I had been looking forward to my wedding day for what felt like forever. A week before the big day, my fiancé Luke and I headed to my parents’ house to finalize all the last-minute details. We were sitting around the kitchen table, going over plans, when my mom glanced up from the guest list.

“Nina,” she said, her voice tinged with concern, “I noticed Emma’s name isn’t on here.”

I tensed up immediately. My twin sister, Emma, and I hadn’t spoken in years, and I had no intention of inviting her to my wedding. “Mom, you know how I feel about Emma. She’s envious, arrogant, and honestly, I don’t want her there.”

My mom’s expression softened, and she looked at me with those pleading eyes only mothers can give. “Honey, she’s still your sister. It wouldn’t feel right without her.”

My dad chimed in, nodding in agreement. “Family is important, Nina. Give her a chance.”

I sighed, knowing I couldn’t win this one. “Fine. I’ll invite her.” Inside, I dreaded what could happen, but I wanted to keep the peace.

The wedding day finally arrived, and everything was perfect. We had rented a beautiful countryside hotel for the celebration, and it felt like a dream come true. The sun was shining, the flowers were stunning, and everyone seemed genuinely happy.

To my surprise, Emma and I actually managed to get along. She seemed different—softer, even. “Nina,” she said with a gentle smile, “I’m really happy for you.”

“Thanks, Emma,” I replied, feeling cautiously optimistic. Maybe she had changed after all.

As the evening wore on, and the older guests began to leave, the real party started. There was dancing, drinking, and so much laughter. Emma approached me, holding two identical dresses with a mischievous grin. “Remember these?” she asked. “Let’s dress the same, just like when we were kids!”

I laughed, feeling a surge of nostalgia. “Why not? For old times’ sake.” We changed into the matching dresses, styled our hair the same way, and honestly, it was fun. For a moment, it felt like we were those inseparable little girls again.

But as the night progressed, I noticed something unsettling—Luke was nowhere to be found. I asked a few friends if they had seen him, but no one had. A sense of unease began to build in my stomach. I searched the hotel, my heart racing with anxiety. When I reached the bathroom area, I heard muffled voices. Dread settled in my chest.

I pushed open the door and froze. There, in front of me, were Luke and Emma, in a compromising position, their clothes disheveled. My world crumbled in an instant.

“Luke?” I whispered, my voice trembling. They didn’t hear me, completely oblivious to my presence. Tears welled up, blurring my vision, and I ran out of the hotel, feeling utterly betrayed.

Outside, I found a quiet spot and collapsed onto the grass. The cool night air did nothing to soothe the pain ripping through me. I buried my face in my hands and sobbed uncontrollably. How could they do this to me?

I don’t know how long I sat there, but eventually, Luke found me. “Why are you crying?” he asked, genuinely confused. “I was just with you a minute ago, and you were smiling.”

I stared at him, a mix of hurt and disbelief on my face. “Luke, that wasn’t me. That was Emma pretending to be me.”

His eyes widened in shock. “What? Emma? Are you serious?”

“Yes,” I replied, wiping away my tears. “She tricked you. But we can’t let anyone know. Not yet.”

Luke nodded slowly, still trying to process everything. “Okay, what do we do?”

“We keep quiet,” I said, my sorrow transforming into cold determination. “And I’ll figure out a way to make her pay.”

The next day, while everyone was resting, I told Luke I needed to go into town for a few hours. He agreed without question. I drove to the city, my mind racing with ideas for revenge. That’s when I saw him—a homeless man sitting on the sidewalk. An idea began to form.

“Hi,” I said, approaching him with a smile. “Would you like a haircut and some new clothes?”

He looked at me, surprised but grateful. “Sure, ma’am.”

“What’s your name?” I asked as we walked.

“Edward,” he replied, still eyeing me with curiosity.

“Edward, I need your help with something,” I said, my plan solidifying in my mind. “I’ll explain everything on the way.”

I took Edward to a barbershop, where they gave him a stylish haircut and cleaned him up. He looked like a different person. Next, we went to a store and rented him a fancy, expensive suit. As we talked, I learned that Edward had once been a successful businessman, but his partner had betrayed him, leaving him with nothing. He had ended up on the streets, but he never lost hope.

We returned to the hotel, and I introduced Edward to everyone as an old friend. “This is Edward,” I said, smiling. “He’s a very wealthy and successful businessman.”

Emma’s eyes lit up the moment she saw him. She was hooked, flirting with him shamelessly, hanging on his every word. They spent the day together, and eventually, they ended up in Emma’s hotel room. She thought she had hit the jackpot—a rich and powerful man.

Later, I asked Edward to propose to her in front of all the guests. He agreed, and in front of everyone, he got down on one knee. “Emma,” he said, holding out a ring, “will you marry me?”

Emma’s eyes sparkled with greed. “Yes!” she exclaimed.

The guests clapped and cheered, but then Edward stood up and looked at Emma seriously. “I need to tell you something,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “I’m not a wealthy businessman. I’m just a regular homeless guy.”

The color drained from Emma’s face. “What? No, this can’t be true!” she stammered.

“It is,” he said simply.

Emma’s face twisted with rage and humiliation. She stormed out of the hotel, leaving everyone in stunned silence.

Afterward, Edward thanked Luke for the opportunity. “If there’s anything I can do to repay you…”

Luke smiled. “Actually, there is. How about a job at my company?”

Edward’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? That would be amazing!”

Luke nodded. “We could use someone with your resilience and determination.”

Just like that, Edward was hired at Luke’s company. As for Emma, she had tried to ruin my happiness, but in the end, she only ruined herself. Luke and I were stronger than ever, and with Emma out of our lives, we had a fresh start.