I stood there, frozen in shock, as Jessica’s words sunk in. I couldn’t believe that my own sister would stoop this low. “You can’t be serious,” I finally managed to say, my voice trembling with anger.
Jessica just shrugged. “It’s a win-win, Gina. You get to share your special day with me, and I get the wedding I’ve always wanted. Ben and I are perfect for each other, and this is the perfect way to start our lives together.”
I looked around at the venue, at the decorations that Leo and I had painstakingly chosen, at the flowers that I had picked out myself. This was supposed to be my day, my moment to shine. And now, Jessica was trying to steal it from me.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I knew that getting angry wouldn’t solve anything. I needed to think clearly, to come up with a plan. “Where’s Ben?” I asked, my voice steady.
Jessica’s smile faltered for a moment. “He’s… he’s on his way. He had some last-minute errands to run.”
I nodded, my mind racing. I knew that Ben was a good guy, that he would never have agreed to this if he knew how much it would hurt me. I needed to talk to him, to make him see how wrong this was.
“Fine,” I said, my voice cold. “I’ll give you until Ben gets here. But if he doesn’t call this off, I’m calling the police.”
Jessica’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t dare.”
I stared at her, my gaze unwavering. “Try me.”
With that, I turned on my heel and walked away. I needed to find Leo, to tell him what was going on. I knew that he would be just as shocked and angry as I was, but I also knew that he would support me, no matter what.
I found Leo in the parking lot, talking to some of our friends. His face lit up when he saw me, but his smile faded when he saw the look on my face. “Gina, what’s wrong?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.
I took a deep breath and told him everything. Leo listened in silence, his jaw clenched. When I was finished, he put his arm around me and pulled me close. “Don’t worry, Gina,” he said. “We’ll figure this out.”
Just then, Ben pulled into the parking lot. He got out of his car and walked over to us, a confused look on his face. “What’s going on?” he asked.
