Let me just get this out of the way: I hate my sister, Melissa. From the bottom of my heart, I hate her. She is a total brat who thinks she is entitled to everything she wants, and our parents, for the most part, have let her be that way.
Our rivalry started young. We’re only a year apart, so we were always competing—for our parents’ attention, for friends, and eventually, for boys. It never stopped. She was the kind of person who would hit on my prom date and then smile smugly about it. While I tried to be the bigger person as a kid, she made it clear she would always try to make my life difficult. She is a little demon with no redeeming qualities. How she got her fiancé, Theo, to propose is the biggest mystery of all. Well, her ex-fiancé now. And my parents are blaming me for it.
The Betrayal
Melissa and Theo had been together for five years. I’d met him countless times, and he was a genuinely nice person—the complete opposite of my sister. I never understood it. After they got engaged eight months ago, I started hearing rumors from old school friends. People swore that Melissa had been introducing herself as single for years, going on dates, and using dating apps. But they were just rumors, with no proof. I didn’t want to be accused of spreading lies out of jealousy, so I kept my mouth shut for Theo’s sake.
Meanwhile, I’ve been dating my boyfriend, Alex, for two years. Things are serious; we’re planning on getting engaged soon, and my whole family, including Melissa, knows it. Despite our hatred for each other, my parents force us to have dinner together every weekend.
A week before her wedding, Melissa decided to make a move on Alex.
My parents were hosting a final celebratory dinner with Theo’s family. I stepped into the garden for some fresh air, and when I returned, I overheard a seductive voice coming from the kitchen. I peeked inside and was shocked. Melissa had literally cornered Alex against a wall. He was trying to put as much distance between them as possible while she flirted, telling him that if he ever got bored with me, he knew who to call.
Disgusted, I pushed the door open and stood there, arms crossed, glaring at her. She just smiled smugly and walked past me as if nothing happened. Alex was mortified and quickly explained that she had followed him into the kitchen, shut the door, and started hitting on him. I trusted him completely; I could see how uncomfortable he was. This wasn’t even the first time she’d done something like this. She’d made moves on my boyfriends before, and sometimes it even worked.
I had finally had enough. This wasn’t about her and Alex; it was about her insane need to one-up me. I found my mother and pulled her aside, explaining what just happened and telling her about the cheating rumors I’d heard. I expected her to be shocked and tell me to do the right thing—to warn Theo.
Instead, she begged me not to say a word. “Put it aside for now,” she pleaded. “Put on a happy face for the wedding. Whatever happens after, happens after.”
In that moment, I gave up all hope for my family. My parents, for all their talk of doing the right thing, would always enable Melissa to protect their reputation.
When Alex and I got home, he gave me some news that changed everything. He told me he’d accidentally started recording a video on his phone when Melissa cornered him. His screen was on when she entered the room, and in his haste to put the phone in his pocket, he’d hit record. We now had video evidence of her hitting on my boyfriend just one week before her wedding.
I knew exactly what to do. I typed out an email to Theo, detailing every nasty rumor I’d heard and attached the video. Then I hit send.
The Wedding
For the next week, there was radio silence. Nothing. My mom called and had a normal conversation with me. We started to believe Theo had seen the email and decided to ignore it. We were disappointed but accepted it. At the wedding, everything seemed normal. Theo greeted us politely, and he and Melissa looked happy. I figured the universe wanted them to be together, and I wasn’t going to interfere further.
Then, at the altar, it was time for the vows. After Melissa said hers, it was Theo’s turn.
Instead of his vows, he began talking about “a certain email” he had received a week ago.
Alex and I just looked at each other. He went on to read the contents of my email aloud. Then, he held the microphone up to his phone and played the video. Everyone recognized Melissa’s voice. All eyes were on us.
After the video finished, he explained that he’d spent the week investigating the rumors. He spoke to several guys from Melissa’s past who confirmed, with photos, that she had been on dates with them during the five years she was with him.
“It only seems fitting,” he said, his voice calm and clear, “that I leave her. I chose this moment because after everything, I believe I at least deserve a moment of satisfaction and revenge.”
After that speech, he walked off the altar.
For a few seconds, there was absolute silence. Then, Melissa completely dissolved into a hysterical panic. The venue was chaos. Eventually, her new in-laws had to take the mic and tell everyone to go home after lunch. Alex and I left immediately. We were happy for Theo. He was a good man who deserved better.
Late that night, my mother called. “I know it was you,” she seethed. “You’ve always been jealous of Melissa. You ruined her wedding because she was getting married before you.” She told me she and my dad were deeply disappointed and that I was just as bad as my sister. Then she said it would be best if we didn’t speak for a while. It broke my heart.
Update 1: One Week Later
I refuse to be gaslighted into believing this was my fault. I may have competed with my sister, but I never stooped so low as to hurt an innocent person in the process. She was a serial cheater, and I exposed her. I saved a good man from a lifetime of misery. If my parents want to pretend our family’s reputation is more important than that, they are welcome to their delusion. I have blocked them. As for Melissa, she’s miserable. Good. If she didn’t want Theo to leave her, she should have been a better partner.
And for the record, I have zero romantic feelings for Theo. I have Alex, who I love more than anyone. I did what I did because it was the right thing to do.
Update 2: Two Weeks Later
Today, I finally heard from Theo. He sent me an email, thanking me for looking out for him. He said he’d had his doubts about Melissa but that I was the only person with the guts to tell him the truth, allowing him to make a decision for himself. He didn’t care about my motives; he was just grateful. I still feel bad that he was hurt, but this is better for him in the long run.
Update 3: Three Months Later
This is a short and sweet update. Two days ago, Alex proposed, and I said yes! We’re throwing an engagement party in a couple of days. I didn’t invite my parents, as they still haven’t reached out. I posted about our engagement on social media, and while they ignored it, all my other relatives congratulated me and agreed I did the right thing. I don’t expect anything from my parents anymore. I’m happy, Alex is happy, and that’s all I need.