Groom Hides The Truth From His Bride, But Karma Gets The Job Done – Story of the Day

As Jane is getting ready to marry Anthony, she receives anonymous messages warning her from doing so. When she follows a wild-goose chase to a nearby hotel, she finds the reason behind the warnings.

Jane looked at her mother in front of the mirror, where she was doing her make-up. It seemed unconventional to be the bride who did her own make-up on her wedding day. But Jane had always preferred to be natural – something that had gotten her called "Plain-Jane" for most of her life.

She looked at her mother again, looking at the smile on her face as she smoothed out Jane's dress.

"Hair and make-up first," her mother had said. "And then we'll slip you into your dress."

Jane nodded as she slowly bit into the banana that her mother had given her.

"Eat the banana, Janey," her mother said, sipping her coffee. "It will give you the energy you need to get going today. You don't want to bloat either."

Jane returned to her task, applying her eyeliner with her unsteady hand. She couldn't afford to mess it up and begin the entire process together.

"Are you excited to see Anthony?" her mother asked, setting the dress down on the bed.

"Yes," Jane said. "He's been more into the wedding planning than I have been. Literally, from the flowers to the venue. I only really chose the cake – which I'm fine with."

Her mother laughed.

"Yes, I know. You've never exactly been the girl who spent time dreaming about her wedding. You've always believed in love but to a point."

"That's not fair," Jane said, pouting her lips at the mirror. "It's more that I don't know many people with happy marriages – you and Dad were not exactly one of them either. But you're right. I do believe in love. And I believe in loving Anthony."

"You think you'll break the marriage curse?" her mother laughed.

"I'll try," Jane said, putting on another layer of mascara.

"Well, if you have cold feet at any point today, I'll gladly drive you away."

Jane looked at her mother in the mirror again and smiled.

"Thanks, Mom, but I think we'll be good today."

She reached for her phone and pressed play. The sound of smooth jazz filled the room and gave Jane goosebumps. This was it. This was her wedding day, and she would spend the rest of her life with Anthony.

Jane had met Anthony years ago; it was a clichéd meet-cute. Jane remembered how the supermarket hummed with the ambient noise of a typical supermarket – the rustling of plastic bags, the beep of the checkout scanners, and the distant chatter of other shoppers navigating through the long aisles.

She stood in the produce section, her fingers tapping the different watermelons as she contemplated the perfect one to take home. Anthony rounded the corner toward her with his easy smile and a mischievous glint in his eye. Jane was aware of him the entire time.

"Hey there," he greeted her, leaning casually against the display. "Choosing the best one, I see?"

Jane looked up, a grin breaking free across her face.

"Absolutely. I've got to take home the best for my midnight treat," she said.

Anthony nodded, pretending to inspect the watermelons with exaggerated seriousness.

"Did you know," he began. "That watermelons are actually berries?"

"No way," Jane said, raising an eyebrow. "But they're so big!"

Anthony chuckled at her.

"Yes, it's true. Botanically speaking, watermelons qualify as berries because they have a fleshy inside and a tough outer rind. Crazy, though, right?"

Jane laughed, charmed by Anthony's playful demeanor and boyish looks.

"I would never have guessed," Jane said. "That's the fun fact for the day, right?"

Anthony winked at her.

"Glad that I could enlighten your watermelon experience," he said. "I'm Anthony."

"Jane," she replied.

They continued chatting for a while, and Jane was surprised that the conversation flowed effortlessly. She was not used to this – she was always the awkward one, ending the conversations before they truly began. Anthony walked the aisles with Jane as she continued to fill her shopping cart.

They exchanged stories about their favorite summer treats and debated the merits of seedless versus seeded watermelons. They also discovered their shared interests in hiking and cheesy '80s movies when Jane confessed watching The Goonies was her plan for the evening.

As Jane wheeled her trolley to the row of checkout counters, she was surprised that Anthony continued to walk with her. And when they got to the counter, he took out her groceries one by one for the checkout lady.

"I like this yogurt," he grinned, removing two tubs from her trolley.

"You're more than welcome to share some," she said, blown over by how bold she had become in the past hour, walking around the supermarket.

Maybe 'Plain-Jane' is finally gone, she thought.

