One Joke, One Broken Engagement

Mrs. Lee always loved to make inappropriate jokes.

At my wedding with Sophia Lee,

she suddenly announced in front of everyone:

“My daughter isn’t carrying my son-in-law’s child!”

The entire hall erupted in shock!

Mrs. Lee had always been testing whether I truly loved Sophia,

setting up ninety-nine tests before the wedding.

I tried my best to explain, but she made her claims sound so convincing.

In desperation, I looked to Sophia for help,

but she lowered her head and avoided my eyes.

My mother’s face turned dark with rage,

and my father, stricken with cancer and desperate for a grandchild,

believed her words and collapsed, dead on the spot!

What should have been a wedding turned into a funeral,

yet Mrs. Lee showed no remorse:

“It’s just a joke. I only wanted to see if you would still treat my daughter well

if the child wasn’t yours.”

Sophia even chimed in to defend her:

“Exactly! My mom is only worried about me,

afraid I’d suffer after marriage.”

“And besides, your dad was already in late-stage cancer.

He wouldn’t have lived much longer anyway!”

Hearing this, I furiously demanded a divorce,

but instead they smeared me as a heartless man

abandoning his wife and unborn child.

My mother was hunted down and killed by vicious online trolls,

and I myself was struck by a car, wandering in despair.

Given a second chance at life,

I swore to make this so-called “joke”

return upon the one who started it all.

…

I was awakened by a familiar voice,

and when I opened my eyes,

I saw my father—who had already died.

“David Miller, the wedding is tomorrow.

Your mother has already prepared,

just as your mother-in-law demanded—

$120,000 in wedding expenses and a condo downtown.”

A wedding? A dowry? A condo?

My mind raced.

I looked up at the wall calendar, and it hit me.

I had been reborn to the day before my wedding!

The very day before my father died of rage!!

In my previous life, Sophia and I had married because of the pregnancy.

Her father had died when she was ten,

and she was raised alone by Mrs. Lee, always keeping a clean reputation.

I pitied her hardships and never crossed the line with her.

If it hadn’t been for that night we drank too much,

none of it would have happened.

Afterward, I immediately had my parents propose marriage to Mrs. Lee,

but she clung to the fact that Sophia and I had been intimate before marriage.

She tested me ninety-nine times,

and raised the wedding demand from $25,000 to $120,000

before agreeing to marry her daughter to me.

Yet on the wedding day,

Mrs. Lee suddenly announced to the guests

that the child in Sophia’s belly wasn’t mine.

The guests froze in disbelief.

My parents were respected locally,

and the attendees were all people of status.

No one expected to hear such words at a wedding.

I immediately tried to reason with Mrs. Lee,

asking her not to make such jokes on such an occasion.

But she insisted it was true—

that her daughter had betrayed me.

Embarrassed, I turned to Sophia for help,

but she bowed her head, avoiding my eyes.

Seeing this, many began to believe it.

My father had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer a year earlier.

Knowing I was going to be a father

had given him immense joy.

Hearing Mrs. Lee’s words, and seeing Sophia remain silent,

he believed it completely—

and died of fury right then and there.

The wedding turned into a funeral,

yet Mrs. Lee showed no remorse.

“Come on, it was just a joke! Can’t you handle it?

Your dad already had terminal cancer,

don’t blame us!”

Sophia also defended her mother, saying

Mrs. Lee was only testing my attitude toward her.

Shaking with rage, I pointed at Sophia

and shouted that the wedding was off.

But she only said fine—

the wedding gifts wouldn’t be returned.