My Brother’s Bride Slapped Me Before 150 Guests — All Because I Refused to Hand Over My House
“Mom hissed. ‘Don’t make a scene. Just leave quietly.’ So, I left. But the next day, my family started having serious problems.”
Well, let’s go.
I’m Monica, and I’m 33 years old. I work for a real estate development company where I hold a pretty high position. It took me years to get where I am, but I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. The best part? I finally bought my own house last year. God, I love this place. It’s everything I ever wanted. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a huge kitchen with granite countertops, and a living room with these massive windows that let in so much light. I spent months picking out every single detail—the paint colors, the furniture, even the door knobs. Everything had to be perfect.
The walls in my living room are this gorgeous deep teal color. I know some people think it’s bold, but I don’t care. It’s my house, and I can paint it however I want. The curtains are cream with gold threads running through them, and they look amazing against my charcoal gray sofa. I have this beautiful coffee table made from reclaimed wood that I found at a local craftsman’s shop.
My parents are decent people, I guess. Dad works at the post office and has for like 20 years. Mom stays home mostly, does some part-time bookkeeping for small businesses. They’re not rich, but they get by. They live in the same two-bedroom ranch house where I grew up. Then there’s my younger brother, Jake. He’s 29 and works in some marketing department at a midsized company. Jake’s always been the baby of the family, you know. Mom and Dad still treat him like he’s 15 sometimes. He’s been dating this girl named Cassandra for about a year now. They met at work—same department, different teams. I don’t like Cassandra at all. She’s one of those people who thinks she’s better than everyone else. Beautiful, sure, long blonde hair, perfect makeup, designer clothes, even on casual days. But she’s got this attitude that just rubs me the wrong way. She acts like she knows everything about everything.
The housewarming party was a year ago, but I still remember it clearly. I was so excited to show everyone what I’d accomplished. I’d worked my ass off to save for the down payment, and I was still paying a hefty mortgage, but it was worth it.
“This place is huge, Monica,” Mom said, walking through the rooms. “It’s really nice, but don’t you think it’s kind of big for just one person?”
Dad nodded along. “Yeah, honey, this is like a family house. You’ve got all these empty bedrooms.”
I shrugged it off. “I like having space. I work from home sometimes, so I use one room as an office. And I like having a guest room for when people visit.” But I could see the look in their eyes. It wasn’t exactly jealousy, but it was something close to it. Like they couldn’t understand why I deserved all this space when I was single.
Cassandra was there too, of course, hanging on Jake’s arm. She spent the whole time critiquing my choices.
“The teal is very bold,” she said, looking at my living room walls like they personally offended her.
“I like bold,” I replied.
She made this little humming sound like she disagreed but was being polite about it. Throughout the whole party, she kept making these little comments. “The kitchen backsplash is interesting.” “The bathroom tile is unique.” Everything she said sounded like a criticism wrapped in fake politeness. I kept smiling and saying, “Thank you,” but inside, I was getting more and more annoyed. Who was she to come into my house and judge my choices? This was my dream home, and I’d put so much thought into every detail.
Over the next few months, Jake and Cassandra would come over occasionally. Well, Jake would come over, and Cassandra would tag along, and every single time, she’d find something new to comment on.
“You know, Monica, if you ever want some decorating advice, I took some design classes in college,” she said once.
“Thanks, but I’m happy with how everything looks,” I replied.
“Oh, I’m sure you are,” she said in that tone. That meant she definitely wasn’t.
Another time, she suggested I should consider toning down some of my color choices. “Neutral colors are so much more timeless,” she said.
I was getting really tired of her comments, but I didn’t want to cause problems with Jake. He seemed happy with her, even though I couldn’t figure out why. Sure, she was pretty, but she was also kind of a nightmare to be around.
The final straw came about 8 months after the housewarming party. Jake and Cassandra came over for dinner, and she was in rare form that night.
“Monica, I’ve been thinking about your living room,” she started as soon as she walked in. “Have you considered maybe painting over that teal? It’s very overwhelming. And with these curtains, it’s like sensory overload.”
That’s when I finally lost it. I turned to face her with the sweetest smile I could manage.
“You know what, Cassandra? When you buy your own house, you’ll be able to realize your design gift however you want.”
Jake looked uncomfortable.
“Monica, come on.”
“No, Jake. I’m tired of having my taste criticized every time she comes over. This is my house, and I like it the way it is.”
Cassandra stood up abruptly.
“I was just trying to help. God, you’re so sensitive.”
