The Stolen Wedding, Her Prison Sentence

1 The wedding had reached the moment of exchanging rings when my best friend, Charlie, suddenly stepped onto the stage. He was wearing a groom's tux and had a smug, easy smile on his face. And my fiancée, Elena, in front of a room packed with guests, slid the ring that belonged to me onto his ring finger. I demanded an explanation right then and there. The two of them looked at each other and broke into laughter. Charlie laughed so hard he had to bend over. "Lucas, Elena and I made a bet last night," he gasped, trying to catch his breath. "She bet that before the wedding started, you'd notice we switched the welcome banner to a photo of her and me. I bet that you trusted us too much to even look." He flashed the silver band on his finger, his eyes gleeful. "Well, Elena lost. And according to our agreement, this wedding belongs to me now." Elena stood beside him, her tone completely casual. "It's just letting Charlie play the groom for a day, Lucas. Everything's already paid for, and it would be a waste of a perfectly good venue and tux. We can always have another wedding next month. Don't be such a sore loser." They always did this. They loved betting on my reactions. At our engagement party, she lost a bet and slipped my engagement ring onto Charlie's finger first. During our wedding photoshoot, she lost another bet and shot my dream winter landscape concept with Charlie instead of me. Even the study in our new house had been remodeled to fit Charlie's taste, all because of a lost bet. Every time my heart broke, they would laugh and say, "It’s just a game, Lucas. Why are you taking it so seriously?" But only today did I finally understand. In their eyes, my wedding, my love, and my entire life were nothing but worthless chips they could toss onto a poker table. I looked at Elena, a strange, quiet peace washing over me. When I spoke, my voice was dead calm. "If the wedding is his, then you can be his too." With that, I turned around to walk away. But Elena grabbed my wrist. "Lucas, that’s enough. All of our friends and family are here. Do you really have to humiliate everyone like this?" I ripped my hand away. "Am I the one causing a scene? Today was supposed to be my wedding!" Elena frowned, her voice dripping with irritation. "I told you, it’s just a one-day experience for Charlie. Once today is over, nothing changes between us. Are you seriously going to break up with me over a silly piece of paper and a ceremony?" She paused, as if remembering something, and let out a soft sneer. "You said the exact same thing last month, claiming you were done with us. And what happened? You ended up buying Charlie's birthday cake yourself." Charlie chimed in, grinning. "Yeah, Lucas. Every time you throw a tantrum, you threaten to cut us off. But within three days, you always come crawling back." He twirled the ring on his finger, his eyes gleeful. "This time, I bet it'll only take two days. Elena, do you want to bet on it?" Elena looked up at him. "What's the wager?" "How long it takes for Lucas to crawl back. If he begs you to forgive him within forty-eight hours, you give me that high-end gaming chair from your new house." Without a second thought, Elena agreed. "Deal. He won't even last twenty-four hours." The two of them wagered on my life right in front of me, treating my pain as a fresh, exciting game. I stared at Elena. "Are you really that sure I'll come back?" Elena's voice was utterly untroubled. "Lucas, we've been together for six years. You spent an entire year planning this wedding. You picked out the hotel, designed the invitations, and handled every detail. Are you telling me you can just throw all of that away?" She knew me too well. That was why she felt so safe pushing me past my limits. Because no matter how badly they behaved, I was always the one who cleaned up their mess. When Charlie ruined my tailored suit for the engagement, I was the one who rushed to replace it. When he ripped up our engagement photos, I was the one who told them it was fine. Even when he hijacked our home design, I was the one who apologized to Elena for being too sensitive. They knew it hurt me. They just knew I would never leave. From the audience, someone laughed and called out, "Come on, Lucas, don't take it so seriously. Elena and Charlie are just playful. They've always been like this. Besides, Charlie is a committed bachelor, he’s never actually going to get married. Just let him have this experience to make up for what he's missing out on. Canceling your wedding over a harmless joke is a bit petty, don't you think?" One after another, the guests joined in, urging me to be the bigger person. Not a single person asked if I was willing to give away the day I had dreamed of for years. Elena’s mother stepped onto the stage from the VIP table. She patted Charlie's shoulder, her eyes full of warmth. "I must say, that ring looks much better on Charlie than it ever would on Lucas." Charlie grinned. "Mrs. Weston, don't say that. You'll hurt Lucas's feelings." Elena's mother shot me a cold look. "If he can't handle a bit of teasing, how is he going to survive as our son-in-law?" She patted Charlie again. "Honestly, I've always preferred you, Charlie. You have a charming personality and you know how to make people happy. Unlike some people who always have to be right, turning every little thing into a massive drama." Elena’s father walked over, glass in hand. "If Elena lost the bet, she has to pay up. A promise is a promise. It’s no big deal