my heart felt like it was being stabbed by a thousand needles.

The year her parents divorced, she couldn't sleep for months.

I was the one who stayed up with her, cooked for her, washed her clothes, and held her hand through her darkest times.

I never expected her to stab me in the back like this.

"Yeah, whatever you say," I murmured.

It took me a long time to pull myself out of my memories. By the time my vision cleared, the tears on my face had already dried.

Back in the car, silence fell over us.

But it didn't last long because Hailey... was thirsty again.

"Carter, these cupcakes are kind of dry. I really need an iced matcha latte."

Her voice got quieter with every word, her eyes darting to my face to check my reaction.

But my face was blank.

Carter hesitated for a second.

"Hailey, we are... actually running really late."

"But," he quickly pivoted, "if you're thirsty, let's grab one fast."

Just then, Carter's phone started ringing off the hook.

"Carter! Where the hell are you?"

"The guests are all seated! We're just waiting on you and Chloe!"

Carter ignored the calls, hit the gas, and sped toward the nearest Starbucks.

When he and Hailey came back to the car, there was a bright red mark on Carter's neck.

Noticing my stare, panic flashed through his eyes, and he quickly covered it with his hand.

"The bugs around here are crazy..."

Hailey blushed and nodded.

"Yeah, Chloe, the mosquitoes are so bad. You don't think it's something else, do you?"

I shook my head.

"Must be a really desperate female mosquito. Biting people like a shameless animal."

Their faces instantly turned pale.

"Excuse me, I need a cigarette," Carter muttered, stepping out of the car.

A few yards away from the car, Carter looked incredibly anxious. He whispered to Hailey, "Do you think... she knows?"

Hailey took the cigarette right out of his mouth and took a drag.

"No way. She loves you too much. Even if she suspects something, she'll forgive you."

"I know her. She's soft-hearted. Years ago, when I got dumped, she literally skipped her finals and flew a thousand miles just to comfort me."

"I didn't want to hurt her either, but... I fell for you."

Her sweet words were too much for Carter. He blushed all the way down to his collar.

I watched them through the tinted car window.

Their silhouettes, stretched by the afternoon sun, looked so intimate.

The two people I loved most in the world had hurt me the deepest.

I had spent years catering to them.

It was time to wake up.

I looked down and called the HR director of my family's conglomerate, Vance Group.

"Hi, Audrey. You asked me what I wanted as a wedding gift, right?"

"I want you to fire Hailey. Effective immediately."

Because she had failed multiple classes in college, Hailey couldn't find a decent job after graduation. I practically begged my father to pull strings and get her into Vance Group.

In just three years, she went from a receptionist to a junior project manager, her salary jumping from $40k to 0-050k.

I paved every single step of her career.

But to protect her fragile ego, I kept my family's identity a secret, letting her believe she achieved it all on her own merit.

Now, it was time to take back what was mine.

When Carter got back in the car, perhaps out of guilt, he handed me a cup of black coffee.

"I grabbed this while waiting for the matcha. I know you hate sweet drinks."

I didn't take it.

He shook the cup, getting annoyed.

"Take it. We don't have time for this."

I ignored him.

"Are you seriously still throwing a fit over some cupcakes and matcha?"

"She's your best friend! Are you even human, being this jealous of her?"

Carter was always so incredibly harsh with me.

He would never dream of speaking to Hailey like this.

"Chloe, I've been exhausted for weeks planning this wedding. Can you please grow up? Don't make me deal with your attitude on my wedding day."

I nodded, swallowing my tears.

"Thank you."

My voice was polite, cold, and distant.

But it seemed to reassure Carter. He relaxed, turned on the radio, and laughed with Hailey all the way to the venue.

He didn't notice the black Maybach parked near the side entrance of the hotel.

He should have recognized the license plateit belonged to my family.

But his eyes were only on Hailey, who had just tripped on her dress.

"Hailey! Are you okay?"

Hailey pouted, looking pitiful.

"This bridesmaid dress is too long. I tripped."

Carter shot me a glaring look. "This is your fault. Why did you have to pick such a long style?"

He forgot that Hailey was the one who insisted on this specific design.

"She's hurt. I'll carry her to the bridal suite first. Find your own way up."

Before I could answer, he swept Hailey into his arms and walked straight toward the elevator.

I gathered up my heavy train and slowly made my way to the bridal suite.

I could have left right then.

But if I was going to run, I had to take my makeup artist with me. I was the one paying her, after all.

When I finally pushed the door open, the scene inside shocked me.

The celebrity makeup artist I had booked two years in advance was currently being scolded by Carter like a child. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"Perfect timing," Carter said, dumping a pile of cosmetics onto the vanity.

"Hailey said you gave the artist a different contract. You used the premium, high-end products for yourself and left her with cheap, knockoff brands."

I stared at them, speechless. What kind of drama was this now?

Hailey wiped her eyes, fake-apologizing. "I'm sorry, Chloe. I shouldn't have said anything. I didn't mean to steal your spotlight. I'll just go wash my face. I can go bare-faced for the wedding, really!"

I scoffed.

"I never told the artist to do that, and I would never do something so petty."

But Carter didn't believe me. He thought I was just acting out.

"Chloe, this reverse psychology is getting pathetic. Do you really think playing hard to get is going to make me beg for your forgiveness?"

I shook my head.

"I don't need you to beg."

"What is up with your attitude? Just because I got Hailey some treats, you do this? You made her cry! You need to apologize to her right now."

"Why should I apologize for something I didn't do?"

Frustrated, Carter gripped my shoulders. His grip was so tight it bruised.

"Chloe, I don't have time for your games. The ceremony starts in thirty minutes. Apologize now, or I'm calling off this wedding."

I smiled.

For the first time today, a real smile spread across my face.

Carter still thought he could threaten me. He had no idea I didn't care anymore.

"Okay."

My nonchalant response pissed him off even more. He was about to yell when Hailey quickly stopped him.

"Carter, please don't. It's your wedding day."

"It's all my fault. Go downstairs and greet the guests. I'll handle things here."

Carter hesitated, then nodded.

Before leaving, he gave me one last disappointed look. "Why can't you be more mature like Hailey?"

As soon as the door closed, I turned to my makeup artist and whispered a few words.

She immediately started packing up her kit.

Hailey, thinking we were just moving to another room, waved her hand dismissively.

"Whatever, I don't care. Let her get her makeup done first."

The makeup artist just rolled her eyes at Hailey's delusion.

Thirty minutes later, the grand ballroom was filled with music and laughter.

The officiant gave a beautiful opening speech, then looked toward the grand entrance with excitement.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, please stand for our beautiful bride!"

"Three..."

Under the spotlight, Carter nervously adjusted his bow tie.

"Two..."

A bead of sweat rolled down his temple as he probably pictured our future together.

"One..."

The heavy doors swung open.

But there was no one there.

The officiant gasped, looking at Carter's back, and whispered, "Where... where is the bride?"

Carter spun around.

The hallway was completely empty.

In that moment, sheer panic set in.