Five years after losing my wife, I reluctantly attended my best friend Mark’s wedding, still exhausted from work and single parenthood. The elegant venue felt overwhelming, but I focused on my daughter Emma, who proudly wore a flower crown.

As the music changed and the bride appeared, I felt a strange familiarity. When the veil was lifted, my world shattered—there stood Natalie, my wife, the woman I believed had died in a car accident five years ago. I was frozen, unable to comprehend her presence, while Emma tugged at my sleeve, confused by my tears.