Marina watched her son trying on a new suit. Tall, well-built, dark-haired—tomorrow her boy was getting married, and it was hard to believe. Ilya carefully studied his reflection in the mirror. He turned around, nodded in satisfaction, noting that the suit fit perfectly. “Fashionable outfit,” the young man turned to his mother. “And the color is good, it looks expensive.”

“It is expensive,” thought Marina, but aloud she said: “I’m glad you like it. I’ll definitely shed a tear at the wedding as soon as I see you in full dress.”

Ilya finally turned away from the mirror: “Mom, are you going to the wedding or what? We agreed that you wouldn’t be there.”

“We agreed, son? I thought you were joking.”

“What jokes?” The son nervously paced the room. “Did you forget what Vika’s parents are like? The wedding will be full of elites. You’ll feel like a poor relative there. I’ll start worrying about you. Mom, do you want to ruin such an important day for me?”

The son sat down next to Marina on the couch, took her hand, and gently squeezed it: “Mommy, just imagine how out of place you’ll look among those dolled-up ladies. My heart would break from such humiliation. And think about how you’ll feel. We’ll come the day after, okay? Have some tea or champagne. You can congratulate us, give us your gift.”

Marina’s heart clenched with hurt. Her own son was ashamed of her to such an extent that he was prepared to appear at his own wedding like an orphan without kin. “Why would I look out of place?” the mother retorted. “I have an appointment with a good hairdresser, I’ll get my nails done. I’ll wear a decent dress.”

“What decent dress? That blue old thing!” Ilya snapped and paced the room again.

“So that’s it.” He stood in front of his mother. “If you don’t understand the nice way, I’ll tell you straight. I don’t want to see you at the wedding. I may be… but I’m ashamed that my mother is a cleaner. I don’t want you to embarrass me in front of Vika’s relatives. Is that clear?”

Marina was shocked by her son’s confession and could not utter a word. Ilya silently took his backpack, proudly flaunted his suit, and headed for the exit. At the threshold, he stopped: “I’ll say it again, don’t come to the ceremony. No one there will be glad to see you.”

Ilya had left a few hours ago. Twilight had set in, and Marina just sat on the couch in complete stupor. She was so shocked that she couldn’t even cry. Tears came a bit later when the woman turned on the light and pulled an old album with family photos from the dresser. This album contained her entire unembellished life. Memories crashed down on Marina with such force that it was hard to breathe. An old worn photo. There she was, a two-year-old girl with blue eyes, gazing intently into the lens. Her colorful dress clearly second-hand. Beside her, a thin, strange woman with a vacant look and a foolish smile. Even in the poor photo, it was evident that the woman was in high spirits.
Marina was two and a half when her mother lost parental rights and disappeared from her daughter’s life forever. As she grew older, the girl never tried to find her wayward mother. Why bother?

A group photo. Ten-year-old Marina with rebellious golden curls stands in the second row, third from the left. Life in the orphanage was no picnic.

The institution where Marina was raised resembled the troubled shelters from documentary films about the nineties. Cooks were caught stealing food, educators didn’t mince words, and the director turned a blind eye to bullying, uninterested in the methods older children used to maintain discipline.

Three attractive girls in waitress uniforms flirtatiously posed for a photographer on the porch of a building with a crooked sign. After school, Marina didn’t think too much about choosing a profession and quickly got a job as a waitress at a roadside café called “By the Road.” The salary was small, but the tips generously left by customers compensated for this.

Twelve-hour shifts were exhausting, but Marina did not despair. She liked her independent life. Her room in a shared apartment was spacious and bright, and the neighbors, an elderly couple, turned out to be friendly. She had enough money, although not much, and unexpectedly discovered a talent in herself. It turned out that she knew how to dress stylishly on a dime. By buying clothes from second-hands, she remade and altered them into fashionable items. In a summer meadow in the forest, a happy and laughing Marina sat on the grass with a crown of flowers, embraced by a handsome dark-haired guy wearing a similar crown. Many years have passed, but Marina’s heart still skips a beat at the sight of this photo.

She had been working at the café for about a year when she met Maxim. That summer morning, the café was unexpectedly crowded. Marina rushed around the room with a tray, serving impatient customers, and suddenly tripped, spilling tomato juice on a guy by the window. A bright red stain spread across his light shirt. Marina was lost for words, realizing that the shirt was expensive. Before she could recover, Stas, the café administrator, rushed to the table and began fussing, threatening her with dismissal.

