“Oh, it must be a misunderstanding. Natasha, are you sure you won’t cover it? You know how tight things are for us.”
I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm.
“I’m absolutely sure, Nancy. Why did you even throw such a lavish dinner party when you knew you couldn’t afford it?”
The room fell silent as the guests processed what was happening. Some were visibly annoyed, like Emmet’s cousin Mike, who muttered under his breath, “This is ridiculous.” Others simply refused to pay, walking out in a huff.
The manager, sensing the brewing storm, stepped in. “Ladies and gentlemen, if we could settle the bills promptly, that would be appreciated.”
In the end, most guests grudgingly paid their share, but the damage was done. Our family began to see Adam and Nancy for who they truly were: entitled and exploitative.
The couple’s attempts to leverage my inheritance had backfired spectacularly. Later that night, as Emmet and I walked home, he squeezed my hand. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that, Tasha.
It was unfair of them to put you on the spot.”
“It’s okay,” I said, leaning into him. “I’m just glad we stood our ground. Hopefully, this will make them think twice before trying something like this again.”
Our wedding day arrived a few months later, and it was everything we dreamed of.
Surrounded by loved ones who genuinely cared for us, we celebrated without the shadow of entitlement hanging over us. The ceremony was held in a beautiful garden, the sun casting a warm glow over the scene. Emmet looked dashing in his suit, and I felt like a princess in my lace gown.
As I walked down the aisle, my heart swelled with happiness. My mom, holding back tears, whispered, “Your dad would be so proud.”
The ceremony was simple yet heartfelt. Our vows were filled with promises of love, support, and partnership.
Emmet’s voice shook with emotion as he said, “Natasha, you are my heart, my soul, and my everything. I promise to stand by you, through good times and bad, for the rest of our lives.”
Tears streamed down my face as I replied, “Emmet, you’ve been my rock, my best friend, and my love. I promise to cherish and support you, no matter what life throws our way.”
After the ceremony, we moved to the reception area, decorated with twinkling fairy lights and elegant floral arrangements.
We had funded our wedding with part of the inheritance and our savings, making it a truly personal and cherished occasion. Emmet’s sister, Claire, approached us with a wide smile. “This is beautiful, Natasha.
You both did an amazing job.”
“Thanks, Claire,” I said, feeling a wave of relief. “It means a lot to us that you’re here.”
We danced the night away, surrounded by laughter and joy. Our friends and family celebrated with us, their happiness was genuine and heartfelt.
There was no tension, no expectations, just pure love and support. Towards the end of the night, I found a quiet moment with Emmet. “Can you believe we’re married?” I asked, resting my head on his shoulder.
He kissed the top of my head. “I can, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
As we looked around the room, I spotted Adam and Nancy standing off to the side, looking somewhat subdued. They hadn’t caused any trouble since that night at the restaurant, and I hoped they had learned their lesson.
Nancy approached me tentatively. “Natasha, I wanted to apologize again for the dinner incident. We were out of line.”
I nodded, appreciating her effort.
“Thank you, Nancy. I hope we can all move forward from this.”
She smiled weakly. “We will.”
As the night wound down, Emmet and I took a moment to soak it all in.
We stood outside, under the stars, feeling the cool breeze against our skin. “This is perfect,” Emmet said, wrapping his arms around me. “Just perfect.”
I smiled, feeling an overwhelming sense of contentment.
“It really is. Here’s to our future, Emmet. Together, we can face anything.”
And with that, we stepped into our new life, hand in hand, ready to face whatever came our way.
Do you have any opinions on this?
