Claire anticipates reliving her best moments when she opens the wedding pictures, which she received a month after her wonderful day. However, the images she gets are not what she had anticipated. Unusual, uncut footage reveals a horrifying truth that compels Claire to act decisively. I am Claire, and I had what I considered to be the ideal wedding a month ago. Imagine me strolling toward Mark, the man I believed I would spend the rest of my life with, along an aisle of fallen leaves in a sun-dappled woodland clearing while fairy lights twinkle in the trees.
When I got to him, he muttered, “You look like a dream,” his green eyes crinkling at the corners. With a beaming smile on my face, I felt as though my heart would burst. “Hairy, you are not so bad yourself.” Our vows were heartfelt, moving, and all I could have imagined. And there, dabbing at her eyes with a looney smile, was Rachel, my ride-or-die since kindergarten, standing right next to me. Later, as we hugged, she remarked, “I told you that outfit was the one.” She squeezed my arm. “Baby, you are beaming.”
The welcome was enchanted. I, of course, snuck kisses with my new husband in between courses while we danced beneath the stars and clinked glasses with loved ones. It seemed to be the most joyful day of my life. It seemed as though everything was fitting into place perfectly. The ideal wedding to begin our ideal life together. I was such a fool, God. Let us go back to last week. As I was idly browsing through my phone on the couch, an email appeared. It was a message from our wedding photographer informing us that the pictures were available.
I squealed — actually squealed — and clicked the link faster than you can say “newlywed bliss.” But as soon as the folder opened, I noticed that something was strange about the photos. The shots were raw, and unedited. They were taken at weird angles too, like someone was hiding behind bushes or peeking around corners. For a minute, I thought our wedding photos were ruined, but the truth turned out to be far worse. My stomach did a little flip, but I thought these might be some candid shots or something, and the proper photos were just lower down. I kept clicking through, frowning more with each image. And then — bam! There it was. A crystal clear shot of Mark, my brand-spanking-new husband, lip-locked with Rachel in a secluded part of the forest.
I couldn’t stop staring at the way his hands were tangled in her hair, or how she had her leg hiked up around his waist. You know that feeling when the floor drops out from under you? When your whole world tilts sideways and you can’t catch your breath? Yeah. That. I stared at that photo for what felt like hours, tears blurring my vision. How could they? How dare they? On my wedding day! The same day Mark and I vowed to be true to each other