“Why worry so much?” the guy smiled, handing Marina the keys to his car. “Don’t worry, I’m going to my parents’ country house. There’s a clean shirt in the car. Could you bring the backpack from the back seat?”

“I’ll bring it, Maxim Nikolaevich,” Stas offered helpfully, snatching the keys. “Otherwise, this chicken might break something in your car too.”

Left alone with the client, Marina finally managed to apologize: “Please forgive me, this is the first time this has happened. I swear, I will compensate you for the damage.”

Maxim replied. “It’s nothing serious.”

Maxim extended his hand. She responded with a handshake and then dared to look at him for the first time.

Stas brought him the backpack and escorted him in order to a back room to change. When he passed by Marina, Stas remarked sarcastically:

“What are you waiting for? Has your shift ended?”

While she was just taking payment from a loving couple, she heard a cheerful voice behind her: “Marina, could you spare me a minute of your attention?”

Maxim, in a fresh blue shirt, was sitting at the same table. “Will you take my order?”

“Of course.”

Serving the attractive visitor, the girl felt awkward. Stas personally escorted the guy to the door, then winked at Marina, “Don’t be upset, I purposely snapped at you, otherwise he might have made you pay for the shirt. It costs more than your salary.”

“How do you know this guy?”

“That’s Max Skvortsov, the mayor’s son. Everyone in town knows him.”

By that evening, Marina was so exhausted from the day’s hustle that she had forgotten about the morning incident. She only desired to get home and collapse into bed.

It was already dark outside. Suddenly, a light foreign car pulled up to the café. On closer inspection, Marina recognized the car. What was the mayor’s son doing here?

Maxim jumped out of the car and headed straight for Marina. He approached and handed her the flowers: “Have you finished work? Sorry, I didn’t know what kind you like, so I chose white roses. But I promise that from now on, I’ll only give you your favorites.”

Marina was completely bewildered.

“I’m actually courting you. Besides, the evening is so lovely, maybe we could go somewhere?”, Max said, laughing.

Everything that was happening seemed like a magical dream. Marina realized that she was ready to go anywhere with him. Yet she quickly came back to reality. She remembered she was dressed in old jeans and a simple t-shirt.

“Thank you, but I’m tired, I can’t today”, Marina said regretfully.

“Then tomorrow?” Max was persistent.

The next day they met, never to part again. It was love at first sight. Maxim was an economics student. He had successfully passed his summer exams, and they started seeing each other every day.

Max introduced Marina to his university friends. Together, they often went swimming and barbecued in the wilderness. It was the brightest, most carefree, and unforgettable time of Marina’s life. She never experienced such happiness again.

Marina and Maxim had already started planning their wedding, but all their dreams about the future collapsed. Maxim’s cousin saw him on the street with some ragamuffin and reported it to daddy-the-mayor. Marina’s life turned into a nightmare.

The Skvortsov family disapproved of their relationship. It was understandable. The only son and a girl from an orphanage. Maxim’s mother called hundreds of times a day, demanding that Marina leave him. Maxim’s cousin came to the cafe and caused a terrible scandal.

Then, neighbors also reported that some people had been asking about Marina for an hour.

“Recently one lady”, confirmed Yakov Ivanovich, a neighbor in the apartment, “offered us good money if we confirmed that you were a drug addict and a prostitute. I threw her out.”

Marina told nothing to her fiancé. She knew that his opportunity for an overseas student exchange was being decided at that moment. Apparently, he was also under pressure, because a worry settled in his eyes. Sometimes he would look tensely at his beloved’s face, but, seeing her gentle smile, he would sigh with relief.

Two weeks before Maxim’s departure, Marina received a phone call.

“This is Nikolai Borisovich, Maxim’s father. You must break up with my son before he leaves. Tell him you have another man. If you ignore my words, you will bitterly regret it.”

The mayor hung up. Marina was ready to give her life for Maxim, how could she possibly give up the man she loved so deeply?

When her beloved flew to London, events began to unfold around Marina that she still remembers as a bad dream. Stas, bribed by the city’s mayor, suddenly accused the waitress of a major shortage, and the girl was arrested.

Marina was in sh0ck by her boss’s vile act. As the case quickly went to court, she had no doubt that the truth would soon come out and these horrible charges would be dismissed.

The trial was like a farce. The lawyer provided by the state barely stayed awake during the proceedings. In contrast, the prosecutor tried his hardest. Every day, Marina hoped that Maxim would appear and save her, but a friend informed her that, according to rumors, the boy was planning to continue his studies in England.

