Donna was determined to marry Brian, a wealthy man, even if it meant maneuvering her way into his heart. However, on her wedding day, to her shock, she found him at the altar with another woman.
Donna couldn’t stand her cousin Gwen. Despite being more beautiful, Donna had a less fortunate background, while Gwen enjoyed a life of affluence thanks to her mother’s marriage to a rich lawyer.
Gwen enjoyed luxuries like a posh college education, designer clothes, and a convertible for her 16th birthday. Donna, on the other hand, had none of these privileges. She secretly resented Gwen but played the part of the affectionate cousin because Gwen was kind-hearted and generous.
Through Gwen’s friendship, Donna went to exclusive parties, wore her cousin’s fashionable dresses, and enjoyed lavish vacations. Little did Gwen know that Donna wasn’t the friend she seemed to be, as she took advantage of their bond to steal the man Gwen loved.
Gwen’s beloved, Brian Finley, had been in her life since childhood. She was deeply in love with him. His promising future as a surgeon, combined with their lifelong connection, meant the world to her.
“Donna! Brian is back and he’s attending the country club dance tonight!” Gwen exclaimed excitedly.
“Brian who?” Donna responded, sifting through Gwen’s dresses, selecting something to wear.
Feeling shy, Gwen explained, “He was my first boyfriend at sixteen, and we’ve been writing to each other ever since. He’s everything to me!”
“Why am I hearing about this now?” Donna asked, feigning interest.
Gwen, blushing, admitted, “I thought you’d laugh at me for loving him all these years.”
“That’s so cute! Tell me more about him!” Donna said, eagerly listening as Gwen shared details about Brian’s family, his brilliance, and his prospects as a future leading surgeon.
Brian was everything Donna wanted—a wealthy, handsome guy with influential parents. She cunningly smiled at Gwen and insisted on meeting him at the dance.
Donna planned to make a mesmerizing entrance at the dance, fashionably late as usual. She thrived on the attention as she walked in, adorned in a gorgeous red dress borrowed from Gwen. Her dramatic appearance caught everyone’s eyes, including Brian’s.
In the crowd, she spotted Gwen in a lovely pink dress beside Brian. Donna approached them and, before Gwen could proceed with introductions, led Brian to the dance floor. Under dim lights and to the soft music, Donna wrapped her arms around Brian, overshadowing Gwen completely.
Gwen watched in pain as her hopes were shattered, seeing her cousin and her love dance away into the night. From then on, her life wasn’t the same.
Betrayal often brings its own justice.
The following day, Donna reached out to Gwen. “Sorry, Gwen. But Brian was irresistible, and he told me it was a mere childhood infatuation with you,” Donna said.
Hurt yet cordial, Gwen wished them well. As summer progressed, Donna and Brian’s romance was the talk of the town. In three months, they announced their engagement.
“Engagement? You barely know her,” Gwen protested to Brian.
“I know, but I love her,” Brian reasoned. “She’s expecting my child too.”
The mention of a baby shocked Gwen. “But…Donna hates kids!”
“Don’t judge her,” Brian said, dismissing Gwen’s concerns. “I’m happy, and I hope as family you’ll accept this and move on from your fantasy.”
“Fantasy? I thought you cared!” Gwen cried.
“I did, but Donna made me realize there’s more to love,” Brian muttered regretfully.
Resolute, Gwen set aside her feelings to support the marriage. She even bought Donna’s wedding dress, despite preferring a simpler design. Gwen, sincere in her intentions, stood by quietly as Donna prepared for her grand wedding.
Meanwhile, Donna wouldn’t settle until she had Brian’s fortune secured, with plans of her own. Brian, unbeknownst to Donna, uncovered her deceitful plans during a conversation he overheard just before the rehearsal.
At the rehearsal dinner, Brian pretended everything was normal but confided in Gwen. “You were right,” Brian confessed. “I realize now what truly matters.”
“You can’t marry her,” Gwen insisted timidly.
“I won’t,” said Brian. “Let’s make this right. Join me, Gwen.”
The morning of the wedding, Donna was fixed on her appearance, delaying her arrival. “Remember,” she told her aide, “the bride waits for no one.”
Finally, hours late, she proceeded confidently down the aisle. But upon entering, the shocking realization hit her.
“You may kiss the bride,” the priest’s words resonated as Brian leaned in but not towards Donna—toward Gwen, resplendent as the real bride!
Aggrieved and frustrated, Donna’s fury was ignored, drowned out by the applause and cheers celebrating Gwen and Brian’s union.
Gwen and Brian’s love triumphed over deceit, harmony restored. As for Donna, the hard lesson taught her that shortcuts to wealth and love could lead to losing everything valuable, including relationships.
What does this story teach us?
Encourage your friends by sharing this tale; sometimes life lessons are wrapped in stories from others.