He caught her eye and smiled as he picked up the heavy watermelon.

After Anthony had packed her groceries into the trunk of her car, he leaned against the car, just as he had at the watermelon display.

"Can I get your number?" he asked.

"Give me your phone," she said. "We can watch a '80s movie next weekend. I'll have the yogurt."

Anthony laughed and gave her his phone.

"I'll call you," he said. "And don't think I'll forget!"

Jane laughed in reply.

"Somehow, I believe that."

Jane checked her reflection one final time, ensuring that her eyeliner was straight and that both eyes matched. Then, she made sure that her mascara wasn't clumpy.

"Ready to get into your dress?" her mother asked, standing up.

"Yes," Jane said.

Jane bent down to put her shoes on, wondering if she should have tried to break them out more. But she knew she could kick them off whenever her feet were too sore. Anthony would probably frown at her and remind her that he had invited a new potential client – one he promised would turn them into millionaires.

She had initially refused to have Anthony invite outsiders. She had wanted a small and intimate wedding. But Anthony believed it was important for this new client to see he was a committed man who could be trusted. He was counting on the deal being closed when they returned from their honeymoon to Greece.

Jane stood up and removed her bathrobe. She knew that her friends were upset that she did not want any bridesmaids, so they would only show up when the wedding began. Which was why her mother was the only one helping her get ready for her big day.

"There," her mother said, zipping up the dress. "Beautiful."

"I forgot how much I loved this dress," Jane said. "I forgot how it made me feel."

"You are exquisite, my darling girl," her mother said.

And Jane truly believed her for the first time in a long time.

"I'll do the final touches to my hair later," Jane told her mother. "Then, you can help me put the veil on."

Later on, Jane's mother went into the spare bedroom for her to shower and change for the wedding. So, Jane sat in her wedding dress and looked out the window on a perfect day. She knew that she was lucky that the weather was so good, but if she had let herself admit it, she would have wanted to get married during autumn, when her wedding photos would have included her and her husband running through the beautiful fallen leaves.

Maybe if I told Anthony that was what I wanted, she thought. Then, he would have planned around it.

Jane took a deep breath in.

But he should have known it was your favorite time of the year. Another thought pushed in.

"Stop," she said quietly to herself. "You're looking for problems where there aren't any."

She knew she had gotten ready too early but needed to be prepared. It was another one of her personality traits – being ready early, leaving earlier than necessary, and being at any event before it even started. Jane's best friend was her watch.

Jane stood up and took herself to the drinks cart in her bedroom. There was a half-drunk bottle of red wine from a few nights ago. Jane poured herself a little bit of wine. Not enough to do anything for her other than warm herself up.

"Is this what cold feet look like?" she asked, her reflection in the mirror.

"No," she answered herself. "You're just anxious about being the center of attention. Come on, Plain-Jane, you've got to go."

Jane returned to the window seat, she sipped on her wine and thought about the moves to their first dance which was to come later. The air buzzed with anticipation as Jane checked her phone, expecting messages filled with well-wishes from family and friends who could not attend the wedding.

But to her surprise, a message from an anonymous sender awaited her, the words ominous on the screen.

Play the voice recording attached. It is important, Jane.

Jane put her glass down and waited for the recording to fully load. Confusion etched across her face, her eyes wide as she read and re-read the message. A knot formed in the pit of her stomach, and she felt a chill of uncertainty creep over her.

Finally, the recording was downloaded, and with trembling hands, Jane pressed play. A distorted and unfamiliar voice echoed through the room, delivering a cold message.

You need to cancel the wedding, Jane. This isn't right for you. There are things you don't know. Secrets. Trust me, Jane. This is for the best. Cancel the wedding.

The voice seemed to hang in the air, leaving Jane stunned and paralyzed with fear and disbelief. Her mind raced, trying to comprehend the sudden intrusion into what should have been the happiest day of her life.

Questions flooded her thoughts, and she couldn't shake the feeling of vulnerability that clung to her skin. Who would want her to cancel the wedding? What secrets could there be? As Jane contemplated the anonymous warning, she wrestled with her conflicting emotions.