Marina was sentenced to three years. It was only in prison that she learned she was expecting a child.

Marina tried not to think about the time she spent in women’s prison—it was too painful. Overwhelmed by emotions, she quickly turned the page of the family album. The photo showed her dark-haired, gray-eyed little boy. Marina tenderly ran her finger over the image. Her son was so affectionate and clever. Only God knows what it cost her to raise him alone.

After serving a year and a half, Marina was released. Her child had not been taken away. Outside, a myriad of problems awaited her. No one wanted to hire a young woman with a small child, especially one with a criminal record.

Her neighbor Yakov Ivanovich helped get little Ilyushka into daycare, Marina was able to work tirelessly. She worked as a cleaner in a restaurant, cleaned offices in the evenings, worked at a car wash on weekends, and sewed pillowcases and duvet covers at night.

She didn’t look back at the past—why suffer unnecessarily? Once she accidentally met a former friend who told her that the roadside café owner, Stas, had gone bankrupt, Mayor Skvortsov had moved to Moscow with his family after receiving a promotion, and his son had married a beauty from the capital a year ago.

Marina wiped away her tears and went to clean floors at the restaurant. She needed to raise her son.

She always tried to please him with tasty food, expensive toys, fashionable clothes. She was ready to do anything to fulfill all his wishes, as much as possible. If Ilya needed a new gadget, he calmly talked to his mother about it, knowing she would find the necessary amount, or at worst, take on extra work.

Certainly, in that Ilya had grown into such an insensitive egoist, she was to blame too. She never complained to him about being tired, never took sick leave, always gave him the tastiest pieces at dinner. No wonder her son never once considered the price his mother paid for the money. And now he was ashamed of her and didn’t want her, a cleaner, to attend his wedding.

«I understand,» Marina sighed bitterly, then turned to Ilya’s portrait on the wall. «Son, I’ve indulged you for 25 years, but this time I’ll do as I see fit. Forgive me.»

She got out of bed and pulled out a box from the nightstand, where she traditionally kept her savings. Plus, her monthly salary was on the card—enough for an outfit, hairstyle, and a visit to the beautician.

Marina’s appearance at the registry office caused a real stir.

She always looked younger than her years, but after visiting the beauty salon, she seemed to have shed a decade. The guests, especially the men, sneakily glanced at the blonde woman in an exquisite blue dress. During the ceremony, the mother, wiping away tears, admired her serious, slightly bewildered son and his charming bride. It was good that she had come here. After the ceremony, all the guests congratulated the newlyweds. Ilya stealthily made his way through the crowd to his mother and whispered:

«So my request means nothing to you? I hope you’re not going to the restaurant?»

«I won’t,» Marina nodded. «I’ve already seen everything I wanted.»

«Hello!» a flushed Vika rushed up to them. «Marina Anatolyevna, you look stunning! The parents invite you to go to the restaurant with them.»

«Thank you, but it’s time for me to leave.»

«What do you mean, time?» Vika was indignant. «Ilya, what’s happening?»

«Really, Mom, where are you rushing to? It’s your only son’s wedding,» Ilya invited his mother to the restaurant with a forced smile.

When it was time for parents to congratulate the young couple, Marina took the microphone:

«Children, be happy, love each other for a lifetime…»

As she descended from the small stage, the woman nearly bumped into a tall man in an expensive suit.

«It can’t be,» said Maxim, blocking her path. «Marishka, is it really you? What are you doing here?»

«Maxim?» Marina couldn’t believe her eyes.

«The bride’s father is my business partner, he invited me to the wedding. What a handsome son you have.» Maxim, nervously, took Marina’s hand. «Maybe we could step aside, talk by the window? Are you here alone, without a husband? I’ve been divorced for 10 years now, and I don’t have any children.»

They talked for an hour. Maxim told how his father, having flown to him abroad, informed him that Marina had met another guy and moved to Moscow with him. Shocked, Max didn’t believe his father but, fearing to humiliate his beloved with suspicions, decided to first find out the truth from his best friend. The friend went to the roadside café but didn’t find the girl there. The owner and waitresses unanimously confirmed the information received from the father.

«I nearly went mad with grief then, stayed in England for another six months, then returned to Moscow. My dad got promoted, then I got married. Was I happy all these years? Not a minute. Only in my youth with you. But how have you been living all this time?»

«Let’s not talk about sad things,» Marina suggested. «It’s a wedding, after all. I’ll tell you everything later, but now invite me to dance.»

