Standing at the altar, Nathan eagerly awaited his fiancée, Jane, to walk down the aisle in the stunning white gown they had carefully chosen together. However, what unfolded before him was far from what he had imagined. His heart sank when Jane appeared in a long black dress, not the white gown they had both been so excited about. As she walked toward him, her dark attire was a stark contrast to the cheerful, bright day they had planned. And as she neared him, she revealed the shocking reason why she hadn’t worn the wedding dress he had seen her in countless times.

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The wedding day should have been one of the happiest moments of my life, a moment I had always dreamed about. But what happened instead that day would forever leave a scar on my soul. I never imagined things would spiral into something so painful and humiliating.

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I first met Jane through a mutual friend. Our initial dates were simple, but something about her made me feel like I had finally found someone who understood me. She was a lively extrovert, often surrounded by friends, while I, on the other hand, was the quiet, introverted type who preferred solitude. But somehow, with her, things were different.

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Being with Jane felt natural. She made me feel seen and loved in ways I never thought possible. Her appreciation for me was a comfort, and she never made me feel like I was anything less than worthy of her affection.

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Months into our relationship, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I proposed, and she said yes almost instantly, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at the ring I had picked out.

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"I can’t believe you said yes," I had told her. "I don’t know how I got so lucky, Jane."

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Honestly, I never thought someone as incredible as Jane would ever want to be with me. But there we were, planning our future together.

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Our relationship continued to grow stronger. As weeks passed, we both knew it was time to make it official. Our families met, and everything seemed to fall into place. We decided on a small, intimate wedding in the summer, surrounded by our closest family and friends. It was all set to be perfect, or so I thought.

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But life had other plans.

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On the day of our wedding, I wore a tailored black suit, standing eagerly at the altar, heart racing with excitement. I was looking forward to seeing Jane walk down the aisle, dressed in the beautiful white gown we had chosen together. I imagined the look of joy and love in her eyes as she walked toward me.

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But when she appeared, she wasn’t wearing the white gown. Instead, she was in a long black dress, the kind of attire you might expect at a funeral. A black veil covered her face, adding to the ominous tone.

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A chill ran down my spine. Why was she wearing black? Was something wrong? My thoughts raced, but my body froze. I couldn't understand why she would do this.

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As she walked toward me, I noticed the anger in her eyes. The guests, too, seemed taken aback, their eyes wide with shock. I could feel the tension in the air as I waited for her to reach me.

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When she finally stood before me at the altar, I gently took her hands in mine, my heart pounding. "Why are you wearing black? What's going on?" I whispered, desperate for an explanation.

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She looked at me with a cold expression, not an ounce of warmth in her eyes. "I’ll tell you after the ceremony," she said flatly. Her voice was emotionless, and the look in her eyes was one I had never seen before. It was as though I had wronged her in the most unimaginable way.

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I raised my hand, signaling for the crowd to be silent.

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"Tell me. Tell me why you're wearing black. Now," I demanded, my voice trembling with a mix of confusion and fear.

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What she said next shattered my world beyond repair.

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"It’s all because of your mother," Jane said, her voice quivering with emotion. "She told me everything."

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"What do you mean?" I asked, my mind still unable to grasp what was happening.

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Tears welled up in Jane’s eyes. "She told me about you and Lauren," she began, her voice shaking with anger. "Your best friend."

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"What? What did my mom say about Lauren?" I asked, completely bewildered. I had no idea what Jane was talking about.

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"She said you’ve been cheating on me with Lauren," Jane announced, her voice rising in disbelief. A gasp rippled through the crowd. "She said you two were having an affair and that you planned to leave me for her. That’s why I’m wearing black. To mourn the love we once had, Nathan."

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I stood frozen, unable to comprehend the accusations. "This isn’t true, Jane," I pleaded, shaking my head. "I swear I never cheated on you. Lauren and I are just friends. I don’t know why my mom would say that."

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I scanned the crowd frantically, looking for my mother, but she was nowhere to be found. I wanted to confront her, to demand an explanation, but at that moment, I knew I had to focus on Jane.

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"I don’t believe you," she said, her tone cold and unforgiving. "I know you’re lying because that’s what you always do."