Should she dismiss it as a cruel prank or take it seriously? The voice recording replayed in her mind constantly – each word resonating with an unsettling truth.

Anthony, she thought. If anything, this would be about him. And he would have some idea about this.

Jane barged into Anthony's room across the house. She didn't care about the superstition that forbade Anthony from seeing her in her wedding dress. What other bad luck could she be faced with?

"So, Anthony," she said, suddenly.

'Reasonable-Jane' had been replaced with 'Impulsive-Jane.'

"You tell me," she continued. "Why should we cancel the wedding?"

"What happened?" he asked, turning around to face her. "What are you talking about?"

"This," she said, playing the recording.

You need to cancel the wedding, Jane. This isn't right for you. There are things you don't know. Secrets. Trust me, Jane. This is for the best. Cancel the wedding.

"What does this mean?" she demanded.

"What?" he asked.

Jane played the recording again.

You need to cancel the wedding, Jane. This isn't right for you. There are things you don't know. Secrets. Trust me, Jane. This is for the best. Cancel the wedding.

"Our wedding is today," Jane said. "And now someone tells me that I need to cancel it. Why? Anthony, what is going on? Tell me now!"

Anthony looked at her for a moment, straight in the eye. He had no expression, making it difficult for Jane to read what he was thinking.

"Okay, you're right to be upset," he said. "I guess that there is no reason to hide it anymore. Jane, I have to tell you something."

Jane's eyes widened as Anthony took her arm. "Yes, you may want to cancel the wedding. In fact, I won't blame you. But the truth is, Jane, I have lied to you all these years. I hate your apple pie."

Jane smacked his hand away from her arm.

"That's not even slightly funny," she said.

"Don't be silly!" he exclaimed. "This is probably someone's stupid joke. Come on, Pumpkin. Maybe it's your Mom. She has never wanted you to marry me."

He paused, and Jane thought for a moment. Her mother only wanted her best interests at heart; there was no way she would do this. And even if she wanted to voice her opinions, she would just say it to Jane's face. She couldn't hide behind an anonymous voice recording.

"Hey, isn't it bad luck for me to see you in a wedding dress?" Anthony asked her, putting on his cufflinks.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry. I'm probably just getting anxious about the wedding, that's all," she said. "And it is probably just a prank."

"Look, tomorrow, my company will sign a contract with very important new clients – hopefully, partners by the end of tomorrow. And you will be the wife of a construction tycoon. Or you won't. If you listen to this prank. It's up to you," he grinned at her.

Then, Anthony sniffed the air loudly.

"Do you smell this?" he asked. "This is the smell of success, Jane! Tomorrow will be all about our success."

"I don't need to think about tomorrow," she said. "I'm worried about today."

"Well, now I must go to the airport to pick up our Priest. He's ready to marry us, Jane. So, while I'm out, you decide whether you want to cancel the wedding," he laughed.

Jane knew he was making fun of her while trying to get her out of her head and cheer her up. A moment later, his phone rang.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm on my way, don't worry."

Later, Jane had calmed down and sat at her vanity again. Her mother was helping her do the final touches to her hair before putting her veil on.

Her mother clinked a glass of champagne with her.

"You look gorgeous," her mother said, smiling at Jane.

Just then, the doorbell rang, ringing Jane out of her wedding bubble.

"I'll answer it," she said.

"No, no, Honey. It's your day, I've got it," her mother said, leaving the room.

Jane looked at the framed photograph of herself and Anthony and smiled. She had felt much calmer than she initially was when the messages arrived.

"It's your day," she told herself in the mirror.

"Jane," her mother said, walking back into the room. "Nobody was there when I opened the door, but I found this."

Her mother handed Jane a sealed envelope.

"Strange," Jane said. "It's a bit too early for wedding gifts, right? That should come later."

Jane's mother shrugged.

"Open it," she said.

Jane opened the envelope and took the first out – a card of sorts, with the words Karma will show you the way printed onto it. As she reached further into it, she found photos of Anthony.

"Oh, my God, Jane!" her mother exclaimed. "What is happening? Is this blackmail? Call him! Call Anthony!"

Jane did as she was told.

"He's not answering," she said.

Jane picked up the photos again and looked carefully at one.