Guests couldn’t take their eyes off the beautiful couple. Ilya watched his mother and didn’t recognize her. He suddenly thought that his mom was a very attractive woman who had given up her personal life for him. For the first time in his life, Ilya felt truly ashamed. Then he noticed that his mother, arm-in-arm with some wealthy man, was heading towards the exit, and caught up with her on the porch.

«Mom, where are you going?»

«I’m leaving. That’s what you wanted,» the mother reminded.

«Mom, I’m sorry, but where are you going with this man?»

«I’m ready to go with him to the ends of the earth,» Marina sincerely confessed. «By the way, meet your father, Maxim.»

Ilya looked bewildered at Marina. She paused and added with a smile:

«Yes, it looks like we have a very long conversation ahead. But not today. Today is a wedding!»

My Best Friend Kicked Me Out of Her Wedding After the Groom Took the Mic and Pointed at Me

When I walked into my best friend Lily’s wedding, I was ready to celebrate her happiest day. But by the end of the night, the groom was accusing me of sabotaging everything, while Lily demanded I leave. It wasn’t until I caught a glimpse of my reflection that I finally understood the chaos I’d caused.

Last weekend, I went to my best friend Lily’s wedding, and it was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. She and I had been inseparable since middle school.

Teens girl laughing | Source: Midjourney

We’d shared every milestone, from first dances to first heartbreaks, and always imagined ourselves in each other’s weddings. We even used to joke about it, sitting on her bed as teenagers and flipping through bridal magazines.

When she asked me to be a bridesmaid, I couldn’t have been more excited. It felt like I’d been waiting for this moment for years.

Lily planned this wedding down to the last detail, and it was clear from the start that she wanted it to be unforgettable.

A woman surrounded by flowers looking at invitations | Source: Midjourney

The venue, a picturesque vineyard nestled in the heart of Napa Valley, was a dream come true. Every detail she showed me through the process was stunning. She’d planned cascading flowers everywhere and string lights twinkling like stars because the theme was garden elegance.

She also wanted floral arches, pastel linens, and personalized champagne bottles at every table for the reception. It was extravagant, but it was so her.

A wedding aisle outdoors | Source: Midjourney

Unlike most brides, though, Lily didn’t want her bridesmaids to wear matching dresses. “I trust you guys,” she said during one of our planning calls. “I want you to pick something that makes you feel amazing. Be bold! I don’t care if it’s sparkly or neon green—just be you.”

I took her words to heart and spent weeks searching for the perfect dress. It had to be something that struck the balance between looking beautiful and not overshadowing her. I scoured boutiques, flipped through endless online catalogs, and even sent Lily pictures of my top choices.

A woman flipping through magazines | Source: Midjourney

She gave honest feedback on each one, but when I showed her the yellow dress I liked most, her response was instant: “OMG, yes! That’s gorgeous! You’ll look like Belle from Beauty and the Beast!”

On the day of the wedding, the vineyard looked like something out of a storybook. The ceremony took place outdoors under a flower-covered arch, with the golden sun setting in the background.

A wedding in a vineyard | Source: Midjourney

My best friend looked radiant in her custom-made gown, a stunning creation with lace sleeves and a long, flowing train. She practically glowed, and it was impossible not to tear up as she walked down the aisle with her father. She was beautiful, happy, and so in love with Matt.

For a moment, I forgot that he wasn’t exactly the type of man I would’ve chosen for her. We never got along, but she was happy, and in the end, that’s all that mattered.

A bride and groom dancing | Source: Midjourney

For the reception, we moved into a ballroom. It had high ceilings, glass walls that overlooked the vineyard, and more than enough room for the 300 people in attendance.

The food was incredible, the champagne was endless, and everyone seemed to be having the time of their lives.

Not to brag, but I got a lot of compliments on my dress throughout the night. People called it “stunning” and said the yellow color suited me. Some even joked that I looked like “Belle at the ball,” and honestly, I loved it.

A beautiful woman in a ballroom | Source: Midjourney

Even Lily pulled me aside at one point, grinning from ear to ear. “You look amazing!” she said. “I love how confident you are in that dress!”

Her praise meant everything to me. I couldn’t have been happier. For a while, it felt like nothing could ruin the night.

Then came a surprise: a blacklight dance party.

The DJ announced it around 10 p.m., and the crowd erupted with cheers. It was something Lily had planned without telling anyone, a fun, quirky twist to end the evening on a high note.