to just throw another wedding for Lucas next month." I looked at him. "So to you, a wedding is just a party you can rerun whenever you feel like it?" He frowned, annoyed. "It’s just a ceremony. As long as Elena marries you in the end, what do you have to complain about? And honestly, if Charlie weren't so dead-set on being a bachelor, we would have much preferred her marrying him anyway." A heavy silence fell over the room. Elena finally noticed the change in my expression and frowned, cutting her father off. "Dad, that's enough for today." She turned to me, her voice softening slightly. "My parents just like Charlie's outgoing nature, Lucas. Don't take everything so personally." I laughed. It was funny, really. Every knife they drove into my chest was always wrapped in the excuse of a joke. Charlie stepped closer to Elena. "Hey, let's not fight because of me. Lucas, since you said the wedding is mine, let me finish the ceremony." He gestured to my custom-made groom's suit with a grin. "After all, you get to do this all over again next month." I didn't argue. Instead, I pulled out my phone and called the venue manager. "This is Lucas. The groom for today's wedding has been changed. I am refusing to pay the remaining balance." There was a long pause on the other end. "Mr. Lucas, didn't you know?" the manager asked hesitantly. "A month ago, Ms. Elena came in with Mr. Charlie and modified the contract. The groom's name was officially changed to Charlie a month ago." My grip on the phone tightened. "A month ago?" "Yes. Mr. Charlie also finalized the menu and the stage decorations. Ms. Elena assured us that all the changes had your full approval." I stared at the happy couple on stage. There was no spur-of-the-moment bet last night. They had been planning this for an entire month. Fighting the tremor in my voice, I forced out my next question: "And the final payment?" "It was settled last night," the manager replied. "Ms. Elena authorized a wire transfer of six hundred and eighty thousand dollars from your joint wedding savings account." I frantically opened my banking app. My balance read exactly three dollars and seventy cents. That money represented every single penny of my savings from five years of grueling work. I had planned to use whatever was left after the wedding to start my own design studio. Seeing my pale face as I stared at my phone, Elena walked down from the stage. "The money is already spent, Lucas. Even if you cancel now, we won't get a refund." I glared at her, my voice cracking. "What gave you the right to touch my money without my permission?" Elena answered as if it were the most logical thing in the world. "That money was set aside for a wedding anyway. The wedding is still happening, so it's not like the money went to waste." Charlie stood by her side, raising his hand to flash the ring again. "Hey, you said the wedding was a gift, Lucas. Naturally, a gift includes the venue and catering." Looking at them finishing each other's sentences, my anger vanished, replaced by a hollow, chilling numbness. They hadn't just wagered away my wedding day. They had drained my life savings to fund Charlie's grand moment in the spotlight. As I stepped down from the stage, my mother pushed through the crowd and grabbed my hand. "Lucas, what on earth is happening?" My parents had been seated at the very back of the hall, closest to the exit. They were the only guests from my side of the family. My relatives from our small, blue-collar hometown had all wanted to come, but Elena's mother had deemed them uncouth and worried they would embarrass her high-society guests. Elena had agreed, saying, "We can just host a small backyard dinner in your hometown later. We don't need a crowd here." So my parents had traveled fifteen hours on a cramped overnight train, completely alone, just to see their son get married. My mother’s elegant dress was slightly ill-fitting, its seams adjusted by her own calloused hands with a needle and thread. The "Father of the Groom" boutonniere pinned to my father’s chest was crushed and bent out of shape, but he refused to take it off. But now, seeing Charlie standing in the custom-tailored suit that was made for me, wearing my ring, my father marched up to Elena. "Tell him to take that ring off and apologize to my son." Elena’s face darkened slightly. "Sir, it’s just a harmless bet. Charlie is just helping Lucas get through the ceremony. Once it's over, Lucas and I are still getting our marriage license." My father stared at her, stunned. "You have a wedding with him, but you expect my son to sign the papers? What does that make my son?" Elena frowned. "We've always played games like this. Lucas has never had an issue with it before." My mother trembled with rage. "Just because he’s patient doesn't mean you can walk all over him!" Her voice cracked, her thick, rural accent slipping out as her emotions took over. Elena’s mother instantly sneered. "Keep your voice down, woman. This isn't one of your loud country markets. The people here are prominent business clients. Do you want to humiliate us in front of everyone?" Whispers rippled through the nearby tables. "Classic country folks. No manners." My mother’s face flushed a deep crimson. She had only wanted to protect her son, but now, shamed and self-conscious, she shrank back, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm not trying to make a scene. I just love my son." A heavy, suffocating pressure crushed my chest. She had done absolutely nothing wrong, yet she was apologizing