At my sister Sarah’s wedding, her maid of honor publicly mocked me during her speech, bringing up my past heartbreaks. The laughter stung, but what happened next left everyone in shock.

As Robin, the maid of honor, continued to humiliate me, Sarah’s face grew dark. Midway through Robin’s cruel jokes, Sarah “accidentally” spilled red wine all over Robin’s dress. The room went silent as Robin shrieked, looking mortified.

“WHAT THE HELL, SARAH?!” she screamed. “Do you have any idea how much this dress cost?”

Sarah, calm and unbothered, replied, “Oops. That’s what happens when you’re not careful with glasses… or words.”

Robin, furious and humiliated, sputtered, “You did that on purpose!”

“Maybe,” Sarah said, “but only because you deserved it. Emily has been through a lot, and your joke was cruel.”

The crowd murmured in agreement. Robin, cornered and embarrassed, tried to downplay it. “It was just a little fun.”

“No,” Sarah cut in, “this is about respect. Emily is my sister, and I won’t tolerate anyone treating her with such disrespect.”

Robin, defeated, stormed out of the hall. Sarah approached me, her face filled with worry. “Are you okay?” she asked.

Tears welled up as I replied, “I can’t believe you did that.”

“I should have done it a long time ago,” she said, pulling me into a hug. “You’re my sister, and I love you.”

“I love you too,” I whispered, feeling a newfound connection with Sarah.