They Canceled My Wedding for My Sister, Now They Regret Everything

Seven days before my wedding, my younger sister got dumped.
Crying, she smashed my rose bouquet and tore apart my rose-printed wedding invitations, saying that seeing roses made her fall apart.
That very night, Mom canceled my wedding.
“Your sister can’t handle any more emotional triggers right now. Put the wedding off for a while.”
Dad transferred the money I had saved for our honeymoon to my sister and let her go on a trip to relax.
My older brother tried to persuade me, too.
“You can get married anytime. Your sister can’t be left alone right now.”
Ever since we were children, they had always asked me to wait.
My eighteenth birthday party was canceled because my sister couldn’t get the gemstone necklace she wanted.
The celebration party for my admission to Harvard University was canceled because my sister hadn’t done well on her exams.
And now, what they wanted to cancel was my wedding.
I looked at the petals scattered all over the floor and suddenly smiled.
“Fine. Then cancel it.”
My fiancé, Don Edward, sent me a message.
“Are you going to wait for them again?”
I stared at those words before slowly replying:
“No.”
Chapter 1
Mom told me to hurry up and clean the petals off the floor.
“Beth can’t take any more emotional triggers. Hurry up. Don’t do anything else to upset her.”
The rose petals had been crushed underfoot, their juices staining the floor and sticking to it.
Dad sat nearby, making a call to one of his men.
“An island. Somewhere quiet. The hotel needs to be a suite facing the ocean. She has trouble sleeping, so don’t put her on a noisy floor.”
My brother David was holding a tablet, picking out clothes and accessories for her.
“Beth, do you think these clothes are already out of style? How about you leave tomorrow? I’ll take you shopping for a few new dresses.”
Beth sniffled.
“But what about Sister’s wedding…?”
She looked at me, tears shimmering in her eyes.
“Sis, I really didn’t mean to. The moment I saw the roses, I thought about him and the time we were together. I just couldn’t control myself.”
My gaze fell on the rose-shaped ruby necklace around her neck.
“You couldn’t control yourself, so you smashed my invitations and bouquet? What about the necklace around your neck? Why aren’t you afraid of that?”
Tears immediately spilled down her cheeks.
Mom rushed over and pulled her into her arms.
“How can a necklace be compared to a wedding? Lilith, do you have to be so hurtful? You’re her own sister!”
My brother looked at me coldly as well.
“Beth already apologized. What more do you want? Do you need the whole family to kneel around you and apologize before you’ll be satisfied?”
I looked at all of them and suddenly found the whole thing absurd.
My wedding had been canceled.
The money for my honeymoon had been transferred away.
My bouquet had been smashed.
And in the end, everyone was telling me not to make a big deal out of it.
Mom saw that I was still standing there and frowned.
“Hurry up and clean this up. Beth will get upset again if she sees it later.”
I crouched down and picked up the torn invitations and rose petals, stuffing them into a garbage bag.
The photo of Edward and me on the invitation had been ripped apart.
Petals clung to the torn pieces, making me look ridiculous and pathetic.
Dad hung up the phone and turned to my brother.
“David, when Beth comes back, put her in charge of the new club in the southern part of the city. She’s feeling low right now, so giving her some work will help take her mind off the breakup.”
Mom immediately agreed.
“Exactly. Beth can’t stay trapped in this heartbreak forever. We need to help her get back on her feet.”
My hands stopped moving.
The new club.
So the family had already opened a new club—and I was the only one who didn’t know.
David nodded.
“I had everything prepared a long time ago. The entire place was decorated in the light pink Beth loves. She’ll definitely like it.”
After saying that, he finally seemed to remember something and looked at me.
“Lilith, while Beth is away, take care of both the old store and the new club. She’ll take over as soon as she gets back. Don’t let anyone do anything stupid and ruin her mood.”
I let out a small laugh.
“You just canceled my wedding, and now you want me to manage the clubs?”
“Work is work. Don’t be so sensitive.”
Mom’s expression darkened too.
“Your sister is already going through this pressure. Do you really have to compete with her? Beth is different from you. She can’t handle too much pressure.”
She couldn’t handle the pressure, so all of it was pushed onto me.
I stood up and tied the garbage bag shut.
“When was the new club in the southern part of the city decided on?”
Dad looked slightly uneasy.
“Earlier this year.”
“Six months ago.”
The living room fell silent for a moment.
Mom avoided my eyes.
“You were busy with the wedding. We didn’t get a chance to tell you.”
I lowered my head and carried the garbage bag toward the door.
My phone vibrated again.