“And you’re so helpful,” I shot back, not bothering to hide my sarcasm anymore.
She grabbed her purse. “Jake, we’re leaving.”
“Cassandra, wait,” Jake said, but she was already heading for the door. He followed her out, giving me this disappointed look over his shoulder.
“That’s uncalled for, Monica.”
After they left, I sat in my beautiful living room with my teal walls and my cream and gold curtains, and I felt relieved. Finally, I’d said what I’d been thinking for months. Maybe it wasn’t the nicest way to handle it, but I was done pretending to smile while she insulted my home.
I didn’t hear from Jake for a while after that. A few weeks went by without any calls or visits. I figured he was mad at me for what I’d said to Cassandra, but honestly, I wasn’t going to apologize. She had it coming.
It was about 2 months after the whole incident with Cassandra when my phone rang. I was sitting in my home office going through some property development proposals when Jake’s name popped up on my screen. I almost didn’t answer. We hadn’t talked since that dinner disaster.
“Hey, Monica,” Jake said when I picked up. His voice sounded different, excited, maybe nervous. “Hi, Jake. How are you?”
“I’m great. Actually, really great. Listen, I have some news.” He paused, and I could practically hear him grinning through the phone. “Cassandra and I are getting married.”
I sat back in my chair. I can’t say I was surprised, but hearing it out loud was still a shock.
“Wow. Congratulations.”
“Thanks. The wedding’s in a month. The grand ballroom at the Riverside Hotel. Cassandra found it, and it’s perfect. So, obviously, you’re invited. I mean, you’re my sister. I want you there.”
Despite everything, I felt a little flutter of happiness. Jake was my brother, and if he was happy, then I wanted to be happy for him. Even if I couldn’t stand his fiancée.
“Of course, I’ll be there, Jake. I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Awesome. There’s just one more thing.” His voice changed. Got a little awkward. “The wedding’s going to be expensive, you know. The venue, the catering, Cassandra’s dress, the flowers, everything. Could you maybe help us out with the wedding costs? I know you’re doing well at work, and I thought maybe…”
I looked around my home office, at the mortgage statements on my desk, at the bills I still had to pay. But Jake was my brother. How much do you need?
“Well, we were hoping for maybe $20,000. I know it’s a lot, but I can give you $10,000 right now.”
I interrupted. There was silence on the other end.
“Oh, okay. I mean, that’s great. Thanks, Monica. I really appreciate it.” But I could hear the disappointment in his voice. He’d been hoping for more.
After he hung up, I stared at my phone for a while. $10,000 was a lot of money. It was more than I’d ever given anyone for anything, but apparently, it wasn’t enough. I transferred the money that afternoon, just like I promised. Jake sent a quick text saying thanks, but that was it. No phone call, no long conversation, just thanks.
A few days later, Mom called me. That was unusual. She didn’t call me very often unless something was wrong.
“Monica, honey, I need you to come over. We need to have a serious talk. Can you come over tonight?”
I figured they wanted to lecture me about the wedding money. Maybe Jake had told them I’d only given him $10,000 instead of $20. I’d already prepared my defense. I helped Jake with his rent every month. And I regularly sent money to Mom and Dad, too. $10,000 for a wedding was generous, not stingy.
“Fine. I’ll be there around 7.”
“Good. We’ll see you then.”
When I pulled into my parents’ driveway that evening, I noticed Jake’s car was already there. Great. A family meeting. I walked in without knocking like I always did. Everyone was already sitting around the dinner table. Mom, Dad, Jake, and Cassandra. They all looked up when I came in, and the atmosphere was weird. Tense.
“Hi, everyone,” I said, sitting down in the empty chair they’d left for me.
“Monica,” Mom said, nodding. Dad gave me a little wave. Jake smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Cassandra just stared at me with this expression I couldn’t read.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” I asked.
Mom cleared her throat. “Well, Jake and Cassandra are getting married next month.”
“I know. Jake already told me. Congratulations again, you two.”
“Thank you,” Cassandra said.
“The thing is,” Mom continued, “after the wedding, they’re going to need somewhere to live.”
I looked at Jake. “You guys are living together now, right? In that apartment downtown?”
“Yeah, but it’s just a rental,” Jake said. “And it’s not very nice. It’s small and the neighborhood’s not great.”
I shrugged. “Lots of people rent apartments. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Cassandra leaned forward. “I’m not going to live in rental apartments after I’m married. I want to live in a real house in a nice neighborhood.”
I looked around the table, trying to figure out where this was going.
