There are moments when I find myself wondering whether or not my younger sister has ever experienced even the slightest bit of guilt.
Should she take a moment to halt and reflect on the devastation she had caused in her path, even if it was just for a moment.
But based on my knowledge of her, I really doubt it.
Lila has always been the kind of person who views life as a chessboard, and every person as a pawn on that board. She never put forth any effort to earn anything; chances just presented themselves to her, and they tended to come at the cost of other people.
And the previous year, I became her most significant victim.
It wasn’t only that she betrayed me; she also took the guy I was going to marry away from me. Furthermore, as if that were not enough, she seemed to take great pleasure in her “victory,” as she strolled about town with him as if she had just been awarded a trophy.
I had the impression that wasn’t the end of it. After that, however, I was sent an ivory envelope with gold writing which I got nearly precisely one year later.
A request for entry.
The wedding of Lila was happening. That is to him.
She wanted for me to be present.
Upon my first reading of it, I felt a knot in my gut. The first thing that sprang to my mind was that this had to be a prank, some wicked effort to insult my wounds, which were still in the process of healing.
However, as I flipped the thick cardboard in my hands, I came to the realization that she had a genuine expectation that I would come there to appreciate her happily-ever-after occurrence.
No one had any idea. My intentions were different.
She was about to find out that I would be there for something completely different, even though she had the impression that she was inviting me to see her victory.
The day of the wedding dawned bright and pleasant, the type of weather that women fantasize of having on their wedding day.
The location was a magnificent ballroom located inside a historic hotel in the heart of the city. It was the type of place that had marble floors that reverberated with every step and chandeliers that were pouring with crystals.
When I first walked through the door, I could feel people looking at me in a sideways manner. The air around me was thick with whispers, like smoke.
I was not meant to be at this location.
But it didn’t make a difference.
There is no denying the breathtaking beauty of the décor, which included gold-rimmed dishes, ivory linens, and towering displays of white flowers. Waiters glided past carrying trays of champagne, and each and every visitor seemed as if they had been taken right from the pages of a fashion magazine.
On the other hand, I could sense the decay underlying all of the glitz and splendor.
This was not your typical wedding, that’s for sure.
The occasion was Lila’s wedding.
Perhaps there was a period when I could have referred to her as my closest friend. Although she had always been my parents’ favored child, I continued to adore her despite the fact that we were sisters and were close in age. I was under the impression that she loved me in return.
After that, Derek arrived.
He was my fiance, the guy I thought I would spend the rest of my life with. That is, until the night that I arrived home early and discovered them together. Prior to that, I had trusted him with everything.
I am able to recall the precise moment. Behind me, the door of my front door snapped shut. I yelled his name, made my way into the bedroom, and then I stopped moving.
My bed was occupied by Derek. He was also Lila.
His face was filled with a mixture of dread, remorse, and maybe even humiliation. I will never forget that look. Are you Lila?
All she did was grin.
“I have done it, Rachel. I have won.”
There was a cancellation of my wedding one month later. There was no way to get my deposits back, the dress I had selected was hanging in a garment bag like a harsh reminder, and the future I had envisioned was no longer a possibility.
While everything was going on, Lila and Derek were no longer required to snoop about. It was possible for them to publicly display their connection, and they did so.
For a period of many weeks, I left the city in an effort to put some space between myself and the destruction. While I was trying to recall who I was without them, I slept in inexpensive motels, worked from home, and worked remotely.
In the aftermath of my return, I began the process of reestablishing my life by adopting a little tabby cat. As time went on, the pain stopped.
The invitation did not come till later.
During the ceremony, which took place at the other end of the ballroom, sunlight was allowed to enter through arched windows and shine upon an altar that was draped in flowers.
I wasn’t paying much attention to what the officiant had to say about love and dedication as I stood toward the back of the room.
In that moment, Derek stood there wearing a tuxedo that was exquisitely cut, his gaze fixed on Lila as if she were the most valuable thing in the whole world.
It’s possible that I would have believed the situation if I hadn’t been aware of the reality.
I decided to take a leisurely drink of champagne instead, and my thinking was, “Enjoy it while you still have the chance, sweetheart.”
