I opened my eyes to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. Turning my head, I saw Aaron, still fast asleep. I couldn’t help but smile. In just two days, we’d be husband and wife.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” I whispered, gently shaking his shoulder. “Time to wake up. We’ve got a busy day ahead.”

Aaron groaned and pulled the covers over his head. “Five more minutes, Les,” he mumbled.

I laughed and yanked the blanket off him. “No way, mister. We’ve got last-minute wedding details to sort out. Come on!”

We had spent months planning this wedding, and everything needed to be perfect. From choosing the venue to finalizing the guest list, every detail had been decided with love.

Today, we had appointments with the florist and the caterer, and we still needed to pick up our wedding attire.

As we got ready for the day, I couldn’t help but reminisce about our journey. Aaron and I met during our sophomore year of high school. He was a star basketball player, and I was the editor of the school newspaper.

Our paths crossed during an interview, and from that moment, I knew he was the one. Now, ten years later, we were finally tying the knot.

It hadn’t always been easy. We’d had our fair share of ups and downs, especially when we went to different colleges. But somehow, we’d made it work.

Aaron now works as a finance manager at a bank, and I am a software developer, mostly working from home.

“Can you believe it’s almost here?” I asked, applying my mascara in the bathroom mirror.

Aaron appeared behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Honestly? No. But I can’t wait to call you my wife.”

We spent the day running errands, making sure everything was in place for our big day. That evening, we had our rehearsal dinner with our closest friends and family. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, love, and a few happy tears.

The next two days flew by in a whirlwind of activity. Before I knew it, I was dressed as a bride, my heart pounding as I locked eyes with Aaron. The ceremony was beautiful, filled with laughter and happy tears.

As I walked down the aisle, my father by my side, I could see the smiles and teary eyes of our guests. Aaron stood at the altar, looking more handsome than ever in his tailored suit.

The moment our eyes met, all my nerves melted away. We exchanged vows that we’d written ourselves, each word a testament to our journey and the love we shared.

The reception was a blast. We danced, ate cake, and celebrated with our loved ones. I even managed to drag my sister Jemisha onto the dance floor for a few songs. She seemed a bit distant, but I chalked it up to her being tired from all the festivities.

The speeches were heartfelt, with my maid of honor recalling our childhood adventures and Aaron’s best man sharing hilarious stories from their college days.

The next morning, Aaron and I sat on our living room floor, surrounded by a sea of wedding gifts.

“Ready for the most exciting part?” I grinned, reaching for a red envelope.

“I thought the most exciting part was marrying me,” Aaron teased.

I rolled my eyes playfully. “You know what I mean. I’m not materialistic, I swear!”

Opening the envelope, I gasped. “Wow! Someone really values our friendship,” I joked, pulling out ten $100 bills.

Aaron frowned, taking the money from me. He ran his fingers over the bills, his frown deepening. “Leslie, these are fake.”

“What? How can you be sure?”

“Trust me. I know fake bills when I see them. Working at the bank for years has taught me that.”

I felt a mix of confusion and anger. Who would do this? And why?

The next day, determined to get to the bottom of this, I went to the hotel where we’d held our reception.

After explaining the situation to the manager, he agreed to show me the surveillance footage.

As we watched the video, my jaw dropped. There, clear as day, was my sister Jemisha slipping the red envelope into our gift box.

I was furious because it was my own flesh and blood who had tried to trick us. How could she do this?

After a few days of stewing in my anger, I decided to teach Jemisha a lesson. I called her up, forcing cheerfulness into my voice.

“Hey, Jem! I was wondering if you’d like to go shopping with me. I want to buy you a thank-you gift for all your help with the wedding.”

“Oh, um, sure,” she replied, sounding surprised. “When?”

“How about this afternoon? There’s this great jewelry store I want to check out.”

A few hours later, Jemisha and I were walking into my friend Sarah’s jewelry store. Before we entered, I pulled out an envelope.

“Here,” I said, handing her five $100 bills – the same fake ones from the wedding. “I want you to pick out something nice for yourself. My treat.”

Jemisha’s eyes widened. “Leslie, that’s too much…”

“Nonsense! You’re my sister. Now come on, let’s shop!”

We browsed the store, and Jemisha eventually settled on a beautiful silver necklace. As she went to pay, I held my breath, watching Sarah closely.

Sarah examined the bills, then looked up with a frown. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but these bills are counterfeit.”

Jemisha paled. “What? No, that can’t be right.”

Sarah pressed a button under the counter. “I’m afraid I’ll have to call the police. Please wait here.” She locked the door from the inside.

I put on my best shocked face. “Jemisha, what’s going on? Where did you get that money?”

My sister started to shake, tears forming in her eyes. “I… I…”

“Wait,” I said slowly. “This looks like the money we found in one of our wedding envelopes. Do you know anything about that?”

Jemisha broke down, sobbing. “I’m so sorry, Leslie! I… I put those fake bills in your wedding gift. I was jealous. You’ve always had everything – the perfect job, the perfect husband. I wanted to ruin something for you, just once.”

I stood there, stunned by Jemisha’s confession. My mind reeled, trying to process her words. How could my own sister want to ruin my wedding day? The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.

“Jealous? Of me?” I whispered, more to myself than to her.

As I looked at Jemisha’s tear-stained face, memories flooded back. I remembered the proud smiles on our parents’ faces when I brought home straight A’s, while Jemisha struggled to pass her classes.

I thought about my college graduation, landing my dream job as a software developer, and now marrying Aaron. All the while, Jemisha had bounced from one dead-end job to another, never quite finding her footing.

Had I been blind to her pain all this time? I’d always thought my success would inspire her, not breed resentment.

“I never meant to make you feel less than, Jem,” I said softly, my anger slowly melting into guilt and sadness. “Why didn’t you talk to me? I had no idea you felt that way.”

“I was ashamed,” she sniffled. “You’re my little sister, but you’re so successful. I felt like a failure in comparison.”

I hugged her tightly. “You’re not a failure, Jemisha. We all have our own paths. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel less than.”

After a long talk, I signaled to Sarah that everything was okay.

As we left the store, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.

“So, no police?” Jemisha asked sheepishly.

I grinned. “Nope. Sarah’s an old friend. This was all part of my plan to get you to confess.”

Jemisha groaned. “I should’ve known. You always were too clever for your own good.”

We laughed, and for the first time in years, I felt like I truly had my sister back.

As we walked home, I realized that sometimes, the greatest gift isn’t found in an envelope, but in the healing of a relationship.