“Okay. So, start looking for a house to buy. The market’s pretty good right now for buyers.”
“That’s the thing,” Mom said. “They can’t afford to buy a house right now, especially not a nice one. So, they keep renting until they can afford to buy.”
“That’s what normal people do,” Dad said, speaking up for the first time.
Family helps family.
I felt a chill run down my spine.
“What do you mean?”
Mom looked me straight in the eyes. “We think you should give Jake and Cassandra your house.”
For a moment, I couldn’t process what she’d said.
“I’m sorry. What?”
“Your house is too big for one person anyway,” Cassandra said. “You don’t need all that space.”
“But Jake and I, we’re going to be a family,” Mom continued. “We need a real home. It makes sense.”
It makes sense.
I looked around the table at all of them staring at me like this was a reasonable request.
“Are you all completely insane?” I asked.
“Don’t be dramatic,” Dad said. “You make good money. You can afford to buy something else, something more appropriate for a single woman,” Cassandra added helpfully. “Something smaller, more manageable.”
I stood up from the table. My hands were shaking.
“I am not giving anyone my house. Are you kidding me right now?”
“Monica, sit down,” Mom said. “Let’s discuss this rationally.”
“Rationally?” I asked. “You want me to give away the house I saved for years to buy? The house I’m still paying a mortgage on? The house I love? I’m leaving.”
I headed for the door, but Cassandra’s voice followed me.
“You’re being selfish, Monica. You’re a terrible sister.”
I stopped and looked at Jake, who hadn’t said a word during this whole exchange.
“Is this what you want too? My house?”
He looked uncomfortable. “Monica, it would really help us out.”
That was all I needed to hear. I walked out without another word.
I drove home in complete shock. I sat in my car in my driveway for like 10 minutes just staring at my house. My beautiful house with the teal walls and cream curtains. The house I’d worked my ass off to buy. And they wanted me to just give it away.
The next morning, my phone started buzzing with text messages. Mom, Dad, even Jake, all of them telling me to think about it and be reasonable. The messages got more aggressive as the days went by. Mom kept texting about how disappointed she was in me. Dad sent long paragraphs about family loyalty. Jake just kept saying, “Please consider it.” I didn’t respond to any of them.
After about a week, the messages stopped coming. I guess they finally got the hint.
The wedding was still happening, though, and despite everything, I was still planning to go. Jake was my brother, and I wasn’t going to let his terrible fiancée keep me away from his wedding.
The morning of the ceremony, I put on my best dress, a navy blue wrap dress that I’d bought specifically for the occasion. I did my makeup carefully, curled my hair, and called a taxi to take me to the venue. They hadn’t sent me a wedding registry, which was weird, but whatever. I decided to just give them cash because everyone can use money, right? I transferred $1,000 to Jake’s account with a note that said, “Wedding gift from Monica.” $1,000 seemed like a generous wedding gift, especially on top of the $10,000 I’d already given them for wedding expenses.
The Riverside Hotel was fancy. Really fancy. The kind of place that charges $500 just to walk through the door. The grand ballroom was decorated with white flowers and gold accents, and there had to be at least 200 guests there. I found the seating chart and looked for my name. Table 12. I counted the tables from the front. 1… 2… 3… Table 12 was pretty far from the main table where the wedding party was sitting, but whatever. I wasn’t there to be the center of attention.
As I was sitting down, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw David Chen, the director of the marketing company where Jake and Cassandra worked.
“Monica, good to see you,” David said, smiling. “How have you been?”
David and I had been friends for years. We’d met through a mutual friend at a work conference, and we’d stayed in touch. When Jake was looking for a job a couple of years ago, I’d asked David if his company was hiring. That’s how Jake ended up working there. We chatted for a few more minutes before David had to go sit at his table. I noticed he was sitting at table three, much closer to the front than I was. Interesting priorities, I guess.
The ceremony started and I have to admit, it was beautiful. Cassandra looked stunning in her dress, and Jake looked happy. Really happy. For a moment, I forgot about all the drama and just felt glad that my brother was marrying someone he loved.
After the ceremony, there was cocktail hour, then dinner, and then the toasts started. The usual stuff. Best man, maid of honor, parents. Then Mom got up to the microphone.
“And now,” she said, “we’d like to hear from Jake’s sister, Monica.”
Everyone turned to look at me. I hadn’t expected to give a speech, but okay, I could handle this. I walked up to the front and took the microphone from Mom. I looked out at all the faces staring at me, then at Jake and Cassandra at the head table.
