I believed I had the perfect fiancé, but his parents were another story. When they ignored me in public, I decided to teach them a lesson at our wedding rehearsal dinner — not realizing how this risky move would change everything.
I’d been engaged to Nathan for a year, and everything seemed ideal — except for one small, persistent issue: his family. From the moment I met them, they were cold. Side-glances, passive-aggressive comments — you name it. But they never gave me a direct reason.
I’m Cora, by the way. A biologist in my early 30s. I live a modest life, despite… well, you’ll see.
Last week, I was out shopping for wedding items when I saw Nathan’s parents, Evelyn and Robert, at a fancy restaurant. They were with some young woman I didn’t recognize.
I waved at them, trying to be friendly. But when they saw me, they both made wry faces and acted like they didn’t know me. That was the last straw.
I told my best friend, Vanessa, about it later that day over coffee at my place.
“They just… ignored you?” Vanessa’s eyes widened. “That’s so rude!”
I nodded, stirring my coffee absently. “I don’t get it. What did I ever do to them?”
Vanessa leaned forward. “Maybe they think you’re not good enough for their precious son.”
“But why?” I frowned. “I know I’m not flashy, but I’m successful in my field.”
“They probably don’t know that,” Vanessa pointed out. “Have you ever told them about your work?”
I shook my head. “They never seemed interested. And honestly, I wanted them to like me for me, not for my job or… you know.”
Vanessa nodded. She knew about my family’s company. “So what are you going to do?”
A slow smile spread across my face. “I have an idea. The rehearsal dinner’s next week…”
“Oh no,” Vanessa laughed. “What are you planning?”
“Let’s just say they’re in for a surprise.”
Vanessa raised an eyebrow. “Cora, are you sure about this? What if it backfires?”
I sighed. “I know it’s risky, but I’m tired of being treated like I’m not good enough. They need to see me for who I am.”
“And who are you, exactly?” Vanessa asked, a twinkle in her eye.
I laughed. “A woman who’s about to teach her future in-laws a lesson in humility.”
The week flew by, and soon it was time for the rehearsal dinner. I hadn’t told Nathan about my plan — I didn’t want to strain his relationship with his parents. As we entered the restaurant, I saw Evelyn and Robert already there. They pointedly avoided looking at me.
“Cora!” I heard a familiar voice. I turned to see my parents, William and Margaret, walking towards us.
“Mom, Dad!” I hugged them both. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
I noticed Evelyn and Robert staring at us, their mouths slightly open. I suppressed a smirk.
Nathan greeted my parents warmly. “Dr. and Dr. T—, it’s great to see you again.”
“Please, Nathan,” my dad said, clapping him on the shoulder. “We’ve told you, it’s William and Margaret.”
I could practically see the gears turning in Evelyn and Robert’s heads. They started whispering to each other, throwing glances our way.
We all approached them at their table. Evelyn plastered on a fake smile. “Hello, we don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Evelyn, Nathan’s mother, and this is my husband, Robert.”
I looked at them blankly. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”
Their faces fell. Robert stuttered, “But… we’re Nathan’s parents. Surely you remember us?”
I maintained my confused expression. “Nathan, honey, have we met your parents before?”
Nathan looked bewildered. “Cora, what are you talking about? Of course you’ve met them.”
Evelyn’s face was turning red. “Cora, we’re so sorry. We didn’t realize…”
I cut her off with a smirk. “Of course, I’m kidding. I know you like such jokes, don’t you?”
The silence that followed was deafening. Nathan looked between us, confused. “What’s going on here?”
I took a deep breath. “Your parents pretended not to know me at a restaurant last week. I thought I’d return the favor.”
Nathan’s eyes widened. “Mom, Dad, is this true?”
Robert had the grace to look ashamed. “We… we didn’t mean any harm.”
“Really?” I raised an eyebrow. “Because it felt pretty harmful to me.”
Evelyn stepped forward. “Cora, we were unfair to you. Please forgive us.”
I looked at them calmly. “So now I’m worth your son after you’ve met my parents?”
They flinched at my words. Nathan put a hand on my arm. “Cora, what do you mean?”
I turned to him. “They’ve been cold to me from the start, Nathan. I think they assumed I wasn’t good enough for you because I live modestly.”
Understanding dawned on his face. He turned to his parents. “Is that true?”
Evelyn wrung her hands. “We were wrong, Cora. We judged you without knowing the whole story.”
“We are truly sorry,” Robert added. “We hope you can forgive us.”
I took a deep breath. “I appreciate your apologies, but remember, my worth isn’t defined by my family or my profession. It’s a shame you had to find out this way.”
They nodded, still looking uncomfortable. Nathan squeezed my hand. “I had no idea, Cora. I’m so sorry.”
I squeezed back. “It’s not your fault.”
My mom cleared her throat. “Perhaps we should all sit down and start over?”
We moved to our table. As we sat, Nathan leaned over to me. “So, are you going to tell them about your company?”
I smiled. “Maybe. But first, I think we need to clear the air.”
The dinner started awkwardly. Evelyn kept glancing at my parents, clearly curious but unsure how to ask about their background.
“So, William,” she finally ventured, “what field of medicine did you practice?”
My dad smiled. “Margaret and I were both surgeons. Cardiothoracic, to be specific.”
Robert’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s… impressive. And you’re retired now?”
“Semi-retired,” my mom chimed in. “We still consult occasionally, but most of our time is spent on our company now.”
I could see Evelyn and Robert exchange glances. Nathan, bless him, seemed oblivious to the undercurrents.
“Cora,” Robert said, clearly trying to smooth things over, “Nathan’s told us you’re a biologist, but we’d love to hear more about your work.”
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