Draw the Line
Maya was in shock. While she was happy to help with small wedding details, she never agreed to pay for everything.
Tears welled in her eyes as Stacy, the bride-to-be, cruelly kicked her out of the wedding. Heartbroken and humiliated, Maya left. But she vowed she wouldn’t let Stacy get away with this.
Enough is Enough
Maya was tense as she prepared to confront Stacy. Weeks of endless demands and nagging had pushed her to her breaking point.
Determined to finally stand up for herself, Maya arrived at Stacy’s house that morning, her heart racing. She didn’t know what to expect when she rang the doorbell, but nothing could have prepared her for what came next.
The Welcome
When Stacy opened the door, she greeted Maya with a wide smile. Without hesitation, she pulled Maya inside.
“You’re just in time!” Stacy exclaimed, leading her into the living room. “I’ve been picking out some wedding jewelry, and I think I’ve found the perfect necklace.” Maya sat stiffly beside Stacy, her nerves growing. She had come to talk, but Stacy didn’t give her the chance.
Sticker Shock
Stacy tilted her laptop toward Maya to show her the necklace she had selected. Maya’s eyes widened as she saw the price: $1,500.
Excitedly, Stacy gushed, “Isn’t it perfect? I can’t wait to wear it for the wedding.” Maya barely noticed the necklace itself; her focus was locked on the shocking price tag. What Stacy said next made her heart sink.
The Unbelievable Ask
“Here,” Stacy said, handing Maya the laptop. “You can just type in your card info and order it for me.” Maya froze in disbelief. While Stacy’s demands had been outlandish before, this crossed a line.
She shouldn’t have been surprised—this wasn’t the first time Stacy had asked her to pay for something for the wedding.
Time to Speak Up
As Stacy placed the laptop in Maya’s lap, Maya knew it was time to confront her. Taking a deep breath, she gently set the laptop on the table.
Turning to Stacy, she steadied herself. “We need to talk,” she said, her voice trembling. She had no idea how Stacy would react, but she couldn’t hold back any longer.
Standing Firm
The moment Maya spoke, Stacy’s cheerful demeanor shifted. Maya knew Stacy wasn’t used to hearing “no.”
“I’ve already spent a lot of money helping with the wedding,” Maya explained, “and I can’t keep doing this.” Stacy’s face twisted with anger. Maya braced herself, but what came next caught her completely off guard.
A Romantic at Heart
Maya Miller had always been a hopeless romantic. Growing up in New Orleans, she dreamed of finding her perfect partner.
After a few heartbreaks, she decided to focus on her education and career instead, putting love on hold.
Success Through Hard Work
By the age of 27, Maya had landed her dream job at a prestigious law firm. Years of hard work were finally paying off.
Her dedication and generosity made her a favorite among friends and family. She was proud of her accomplishments and happy to share her success with loved ones.
Her Concerns About Stacy
No one took advantage of Maya’s generosity more than her brother’s fiancée, Stacy. While Ben and Stacy had been together for five years, Maya had her doubts.
Stacy often came across as rude and materialistic, and Maya couldn’t shake the feeling that Stacy was more interested in Ben’s growing business than in him. She had hoped her brother would see through Stacy’s act, but now it seemed Maya was the one left to deal with the fallout.
The Big Question
But much to Maya’s dismay, Ben went down and popped the big question just before Christmas of 2022. Maya was gutted. Of course, Stacy said yes. Maya secretly hoped that her brother would come to his senses.
But she chose not to say anything. She knew that telling Ben how she felt about his fiance would only create a rift between her and her brother.
The Question
The night Ben and Stacy invited his family over for dinner and announced the big news was one of the toughest nights of Maya’s life. But it became a lot tougher when her soon-to-be sister-in-law asked her an important question in front of her entire family.
“Would you be my maid of honor?” Stacy asked, an excited grin plastered across her face. But what was Maya supposed to do? She couldn’t say no.
She Agreed
Maya thought for a moment. She wanted to refuse, but that would only hurt Stacy’s feelings, which would anger Ben. Her heart sank as she faked her best smile and agreed to be Stacy’s maid of honor.
But she instantly noticed something about Stacy. “That’s wonderful news,” she said absent-mindedly, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. Maya knew she had something up her sleeve.
Something Wasn’t Right
Maya instantly knew that something just wasn’t right. Stacy didn’t want Maya to be her maid of honor for the right reasons. She could feel it in her bones. The rest of the dinner went by fairly quickly, but for that entire time, Maya sat with a lump in her throat.
Stacy was up to something. It wasn’t until after dinner that Stacy finally decided to speak with Maya alone. While they were alone in the kitchen, she approached her.
A Private Conversation
Stacy watched as Maya placed the dishes in the sink, a smirk on her face. Then, she decided to approach the slightly older woman. “So, Maya, I was wondering if you would like to come over tomorrow and look at some of my wedding ideas with me. I’d love to hear your thoughts,” Stacy said.
Maya smiled slightly, deciding to take the high road. “Oh, yeah?” She tried her best to remain friendly. “I could come over and have a look.” But then, Stacy said something else.
Maid Of Honor
“You know, I’m really glad you agreed to be my maid of honor. There are a few things I want for the wedding that I just can’t afford,” Stacy said. This immediately stopped Maya in her tracks. She never agreed to pay for anything. Curious, she asked, “What kinds of things?”