to the very people who had humiliated her. Elena interrupted impatiently. "Look, the venue is Charlie's for today. Next month, I'll go to your hometown and host a dinner. Your relatives can all come. That's more than enough respect for Lucas." My father slowly looked up. "So you give a million-dollar wedding to him, and you think you can toss my son a cheap backyard party in the country to brush him off?" Elena’s expression grew hostile. "I already promised to redo it! What more do you want?" Charlie strolled over, adjusting his lapels, and stood right in front of my mother. "Auntie, a party is a party, right? You and Uncle traveled so far." He pointed to the luxury gift boxes in the corner. "Why don't you grab a few extra boxes of wedding favors on your way out? You can share them with your neighbors so the trip wasn't a total waste." My mother pulled her hand back as if she had touched hot iron. My father ripped the rose boutonniere from his chest and slammed it onto the table. "We might be poor, but we aren't so poor that we'll trade our son's wedding day for a few boxes of candy!" Charlie's smirk faded slightly. "Uncle, I was only trying to be nice." Without hesitation, Elena stepped in front of Charlie, shielding him from my father's furious gaze. "That's enough! Charlie is trying to be considerate. Stop being so ungrateful." My father stared at her. "You swore to us on your life that you would love and protect Lucas forever." Elena avoided his eyes. My father didn't ask anything else. He didn't offer any empty comforts. He simply clapped a heavy hand on my shoulder, his voice sounding older, tired. "Lucas, I was wrong about her. We're not doing this. Let's go home." My throat tightened, and I nodded. The entire room had pressured me to swallow my pride. Only my parents, who had been thoroughly insulted, stood tall to shield me. I reached up, tore off my own boutonniere, and held their hands. "Okay. Let's go home." Behind us, Elena let out a cold laugh. "Fine, if he wants to play this game, let's make another bet." Charlie’s eyes lit up instantly. "I bet Lucas won't even last three days before he brings his parents back here to beg for your forgiveness." Elena stared at my retreating back, her voice dripping with absolute confidence. "It won't even take three days. He'll cave by this afternoon and beg me to go to the registry office." "And the wager?" Charlie grinned. "If he doesn't apologize to you by tonight, that penthouse downtown is yours." "Deal." Their shared laughter echoed through the grand hall. Even now, my departure was nothing but a punchline for their next bet. I didn't look back. As we stepped out into the crisp afternoon air, my father asked softly, "Lucas, are you sure you won't regret this?" I glanced back at the elegant welcome banner displaying the names of Elena and Charlie side-by-side. Then, I squeezed my parents' hands tightly. "The only thing I regret is taking this long to see them for who they really are." At three o'clock, a notification popped up on my phone: Your appointment at the marriage registry is scheduled for today at 4:20 PM. Please bring your valid identification. A second later, a screenshot of the booking arrived from Elena. I'm throwing you a lifeline here, Lucas. Be at the registry office by four. Do that, and I'll overlook the embarrassing scene you made today. We can still sign the papers. She followed it up with a voice note. "But before we sign anything, you have to apologize to my parents. And to Charlie. You and your family embarrassed him in front of everyone today. He deserves an apology. If you show some genuine remorse, we can put this behind us." I sent back a simple, two-word reply: "Sounds good." The group chat went silent. A moment later, Elena tagged Charlie. I won. Charlie replied with a sulking emoji. A bet's a bet. I guess I'm crashing your honeymoon. Elena immediately shared a screenshot of a newly booked flight ticket. Ticket bought. I stared at the screen. Even the trip I had been looking forward to for months was just another trophy on their gambling table. At 4:15 PM, I arrived at the registry office. Elena was waiting near the glass doors of the lobby. When she saw me, the tension in her shoulders melted, and a smug, familiar smile returned to her lips. "I knew you'd make the right choice, Lucas. My parents and Charlie are still at the hotel waiting. Once we get the license, I'll go with you to apologize." She held out her hand. "Give me your ID." I didn't move. A second later, two police officers stepped out from behind me. "Elena Weston?" one of them asked, flashing his badge. "We have received a formal complaint against you for grand larceny, specifically for the unauthorized transfer of six hundred and eighty thousand dollars from another individual's account." The smile vanished from Elena's face, leaving her pale. "What do you mean, unauthorized? That was our joint wedding fund!" I pulled out my bank statements and the venue contract. "The account is registered under my name alone, and every dollar came from my personal savings. You took my security code while I was asleep and forged my authorization to pay the venue. I've already handed over the bank records, the venue's security footage, and our chat logs to the police." The female officer stepped forward, securing the handcuffs around Elena's wrists. Elena finally panicked, her voice rising in pitch. "Lucas! Aren't you here to get married?" I looked at her, letting out a soft, dry laugh. "No. I'm here to watch you get locked up."