It was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, but as I clutched the bouquet in my trembling hands, my world began to unravel.
The elderly woman’s words echoed in my mind: **“The man you’re marrying… he’s planning to ruin your life. Look inside his favorite stuffed rabbit.”** It sounded absurd, like something out of a thriller novel, yet there was no denying the chill that ran down my spine. How could she have known about David’s birthmark? About his mother? I hadn’t shared those details with anyone, not even my closest friends.
I hurried back into the house, my heart pounding in my chest. David was still at the venue, getting ready. That gave me just enough time to investigate. I raced up the stairs and into his room, heading straight for his closet. I rifled through the neatly hung clothes and rows of shoes until I found it—the stuffed rabbit.
It was old and worn, with patches on its fabric and a small rip near its ear. David had told me once that it was a gift from his late mother, the only thing he’d kept of hers. That’s why he never let it out of his sight. My hands hesitated as I picked it up, guilt twisting in my stomach. **What if the woman was lying? What if this was just a cruel prank?**
But curiosity and fear drove me forward. I turned the rabbit over and found the zipper hidden along its back. It wasn’t part of the original design. My fingers trembled as I pulled it open. Inside was a small plastic bag, sealed tight.
When I pulled it out and held it up to the light, I froze. My stomach churned as I stared at what was inside: photographs, documents, and…a small vial of white powder.
The photos were the first to catch my attention. They were of me. Some were candid shots taken from afar, others were close-ups, and a few even showed me with friends and family. These weren’t casual or innocent—someone had been watching me. The documents were worse. They detailed my life—bank statements, medical records, even old love letters I’d written years ago. **How did David get these? Why did he have them?**
But it was the vial that terrified me most. **Drugs? Poison? What was he planning to do with it?**
I sank to the floor, my mind racing. This wasn’t the David I thought I knew—the sweet, loving man who had proposed to me under the stars, who had spent hours helping me plan our wedding. This was someone else entirely, someone capable of…what? Manipulation? Harm?
A knock at the door jolted me back to reality. My best friend, Lily, called from downstairs. **“Hey! You okay? The car’s almost here to take us to the venue!”**
I couldn’t tell her. Not yet. Not until I knew what all of this meant. I shoved the rabbit and its contents back into the closet and rushed downstairs, forcing a smile as I grabbed my things. My mind was spinning, but I knew one thing: **I wasn’t walking down that aisle until I had answers.**
—
At the venue, I excused myself and snuck into the groom’s suite, where David’s tuxedo hung neatly on a rack. He wasn’t there yet, giving me the perfect opportunity to confront him later. I took out my phone and snapped photos of everything I’d found, then tucked the rabbit and its damning evidence into a bag.
As I stepped out of the room, I saw David coming down the hallway. He smiled, looking as handsome and carefree as ever. But now, that smile made my skin crawl.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said, kissing my cheek. “Everything okay? You seem a little tense.”
I forced a laugh. “Just wedding jitters.”
—
Later, during the reception, I pulled David aside. The music and laughter of our guests provided a strange backdrop to our confrontation.
“David,” I began, holding up my phone with the photos I’d taken. “Explain this.”
His face drained of color. “W-where did you find that?”
“In your rabbit,” I said, my voice trembling with anger. “What is all of this? Why do you have photos of me, my bank records, and—” I hesitated. “—and a vial of powder?”
He opened his mouth, then closed it, his expression shifting from shock to something darker. “You weren’t supposed to find that.”
My blood ran cold. “What were you planning, David?”
He stepped closer, his voice low. “You don’t understand. It’s not what you think.”
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“Then tell me!” I demanded, my voice rising. “Because right now, I think I’m about to marry a man who’s been stalking me and planning something horrifying!”
His eyes darted around, ensuring no one could hear us. “Fine,” he said finally. “You’re right. I was watching you before we met. But it’s because I needed to know if you were trustworthy.”
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“Trustworthy?!” I spat. “That doesn’t explain the drugs or why you’ve been collecting information on me!”
David’s jaw clenched. “It was for protection.”
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“Protection from *what*?” I snapped, tears streaming down my face. “From *me*?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, broken and humiliated.
—
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I didn’t go through with the wedding. That night, I packed my things and left, my mind spinning with questions I might never get answers to. The woman’s warning had saved me from a nightmare, but the scars of that day would stay with me forever.
As for David, I never saw him again. But sometimes, late at night, I wonder what might have happened if I hadn’t listened to that mysterious woman on the path.
