Marriage is usually a beautiful moment when two lovebirds get to be united as one in love, but that isn’t always the case, as seen in the following stories. Sometimes the other partner’s intentions aren’t pure, and sometimes they hide tragic secrets.
From fiancés who cheat and ones who try to steal from their significant others to grooms who are forced out of the lives of their brides, all these tales are about failed marriages. Read these three shocking stories to see how wedding days can sometimes fall apart before they go far.
Unhappy couples at their weddings | Source: Midjourney
1. My Fiancé Swindled Me Before Our Wedding Until I Saw Him as a Groom at Another Event
From the moment I arrived at Catherine’s extravagant wedding venue, I felt an unsettling excitement. My name’s Amanda, and as a private event planner, I’ve handled countless high-end weddings, but none had ever prepared me for this.
Catherine, a 38-year-old heiress, hired me for her grand wedding to Arnold, a wealthy businessman. She was willing to pay millions for every detail to be perfect while insisting on privacy. I’d spent months coordinating this day, listening as Catherine told me how much Arnold loved her.
A wedding invitation card | Source: Unsplash
Yet, despite our meeting every day, her fiancé never once appeared in our planning sessions.
“He’s busy working but completely trusts my vision,” she’d laugh, dismissing any need for him to weigh in on details.
I didn’t dwell on it much, but as the day approached, I couldn’t shake a nagging curiosity about this mysterious groom.
The morning of the wedding, I was organizing table settings when the announcement came: “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our beloved groom, Arnold, with applause!” I turned, expecting to see a stranger. Instead, I saw him…
A confused woman looking outside a window | Source: Shutterstock
My heart stopped as the car’s doors opened; there, stepping out of a white limousine, was MY ex-fiancé, John! I stood frozen in shock as he walked down the red carpet, waving at the guests as he made his way to join his bride at the altar.
But then he turned in the next moment, his eyes found mine, and what happened next was unexpected…
A happy groom looking at someone | Source: Midjourney
As he walked past, he looked right at me with no hint of recognition! A cold wave of anger hit me, and I knew I couldn’t let him get away with it again! I’d lost everything to this man, but not today! Catherine deserved the truth.
Six months earlier, I’d loved and trusted John until he vanished without a trace, leaving me with a mountain of debt. Now, here he was, under a new name, wearing an expensive tuxedo, ready to marry a woman he’d likely deceive as he had me.
A groom at his wedding | Source; Midjourney
I replayed the nightmare of him disappearing from our home, clearing out our accounts, and leaving me with nothing but betrayal.
I couldn’t confront him right away; I needed a plan. A memory sparked: Catherine once mentioned a distant aunt, Linda, whom she wished could attend. The aunt hadn’t been seen in decades, but the bride’s confession gave me an idea.
A woman thinking of a plan | Source: Midjourney
Leaving someone I trusted in charge, I rushed home, called my makeup artist friend Carla, and together, we transformed me into “Aunt Linda,” an elderly woman no one would question.
Back at the wedding, dressed in Carla’s impeccable disguise, I limped up to the entrance and smiled at the security guard.
“I’m Linda, here to surprise my beloved niece, Catherine.”
He looked doubtful until the bride, who’d already married John, spotted us and, stunned, hurried over.
Security staff at an event | Source: Shutterstock
“Linda? I can’t believe it’s you!” Catherine embraced me, unaware she was hugging me instead of a relative. I patted her arm and leaned in close.
“Let’s catch up in a bit, dear. But first, I’d love to make a toast,” I said, heart racing with anticipation.
Soon, I stood before the gathered guests, John watching from the crowd.
Clearing my throat, I announced, “As a surprise for my precious Catherine, I’ve brought a family heirloom, a rare diamond I kept in storage. It’s right here in my purse.”
I took it out and held it up before putting it away.
Someone holding a diamond | Source: Shutterstock
John’s eyes flashed. That diamond, although fake, was bait, and sure enough, within an hour, he made his move! Disguised as Linda, I kept a careful eye on him as he slipped out to “use the restroom.” Moments later, the lights went out…
Taking my cue, I ducked to the back entrance and waited, gripping a heavy decanter. Suddenly, John, or rather “Arnold,” came creeping through the darkness, the glinting stone in his hand. Before he could react, I swung, hitting him square on the back of his head!
An old woman hits a groom on the head | Source: Midjourney
He collapsed, the diamond tumbling from his fingers as the lights flickered back on. As he lay groaning, I turned to see Catherine’s brother, who happened to be a police chief, staring at the scene in shock.
“I trusted him once,” I said, explaining John’s deception while removing my disguise as Catherine’s eyes filled with horror. Her brother stepped forward, ready to arrest my ex.
“Arnold, or John, or whoever you are, you’re under arrest,” he declared.
A shocked police chief at an event | Source: Midjourney
Catherine stood by me, speechless and shaken. John looked at me, finally recognizing who I was, but this time he had no escape.