“Oh, you know, we want to get a few bottles of champagne, maybe a few cases of beer. Ben said you might be able to help us with some essentials.”
Helping Them
As soon as those words left the younger woman’s mouth, Maya’s nerves eased a tiny bit. If her brother needed her help, she was more than willing to help him. “Well, I guess I could help with a few essentials. We should talk about this some more and see what we can afford together,” Maya said. She wanted to help Ben.
Stacy nodded and left the kitchen, but as she did, Maya noticed that same grin on her face. She wasn’t telling her the whole truth.
Paying For Everything
In the days that passed, Maya regretted her decision more and more every single day. She was constantly receiving texts from Stacy. “I finally found the shoes I wanted. Ben says you can help me pay for them. After all, they are essential!” Her texts would read.
Before Maya knew it, she was asked to pay for gifts for the guests, flowers, food, drinks, the band, and Stacy’s shoes. She couldn’t do this.
Dangerously Close
Maya was getting dangerously close to having to use her savings, which she had been saving for her future plans. She couldn’t afford to help this much. But the day she finally decided to talk to her sister-in-law about the matter, the unexpected happened. “I just can’t afford all this,” She said.
Stacy raised a disapproving eyebrow before saying the unthinkable. “Of course you can. You’re rich. Help me.”
Putting Her Foot Down
Maya couldn’t believe her ears. Sure, she did well for herself, but she didn’t consider herself rich. Finally, she knew why Stacy wanted her to be the maid of honor. “Stacy, I can’t afford to pay for your wedding. I can help here or there, but I can’t afford this necklace. In fact, I can’t afford most of this,” Maya spoke honestly.
She wanted to help her brother, but she certainly didn’t want to have to buy her sister-in-law expensive jewelry when she hardly appreciated it.
Are You Serious?
“Are you being serious?” Stacy asked, her face turning red with anger as she stared daggers into Maya. “You’re not going to help me?” Maya resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I have helped you plenty.
Now, I am still willing to help however I can, but I just can’t spend any more money,” Maya explained. But as those words left her mouth, Stacy saw red. Maya knew she was angry, but she didn’t expect what she said next.
Hurtful Words Hurtful Words
Stacy glared at May, and then, the hurtful words left her lips. “If you are not willing to help, then you will no longer be my maid of honor,” Stacy threatened. But this hardly bothered Maya. “That’s okay, Stacy,” She said, but when Stacy noticed that she didn’t care, she decided to take it one step further.
“Actually, you are uninvited from our wedding. I wouldn’t want someone there who doesn’t support me,” She said, seeing the disappointment on Maya’s face.
Disappointment
Maya’s expression fell as a look of disappointment painted itself across her face. She never thought Stacy would stoop so low. “You’re kidding me, right? I can’t go to the wedding unless I pay for everything?” She asked, astonished by what the women had said.
But Stacy simply shrugged and nodded. “Yeah. That’s how it works,” She said without any hesitation.
Uninvited
Maya cried in the car ride home. She couldn’t believe she had been uninvited to her brother’s wedding. She decided to go to the only place she could think of for comfort: her mother’s house. She drove the familiar route with tears pouring down her face.
When she finally got home, she quickly went inside. But as she stepped through the front door, she was met by an unexpected face.
In A State
Ben stood before her, about to leave his mother’s house, when he noticed his twin sister sobbing hysterically. “What’s going on?” He asked, concerned. Maya didn’t know what to say, so she decided to tell the truth. “Stacy uninvited me from your wedding,” She sobbed into his chest.
Ben was beyond confused as he took his sister’s arm and walked her to the living room. He had no idea what was going on, but he was about to learn.
Telling Him Everything
“What do you mean she uninvited you?” He asked as he sat down beside his crying sister. He had never seen her in such a state.
“Stacy said you wanted me to pay for some essentials for the wedding. When I couldn’t afford to help anymore, she uninvited me,” She cried into her hands. But she didn’t see the furious expression on her brother’s face as he glared ahead of him. “She said I said what?”
The Truth
That was when Maya finally learned the truth. “I never said she could ask you for money,” her brother said, with shock on his face. “She wanted to, but I told her no, that it wasn’t your job to pay for our wedding,” He said, growing more upset by the second.
He couldn’t believe that Stacy would go behind his back like that and then hurt Maya when she couldn’t afford to help.
He Had To Go
Ben comforted his sister for a while, his mind racing. He had to speak to her right away. “I have to go,” He said and got up. Maya watched with red, puffy eyes as her brother left the house and drove back home.
But she had no idea what he was about to do. She spent that entire day with her mother, crying and watching movies as she tried to forget about it. But that night, she received a call.
Calling It Off
When Ben’s name flashed across the screen, she rushed to answer the phone. “Ben, are you okay? I’m so sorry,” She said immediately. But to her surprise, his voice was rather calm on the other end of the line. “I broke it off,” He said plainly.
He went on to explain that he wanted nothing to do with a woman who would treat his family like that. “I’m just lucky it ended before we got married,” He said, relieved.
Moving On
As the weeks turned into months, Maya was by her brother’s side. But he seemed perfectly fine despite what had happened. “I dodged a bullet. I’m grateful,” he assured Maya. Slowly but surely, he moved on, and Maya was relieved.
She always knew he deserved better and that someday, he would find someone worth spending his life with.