All Chapters of You Lost Me at Your Wedding: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

My mother caught me staring and rounded on me immediately, laying into me without warning."Vince lost both his parents when he was young. Having a real, whole family is the one thing he's always wanted. As his older brother, can't you find that much room in your heart?" she snapped. "Besides, it's not like we're actually letting them register the marriage. It's just for show. Do you really have to ruin everyone's mood on a day like this?"I listened to this absurd reasoning and let out a bitter laugh."You spent my money to let my brother marry my bride," I said. "And you're calling that 'just for show'?"My mother didn't show a trace of guilt at my accusation. Instead, she turned around and threatened me."I'm telling you right now, your brother's wedding is going through today, no matter what. If you dare cause trouble, I'll act like I never had you as my son."Our argument quickly drew Jeanie and Vince's attention. The two of them came over, each holding a glass of wine, an

Chapter 2

I went back to the apartment Jeanie and I had shared, the one meant to be our marital home.I'd put down the down payment myself, using years of savings. I'd spent the better part of a year renovating it before our wedding, and every single thing inside had been chosen to Jeanie's taste.The moment I walked in, though, I noticed my navy blue slippers were gone. In their place sat a pair with a cartoon print on them, a full size smaller than my feet.I walked into the living room without any expression. On the coffee table sat a matching pair of mugs, one printed with Jeanie's initials, the other with Vince's. Even the wedding portrait on the wall had been swapped out for a photo of the two of them together.I looked at it all coldly and didn't touch a thing. Instead, I quietly started packing my documents and my luggage.At ten that night, Jeanie came home. Vince trailed in behind her, a bag of wedding gifts in his hand. Seeing me sitting in the living room, Jeanie froze for a s

Chapter 3

The next morning, I went to work as usual. I taught high school physics and had a senior class to prepare for the finals. The school had an opening for the Lead Teacher promotion, and I'd spent an entire year preparing for it. I'd revised my model lesson plan more times than I could count, and I met every single hard requirement on the list.I'd barely sat down at my desk when the department head called me over."Keith, there's something we need to talk about," he said. "The school's decided to give this year's Lead Teacher spot to Vince Daltrey."I froze for a second, sure I'd misheard him."Sir, he's just a substitute. He doesn't even have a permanent contract. How is he qualified for a Lead Teacher promotion?"The department head cleared his throat and lowered his voice."Keith, you know Vince's situation is different from most," he said. "The school made a special exception for him. "Besides, you're still young. You'll have plenty of chances down the road. Vince is not li

Chapter 4

For the next few days, I stayed at a hotel near the school and worked through the handover process step by step. I didn't contact Jeanie, and I didn't answer any calls from my parents.On the last day of the handover, I went back to what was supposedly our marital home, since I'd left some of my teaching materials behind.Vince saw me come in and stayed slouched against the back of his chair, all casual arrogance."Well, look who bothered to show up," he said. "I figured you'd sworn off ever coming back."I ignored him and crouched down to search for my materials. Vince got up, walked over to me, and nudged a stack of books on the floor with his foot."Hey, Keith, these old books of yours are taking up too much space. I had Jeanie get me a computer, and there was nowhere else to put it, so I just stacked them here for now. You don't mind, do you?"I stood up and looked at him coldly."Where are my materials?"Vince shrugged, all innocence."What materials? Never seen them," he

Chapter 5

The high-speed train carried me north, back to the hometown I hadn't seen in years. I rented a place near Fairview County High School and started work there without any trouble. Life in the county moved slowly, without all the scheming and infighting. All I had to do was teach.Two weeks later, I'd just finished evening study hall when a local trending topic dropped right into my feed.#Teacher at Top High School Steals Foster Brother's Girlfriend, Abuses Power to Sabotage Him#The post was from Vince.In it, he cast himself as a humble orphan who'd lost both parents young and had spent his life carefully trying to please his older brother. He claimed he and Jeanie had been childhood sweethearts, deeply in love, before I stole her out from under him. He claimed I'd used my permanent teaching contract to push him down at every turn, going so far as to force him to give up his shot at the Lead Teacher promotion. He claimed I was small-minded, that I couldn't stand to see him