A week later, Catherine showed up at my door, offering me a position as her assistant and confidante.
“You saved me from him,” she said, grateful.
As I accepted her offer, I knew I’d finally found the closure and justice I’d waited for.
A happy woman | Source: Midjourney
2. I Thought I Was Going to Marry the Man I Trusted and Loved Until I Discovered a Horrid Secret He Kept Along with My Family
I watched as Andy, my fiancé, packed his things, getting ready to leave again. Lately, he’d been doing that… a lot. I swallowed my frustration and tried to sound calm.
“Do you really have to go?”
Andy barely looked at me. “Yeah, it’s for work. Can’t refuse.”
I raised an eyebrow as I felt a growing suspicion. “Seems like you’ve got a lot of work going on these days.”
An unhappy woman | Source: Pexels
His hands stopped moving. “What’re you implying?”
He sounded defensive, and the tightness in my chest grew. I couldn’t help it; something was off. Andy had been disappearing without much of an explanation, always on his phone, and dodging any serious talk.
I watched him grab his toiletries and disappear into the bathroom when I didn’t respond. Then I noticed his phone light up with a new message and kept buzzing. I glanced at the bathroom door and heard the shower as the sound of water filled our apartment. The temptation gnawed at me. This was my chance!
A man walking into the bathroom | Source: Midjourney
I knew his phone’s passcode but had never snooped, knowing it was wrong, yet this time I couldn’t stop myself. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was cheating on me. I unlocked his phone, hands trembling. The message was from a group chat called “Andy and Kira.”
My heart started pounding. Kira was my best friend, I nearly dropped the phone with confusion. I opened the chat. The members stunned me: Andy, Kira, my mom, my sister, and my brother. My pulse quickened as I scrolled up to the beginning of the chat.
A woman snooping through a phone | Source: Midjourney
The first message, from Andy, read:
“I’m sorry you all had to find out about Kira and me this way. I just can’t let Erin find out that I love them both. I still want to marry her…”
My chest tightened as I read my mom’s response, “Andy, you can’t treat Erin like this. She’s my daughter.”
But her moral stance didn’t last. My brother and sister chimed in with open-relationship suggestions, and soon they all were encouraging Andy to keep his relationship with Kira a secret from me! I read, in disbelief, as my family agreed to help him hide everything “until the time was right.” My hands shook, but I kept scrolling.
A woman snooping through a phone | Source: Midjourney
I found photos from a trip they’d all taken together while I’d stayed home sick. Kira had sent Andy pictures that left no question about what they’d been doing. Furious, I took screenshots and sent them to myself. When Andy stepped out of the shower, I forced a smile, pretending nothing was wrong.
Days passed, each one tormenting me. Andy noticed my restlessness and even bought a pregnancy test, worried I might be ill. If only he knew the sickness I felt was from him. I smiled and thanked him. But I knew they all deserved the harshest lesson, and they were going to get it because the plan for my revenge was already forming in my mind…
A woman plotting something | Source: Midjourney
On the day of the rehearsal dinner, Andy left early to “take care of something,” and I felt grateful for his absence. I sent the screenshots on a timed release for 5:30 p.m., set to go to my entire family, Kira’s family, Andy’s, and every friend we had invited.
At the restaurant, my mom greeted me with a hug, beaming.
“I’m so happy for you and Andy!” she said, and I swallowed back the bile.
A happy woman hugs another one | Source: Midjourney
When the guests settled, my fiancé stood to give a toast. He smiled, raising his glass.
“Thank you all for being here to celebrate the love of my life.”
I clenched my teeth, my fingers tight around my glass.
“From our first date, I knew Erin was the one I wanted beside me forever. We…”
Then phones began buzzing, interrupting his speech. One by one, people looked down, confusion darkening into shock. Leaning toward me, “Did you arrange some surprise?” my mom whispered.
A woman looking at her phone | Source: Midjourney
“Something like that,” I replied, feeling my anger settle into a cold satisfaction as chaos ensued with some people shouting and arguing.
But when she looked at her phone, her face went pale, and she could barely meet my eyes! Kira went stiff, staring at Andy with panic! Andy grabbed his phone to see what all the commotion was before looking at me, horrified!
“Erin, wait… I can explain.”
My aunt Teresa stood, glaring at my mother.
“How could you? You betrayed your own daughter for this!”
An upset woman shouting | Source: Freepik
Kira’s eyes met mine, pleading, as she stammered, “Erin, I… we couldn’t control our feelings. Can’t we stay friends?”
I slapped her. “Friends? Friends don’t betray each other like this!”
Andy tried to defend her, but I silenced him with one last glare.
“You’re the most pathetic man I’ve ever met!”
With that, I turned and flipped the cake onto the floor.
“Enjoy your sweet life together,” I said, grabbing my aunt’s arm and heading for the door.
Two women leave a venue | Source: Midjourney
Outside, she hugged me tightly.