"Wait a minute," she said. "I know this place! It's a hotel we've been to a couple of times. I'm pretty sure that they have this lamp in every room."

She clasped her hands to her mouth.

"Oh, Anthony," she said. "Mom, what if something bad happened to him?"

"I'll call the police," her mother said, already dialing.

"No! We are not calling anybody!" Jane exclaimed. "I won't forgive myself if he gets hurt."

"And what if you get hurt, Jane?" her mother asked.

Jane shook her head at the photos.

"What are you going to do? The wedding is in a few hours," her mother said.

"I'm going to the hotel," Jane said.

Jane did not want to waste time and walked out of the house in her wedding dress. She was beyond caring about how her dress looked – now, she wanted to find out the truth about everything – from the anonymous voice recording to the mysterious unnamed package.

The longer Jane sat in the cab on the way to the hotel, the more panicked she became. The distant sounds of celebration escaped through the lobby when she ran up the hotel steps. It didn't surprise Jane. The hotel was always hosting events. As she approached the reception desk, her eyes were red from the tears that had begun in the car.

"I need to know which room Anthony Sanders is in," she told the receptionist.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," the receptionist said. "I cannot give you the information you're asking for."

"Please," Jane pleaded with him. "This is important. I just need to know if he is checked in – I don't think he will be here. I saw him not too long ago."

"Then, you would know that he is fine, wherever he is," the receptionist said.

"So, you know him?" she asked.

"It is against our policy to disclose guest information, ma'am. Privacy is important to us."

"Listen," Jane said, her tears flowing again. "You don't understand. Today is my wedding day, and everything is falling apart. I just need to talk to Anthony."

"I sympathize, ma'am. But I cannot break the rules. They are there for a reason. I cannot help you."

Jane wrung her dress in her hands. She was exhausted by the entire day.

"Here," she said, pushing the hotel business card into the envelope with the images. "Please, just check."

The receptionist looked at her for a moment and then nodded slowly.

"Sanders, you said, huh?" the receptionist asked, typing the name into his computer. "No, we do not have guests under this name right now."

Then, one of the hotel maids came into sight, and the receptionist switched his attention to her.

"Karma! Are you finished here yet?" he called out to her.

Jane's mind went into overdrive, and she was reminded of the other side of the card: Karma will show you the way.

There's no way that this is a coincidence, she thought.

"You were asked to clean room 121, Karma," the receptionist continued.

"Sure thing," Karma said. "I will do it right after my break."

Karma made brief eye contact with Jane; that was all she needed. Room 121.

Karma would show her the way.

Before anybody could stop her, Jane ran through the lobby and straight to the elevator. She needed to find room 121. She did not know what she would find, but she needed something to give her peace. Especially if she was still going to go ahead with the wedding.

Jane ran through the hallway until she found the room she needed. She tried the door, thinking it might not open because she had no keycard. But the door opened easily.

"Anthony," she said, stumbling into the room. But he wasn't there.

Before she could comprehend what was happening, there was a camera flash.

"Surprise," said the voice behind the camera. "I'm impressed that you figured everything out so quickly. You're a smart one, aren't you? I gave you the bare minimum in that envelope, but I suppose the photos were the dead giveaway."

"Where is my fiancé?" Jane asked slowly.

"Right," the woman said. "Your fiancé. That is why we're here, after all."

The woman began to circle Jane.

"You see, it turns out your fiancé was my boyfriend the whole time. Tony and I met every week right in this hotel. I'm sorry to upset you, but the "gym" he has scheduled for every Friday is actually this room, right in front of you."

Jane looked at the woman with her arms crossed.

"Look, Jane. I'm not a bad person," she said. "My name is Anya, by the way. But I had no idea he was seeing someone, let alone engaged, until last week, when he said that he had had another woman the entire time and that you two were getting married soon."

"He told me that he wanted to keep me as his mistress. Of course, I was ready to break up with him immediately. But then I thought that he should be punished. He needs a farewell gift, and you must know the truth."

"Nonsense," Jane said calmly. "He's not even here. Oh, my goodness. Did I just waste my time? Why am I even listening to you?"

She turned to leave the room but stopped for a moment.