Edward had sent another message:
“The Art Museum has always been waiting for you.”
“If you’ve made your decision, it—and I—belong to you.”
I stared at the screen, my fingertips trembling slightly.
He had prepared this way out for me a long time ago.
I replied:
“Come pick me up.”
“This time, I won’t look back.”
Chapter 2
The next morning at breakfast, the entire family was talking about Beth’s trip overseas to clear her head.
Mom placed a glass of milk in front of her, her voice as gentle as if she were soothing a child.
“Eat a little more, or your stomach might feel uncomfortable on the plane.”
My brother handed her the camera he had just bought.
“Take lots of pictures by the sea when you get there. And stop thinking about that man.”
Dad said,
“You don’t need to worry about the cost of this trip. I’ve taken care of everything. And when you come back, the new club will be waiting for you. Don’t be afraid.”
I sat at the end of the table, with nothing but half a glass of cold water in front of me.
Mom suddenly looked up.
“Lilith, go with Beth to the bridal shop this afternoon.”
My hand tightened around my spoon.
“What for?”
Beth said quietly,
“I want to wear your wedding dress for a rebirth-themed photo shoot. The doctor said it might help me say goodbye to the past through a new sense of ceremony.”
As soon as she finished, she quickly added,
“Sis, if you mind, I won’t wear it.”
Mom’s expression changed instantly.
“What does she have to mind? You’re not even having the wedding anymore. What’s wrong with letting Beth use the dress?”
I looked at Mom.
“I designed that wedding dress myself, and I haven’t even worn it yet.”
She froze for a moment before quickly saying,
“A wedding dress is just a lifeless object. Beth is your own sister. She finally agreed to go out today. Don’t ruin it for her.”
I stared at her.
“You canceled my wedding, and now you want to take my wedding dress and use it to comfort her, too?”
David put down his chopsticks.
“It’s only for two hours, Lilith. Don’t make it sound like the whole family is conspiring to steal your things.”
“I waited five years for that wedding dress!”
Dad spoke in a low voice.
“Lilith, you need to think about the bigger picture. If Beth can truly move on, it’ll make things easier for the whole family.”
“If she gets better, the family will be stable. And once the family is stable, you can have a beautiful wedding. Isn’t that right?”
In their family, there had never been a place for me.
Beth stood up with red-rimmed eyes.
“Forget it. I won’t go. Sister is so upset. I don’t want her to hate me.”
She had barely taken a step when her body swayed and she suddenly collapsed.
Mom screamed and caught her.
“Beth!”
My brother rushed over and turned around to yell at me.
“Are you happy now? She finally worked up the courage to go out, and you drove her back into this state with just a few words. If something really happens to her, can you take responsibility?”
I sat there, suddenly too tired to explain myself.
The moment she cried, I became the villain.
Mom helped Beth upstairs, but before leaving, she still threw one last sentence at me.
“You have to go with Beth this afternoon and give her the wedding dress.”
“And apologize to her. Stop giving her that cold attitude.”
I said nothing.
Dad thought I had finally given in, and his tone softened slightly.
“Lilith, stop looking so miserable all the time. You should have some joy on your face.”
“It’s precisely because you’re always so cold that everyone likes Beth more.”
I looked up at him and asked,
“What’s the access code for the new club ?”
Dad clearly hadn’t expected me to ask that.
“Why are you asking?”
David answered casually,
“0916. Beth’s birthday. Easy to remember.”
I froze for a few seconds.
My birthday was in November.
No one remembered.
Mom came downstairs and frowned when she saw my expression.
“What’s wrong now?”
I said,
“Mom, what’s my favorite color?”
She froze.
“Why are you suddenly asking me that?”
“You said you’d make it up to me with an even better wedding someday. I want to know how you plan to make it up to me.”
Her face stiffened for a moment.
“Isn’t a wedding just roses, beautiful decorations and a castle? How would I know what you like?”
But she knew Beth liked light pink.
She knew Beth preferred quiet hotels.
I nodded and said nothing more.
That afternoon, I didn’t go to the bridal shop.
I went to the copyright registration center.
I submitted all the designs, original drafts, email records, and notarized documents that had been used without authorization over the years.
The staff member asked me,
“None of these works have been credited to you as the author?”
I said, “They weren’t before.”
“What about from now on?”
I was silent for two seconds.
“From now on, they will only bear my name.”
By the time I finished the paperwork and walked outside, it was already dark.
There were dozens of messages from Mom on my phone.
“Why didn’t you come? Beth waited for you all afternoon!”
“You’re becoming more and more selfish!”
