The woman stepped forward, her expression apologetic. “I’ve been trying to convince him to face his fears and talk to you. Nothing inappropriate happened, I swear. I just wanted to help him sort through his feelings.”

The room felt stifling as I processed his words. Betrayal, relief, and confusion mingled inside me. “You chose to handle this by lying and sneaking around on what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives?” The disappointment in my voice was palpable, and his face crumpled with regret.

“I know I’ve messed up badly,” he admitted, his voice breaking. “I love you, and I panicked at the thought of losing you. But I realize now how unfair I’ve been. Please, let me make this right.”

Standing there, looking at the man I loved—flawed and frightened—I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Trust was shattered, but not beyond repair. We had a lot to discuss and possibly even more to forgive. But as he reached for my hand, I didn’t pull away. Maybe, just maybe, we could find a way forward together.