"What do you want? Money? You're a psychopath."

Anya rolled her eyes.

Jane left the room in a fury. Poor Anthony, she thought. Is he really being blackmailed by some woman?

She pulled her phone out of her wedding dress pocket – the ultimate selling point to buying the dress, or so she had told herself. Jane dialed Anthony's number, and a few moments later, she heard his phone ring from down the hallway. Jane's heart sank.

So, it was true. All of it, she thought, as she hid quickly in the maid's storeroom, leaving the door slightly ajar.

She was surprised that Anthony even answered the phone. But she wanted to catch him out in his web of lies.

"Anthony," she said. "Where are you?"

"What do you mean, Pumpkin? I'm going to the airport to pick up the family priest. The airport app said the flight was delayed, so I had to wait. I'm grabbing a coffee while I sit here. I will call you the moment we leave. Love you."

Then, Anthony cut the call.

Jane slid to the floor in the storeroom, trying to figure out the situation. She knew that Anthony had been cheating – Anya had to be correct because he was ready to meet her again. But Jane could not understand how he had kept it hidden for so long. There was no way that he had covered his tracks so well. Unless Jane simply hadn't taken notice of anything.

She looked around the room, wondering what she should do next. She could go home to her mother, who Jane knew was waiting for her on the armchair closest to the door. Or she could go into room 121 and confront Anthony. But Jane was horrible with confrontation. She needed proof.

What more could you need? A voice in her head asked loudly. Don't be stupid, Jane.

And then, her eyes landed on a uniform hanging in the storeroom – the nametag 'Karma' still pinned on it.

Screw it, she thought.

Jane wriggled out of her wedding dress and put on the uniform. The storeroom was well stocked, and gloves and masks were readily available. Jane secured her hair and pulled a mask from the box. She was going to get into that room one way or another.

Even if there was some convincing explanation to all of this, there was no way that she could leave the hotel and even contemplate still marrying Anthony without knowing what was going on in that hotel room with Anya.

She needed to see all of it for herself.

Meanwhile, Anthony was in the hotel room with Anya.

"Oh, Anya," he said, sitting on the bed next to her. "You are driving me crazy. The wedding is in a few hours, but I need to see you before walking down the aisle."

"Listen, Anthony," Anya said. "I didn't –" she began but got interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Room Service!" Jane called.

*

"Come in!" Anthony called. "Did you order something, babe?" he asked Anya.

Jane had found the tray waiting outside the room next door – she almost felt sorry that when the people opened the door, they wouldn't find their room service waiting. Jane knew that Anya had recognized her as she wheeled the food in. For a brief moment, she locked eyes with Jane before turning her attention to Anthony.

"Yes," she said. "I ordered this for us. A little something to make our last moments together much sweeter."

"Oh, you shouldn't have," Anthony said. "You look so good today."

Jane watched as Anthony slid his hand up and down Anya's leg.

"Remember, babe, you can always be my mistress," he said.

"Tony, you are such a tease. Stop it!" Anya giggled.

Jane watched the entire scene as the knots in her stomach became even more twisted. She watched as Anya soaked up the attention. She watched as Anthony picked at a strawberry on the tray – the tray that didn't even belong to them.

He is absolutely shameless, she thought.

"I love the treats you picked out," he told Anya, holding the strawberry to her lips. "But we both know who the main treat is here, right Pumpkin."

That was when Jane had had enough. It took everything inside her to hide her emotions. Or to prevent herself from slapping Anthony across his face.

But she didn't want it to be that easy. She wanted it to be painful for him. She wanted him to regret everything he had ever done that would hurt her. She wanted to end his way of life as he knew it.

She loudly put the bottle of champagne back into the ice bucket.

"Hey, you, be careful!" Anthony shouted at her.

"It's alright, Karma," Anya said, with her hand on Anthony's face.

"Karma?" Anthony chuckled. "It looks like Karma cannot even get her job done."

Then, Anthony and Anya laughed together. Jane couldn't take it anymore. The wall had burst, and her tears escaped.

Jane went back to the storeroom and picked up her wedding dress. Then, she ran out of the hotel and took the first cab to get home. When Jane got home, her mother was sitting and waiting for her as she had predicted.