The last message was from my brother:
“Come home tonight and apologize to Beth. Don’t make me come looking for you.”
I stared at those words and smiled bitterly.
Chapter 3
When I got home, they were having dinner.
The dining table was covered with seafood paella, pasta, and tiramisu.
All of them were Beth’s favorites.
The moment I sat down, Mom slammed her fork onto the table.
Beth’s eyes immediately turned red.
“Sis, I waited for you at the bridal shop for three hours. The staff kept asking why the bride hadn’t arrived. I didn’t even know what to tell them.”
My brother sneered.
“You took the wedding dress and refused to let Beth wear it, deliberately making her embarrass herself. Lilith, you’ve really outdone yourself this time.”
“It’s my wedding dress. I didn’t want to lend it to her.”
Mom’s voice trembled with anger.
“How did you become like this? When you were little, weren’t you the one who loved your sister the most?”
I really had loved her when we were children.
She was born prematurely and was always sick as a child. Whenever she coughed, the whole family panicked.
So did I.
When I was six, she wanted my room because it was warm and got plenty of sunlight.
Mom said, “Your sister is weak. Sunlight is good for her.”
So I moved into the storage room on the north side of the house.
When I was seventeen, I ranked first in my exams and received a scholarship. I wanted to buy a computer.
Dad said, “Beth needs a piano. Your grades are good, and you’ll have plenty of chances to get scholarships in the future. You can buy one then.”
So I gave her the money.
Later, she sat in front of the piano for a photo, and Mom posted it on Instagram:
“Our little princess deserves the very best.”
Meanwhile, I had no choice but to borrow my classmates’ computers at night, often working until the early hours of the morning.
They had probably forgotten all of those things.
Because the person who loses something is the one who remembers.
The person who takes it simply thinks they’re entitled to it.
Dad suddenly said,
“That’s enough. The new club is opening for a trial run next week. You’ll go oversee the site.”
“While Beth is overseas, the company can’t afford any problems.”
I put down my fork.
“I’ve submitted my resignation.”
The dining room fell silent.
David frowned.
“What did you say?”
“I sent the email to the company address. Didn’t you see it?”
He took out his phone, and his expression grew darker by the second.
Dad immediately opened his email, too.
A few seconds later, he slammed his palm against the table.
“This is ridiculous!”
Mom stared at me in disbelief.
“You’re leaving the company just because we postponed your wedding?”
I calmly corrected her.
“It wasn’t postponed. You canceled my wedding.”
Dad snapped,
“Do you have any sense of family responsibility? The Geller Club isn’t some outside company. This is your family’s business!”
“I’ve worked there for six years. My position has always been administrative, and I’ve only received a basic salary. I was never given a design or planning position.”
“The project bonuses, interviews, and credits for the proposals all went to Beth.”
“And now you’re talking to me about family responsibility?”
David said coldly,
“It’s the family business. Who would keep such a precise account with you?”
I looked at him.
“Beth does. Design director title, profit shares, interview fees, an independent studio budget. She gets every single one.”
“So why is it suddenly impossible to keep things separate when it comes to me?”
He was left speechless.
Tears slipped down Beth’s cheeks again.
“Sis, I didn’t know you cared this much. Mom arranged all those interviews. I only said what I was told to say…”
“You said my copy and took credit for my awards?”
Her face instantly went pale.
Mom immediately stepped in front of her.
“Your sister isn’t as good with words as you are. What’s wrong with letting her borrow a few of your lines? Do sisters really have to keep such a precise account between them?”
“From today onward, yes.”
Dad stood up in fury.
“You can leave if you want, but the company’s client information, proposals, and business connections all belong to the Geller family. Don’t even think about taking them with you.”
“I’m only taking the evidence that proves my original work belongs to me.”
I placed a lawyer’s letter on the table.
“And there are three other high-end projects where I’m listed as the lead creator under my personal name. I’ve already notified the clients that I’m terminating the partnerships.”
Dad’s expression changed drastically.
Our family ran entertainment clubs, and the Geller Club had gained some recognition in the industry because of my planning and creative work.
Those three projects were the company’s biggest sources of revenue for the next quarter.
One of them was even the flagship project for the new club’s opening.
David snatched up the lawyer’s letter, his eyes darkening.
“Lilith, do you really want to bring this family down?”
I looked at him.
“But weren’t you all always saying that Beth was a genius?”
No one said a word.
Beth ran upstairs crying.
Mom immediately chased after her.
Dad sank back into his chair, his chest heaving.
“If you withdraw that email now, I’ll pretend I never saw it.”
“It’s too late.”
