Daddy, is she my mom?

Have you ever been heartbroken to the stage where you feel like there's no hope coming?

"It's your big day, Tracey," my best friend Naomi said as she took the veil of my wedding dress and attached it perfectly to my newly braided hair. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Naomi. I'm so happy, today Oscar and I are going to be bonded together forever," I exclaimed. "I'm on cloud nine," I told her as we stood up and wrapped each other in a tight, comfortable hug.

After so much rejection and resentment, I finally found someone who loved me so much that he wanted to spend the rest of their life with me. It was an amazing feeling.

I heard the sound of the wedding march beginning to play, and my heart raced with excitement. Naomi and I shared one last smile before she turned to join the other bridesmaids.

Taking a deep breath, I walked towards the chapel doors. As they opened, the sunlight streamed in, casting a warm glow on everything inside. The hall was filled with friends and family, all beaming with happiness. At the other side of the hall were the members of the board of my family's company, all seated, ready for my wedding to be done so they could hand over the document of permanent ownership of the board contract to me. An opportunity my parents had been hoping for all their lives, which means more money and more companies will be under my family's control.

Sound great, right?

I was happy until it all came crashing down before my eyes. As I walked further down the aisle, I noticed a few strange stares from people around. They were more sympathetic than the happy ones I expected.

Something was definitely wrong, but I didn't understand what it was until I got to the end of the aisle, and my husband-to-be wasn't there.

"I'm sorry, Tracey Williams," the officiant said gently. "But your fiancé didn't show up for the wedding."

The words echoed in my mind, each one a hammer blow to my heart. The joyful music seemed to mock me as I stood there, frozen in shock. The room, once filled with warmth and love, now felt cold and suffocating.

Whispers began to ripple through the crowd, and I could feel all eyes on me. Naomi rushed to my side, her face pale with concern. "Tracey, I'm so sorry," she whispered, trying to offer some comfort, but nothing could touch the numbness spreading through me.

The company members started to shift uncomfortably in their seats, clearly unsure of what to do next. My family looked stunned, their expressions a mix of pity and embarrassment. The beautiful dream had turned into a public humiliation.

I stumbled backward, unable to process what had just happened. Naomi held me steady, guiding me away from the altar. The pain in my chest was unbearable, a searing ache that felt like it would never go away.

I glanced around, searching for any sign of Oscar, any explanation for this nightmare. But there was nothing-no note, no message, just an area where he should have been.

"Unbelievable, shameful," an older woman, whom I recognized as my Aunt Camella, stood up from the crowd. "You're such a disgrace to our family name." She shook her head in disgust. "You couldn't even keep a man long enough to marry you. What a shame."

"Aunt Camell-" another woman tried to calm her down.

"Shut your mouth!" she shouted. "I'm sure the reason her fiancé didn't show up was because she suffocated him with her desperation."

Tears filled my eyes as I stood there, feeling utterly exposed and humiliated. Naomi tightened her grip on my arm, trying to shield me from the harsh words.

"That's enough, Camella!" my father's voice boomed from the other side of the room. He stood up, his face red with anger. "This is not the time or place for such cruelty."

But the damage was done. My legs felt like they could no longer support me, and I sank to the floor, my beautiful wedding dress pooling around me like a symbol of my shattered heart. Naomi knelt beside me, wrapping her arms around me to comfort me.

"Tracey, what are you going to do now?" she whispered urgently. "The members of the board are-"

Before she could complete her statement, the head chairman stood up and approached my father with all seriousness. "We are going to leave you and your family to take care of this mess," he said, his eyes drifting in my direction.

My father lowered his gaze, and I could see the disappointment in his eyes. "What about the documents?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Williams, but I have to withdraw everything owned by you and your family. The deal was that we answered over the documents to your daughter on her wedding day." The chairman sighed and tucked his hand into his pocket. "But it's obvious that your daughter isn't getting married today. I'm sorry."

"Please, give us more time," my father pleaded, his palms together. "I'm sure my daughter will find another man to marry her."

The chairman shook his head briefly at my father before signaling the rest of the members that they should leave.

Desperation surged through the room, as my mother who was unable to bear the weight of the situation, fell to the ground, begging the chairman. "Please, just a little more time," she cried, her voice breaking. "We'll make this right. Please, don't take everything will own, please."

Seeing my mother on the floor crying and with everyone watching her broke my heart, and I felt like going over to meet her to embrace her and tell her that everything would be alright. But, how can I tell her that when I'm not alright?

But the chairman's expression remained stern. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Williams. The terms were clear."

As the members began to leave, a sudden, determined voice cut through the tension. "Wait!" Naomi shouted, standing tall and fierce. "Please my friend needs to get married today, it's very important. If there's anyone in the crowd who would like to marry my friend, please come forward now! please."

The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to Naomi. Confusion and shock rippled through the guests, and I could feel the weight of their stares. I looked up at Naomi, bewildered, as I remained seated on the floor.

Naomi glanced down at me, her expression softening. "Trust me, Tracey," she whispered. "I'm trying to help."

A murmur spread through the crowd, and for a moment, it seemed as though no one would step forward. My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt a mixture of hope and dread. My father stepped forward and was about to stop Naomi when then, the footsteps of someone distracted us and we all turned in that direction.