Stay Away From the Scumbag

The wedding day unfolded.

Lisa's call came through, and Rhys hurriedly pushed me aside.

"Sorry, honey, Lisa's got a stomachache. I need to grab her some medicine."

1

I loved Rhys for a decade, and this day marked our wedding.

It felt like the pinnacle of my life.

On the stage stood the man I adored.

Below, my family watched.

But in that moment of shared joy, a shrill ringtone shattered the harmony.

Lisa.

I knew instantly who called, not for any reason but because Rhys set that ringtone just for her.

His first love.

"Honey, hold on, I need to take this."

Rhys's eyes lit up. He brushed me off, straightened his suit, and his face carried a cautious eagerness.

It was a seriousness he never showed with me.

I stared at him, as if seeing a stranger.

"Lisa, what's wrong?" Rhys slipped one hand into his pocket, his lips curling into a wild grin, his eyes brimming with uncontained delight.

"Rhys, my stomach hurts..." Lisa's frail voice came through the phone.

The man, calm a second ago, panicked instantly. "Lisa, don't move. I'll get medicine and bring it to you."

He hung up, sparing me not even a glance, and rushed to leave.

"Rhys, this is our wedding. Where are you going?" I grabbed his sleeve, staring at him with unwilling resentment.

Ten years, always the same.

No matter the time or place, one word from Lisa, and Rhys would scamper to her like a loyal dog, tail wagging.

I thought he'd change. He promised I'd be his only one.

But now, he was abandoning me again.

"Sorry, honey, Lisa's stomach is acting up. I'm just dropping off some medicine." Rhys's apology came fast, but his hands pried my fingers off forcefully.

To shake me off, his nails dug into my skin.

"If she's unwell, she can see a doctor. You're not one. Is she so alone that you're her only friend? Why does she always call you?"

My patience snapped. My usual calm gave way, and years of frustration poured out.

A sharp slap rang out.

I clutched my stinging cheek, staring in disbelief at the man in the groom's suit, looking so polished.

"You hit me? You hit me for another woman?"

I shut my eyes in despair, hot tears spilling over.

Sometimes, a heart broke in an instant.

Rhys pointed at my nose, yelling, "Margaret, you're vicious, saying that about Lisa. She's unwell and called me. I'm her friend. Caring for her is only natural. If you're going to be so petty, maybe we should just call off this wedding."

With that, Rhys stormed out without looking back.

The big screen kept playing our love montage.

It felt like a cruel joke now.

My parents rushed over, helping me up with pained expressions. "Sweetheart..."

Their aged faces and graying hair twisted my heart with guilt.

They never approved of Rhys. I begged on my knees, even starved myself to protest, until they reluctantly agreed.

That fight drained them, turning their once-vibrant selves into hunched, weary figures.

I hated myself for realizing too late, for letting them grovel before Rhys's parents, unable to hold their heads high.

"Mom, Dad, the wedding's off. I'm not marrying him."

2

"What?"

The news hit like a bomb. When my parents processed it, they beamed with joy.

"Sweetheart, you finally see it."

Mom looked ten years younger in her delight. "I told you long ago, Rhys isn't right for you. You won't find happiness with him."

She was right, such a simple truth, yet I only grasped it now.

Thankfully, it wasn't too late.

I took the microphone from the emcee and announced the cancellation to the guests. "Today's meal is on me. Enjoy yourselves."

Clara, Rhys's mother, jumped up, accusing me of overreacting and embarrassing her. "No way. This wedding took so much to arrange. You can't cancel it. I won't allow it."

I gave a cold laugh. "You'll have to ask your precious son about that. As for your disapproval... Clara, have you forgotten? Rhys and I never got a marriage license. Your exact words were that until I gave you a grandson, I wasn't fit to step into your family's door."

Clara's face twisted, and whispers spread among the guests, judging her stance.

She thought my love for Rhys meant her family could toy with me, humiliate me at will.

But she forgot that love, if neglected, could sour.

My tolerance for Rhys had reached its limit.

No one could sway me this time.

Seeing her mother insulted, Hazel, my would-be sister-in-law, couldn't sit still. She stormed over, hands on hips, and berated me without holding back.

