My Brother's Betrayal, My Lover's Lies

axon, and was getting ready to celebrate my brother Hanson' s wedding. I

he parking garage, tangled up with my brother' s fiancée

isted the story, painting me as a je

them. He slapped me across the

e snarled. "If you try to ruin this,

g his mistress over me, watchin

en me, casting me out as t

that night,

. And I would be t

pte

ra Hoff

olor of fresh cream, a subtle elegance I had chosen for the rehearsal dinner, a night meant to celebrate my brother Hanson' s impending

h the bridal

ned, a smile already forming on my lips, but it faltered at the sight of him. Hi

dinner. Do you like it?" I asked, trying to keep my tone

out, aren' t you? You know, sometimes it feels like you're tryi

ess. I thought it was appropriate." My mind raced, trying to understand his sudden hostilit

ve as he crumpled the fabric. "Appropriate? You mean, 'look-at-me-I' m-the-perfect-sis

This was... new. It felt like a deliberate jab, aimed squarely at my confidence. Perhaps he was just stressed about the

cting strange," I said, reaching

e with all the wedding planning. She feels like everyone' s judging her, especiall

always tried to be welcoming, but Karla had a way of making everything about her, drawing sympathy with

h my dress?" My voice was quiet, laced

subtle twist of the knife. He was asking me to shrink myself, for someone else' s comfort. My gut churned. I wanted to push, to ask why he kn

look, the happy couple calls," Jaxon muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. He answered it

' s voice was suddenly jovial, a c

saw her. Karla. Lounging on the sofa behind him, her head resting on his shoulder, her hand casually stroking his arm. She looked up, her eyes mee

bsolutely stunning, you' ll love it," Karla chirped, her voice overly sweet, a performance for Hanson'

great, Karla. Alex and I would love to check it out with

let slide. He rarely wanted to spend time with my family, always had an excuse to skip family gatherings, claiming he hate

ice. Or maybe he just didn' t care. My own memories flickered – Jaxon always finding reasons to avoid my family. My mother' s birthday, my father' s golf tou

nson' s arm, leaning closer to his ear, whispering something that made him laugh. Then she pulled back, her gaze returnin

hone, "Your Jaxon is just the sweetest. Always looking out for me. He' s bee

t. The way she emphasized your. It was a taunt. A challenge. Lo

trying to make sense of the sudden chill that had permeated the room. There was somethi

e loaded subtext, just grunted in agreement. "Yeah, well, some

she turned her full attention back to Hanson, playfully swatting his arm. My heart sank dee

ly. "Look, I know this is a lot. But Karla just needs a little extra consideration right now. It' s her wedding." He

mily event. I couldn' t make a scene. My eyes, however, instinctively darted back to the phone screen, still displaying Hanson and Karla' s smiling faces. And then, I

w him hugging me.

asn't just about a dress, or a stressful

t about to call you. Hanson and I were wondering if you and Alex would like to join us for a quick drink downstairs tonight? A l

sweeping over my clinging silk dress. "You guys have been together for so long.

t hopes for a future with him. "Marriage is just a piece of paper, Alex," he'd always said, "Our love is more real

her waist. "Yeah, Alex, what' s the holdup? Jaxon' s a catch. Don' t tell me you' r

t he wasn't the marrying type. But was it truly about him, or was it about me? Had he been stringing me along, all while having someone else on the side? The

rds Karla. "Don' t tease Alex, Hanson. We' re just happy as we are,

t like a shroud. I remembered Jaxon's earlier comment about Karla's fragility, his insi

quickly masked, confirmed my deepest fear. She knew. She had al

t' s too... much. Give it to Karla. She really needs something to lift her spirits,

d he was giving my dress, chosen for our evening, to her. T