Jane dropped her dress onto the floor.

"Jane! Where have you been? Tell me everything!"

"The message and the package came from Anthony's girlfriend, Anya. She told me that they had been seeing each other for a long time and that she didn't know I existed until last week. Now, he wants her to be his mistress."

"You're kidding. What sort of a man is this?! How do you know all of this?" her mother asked.

"Because she told me. I went to the hotel, and Karma would lead me there as she instructed. And she did, sort of. Karma is a maid at the hotel – and she directed me to the room in a roundabout way. So, I went to room 121. And there she was, waiting."

"So, what does she hope to get from telling you? That you would leave him, and she could take him?" her mother asked.

Jane shook her head, unable to answer.

"Can I make you some tea?" her mother asked.

"Yes, please."

Jane took off her shoes and went into her bedroom to change into something more comfortable rather than Karma's uniform, which was over-starched.

"I think that she wanted to get back at him," Jane said as she was in the kitchen after she had changed.

"I think that as messed up as the situation is, Anya is also hurt. She wanted to show that and to make it known. Which is fair. Yes, she's in the wrong, too, but at the same time, this is all on Anthony. Anya and I haven't known about each other until today."

"So, you feel bad for her?"

"I do," Jane said and sipped the tea.

"And what do you want to do about the wedding and Anthony?"

"Anthony will have to go to the airport at some point. He will have to get his family priest in any case. So, I have some time to think," she said.

A knock was at the door as Jane and her mother were talking. When her mother went to open it, Anya was standing there.

"Why are you here?" Jane asked when she saw Anya.

"I still want to punish him," Anya said.

"It didn't look like that when I came into the room dressed as Karma," Jane said.

"It's complicated, Jane," Anya said. "You should know that as well as I do."

"So, what? Now what?"

"Tell me what you want to do."

*

Jane changed into her favorite dress. There was going to be a wedding. It just wasn't going to include her. It had taken some convincing for her mother, but Jane couldn't care less about Anthony. Long gone were her feelings of concern for him. Now, she wanted to punish him as much as Anya did. He needed to know how they both felt and what it was like to have everything he wanted taken away from him.

"Do you think she will do everything as you hope she will?" her mother asked.

"Yes," Jane said. "You heard her. She's as done with this entire thing as I am. Done with Anthony."

*

After that, Jane and her mother went to the wedding venue. She had told her mother to sit at the front, as she would have done if Jane were the bride. Jane was going to stay hidden.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Anthony and Jane in holy matrimony. Today, they have chosen to express their love and commitment through the sacred vows of marriage."

Jane watched as Anthony looked at the bride. She wondered how blind she had been the entire time. Anthony looked at the bride, not even realizing it wasn't her beneath the veil. It was Anya. Anya was in on the whole thing. And Anthony was ridiculously oblivious to everything around him.

Jane blinked back a few tears as the ceremony went on, thinking how foolish she would have been to marry him anyway. Anthony was the worst person she had ever met.

Plain-Jane, she thought to herself, you deserve so much better.

"Jane," she heard Anthony say from his position, beginning his vows. "From the moment I met you, I knew my life was about to change. I owe everything to the watermelon display at the supermarket. You are the love of my life, my partner, and my best friend. I promise to stand by you in good times and bad, to cherish and support you, and to love you unconditionally. With you, my life is complete."

Jane could barely believe her ears. How could he stand there and say his vows, looking at someone who wasn't Jane but whose vows were heavy with empty promises? She wanted to run away, to leave and never return – so that she would never see Anthony again. But she had more to do. She had to punish him before she resumed her life.

When Anya said, "I do," Anthony didn't even bat an eyelid.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the Priest said.

Jane watched as the guests clapped and cheered. She watched as Anthony looked around and grinned at the crowd.

"You may now kiss the bride," the Priest declared.

When Anthony lifted the veil to kiss his bride, Anya smiled back at him.

"Surprise!" she exclaimed.

The crowd was shocked, and Jane could hear their gasps. She probably would have chuckled at their responses if the situation weren't so heartbreaking.

"Why are you shocked? Aren't you happy to see me?" Anya asked Anthony.

