Weddings are supposed to be filled with joy, but as I watched Shanize approach the altar, a knot formed in my stomach.
Something was wrong, and I couldn’t ignore it. When I finally stepped forward to lift her gown, the truth I found left me frozen in shock.
I’ve known Dave for over 30 years.
We grew up together, shared secrets, and laughed through awkward teenage years.
So, when he told me he was getting married to Shanize, this stunning, graceful woman he met a year ago, I was thrilled for him.
Honestly, I didn’t think anyone could ever tie him down, but here we were on his wedding day.
The ceremony was perfect — almost too perfect. Shanize looked like she had stepped right out of a bridal magazine, her long white dress gliding down the aisle.
I should’ve been lost in the beauty of it all, but something wasn’t right.
At first, I thought it was just nerves.
Weddings are nerve-wracking, right? But as Shanize took one step, then another, I noticed her walking oddly.
It wasn’t the poised, confident bride’s walk you’d expect. Her steps were small, unsure, almost as if she was stumbling.
I leaned over to whisper to Dave’s sister, Heather.
“Do you see that?” I murmured, trying to keep my voice low.
Heather frowned, glancing at the aisle.
“See what?” she asked, oblivious.
“Shanize,” I said, gesturing subtly with my chin.
“She’s walking weird. Like… like something’s wrong.”
Heather squinted and then shrugged. “You’re overthinking it.
She’s just nervous, Janice.
I mean, it’s a big day.” She gave me a reassuring smile, but it didn’t calm the uneasy feeling bubbling inside me.
Maybe. But something about the way Shanize’s dress moved gnawed at me.
Was her dress too tight? Had something happened before the ceremony?
I tried to push the thoughts away, but as she got closer to the altar, I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
Her steps weren’t just slow; they were almost labored.
I leaned over again, unable to resist. “Heather, I swear something’s off.”
“Janice, stop it,” Heather whispered, her tone sharp. “You’ll ruin the moment.
Don’t make a scene.”
I looked back toward the altar.
Dave was standing there, his eyes sparkling with love. When our eyes met, he gave me a thumbs-up and mouthed, “Can you believe it?”
I forced a smile back at him, nodding, but inside, something wasn’t sitting right.
The closer Shanize came to the altar, the more unsettled I felt.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who noticed.
“She’s gliding!” someone whispered behind me, a man’s voice laced with amusement. Something about that comment chilled me to my core.
I leaned in toward Heather again, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Did you hear that? Gliding? That’s exactly it.
She’s not walking right.”
“Janice, for God’s sake,” Heather hissed, her patience thinning.
“You’re going to embarrass Dave. Stop acting like this!”
But I couldn’t stop.
As Shanize drew nearer, I squinted at her feet, trying to make sense of it. The flow of her dress was unnatural.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
My body moved before my mind could catch up.
“I have to check,” I muttered, stepping forward. I heard Heather’s sharp intake of breath as I edged past her, my eyes locked on the bride.
“Janice!” Heather hissed behind me, her voice tight with panic. But it was too late.
I was already there.
My heart pounded, and my hands trembled as I reached out.
The world seemed to slow down as I bent over and lifted the hem of Shanize’s gown just a few inches. I wasn’t even sure what I expected to see — maybe some malfunction with her shoes or a wardrobe mishap.
But what I found defied all logic.
The entire church fell into stunned silence.
Underneath the beautiful white gown was something so out of place and shocking that my mind went blank for a second. Men’s shoes.
Large, polished men’s shoes.
I blinked, half convinced I was hallucinating.
I glanced up, but no one moved. No one breathed. Shanize — no, this person — didn’t react, but I did.
I knelt down further and looked closer.
My stomach churned as I noticed the fabric of the suit pants, slightly hidden by the dress. And then, my eyes darted upward to the face.
That’s when I realized.
This wasn’t Shanize.
It was a man.
A man in a wig, a veil covering most of his features, but now that I was up close, I could see the truth. My throat went dry.
I stood, my hands trembling at my sides, and met Dave’s eyes.
“Janice…?” Dave’s voice wavered, his happiness crumbling into confusion as he watched me.
“What’s going on?”
I didn’t know how to answer him.
For a moment, no one moved. The entire church was frozen, mouths agape, eyes locked on the man standing at the altar, dressed as the bride. The weight of what I’d uncovered hung in the air like a bomb waiting to explode.
Dave’s face was pale, his eyes wide, darting between me, the man in the wedding dress, and the confused guests.
He staggered backward, nearly tripping over his own feet.
“What… What the hell is this?” His voice cracked, thick with disbelief.
The guests started whispering, their voices like a swarm of bees filling the room.
The man in the dress — the fake Shanize — stood tall, a smirk spreading across his face.
Slowly, deliberately, he reached up and pulled the veil from his head, letting it drop to the ground. The wig came off next with a flourish, revealing short, dark hair.
The transformation was complete, and the church erupted in confused chatter.
“Surprise,” he said, his voice filled with smug satisfaction. “You didn’t even notice, did you?”
Dave blinked, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
“Where’s Shanize?” he demanded, his voice barely holding together.
“Where is she?!”
The man — Dave’s best man — chuckled, shaking his head. “She’s gone, Dave. Left days ago.
But don’t worry, she knew about this.
She’s the one who asked me to do it.”
The murmurs in the church grew louder, and I could hear people shifting uncomfortably in their seats. I stood there, numb, unable to process what I was hearing.
Dave’s best friend — the one standing there in Shanize’s wedding dress — had been in on this?
Dave’s face twisted in confusion and anger. “What the hell are you talking about?
What did you do to her?” His voice rose in panic as he stepped forward, his fists clenched.
“Where is she?!”
The best man held up a hand, signaling for calm, though his eyes glinted with triumph. “Oh, she’s safe. Don’t worry.
But she wanted you to feel this moment, Dave.
She wanted you to know what it’s like to be blindsided.”
Dave’s confusion deepened. “What are you talking about?”
The best man smiled a cold, sharp smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“She found out, Dave. About you and Vanessa.” His voice dropped to a near-whisper, the words dripping with malice.
“The bridesmaid you’ve been sneaking around with?
Shanize knew.”
The air left the room. Dave’s face drained of all color, his eyes wide with horror. “No… no, that’s not… That’s not true.”
“Oh, but it is,” the best man interrupted, his tone vicious.
The story doesn’t end here — it continues on the next page. Tap READ MORE to discover the rest 🔎👇