“Hi everyone, I’m Monica, Jake’s sister. I just wanted to say that I’m really happy for Jake and Cassandra today. Jake, you’ve always been my little brother, and seeing you this happy makes me happy, too. Cassandra, welcome to the family. I hope you two have a wonderful life together.”
Short and sweet, I was about to hand the microphone back when I noticed Cassandra’s face. She looked angry, really angry. What had I said wrong?
But before I could figure it out, Cassandra stood up and practically grabbed the microphone out of my hands.
“Actually,” she said, her voice carrying clearly through the ballroom, “I don’t really want Monica here at all.”
The room went completely silent. You could have heard a pin drop.
“Monica is one of the most selfish, greedy people I’ve ever met,” she continued, speaking into the microphone. “Do you want to know what she gave us as a wedding gift? $1,000. $1,000. Do you know what we asked her for? Her house. Her empty, too big house that she doesn’t even need because she’s all alone.”
People in the audience started whispering. I could feel my face burning red.
“Monica, please,” I said, reaching for the microphone. “Can we talk about this privately?”
She pushed my hand away.
“No. Everyone should know what kind of person you really are.”
I tried to grab the microphone again, and this time she shoved me harder.
“Cassandra, calm down.”
That’s when she slapped me hard across the face in front of 200 people. The ballroom went dead silent. I stood there, my cheeks stinging, looking at my family. Mom and Dad were staring at me with disapproval, like this was somehow my fault. Jake was looking down at his plate, not meeting my eyes. Even Cassandra’s parents were nodding along like she’d done the right thing.
I waited for someone to say something, but nobody did. Mom walked over to me and hissed in my ear.
“Don’t make a scene. Just leave quietly. You’ve already ruined their special day.”
I didn’t say another word. I walked back to my table, picked up my purse, and headed for the exit. My face was still burning from the slap, and I could feel everyone’s eyes on me as I walked out.
Outside the hotel, I called a taxi and waited on the sidewalk. That’s when David came out after me.
“Monica, are you okay? I’ll drive you. My car’s right here.”
“You don’t have to do that. You should go back to the reception.”
“No way. I’ve seen enough.” He opened his car door for me. “Come on.”
On the drive home, I finally broke down.
“I’ve helped Jake so many times, David. I got him the job at your company. I help him with rent money. I give my parents money, too. And this is how they treat me.”
“I know,” David said quietly. “I’ve seen how much you’ve done for your family. What happened in there was wrong.”
When we got to my house, I thanked David for the ride and went inside. I took a long shower, trying to wash off the whole horrible evening. Then I turned off my phone and went to bed.
The next morning, I slept late. When I finally turned my phone back on, I had dozens of missed calls and text messages. Jake, Mom, Dad, all of them demanding that I fix this situation. And Cassandra had apparently decided I was now a vengeful witch. I had no idea what they were talking about.
“Fix what situation?”
Then Mom called and I made the mistake of answering.
“Monica, what did you do?” she screamed into the phone. “Jake and Cassandra got fired last night. They got messages from their boss saying they were terminated effective immediately. David had fired them.”
I looked at the clock. It was almost noon on Sunday.
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Mom, don’t lie to me. We know you’re friends with their boss. You told him to fire them.”
“I didn’t ask David to fire anyone.”
“Then call him right now and tell him to change his mind.”
I laughed. I actually laughed.
“No, I’m not calling David. If he fired them, he had his reasons.”
I blocked all their numbers. Mom, Dad, Jake, Cassandra, everyone. Then I blocked them on Facebook, Instagram, all social media. I was done with their drama.
Monday morning, they showed up at my house. I was getting ready for work when I heard banging on my front door, then shouting.
“Monica, open this door right now.”
That was Mom. “We know you’re in there,” Dad’s voice. I looked out my bedroom window and saw all four of them standing on my porch. Jake, Cassandra, Mom, and Dad. Cassandra looked like she’d been crying. And she was screaming louder than anyone.
“You ruined our honeymoon. We can’t afford to go to Hawaii now because we don’t have jobs. This is all your fault.”
I opened the window just to crack.
“I didn’t ask David to fire you.”
He saw how you acted at the wedding and made his own decision. “I don’t want employees who think it’s okay to humiliate family members at weddings,” he said. “Plus, Cassandra’s behavior was completely unhinged. I can’t have someone like that representing my company.”
I don’t miss them. I don’t miss their guilt trips or their constant requests for money. I have a new life now, one I control. And I’m happy.