When the reception started, the ballroom was already buzzing with activity, with people laughing, clinking glasses, and listening to music. A slideshow of their engagement images was shown on a giant projection screen that was attached to the ceiling above the dance floor. The photos showed Derek holding Lila in his arms, the two of them smiling in golden light, and their foreheads meeting in a state of romantic happiness.
Anyone else would have considered it to be the epitome of perfection.
As far as I was concerned, it was a meticulously crafted falsehood.
And I was on the verge of tearing it to shreds.
Without drawing attention to myself, I navigated my way through the throng while wearing a black dress that seemed to be tailor-made for me and my heels clicking confidently against the ground. Rather of dressing like a visitor, I was dressed like someone who should have been in command of the situation.
I removed a flash drive from my clutch as soon as I arrived to the side table where the laptop that was linked to the projector was sitting.
One or two clicks. Take a few deep breaths. It’s time to show.
Nothing looked out of the ordinary at first. While the screen continued to light with happy smiles, the guests continued to drink and talk to one another.
The slideshow then began to flicker, and Derek’s voice could be heard across the room.
I beg you, please do not abandon me!
After then, the scene changed to blurry video from a security camera. When I was in my bedroom, I was able to get this viewpoint.
I looked over and saw Derek sitting on the side of my bed, his face contorted in an expression of hopelessness.
I listened attentively as he talked while standing opposite him with my arms folded.
“Rachel, I have absolutely no interest in Lila! Nothing at all except nothing!”
Her presence was a blunder! Hello, Rachel! I adore you! It was a fatal error on my part!
There was complete silence in the room.
My gaze moved toward the table where the newlyweds were sitting.
Her lips were parted in amazement, and Lila had become a pallid color. The hands of Derek were twitching at his sides as he remained there still.
But the footage was not yet finished.
more camera footage was shown, which saw Lila and Derek sneaking into my bedroom while speaking and giggling. The film then turned to more surveillance footage of my front door opening.
With each passing clip. One date after another. Second after second of treachery.
Last but not least, Lila was seen chuckling as she was spread out on my bed.
“She will never be aware of…”
“Rachel, who are you?” Derek made a joke.
The audience let out a gasp. Around the corner, a champagne flute broke as it collided with the ground.
My mother seemed to be on the verge of passing out. The muscles in my father’s jaw contracted so severely that I was afraid he may break a tooth.
She struggled to her feet, and her voice was shaking as she said.
Incredibly, this isn’t even genuine!
On the other hand, the truth was projected for everyone to see, and it was right there, ten feet tall.
When Derek turned to face her, his tone was abrasive.
It was you who informed me that you had erased the video!
An eyebrow was raised by me.
I see, so you were aware that the cameras had captured you?
His face had lost all of its color.
The visitors’ reactions were a mixture of amazement and disdain as their whispers grew into open murmurs when they heard the news.
Then, despite all of the mayhem, a voice could be heard.
It is Rachel.
I made a turn.
Noah was the one. She was the only person who knew what I was planning, and she was my closest friend. The individual had been adamant on attending, and he had even secured a position as a waiter in order to ensure that he would not be seen as suspicious.
After that, he started marching in my direction, navigating his way past the astonished throng.
As he did so, he lowered himself to one knee in a single fluid move.
Complete silence descended over the room.
After pulling out a little velvet box, Noah unwrapped it to find a diamond ring that sparkled with a brilliant shine.
He said slowly and calmly, “I’ve waited long enough to ask you this, my love,” he mentioned. “Rachel, are you willing to marry it?”
A wave of disbelief spread over the visitors among them.
It was a choked sound that Lila made.
“ARE YOU HOOKED UP WITH ME?!!” The woman screamed. “RACHEL!! ” RIGHT NOW?! WHEN IT IS MY WEDDING?
I didn’t even give her a passing look.
I broke into a genuine grin, the first one I’d had in a very long time.
I concur, Noah. I am going there.”
We exited the ballroom together, hand in hand, leaving behind a raging storm of mayhem in our wake.
The wonderful day that Lila had planned for herself was ruined, her newlywed husband was humiliated, and her highly polished image was broken in front of everyone who was important to her.
And for the very first time since she had deceived me, I had the sensation that I had triumphed