This was Jane's moment. She opened the side door, where she had been leaning the entire time, and walked in.

"Well, well, well," she said. "And you thought that you could get away with your infidelity that well?" she asked Anthony.

She turned to their guests – an array of their closest family and friends.

"Dear guests, I am terribly sorry," she said. "But there will be no Jane weds Anthony wedding tonight. As you can see, it turns out that our beloved Anthony Sanders is a cheater. But I will share our wedding video. Ladies and Gentlemen, enjoy."

Then she stepped back as the scene from the hotel room between Anthony and Anya played. Luckily, before Jane had entered the room, she had recorded the entire conversation on her phone, which was hidden between the trays and the ice bucket.

Jane stood to the side and watched as the crowd got to see who the real Anthony was. She almost enjoyed the misery etched onto his face as everyone discovered the truth.

Anthony turned to the Priest and shook him.

"Turn this off right now!" he commanded. "I was set up! It's not what it looks like. This could have been anybody! It's not me!"

Jane moved to stand next to Anya and watched as the guests reacted to the video. Then, Anthony turned to the two of them.

"You two are idiots," he said. "Whatever, do what you want. At least this way, I don't have to worry about sharing my money. I am one step closer to becoming a millionaire. I'm so close to having everything I have ever wanted. And you know what, Jane? I took a mortgage on a new house. So, you can have the small one we're living in. I just need to sign the contract tomorrow with the CEO of the new partners. Alex Richards, whoever the grumpy old man is – thank you!" he hollered.

Anya giggled at Jane's side.

"This guy, man, will make me fabulously rich! And my life will never be the same! And the two of you will definitely regret the fact that you set me up and spoiled everything. But it's fine. With how rich I will be, I'll have women falling at my feet!"

"Oh, Jane," Anya said. "You didn't tell him?"

"Well, if he gave me a chance to speak, maybe I would have," she said.

"Tell me what?" Anthony demanded.

"Remember when you told me to invite Alex to the wedding because you wanted to show off that you were kind, committed, and just 'a good guy'? Well, Alex is here. By the way."

"What?" Anthony exclaimed, looking around.

"Alex, please join us," Jane said.

"Hello," a middle-aged woman said, standing up. "My name is Alexandra Richards, but people call me Alex."

"Nice to meet you," Anthony said, rushing to shake her hand.

"No," she said, pulling her hand away. "I am very disappointed with you, Mr. Sanders. So, I guess we have to cancel the contract. Because I cannot work with people who disappoint me. People who I cannot trust. In fact, let us also cancel all the previous standing contracts."

"Please, just hear me out," Anthony said.

"Don't you worry, Mr. Sanders," Alex said. "I'll ensure all the other partners don't make the same mistake. Nobody will be working with you. Consider yourself a bankrupt man from today."

"Mrs Richards," he said. "Please just give me a chance. I'll explain everything to you."

"And I guess you must deal with that mortgage by yourself. Good luck."

"No, no!! Mrs. Richards, please."

"No!" Alex said firmly, walking away.

Anthony tried to follow her, but Jane's mom tripped him as he attempted to walk down the aisle.

Jane walked down the aisle and stood above Anthony. She wanted to see him weak like this. She wanted him to feel what she had felt when she stood in the hotel room, watching him talk to Anya.

"Well, it looks like Karma can get her job done after all, right?" she said. "Do you want some apple pie, Pumpkin? I'm sure we can find you some."

And then Jane walked away. She took her mother's arm and left the venue, leaving her failed wedding behind. She felt stronger now than compared to how dejected she had felt when she walked out of the hotel.

"Now what?" her mother asked.

"Now, we go home and pack all of his clothes. We can leave it outside for him to pick up," Jane said. "I'm sorry if this makes me look cruel, Mom. But he needed to learn a lesson."

"Honey, this doesn't make you cruel; this makes you strong," she said. "Now, before we go home and pack his things, let's get some dinner."

Jane smiled and nodded. She was going to be just fine.

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If you enjoyed this story - here’s another one | On her wedding day, the bride was left heartbroken as her fiancé disappeared, leaving her at the altar. In a surprising turn of events, she received a message request from him, shrouded in intrigue and unanswered questions. - Read the full story here.

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