My aunt and I had cut ties years ago after an awful fight. It was one of those family feuds that leaves a bitter taste and a gap that seems too wide to bridge. But while doing the invitations, I remembered how close we used to be. Nostalgia and a sense of longing made me decide to ask her to come. To my surprise, she was over the moon about it, and her excitement was infectious.

The wedding was set in a breathtaking location where you could see lions and elephants roaming freely. It was a huge trip for our guests, and we had a strict no +1 policy due to the exclusive nature of the venue. Despite the logistical challenges, everyone agreed that the beauty of the place made it worth it.

The big day arrived, and everything was perfect—the weather, the decor, and the joyful faces of our loved ones. As I stood at the entrance greeting guests, my heart swelled with happiness. Then I saw her—my aunt, walking towards me with a smirk on her face. My heart skipped a beat, not in joy but in apprehension.

As she drew closer, I saw who she had brought with her. It was Lisa, my ex-best friend and the reason for our falling out years ago. The moment I saw her, all the old wounds reopened. Lisa had betrayed me in ways I never imagined possible, and seeing her there felt like a punch to the gut.

I lost it. The anger and betrayal bubbled up inside me, overshadowing all the love and joy I had felt just moments before. “What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice trembling with emotion.

Lisa looked taken aback, but my aunt stepped in, her smirk turning into a sneer. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to mend fences,” she said, her tone dripping with condescension.

“This is my wedding,” I said, my voice steadying. “And you had no right to bring her here. I told everyone no +1s.”

My aunt shrugged, clearly unrepentant. “I thought you’d be more gracious.”

Gracious? At that moment, all I felt was rage. This was my day, a day that was supposed to be about love and new beginnings, not about reopening old wounds. “You need to leave,” I said, my voice firm.

My aunt’s eyes widened in shock. “I traveled across the world to be here!”

“And I’m sorry for that, but you disrespected my wishes,” I replied, feeling a mix of anger and sadness. “You brought someone who has no place in my life, especially not on my wedding day.”

The guests around us started to murmur, sensing the tension. My husband, seeing the commotion, came over and stood by my side, his presence calming me slightly. “Is everything okay?” he asked gently.

I took a deep breath and looked at him, then back at my aunt. “I’m sorry, but you both need to leave.”

My aunt huffed, looking incredulous. “Fine,” she spat, grabbing Lisa’s arm and turning on her heel. They left, and I felt a mix of relief and sadness.

As they disappeared from view, my husband squeezed my hand. “You did the right thing,” he said softly.

The rest of the day went off without a hitch, and I managed to push the incident out of my mind. But that night, as I lay in bed, I couldn’t help but think about my aunt. I had reached out to her in an attempt to mend our relationship, but it was clear that some things couldn’t be fixed.

The experience taught me a valuable lesson about boundaries and self-respect. Sometimes, no matter how much we want to heal old wounds, we have to prioritize our own well-being. My wedding day was a reminder that I deserved to be surrounded by love and positivity, not by those who would bring me pain.

In the end, I found peace in knowing that I had stood up for myself. It was my day, and I had every right to protect it from anything or anyone who threatened to ruin it.