A DJ using a microphone at a wedding | Source: Midjourney

The lights dimmed, and the room was bathed in UV light. Suddenly, everything neon started to glow, and the dance floor filled with guests laughing at the colors that were highlighted. The music got more lively, and soon, people were dancing happily.

At first, it was great. The energy in the room was contagious, and I loved seeing everyone let loose. But then, I started noticing people staring at me. It wasn’t just quick glances, either. They were staring in shock or giving me side-eyes.

People shocked | Source: Midjourney

I frowned and tried to ignore them by dancing some more. Maybe it was the lighting, or maybe people were just tipsy from the open bar.

Then, out of nowhere, the music stopped.

Confused murmurs filled the room as people looked around. I spotted Matt snatching the microphone from the DJ booth, and my eyebrows furrowed.

His voice cut through the silence like a knife. “Look at her,” he said, pointing directly at me. “She came here to ruin my wife’s big day.”

An angry man with a microphone | Source: Midjourney

I blinked, shocked. What was he talking about?

Lily appeared beside him and, after looking in my direction, her face contorted with anger. “I can’t believe you would do this to me,” she snapped. “After everything!”

“What?” I stammered. “What are you talking about?”

Matt’s tone grew sharper. “You knew exactly what you were doing. Wearing that dress, trying to steal the spotlight. How dare you?”

An angry man pointing | Source: Midjourney

I stood there with my arms to the side, not knowing what was going on. The whispers in the crowd grew louder, and I felt the weight of every pair of eyes in the room on me.

This was like a dream I once had where I went to school in my pajamas.

Lily suddenly materialized beside me, her voice like ice. “You need to leave,” she ordered. “Now.”

“Please,” I begged, tears stinging my eyes. “I don’t know what—”

A woman upset | Source: Midjourney

“Stop!” she interrupted. “I don’t want to hear it. Just go.”

As I turned to leave, not knowing how I had offended my best friend, someone in the crowd shouted, “It’s the dress!”

My eyes snapped up, and I caught my reflection in the ballroom windows. My beautiful yellow dress, the one Lily had loved, was glowing bright white under the blacklights. It looked eerily similar to a wedding gown.

A woman shocked looking at her reflection in a window | Source: Midjourney

My stomach dropped. “It’s not white!” I shouted, spinning around to face the crowd. “It’s yellow! You all know it’s yellow! You saw me all night!”

But the room stayed silent.

“No!” Matt’s voice boomed through the microphone. “You did this on purpose to stand out! You knew about the blacklights! You planned this! GET OUT!”

I started crying while stumbling toward the exit. Lily’s other bridesmaids, her friends from college, followed me.

Two concerned bridesmaids | Source: Midjourney

Ashley, a kind soul, put a hand on my shoulder. “Cynthia, I know this isn’t your fault, but it’s just… not a good look right now. I think Matt may have been by the bar too long. Maybe you should go home, and you can talk to Lily tomorrow?”

Sarah, a more practical woman, nodded. “It’s an accident, but Matt’s making it worse. We’ll deal with this later.”

A woman in a hallway | Source: Midjourney

With a choked sob, I agreed and stumbled to my car, driving home blinded by tears.

Later that night, I sent Lily a long text. I apologized and explained that I had no idea she had planned blacklights for the party. I also added screenshots of her comments when I sent her pictures of my dress.

She knew it was yellow, not white!

“I’m so sorry,” I wrote. “I never wanted to hurt you or ruin your wedding. Please call me when you can.”

A woman holding a phone with a message | Source: Midjourney

She didn’t. Instead, by morning, I was blocked on all her social media. When I texted Ashley, she only said that Lily had been calling me “selfish” and “attention-seeking” and that she didn’t want me in her life anymore.

A week later, a package arrived at my door. Inside was a single photo of me at the wedding, glowing under the blacklights.

Below, a message was written, “Thanks for the memories.”

A polaroid of a woman with a handwritten message | Source: Midjourney

I stared at the picture, feeling my chest tightening. Was this really about the dress? Or had Matt been waiting for an excuse to push me out of Lily’s life? He’d always been cold toward me, even before they got engaged.

Maybe he didn’t like how close Lily and I were. Maybe Lily didn’t like me anymore and wanted an excuse to get rid of me.

What’s worse, I’ll probably never know the real reason for any of this because it’s been a while, and I’m still cut off.

A sad woman | Source: Midjourney

But here’s what I do know: a dress shouldn’t destroy a friendship. Their reaction told me everything I needed to know. After years of loyalty, I deserved better.

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.