After Lizzy abruptly called off her wedding and informed everyone that the hotel reservations were non-refundable, her brother David decided to make use of the booking. What he found at the venue led him to devise a bold plan to expose a deceitful groom and clear his sister’s tarnished name.
I’m David, Lizzy’s older brother and her only sibling. Six months ago, Lizzy surprised everyone by canceling her wedding.
With tears in her eyes, she told me, “David, I can’t go through with the wedding, not without Grandma here to see it.”
Our grandma passed away shortly after all the wedding plans were finalized, and Lizzy felt she couldn’t celebrate such a big day without her presence.
Despite her decision, we didn’t cancel any of the wedding arrangements.
Lizzy said, “The bookings are non-refundable, David. It feels like such a waste to lose all that money.”
As a result, the venue, the caterer, and even the hotel stays were still reserved in her name. Financially it made sense, but emotionally, it just added to the burden of her decision.
Little did I know, the real story was much more complicated, and soon, I’d find myself deeply entangled.
Since my flights were already booked, I decided to use the hotel reservation. Upon arriving, I noticed the wedding decor was still in place.
“Such a shame it’s all going to waste,” I thought as I walked towards the reception desk.
“Hi, I’m checking in,” I told the receptionist, showing her the booking on my phone.
“Just a moment, sir,” she replied as she verified my reservation.
Looking around, I saw the hotel staff bustling around, seemingly preparing for an event.
“Oh, you’re here for the wedding!” the receptionist chirped.
“Yeah, I was,” I said. “But now I’m just using the booking since the wedding was canceled.”
“Sir, the wedding is happening,” the receptionist looked at me, puzzled. “The first event begins at 3 p.m.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, stunned.
“Here’s the itinerary, sir,” she handed me a tablet with the event details. “You can take a look.”
Sliding my finger across the screen, I read the groom’s name. It was Mike, my sister’s ex.
“How is this possible?” I gasped in disbelief.
Mike was about to marry another woman at the same hotel Lizzy had booked for her wedding. The venue was all set for Mike to tie the knot with someone else.
I immediately pulled out my phone and called Lizzy.
Lizzy answered on the first ring, her voice tinged with confusion and worry. “David, what’s up? Why are you calling me from the hotel?”
“Lizzy, you won’t believe this,” I started, my voice shaking with anger and disbelief. “I’m at the hotel, and the receptionist just told me the wedding is still on. Mike is getting married today, at 3 p.m., but not to you—to another woman!”
There was a pause, a heavy silence on the line.
“What are you talking about, David? That can’t be right,” Lizzy finally responded, her voice cracking.
“It’s true, Liz. I saw the itinerary. His name is there with someone else’s. How could this be happening? Didn’t you cancel everything?”
Lizzy sighed deeply. “I… I didn’t cancel the wedding because of Grandma, David. I found out Mike was cheating on me. I couldn’t go through with it, but I didn’t know how to tell everyone the real reason.”
I clenched my fists, feeling a rush of protectiveness and rage.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have helped you deal with this mess.”
“I was embarrassed, David.”
“We need to clear your name,” I said firmly. “We can’t let Mike get away with this. He’s making it look like you backed out, and he’s the victim here. Everyone thinks you’re at fault.”
“I know, but what can we do now?” Lizzy asked helplessly.
I paced back and forth, thinking quickly. “I’m going to expose him, Liz. I’ll show everyone who he really is.”
With a plan forming in my mind, I hurried off to talk to some of the hotel staff I had seen setting up earlier. I needed inside information and evidence.
A friendly waiter I recognized from setting up the ballroom listened as I explained the situation.
“I can help you,” he said after I finished. “Mike has been bragging to everyone here about dodging a bullet with your sister. He has been using his phone a lot. You might find something there.”
“Can you get me access to his room?” I asked, hoping it was possible.
“Leave it to me,” the waiter said.
An hour later, I was inside Mike’s room, thanks to the spare key card the waiter had managed to get.
I quickly found his phone charging on the bedside table. His carelessness was his downfall; he hadn’t even bothered to use a password.
I scrolled through his messages and emails, finding more than enough evidence of his infidelity. I took screenshots and emailed everything to myself.
Next, I called a friend who was skilled with computers.
“Tom, I need a big favor. Can you put together a slideshow presentation of these screenshots? It needs to be ready to display at a wedding—today.”
“Give me an hour,” he said.
With everything in place, I returned to the wedding venue. I met Tom there, and he uploaded the presentation to the AV system.
I was ready with my revenge.
The ceremony was about to start. Guests filled the room, chatting happily, unaware of the drama about to unfold. I positioned myself near the back, my heart pounding.
As the lights dimmed and the first slide of the romantic slideshow appeared, I used the remote Tom had given me and switched it to our presentation.
The room went silent as the first incriminating message filled the screen, followed by another and then another.
Gasps and murmurs spread through the crowd as Mike’s betrayal unfolded.
Mike’s face turned pale as his secrets were exposed. Meanwhile, his bride, devastated, ran out of the room.
The guests, in shock, murmured amongst themselves. Some comforted Lizzy, who had just arrived.
Amid the chaos, I confronted Mike.
“Everyone knows the truth about you now,” I said quietly. “You can’t hide anymore.”
Many guests apologized to Lizzy for believing Mike’s lies, while his reputation crumbled—his personal and professional life shattered by the truth.
As the guests dispersed, Lizzy hugged me, tears of relief in her eyes. “Thank you, David,” she whispered. “You’ve given me a chance to move on.”