This weekend was my cousin Debra’s (22F) wedding. We were close growing up, but drifted apart after she and my siblings left for college. She started dating Brian about a year and a half ago, and since then, she’d been distant with me – still chatty with my siblings, but cold toward me. I figured it was just the age gap.
When the wedding invite came, addressed to our whole family, I assumed I was included, since I still live at home and my siblings both got their own invites.
But at the venue, the moment Debra saw me, her face dropped.
She pulled me aside. “Why did you come? I didn’t send you an invitation.”
I was stunned. “What? We assumed I was included. Why wasn’t I?”
Before she could answer, Brian walked up and said, “Debra said you couldn’t make it. I’m glad you’re here!”
I turned to Debra, confused.
She muttered, “Like you don’t know.”
I had no clue what she was talking about. “Debra, if I did something to upset you, just tell me.”
She scoffed, glancing around nervously. “I don’t want to do this here.”
Brian, clearly puzzled, looked between us. “Do what? What’s going on?”
Debra shook her head, looking frustrated. “It’s nothing. Let’s just enjoy the day.”
But it wasn’t nothing. It nagged at me, and I needed answers. I found my siblings, who were as shocked as I was when they learned I was deliberately excluded. My sister, Caroline, pulled me aside. “You need to find out why. That’s not right.”
After the ceremony, I cornered Debra again. “Tell me the truth. What did I do?”
She sighed, looking tired. “It’s not what you did. It’s what I thought you did.”
“What do you mean?”
She hesitated, then finally admitted, “A few months ago, I got a message from an anonymous account. It had screenshots—messages from you telling Brian not to marry me. Saying I wasn’t right for him. That I was too immature and controlling.”
I felt like I’d been slapped. “What? That never happened!”
“I wanted to believe that, but the messages sounded like you. It hurt.”
I shook my head, my heart racing. “Debra, I swear on everything I love, I never sent those. Who sent them to you?”
She pulled out her phone, showing me the screenshots. The texts looked real, but the account was anonymous. My stomach twisted. Someone had faked this. “Debra, please, you have to believe me. This isn’t me. You know I’d never do this to you.”
Her eyes darted between my face and the messages, doubt creeping in. “Then who did?”
That question hung in the air. I had no clue. But then, Brian, who had overheard the conversation, spoke up. “Wait… these messages… they don’t sound right. I remember getting texts like these from that same account. Someone also messaged me, saying that you were in love with me and that I should break up with Debra.”
Debra’s eyes widened. “You never told me that.”
Brian rubbed his jaw. “I didn’t think it mattered. I blocked the number. But if they were sending things to both of us…”
Debra suddenly turned pale. “Oh my God.”
She ran back inside, pulling my sister Caroline aside. They whispered for a moment before Debra gasped, her hand covering her mouth. She turned back to me. “I think I know who did this.”
We all followed her inside, straight to one of her bridesmaids—Lena.
“Lena, why?” Debra’s voice shook with emotion.
Lena sighed, putting down her champagne glass. “I didn’t think it would go this far.”
Turns out, Lena had a thing for Brian and thought if she caused drama between me and Debra, it would weaken their relationship. She figured Brian would start doubting Debra, and in the process, she also wanted to alienate me because she knew I was someone Brian trusted. But her plan had backfired—Brian ignored the messages, and instead of driving them apart, she had just driven a wedge between me and my cousin.
Debra’s face crumbled. “You ruined our relationship over this?”
Lena shrugged. “I didn’t mean to ruin anything. I just thought… if you had doubts, you’d leave him.”
Brian stepped in. “That’s insane. You hurt Debra and her family for your own selfish reasons.”
Lena had the nerve to roll her eyes. “Fine. I’m sorry. Whatever. It’s your wedding day—focus on that.”
Debra didn’t even have words for her. She turned to me, tears welling up. “I’m so sorry. I should have just talked to you instead of believing some anonymous texts.”
I sighed, feeling both hurt and relieved. “Yeah. You should have. But I understand why you didn’t.”
We hugged. And that was it. The tension lifted, and while I was still upset that she had doubted me, I also understood that sometimes, when people are fed lies, they don’t always question them. It’s easier to believe the worst than to have an uncomfortable conversation.
As for Lena? She was quietly asked to leave. And while the wedding went on as planned, her absence was definitely noted.
Later that night, Debra gave me a real, proper apology. “You didn’t deserve that. I should have known better. And I really missed you.”
I smiled, hugging her. “Just don’t ever believe random messages over me again.”
She laughed. “Lesson learned.”
And I guess that’s the takeaway from all this—never assume the worst about someone you love without talking to them first. Lies can spread like wildfire, but the truth always comes out in the end.
If you’ve ever been in a situation like this, where someone tried to sabotage a relationship with lies, share your story in the comments! And if you enjoyed this, don’t forget to like and share—it might help someone realize the importance of communication and trust. ❤️