"Hey, Margaret, you're being so petty. Rhys just went to check on Lisa. This kind of thing happened plenty when you two were together before. Why's it a big deal now?"

"Because I was foolish then, but I'm not anymore." I watched the in-laws' verbal onslaught with a calm heart, unshaken.

"But you're carrying our family's child!" Clara clutched at her last hope, her eyes glinting with cunning.

"Margaret, you're a woman. You should know propriety and shame. You're pregnant with our child, so you belong in our family. If word gets out, your reputation will suffer."

I widened my eyes in shock. "Clara, how can you say that? Is propriety only for women? Don't men need to learn it too?"

Facing a speechless Clara, I smugly rubbed my belly. "As for the child, don't worry. If need be, I'll raise it without a father."

My parents stepped firmly in front of me, confronting Clara and Hazel head-on.

"My daughter's worth isn't for you to judge. The engagement is off, and this child has nothing to do with your family." Dad spoke each word deliberately.

Mom chimed in. "This child is my daughter's to keep or not. If she keeps it, it'll take our family's name."

Clara stomped her foot, now genuinely frantic. "Margaret, think carefully. If you leave my son, who'd marry used goods like you?"

Dad thumped his chest. "No problem. The Osborne family has plenty of money. If my daughter wants to marry, she will. If not, we'll support her."

Mom didn't back down. "Exactly. Compared to my amazing daughter, you should worry about your son. After all, he's the used goods the Osbornes don't want."

I looked at my parents with gratitude.

Thankfully, in my lowest moment, they stood by me.

Seeing no room for negotiation, Clara reluctantly pursed her lips. "Fine, if that's how it is, give back my son's money."

3

"What money?" I stared at the brazen Clara, utterly confused.

"All the money my son spent on you over the years. You need to pay back every cent." Clara stood with hands on hips, sounding righteous.

Hazel nodded vigorously. "Pay it back. Not a cent less."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Clara, are you serious? Didn't Rhys hand over every paycheck to you for household expenses? These past years, I paid for the house, appliances, clothes-everything. I nearly forgot until you brought it up. So, how about you pay me back?"

I opened my phone, where every expense was clearly recorded.

Rhys was practically a golden boy I funded.

From underwear to the house, my money covered it all.

No wonder Clara dreaded canceling the wedding. Without me, they'd struggle to find another easy mark.

"This... this... I don't have that kind of money!" Clara staggered back, spooked by the astronomical figures on my phone.

Even Rhys, working his whole life, couldn't earn a fraction of it.

The irony was, the man I devotedly supported ran into another woman's arms.

Even animals knew loyalty.

Some people were worse than animals.

Facing Clara's pitiful act, I gave a faint smile. "That's not my problem. Debts must be paid. It's only fair. If you don't settle in three days, we'll see you in court."

Truthfully, the money meant little to me. I wasn't one to nitpick.

But the family's vile attitude showed me some wolves could never be tamed.

They needed a harsh lesson to learn.

"Money, money..." Clara muttered, pacing anxiously.

Suddenly, she shouted at me. "Fine, pay back the dowry!"

Hazel joined in. "My brother gave your family ten million for the dowry. You can't dodge that!"

Facing their nonsense, my parents exchanged a look, both seeing exasperation in the other's eyes.

I mustered my last bit of patience to explain. "Clara, have you forgotten? When you came to my family, you called me a leech and refused to pay a cent for the dowry. It was my parents, for appearances, who paid ten million out of pocket and claimed it was from your family."

My parents nodded in confirmation.

Mom hugged me, pained. "Exactly. We didn't plan to make a fuss. That ten million was meant as startup funds for the kids. But since your family acted dishonorably first, there's nothing left to discuss."

Clara, realizing she'd get nothing more from me, lost it.

She pointed at my nose, hurling insults. "You shameless Margaret, you chased my son relentlessly, begging to be our daughter-in-law, and now you're going back on your word! You think your money makes you special? Truth is, Rhys doesn't even like you. Who knows if that child is even ours? Rhys has plenty of admirers, but a used rag like you? No one will want you."

The filthy words turned my parents' faces grim.

I pointed at the nearby security. "What are you waiting for? Get them out of here."