“You did the right thing,” she whispered.
“I know,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. I wiped my tears. “Andy was kind enough to pay for the wedding. He’ll be broke soon enough.”
We both laughed a small relief in the pain.
I’d exposed the truth. Now, I could finally start to heal.
Two happy women walking together | Source: Midjourney
3. I Was Ready to Marry the Love of My Life but He Became a Runaway Groom, Years Later I Found Out Why
Standing in the church that morning, my heart thumped with excitement. Karl, the love of my life, and I had planned every part of our wedding, and finally, the day was here. I pictured him waiting for me down the aisle, just as eager to start our life together. But behind the scenes, another plan was already unfolding.
Unbeknownst to me, my father, Hubert, had cornered my fiancé in the men’s dressing room and was trying to force him out.
“You’ll leave this church immediately and never come back. Do you understand me, boy?” he threatened.
A man threatening another one | Source: Midjourney
Karl’s voice trembled, but he held his ground.
“I’m not a boy, sir. I love Jessica. This is our wedding day.”
My father scoffed.
“I never liked you with her, and I’m not letting this continue. My daughter isn’t marrying some loser who lives paycheck to paycheck.”
Karl stood up straighter. “Is that a threat?”
“I don’t make threats, I make promises,” my father snapped. “You will leave this place right now and ghost Jessica forever, or else.”
A sad man departing | Source: Pexels
Many decades later, at 75, I liked sitting outside on my porch, watching the kids running around. I always brought a cup of tea and a book to read. It was a peaceful time, but I always found myself reflecting on my life and sometimes my first wedding because it was the only time I was excited to have one.
I didn’t know about the exchange between Karl and my father until years later, but when my fiancé vanished that day, part of me sensed my father was involved. When I reached the end of the aisle on my father’s arm, I noticed that everyone looked worried.
People looking worried | Source: Freepik
We waited for hours, watching the clock and searching every possible place for him. But Karl was gone without a trace, and nobody could explain why. I was left standing outside the Masonic Temple, one of the best wedding venues in the city, heartbroken and crying in my mother’s arms at the place I always dreamt of marrying.
My father, meanwhile, was calm, maybe even pleased, knowing he’d won.
A happy man standing next to an upset bride | Source: Midjourney
Five years passed, then my father introduced me to Michael, the son of a wealthy friend of his. I resisted at first, but my father’s pressure was relentless, and eventually, I accepted Michael’s proposal.
We had a daughter, Cynthia, but as soon as my father passed when she was six, I divorced Michael. He’d been unfaithful for most of our marriage, and I felt nothing but relief to be free of him. Cynthia and I moved to a quiet neighborhood in Rosedale Park.
Years went by, and she married, giving me three beautiful grandchildren.
A woman with her children | Source: Pexels
As I sat on my porch reminiscing about Karl and wondering why he abandoned me, I thought about how I had a great life despite everything. I was thinking about how I never dated again when the mailman interrupted my thoughts with a loud and cheerful “Good morning, Mrs. Pennington!” I nearly dropped my tea in surprise!
“Oh, hello,” I replied, giving him a small smile.
“You’ve got a letter here,” he said, handing it over. “Fancy! I don’t see handwritten ones often these days.”
A closed envelope | Source: Pexels
I thanked him, and as he walked away, I stared at the envelope, frozen. The last thing I expected was to see the return address written: “Karl Pittman.” My heart raced as I opened the letter with trembling fingers, my mind flashing back to that church day.
Inside, Karl’s handwriting read:
Dear Jessica,
I don’t know if you’ll want to hear from me after all these years but I think about you every day. Your father threatened me on our wedding day, and I was young and afraid. I shouldn’t have listened, but I did, and I left. I moved to California with nothing but the clothes on my back.
An upset woman reading a letter | Source: Midjourney
I choked on tears, wiping them away to keep reading:
I never married or had children because you were the love of my life. I hope this letter finds you well. I’ve included my phone number and address, in case you want to write me back or call. I never learned how to use Facebook and all those things, but I’d love to hear from you.
Love, Karl.
I put down the letter, tears streaming down my cheeks, mixed with a strange relief. All those years, I’d feared Karl had left because he didn’t love me, but now I knew he’d been forced to run.
An emotional woman holding a letter | Source: Midjourney
Without hesitation, I went inside and found my old stationery. I spent hours writing, and that letter was the start of something I thought I’d lost forever. We wrote back and forth, catching up on lives we’d lived apart.
Karl and I finally spoke by phone, talking for hours, laughing and crying about the years we’d lost. Then, one year later, he moved back to Detroit. We were both older, and time was shorter now, but I finally had him back! We were together, finally, in a life that had come full circle.
A happy couple | Source: Pexels
If you enjoyed those stories, then you’ll love this extra one about a man whose soon-to-be mother-in-law discovered he was cheating most unexpectedly. The woman confessed the news to her daughter and together they plotted a way to make the groom pay.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
