He Let Them Humiliate Me at Our Wedding,So I Flew In My Private Jet

Sean Dickerson and I went back to his hometown for the wedding.

The ceremony hadn't even started when his so-called gal pal Rebecca Pruitt came sauntering over with a plate of cake, grinning ear to ear, and smashed it straight into my face.

A glass of red wine followed, poured right over my head. My wedding dress was soaked through with something sticky and foul.

I shoved her away, barely keeping my anger in check. "There's a time and place for jokes, and this isn't it!"

Rebecca staggered back with exaggerated flair, dropping to the ground.

"Ellie, wedding pranks are tradition here! I just wanted to wish you a lively, happy marriage. Why'd you shove me so hard?"

Sean's face went dark on the spot.

He rushed over to help Rebecca up, then shot a look at his buddies.

Three or four of them closed in on me immediately, grabbing at the hem of my wedding dress and ripping downward. A whole panel of lining tore free.

The crowd roared with laughter. Phone cameras were everywhere.

I clutched the torn fabric and screamed at him. "Sean, if you don't make them stop right now, this wedding is off!"

"Off?"

Sean let out a cold laugh. "You're an out-of-towner with no car. This is my home turf. Where exactly do you think you're going?"

I said nothing. I pulled my phone from my clutch.

"Mr. Finch, file the flight plan. One hour, tops. I want my private jet touching down on that lawn."

——

Sean froze for two seconds, then burst out laughing.

"How much did you pay some actor to pick up that call?"

He looked at me sideways. "Next month you'll be back in that rental of yours eating instant noodles, won't you?"

His crew howled even louder, doubled over, faces red from holding in their laughter.

Rebecca draped herself over Sean's shoulder, tilting her head to study me.

"See, this is what I always say. I just get along better with guys. Girls like Ellie here are too calculating. She'd rather make up a lie like that than lose face."

Sean patted the back of her hand, then lifted his chin at me. "Hear that? That's what a real friend sounds like. Becca would never pull stunts like this on me. Some people just can't stop pretending."

"Becca put a lot of work into today's wedding. Whatever comes next, she's calling the shots."

"Let the party continue!"

Before I could steady myself, a whole plate of jam was slapped onto my hair. Thick red goo oozed down my neck.

Two bridesmaids pinned my arms from either side while someone else scrawled across my face with a marker.

Someone flipped up my skirt, exposing my safety shorts underneath, and the crowd went wild.

I tried to break free, but Sean grabbed the back of my neck and squeezed, leaning in close enough for me to feel his breath against my ear.

"Every relative and friend we have is watching. If you embarrass me today, I will never live it down in this town, and I will make sure you don't either."

My whole body was shaking. Not from fear. From the bone-deep cold of realizing what he was.

Rebecca waved a hand from the sidelines, her voice carrying. "Oh come on, Sean, don't be so hard on Ellie. She's probably just not great at fitting in. I'm sure she didn't mean to cause a scene."

"You guys should be the bigger person, you know? Cut the girl some slack."

That did it. The guests started whispering among themselves.

"This bride is so dramatic. Can't even handle a little fun."

"Right? Acting all high and mighty."

"Did you see when her dress got ripped? Not bad underneath, though."

"Tsk, tsk. Imagine being married to that temper."

Sean heard every word. The corner of his mouth curled upward, like their mockery was sunlight on his face.

I looked at that expression, and for the first time, the man standing in front of me felt like a complete stranger.

Five years ago, I started dating Sean.

He was a poor kid from the mountains who had to save for two weeks just to take me out for a decent meal.

To keep him from feeling the pressure, I hid the fact that I was the sole heiress of the Gilbert Group. I rented a tiny apartment, rode the bus, and sat with him at street-side food carts.