Chapter 6

When Vince got no response from me, he took it as fear.He started livestreaming, painting himself as a victim of my crimes."I really don't blame Keith. He's always been better than me, so it makes sense that he'd look down on me," he said on the stream. "It's just that Jeanie is completely innocent in this. She's put up with so much just to take care of me. I only wish Keith would let us be, and stop having people secretly harass us."The comment section flooded with sympathy.[You're way too kind. Your brother should just drop dead.][Dox that scumbag! Ruin his whole life!][Does anyone know what school he's at? Report him to the school board!]With a little deliberate steering from Vince, it didn't take long for people online to dig up which county high school I'd just started at. The school's official account got flooded instantly, its inbox filled with messages demanding I be fired.Under enormous pressure, the principal called me into his office."Keith, this thing on

Chapter 7

The next day, Vince showed up outside my new school carrying a banner. Black letters on a white background read: UNSCRUPULOUS TEACHER KEITH LENNON, GET OUT OF EDUCATION.They'd even brought along a few minor influencers to livestream the whole thing. Jeanie stood off to the side in a face mask, playing the role of a fragile, helpless victim.I didn't go down to watch. Instead, I stayed in my rented room and followed the stream from there.On camera, Vince grabbed a megaphone and shouted himself hoarse."Keith, what kind of man hides inside while this is going on!" he yelled. "Don't you have the guts to face what you did!"The comments lit up with outrage.Right as public opinion reached its peak, and right as Vince was sure he had this in the bag, I posted the long write-up and video I'd already prepared across every major social platform. The title was blunt: THE FULL TRUTH ABOUT VINCE DALTREY'S DEFAMATION AND JEANIE PORTMAN'S INFIDELITY.The moment it went up, a handful of i

Chapter 8

The backlash hit harder than anyone expected.Vince became the whole internet's favorite ungrateful leech. The crowdfunding campaign he'd started earlier got flagged for suspected fraud, and every donation was frozen and refunded. On top of that, people online started digging deeper and turned up even worse things about him. He'd been fired from a previous school for harassing a female student, and he'd racked up a mountain of online loan debt. The moment that broke, the prestigious high school that had planned to hire him immediately issued a statement rescinding his offer.Jeanie's situation wasn't much better. She was fired from her school that same afternoon.My parents, meanwhile, found themselves shunned by relatives on every side.Toward evening, my phone started buzzing nonstop, call after call coming in from unfamiliar numbers, clearly people I'd already blocked trying new lines to reach me. I picked up one of them and heard Jeanie's voice, completely undone by sob

Chapter 9

A few days later, my lawyer let me know the court had officially opened the case. With the evidence as solid as it was, Vince wasn't just looking at a massive civil settlement, he could be facing criminal charges too.The same day they found out, the whole group of them actually showed up at my apartment complex. I was taking out the trash when they cornered me outside the building entrance.The moment Vince saw me, he dropped to his knees and wrapped both arms around my legs, holding on for dear life."Keith! Please, I'm begging you, drop the charges!" he said. "If I go to prison, my whole life is over! Hit me, scream at me, whatever you want, just let this one go!"Jeanie rushed up too, crying so hard her makeup ran."Keith, for the sake of the five years we had together, please, spare us," she said. "Vince already knows he was wrong, and I've already gotten what's coming to me. I can't even find a decent job right now. "Let's start over. I'll go register our marriage with

Chapter 10

A month later, the court handed down its verdict.Vince was found guilty of defamation and sentenced to one year in prison, along with fourteen thousand dollars in damages. Jeanie couldn't hold on in the city after that either. I heard she eventually moved back to her hometown, where match after match fell through, until she finally settled for marrying some divorced man out of desperation. From what I heard, she spent her days now in nothing but arguments.My parents, meanwhile, had become a complete and total joke.As for me, once the principal at Fairview County High School had confirmed the truth, he not only reinstated me but personally commended my professional character in front of the entire school.I sold the apartment back in the city and put the money in the bank. I didn't start dating again. Instead, I poured all my energy into teaching. On weekends, I'd hike the mountains around the county, or sit quietly with a book back at my place. Life settled into peace an

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