I thought I knew my best friend. We had been through everything together—late-night cramming sessions in college, drunken heartbreaks, road trips that left us with unforgettable memories. When Jake met Clare, I was right there beside him, supporting his relationship, just like he had supported mine.

So when the wedding invitations were finally sent out, I wasn’t expecting any surprises. Emily, my girlfriend of three years, and I had been waiting for this moment for months. She had been part of our group for years, had helped Jake pick out the engagement ring, and had even spent countless hours planning his bachelor party.

It was supposed to be a joyous moment.

Instead, it was the beginning of something I never saw coming.

The Invitation That Changed Everything

I remember the exact moment I saw the invitation. I was sitting on the couch, Emily beside me, her fingers absentmindedly playing with the sleeve of my sweater. She was just as excited as I was—we had been talking about what to wear, what gifts to get, and how fun it would be to celebrate with all our friends.

“Finally!” she grinned as I tore open the envelope. “What’s the date?”

I scanned the details. Venue—beautiful. Date—set. Dress code—black tie.

And then I noticed something that made my stomach drop.

My name was the only one on it.

No plus-one.

No “& Emily.”

Just me.

I frowned, tilting my head as if looking at it from a different angle would somehow make her name appear.

“That’s… weird,” I muttered.

Emily laughed lightly. “Did he forget to put my name? Maybe Clare handled the invites?”

That made sense. Maybe it was just an oversight. A simple mistake.

But something in my gut told me it wasn’t.

I grabbed my phone and shot Jake a quick text.

“Hey, man, I think there’s a mistake with my invite. Emily’s name isn’t on it.”

The typing bubble appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again.

Finally, a response came through:

“Not a mistake. We need to talk.”

My heart started pounding.

I turned to Emily, who was looking at me with a confused expression.

“What did he say?”

I swallowed hard. “He said it’s not a mistake.”

Her smile faltered. “…What?”

I had no answer for her.

But I was about to find out.

The Awful Truth

That night, I met up with the other groomsmen at a bar. It wasn’t long before I pulled Mark—one of our old college friends—aside.

“Hey, man,” I murmured. “What the hell is going on?”

Mark’s face went pale. His eyes darted around, as if making sure no one else was listening.

“Wait… they didn’t tell you?” he whispered.

A chill ran down my spine. “Tell me what?”

Mark hesitated.

I didn’t wait. I stormed off, my mind racing.

Jake. My best friend. The guy I had known for over a decade. The guy who had been like a brother to me.

What the hell had he done?

I found him near the bar, laughing with Clare and a few of her bridesmaids, drink in hand, looking like he didn’t have a single care in the world.

My chest burned.

“Jake,” I said, my voice tight. “We need to talk.”

His smile wavered. “Uh—now?”

“Yes. Right now.”

I didn’t wait for an answer. I grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the group.

“What the hell is going on?” I demanded. “Why does every groomsman get a plus-one except me? Why wasn’t Emily invited?”

Jake exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. He wouldn’t meet my eyes.

Guilt.

And then, before he could even say a word, Clare appeared. Arms crossed. Smug smirk in place.

“Because,” she said coolly, “Lisa would lose her mind, that’s why.”

I blinked. “…Lisa?”

Jake flinched.

Clare rolled her eyes dramatically. “Lisa’s been obsessed with you since the engagement party. She thinks you two are destined or some ridiculous crap like that.”

I felt like I had been punched in the gut.

“Lisa?” I repeated, stunned. “Lisa is the reason Emily wasn’t invited?”

Clare sighed as if this was a minor inconvenience. “She’s been struggling a lot lately, and honestly? We didn’t want any drama at the wedding.”

I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “So instead of telling Lisa to get a grip, you decided to uninvite my girlfriend?”

“She gets really jealous,” Clare said, as if that justified everything.

I turned to Jake, waiting for him to say something. Anything.

But he just looked miserable. “Look, man,” he muttered. “It’s just for one night. Lisa’s been going through some stuff, and we figured if you came alone, it would keep things simple.”

Keep things simple.

I stared at him, my blood boiling. “Are you even hearing yourself right now?“

Jake sighed. “It’s not personal, man—”