A bride was devastated when her fiancé disappeared without a word, leaving her by herself at the altar on what was meant to be the happiest day of her life.
The abrupt and unexpected disappearance cast a pall over their otherwise flawless relationship.
Unexpectedly, one day, she got a mysterious message request from him that left her wondering a lot.
A female anonymous poster shared her perplexing tale on the ‘Relationship Advice’ subreddit in July 2023. The 28-year-old woman’s life took a terrifying turn two years ago when her 32-year-old fiancé, Derek, disappeared without a trace the morning of their wedding.
“Two years ago, on the morning of our wedding, my [ex-fiance] Derek vanished,” she said.
She was devastated and in a state of deep shock when her desperate calls and messages went unanswered. The day of happiness that had been promised turned into a bizarre nightmare that brought her back to an empty apartment. There, she found comfort on the cold bathroom floor in her wedding dress—a stark contrast to her broken dreams of happiness.
Why Did OP’s Fiancé Abandon Her at the Altar?
Derek’s mother painfully disclosed the heartbreaking truth that he had reignited an old flame with his ex-girlfriend just days prior to the wedding, choosing to forsake their love and commitment, adding an even crueler twist to her tale. The bride was dealt a severe blow upon learning the truth, and she was left feeling betrayed, angry, and deeply abandoned.
Derek reappeared months later, and his sudden reappearance only made the scars he left behind worse.. “I didn’t hear from him until 3 months after he left. He called me, [apologized] and then revealed that his ex had been hiding his child from him that he just found out about, he wanted to be with them,” shared the woman.
“That’s pretty much all that was said, I didn’t say much, actually I think I only said “hello”. The whole situation left me numb, I just didn’t care anymore,” added the heartbroken poster. However, with time, support from steadfast friends, and therapy, the young woman embarked on a grueling journey of self-discovery and healing.
After a year of restless nights and tearful days, she finally mustered the courage to move on from her past. She took a drastic decision to leave her home country of Australia for the far-off shores of Wales, UK, hoping for a fresh start far away from the haunting memories of a love lost. Seeking comfort in a fresh start.
An Unusual Message Request
Unexpectedly, she received a message from Derek on social media, bringing him back into her life. The woman disclosed, “I received a message request on [Instagram] last night; it was Derek.’Hey…’” I’ve heard you moved to Wales, that’s so cool, I’m [traveling] to Cardiff towards of the end of July. I’m deeply sorry about everything and I want to discuss what happened leading up to the wedding.”
She felt shivers down her spine knowing that Derek knew exactly where she was. His proposal, rife with unresolved issues, left OP forced to face a past she had laboriously attempted to put behind her. Torn between the possibility of closure and the fear of reopening wounds that had barely started to scar over, she turned to the vast world of the internet in the midst of her uncertainty, asking faceless strangers for advice.
Finding Closure
The woman thanked everyone for their advice and expressed surprise at the attention her story had received in her updates. She initially chose to disregard her ex-fiancé’s message, despite an old mutual friend telling Derek where she had moved. Afterwards, he clarified his actions and expressed regret for the deceptive tone of his initial message.
She was stuck in a state of uncertainty for three months after he left her, even after he was diagnosed with avoidance PTSD. She nevertheless consented to see him. He disclosed to them during their brief lunch that he was no longer with his deceased ex.
After confirming the child’s identity, he gave her an envelope containing all of the money they had spent on getting ready for their wedding. She felt relieved and validated that she had moved on from her past experiences, which gave her closure. She expressed her gratitude to everyone for their support and said she felt liberated and prepared to go on.
Comments from Readers
How do you feel about this story? Do you think the person in question should have ignored her ex-fiance or was correct to meet him? If you were in the position of the OP, how would you respond?
