Planning my dream wedding should have been one of the happiest times of my life—until my sister planned hers a day after mine, changing everything. What followed revealed where my family’s loyalties truly lay, but the universe had its own way of setting things right.

I always knew my sister Rachel was competitive, but I never imagined she would take it this far. What she did, with the support of our parents, left a bitter taste in my mouth and broken bonds.

I was 25 and finally planning my dream wedding to Alex, my fiancé of three years. He’s one of those rare, quietly brilliant guys who rarely have much to say unless it matters. Alex, 27, is thoughtful, grounded, and makes me feel seen in ways I never had growing up.

We got engaged on a foggy hike, just the two of us and the sound of pine needles crunching underfoot. That moment—the way he held out the ring with his hands shaking—was the kind of memory I’d been clinging to for months as we planned our ceremony.