I stood up and went back to my room.
Behind me, my brother said coldly,
“You think Edward’s family will really value you once you leave the Gellers? Without us, you wouldn’t even be able to have a respectable wedding.”
Chapter 4
I didn’t look back.
Dignity was never something they gave me.
All they had ever given me was one humiliation after another.
The day Beth left the country, the house was as busy as if we were preparing for a wedding.
As Mom packed her luggage, she kept reminding her,
“Put this medicine in your carry-on. Don’t check it in.”
“Bring two sun hats. You can’t get too tanned—you need to look good in photos.”
“Take that white dress, too. It’ll look beautiful in pictures by the sea.”
My brother checked the camera, power bank, and travel adapters.
Dad urged the driver from the doorway, then turned around and asked,
“Beth, do you have your passport? Let Dad check one more time.”
Beth sat on the couch and said softly,
“Stop hovering around me. I’m not a little kid.”
Mom immediately said.
“You’ll always be my little girl.”
When I dragged my suitcase downstairs, the voices in the living room stopped for a moment.
Mom was the first to frown.
“Why do you have a suitcase?”
I said, “I’m leaving.”
Dad’s expression darkened.
“The new club is about to open. Aren’t you going to oversee the site?”
“I resigned.”
He acted as if he hadn’t heard me.
“Lilith, don’t quit your job just because you’re angry. Your sister is leaving the country, and the family is already in enough chaos.”
“What you should be doing right now is keeping the company stable.”
“When my wedding was canceled, not one of you said the family was in chaos.”
Mom stood up, suppressing her anger.
“Here you go again. Beth is about to board her flight, and you have to cause a scene right now?”
“She finally agreed to go away and clear her head. Can’t you at least let her leave in peace?”
Beth’s eyes immediately reddened.
“Sis, I won’t go. Don’t be angry. I’ll give the money back to you.”
She started reaching for her phone.
My brother immediately grabbed her hand and stopped her.
“Don’t worry about her. She just wants everyone to revolve around her.”
I suddenly laughed.
Revolve around me?
In my twenty-eight years of life, they hadn’t even made a complete meal for me.
Mom rushed over and grabbed my arm.
“Put the suitcase back. You’re not going anywhere today.”
I lowered my eyes to the nails digging into my arm.
“Let go.”
“I won’t! You’re my daughter. Do you really think I can’t tell you what to do anymore?”
I looked at her face.
“When have you ever taken care of me?”
She froze.
Dad snapped,
“Lilith! Is that how you talk to your mother?”
My voice was soft, but every word was clear.
“On my eighteenth birthday, you told me Beth was in a bad mood, so I wasn’t allowed to celebrate.”
“On my graduation day, you said Beth had done badly on her exams and was emotionally falling apart, so we couldn’t upset her.”
“On the day I got engaged, every one of you went to the hospital. I stood alone at the entrance of the banquet hall, explaining everything to the Edward family.”
“And this time, you canceled my wedding, transferred away my honeymoon money, and still expected me to oversee the company.”
“Dad, Mom, do you see me as your daughter, or as an employee of the Geller Club?”
The living room fell frighteningly silent.
A flicker of panic crossed Mom’s eyes.
But soon, she started crying again.
“Mom knows you’ve been wronged, but your sister isn’t healthy! She was born prematurely. We owe her so much. Can’t you be a little more understanding?”
So that was the reason.
Because she had been born prematurely, the whole family believed they owed her.
Because I was healthy, I was supposed to bear everything.
But being healthy didn’t mean I couldn’t hurt.
Dad sighed, as if he were running out of patience.
“Lilith, be sensible. We’ll talk about your problems after Beth comes back.”
I shook my head.
“There’s nothing left to talk about.”
I took the key to the house off my keychain and placed it inside the mailbox by the door.
The metal made a soft clink as it landed inside.
Mom’s expression changed.
“What do you mean?”
I pulled up my suitcase.
“You don’t need to leave the door open for me anymore.”
My brother stood at the foot of the stairs and sneered.
“If you walk out now, don’t expect us to come after you. Your wedding won’t have your family’s blessing. Let’s see how you’re going to handle that.”
I didn’t answer.
As I pushed open the door, I heard Mom’s furious voice behind me, thick with tears.
“Lilith, if you dare walk out that door today, I’ll pretend I never gave birth to you!”
I stopped for a second.
Then I said,
“Okay.”
The door closed behind me.
Tomorrow, I would get married in another city.
No parents to give a speech.
No brother to walk me down the aisle.
No sister as my bridesmaid.
But I would have happiness.