At my surprise party, my best friend yelled, “Don’t marry him!” Until she showed me the texts. скачать в хорошем качестве

At my surprise party, my best friend yelled, “Don’t marry him!” Until she showed me the texts.

I (28, F) thought my life was perfect. I had a job I loved, a close circle of friends, and a man who made me feel like the only person in the world. His name was Mark, and after two years together, he had become my everything. He was charming, ambitious, and unfailingly kind. When he proposed, it was the easiest yes of my life. Our friends and family were thrilled, especially his mother, Eleanor, who had welcomed me with open arms from the very beginning. She often told me I was the daughter she never had, and I believed her. I truly did. The surprise party was supposed to be a celebration of that perfect life. Mark had told me we were going to a quiet dinner, just the two of us. I remember feeling a little flicker of disappointment, hoping for something more, but I pushed it down. He had been working so hard lately, and a simple, intimate evening sounded lovely. When we walked into the restaurant and I saw the faces of fifty of our closest friends and family shouting “Surprise!” I burst into happy tears. Mark wrapped his arms around me, kissing the top of my head. He had done it all for me. It was our unofficial engagement party, a chance for everyone to celebrate together. The room was buzzing with joy. People were laughing, hugging me, congratulating Mark. My best friend, Chloe (28, F), was the first one to reach me. She threw her arms around me, squeezing me tight. She had been my rock since we were five years old. We had been through everything together, from scraped knees to broken hearts. Seeing her there, her eyes shining with happiness for me, made the moment feel complete. She was my maid of honor, my sister in everything but blood. Everything was golden. The lights were warm, the champagne was flowing, and I was floating on a cloud of pure bliss. Mark was by my side, his hand resting possessively on the small of my back. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. “Are you happy, my love?” he asked. I looked up at him, my heart so full I thought it might burst. “More than you know,” I whispered back. He smiled, that perfect, dazzling smile that had captured my heart on our very first date. He was everything I had ever wanted. The first few hours of the party passed in a blur of toasts and well wishes. My parents were there, beaming with pride. Mark’s parents, Eleanor and Robert, were holding court, telling anyone who would listen what a perfect match we were. Eleanor caught my eye from across the room and raised her glass to me, her expression one of pure maternal affection. I felt so lucky, so incredibly blessed. I had not just found the love of my life; I had gained a new family. A family that seemed to adore me as much as I adored them. Then came the moment for speeches. My father went first, his voice thick with emotion as he talked about watching me grow up. He welcomed Mark into the family with a warmth that made my eyes well up again. Then Robert, Mark’s father, stood up. He was a man of few words, but his quiet approval meant the world to me. He spoke of Mark’s happiness and how glad he was that his son had found someone like me. It was all so perfect. Too perfect, as it turned out.