Three weeks before my wedding, I discovered my fiancé, Jared, was planning a “closure vacation” with his ex. Not hiking with buddies, like he claimed. I found out by chance when his groomsman casually mentioned it at the mall. My heart dropped, but instead of confronting Jared, I made a call—to Liam, my ex from college.

Liam and I had stayed in touch over the years. He was single, kind, and knew how to play along. I asked him to go on a trip with me—to make a statement. He didn’t hesitate. “Book the tickets,” he said. We met at the airport the same day Jared and Miranda were leaving for their trip.

I walked right up to Jared at the terminal with Liam by my side, kissed Liam on the cheek, and smiled sweetly. Jared’s face drained of color. “Closure’s important,” I told him. “We’re doing one too.” Liam shook Jared’s hand and added, “Emotional clarity, right?” We walked away, leaving him speechless.

That week in Cabo started as revenge but turned into something else. Liam and I laughed, talked, and reconnected. It felt natural—like no time had passed since our college days. Old sparks turned into something deeper.

Two weeks later, he moved back to my city. Six months after that, he proposed. We got married in the spring with only close friends and family.

Jared eventually emailed: “Guess your closure worked.”
It did—better than I ever imagined.

Sometimes the perfect wedding comes from the wrong engagement.