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"Jane, please," I begged, reaching for her hand, but she pulled away sharply. "My mom never liked you. She’s trying to sabotage us. Please, you have to trust me."

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"Oh, I see," Jane said bitterly, shaking her head. "But it’s not just about the affair, Nathan. I know your secret. I know you’ve been lying to me."

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"What secret?" I asked, my stomach sinking with dread.

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Jane’s eyes locked with mine as she spoke, her voice low and venomous. "You lied about your family’s finances," she spat. "You hid the fact that your family is bankrupt, and you’re marrying me to use my money to save your business. Isn’t that true?"

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I felt the world tilt beneath me. What Jane said was partially true, but I had never planned to marry her for the money. Yes, my family business was on the brink of collapse, and yes, I had hoped that marrying Jane might help, but that wasn’t the reason I wanted to spend my life with her. I loved her.

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"Listen, Jane," I said, trying to explain, but her anger drowned out my words. "Let me explain, I—"

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"Explain what?" she cut me off. "That your mother pressured you to find a wealthy woman to save the family business? She told me everything. I just can’t believe I was so stupid to fall in love with a man like you!"

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My throat tightened as I fought to speak. I wanted to explain, to tell her everything, but the words wouldn’t come.

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"It’s over, Nathan," Jane said, her voice trembling with emotion as she turned away. "This is how it ends. This is how we part ways. I can’t live with someone who keeps secrets."

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With those words, the love of my life, the woman I had adored, walked away from me. As she exited the church, my heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

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I rushed after her, desperate to make her understand, but she wouldn’t listen.

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"Jane, wait!" I shouted, chasing after her. "Please, just listen to me."

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"I don’t want to listen to your lies, Nathan," she replied coldly, not even turning around.

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I stood in front of her, blocking her path.

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"I swear I’m not lying to you," I protested. "I don’t know why my mom said all of this, but she’s always hated you. She’s trying to ruin us."

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"And why should I believe you, Nathan?" she snapped, her voice full of disbelief.

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Before I could respond, Lauren walked out of the church.

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"Jane, listen," Lauren said gently, stepping forward. "I don’t know what your mother-in-law told you, but Nathan and I are just friends. There’s nothing going on between us. He loves you, Jane. Trust me."

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Jane looked back and forth between Lauren and me. Her face was conflicted, unsure of who to trust.

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"If I wanted to marry you for your money, I wouldn’t have signed the prenup," I said, grasping Jane’s hands in mine. "I signed it to protect your wealth, to protect your future. If I was after your money, I wouldn’t have done that."

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"But why didn’t you tell me about your family’s financial situation?" she asked, her voice shaking. "What else are you hiding? Why should I trust you?"

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"I should’ve told you," I admitted, hanging my head in shame. "I was scared. I didn’t want you to leave me. But there’s something else I’ve never told you."

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Jane folded her arms, her expression skeptical as she waited for me to speak.

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"I found out years ago that my father isn’t my biological father," I said quietly. "My mom and I had a huge fight about it, and Dad left us, taking all the money with him."

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Her eyes widened as I continued. "That’s why my mom has always tried to sabotage me. She hates seeing me happy, so she tried to ruin our wedding. I’m sorry for not telling you sooner. I was ashamed of what happened."

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As I finished, I could see a shift in Jane’s expression. Her anger had softened, replaced by sympathy.

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"You didn’t tell me because you were ashamed?" she asked, her voice quiet now. "We were supposed to build a life together, Nathan. But you kept all these secrets from me. How can I trust you now?"

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Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized just how much I had lost. I should’ve been honest with her from the beginning.

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"I’m sorry, Jane," I said, my voice breaking. "I know I’ve made mistakes, but I love you."

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"I’m sorry too, Nathan," she replied, her voice distant as she wiped away a tear. "But this is it. This is how we part ways. I can’t be with someone who hides so much from me."

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With those words, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, heartbroken and defeated. I watched as she got into her car and drove away from me, and I knew it was too late to fix anything.

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My life has never been the same since that day. I tried to reach out to Jane, calling her countless times, but she never answered. Meanwhile, I confronted my mother, cutting all ties with her.

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I lost the woman I loved because of lies, secrets, and betrayal I should never have kept hidden. And now, all I have left is regret.