I rolled my eyes playfully. “You know what I mean. I’m not materialistic, I swear!”
Opening the envelope, I gasped. “Wow! Someone really values our friendship,” I joked, pulling out ten $100 bills.
A person holding $100 bills | Source: Pexels
Aaron frowned, taking the money from me. He ran his fingers over the bills, his frown deepening. “Leslie, these are fake.”
“What? How can you be sure?”
“Trust me. I know fake bills when I see them. Working at the bank for years has taught me that.”
I felt a mix of confusion and anger. Who would do this? And why?
The next day, determined to get to the bottom of this, I went to the hotel where we’d held our reception.
A woman entering a hotel | Source: Midjourney
After explaining the situation to the manager, he agreed to show me the surveillance footage.
As we watched the video, my jaw dropped. There, clear as day, was my sister Jemisha slipping the red envelope into our gift box.
I was furious because it was my own flesh and blood who had tried to trick us. How could she do this?
After a few days of stewing in my anger, I decided to teach Jemisha a lesson. I called her up, forcing cheerfulness into my voice.
A woman talking on her phone | Source: Midjourney
“Hey, Jem! I was wondering if you’d like to go shopping with me. I want to buy you a thank-you gift for all your help with the wedding.”
“Oh, um, sure,” she replied, sounding surprised. “When?”
“How about this afternoon? There’s this great jewelry store I want to check out.”
A few hours later, Jemisha and I were walking into my friend Sarah’s jewelry store. Before we entered, I pulled out an envelope.
A woman holding an envelope | Source: Pexels
“Here,” I said, handing her five $100 bills – the same fake ones from the wedding. “I want you to pick out something nice for yourself. My treat.”
Jemisha’s eyes widened. “Leslie, that’s too much…”
“Nonsense! You’re my sister. Now come on, let’s shop!”
We browsed the store, and Jemisha eventually settled on a beautiful silver necklace. As she went to pay, I held my breath, watching Sarah closely.
Sarah examined the bills, then looked up with a frown. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but these bills are counterfeit.”
A person holding $100 bills | Source: Pexels
Jemisha paled. “What? No, that can’t be right.”
Sarah pressed a button under the counter. “I’m afraid I’ll have to call the police. Please wait here.” She locked the door from the inside.
I put on my best shocked face. “Jemisha, what’s going on? Where did you get that money?”
My sister started to shake, tears forming in her eyes. “I… I…”
“Wait,” I said slowly. “This looks like the money we found in one of our wedding envelopes. Do you know anything about that?”
A serious woman | Source: Midjourney
Jemisha broke down, sobbing. “I’m so sorry, Leslie! I… I put those fake bills in your wedding gift. I was jealous. You’ve always had everything – the perfect job, the perfect husband. I wanted to ruin something for you, just once.”
I stood there, stunned by Jemisha’s confession. My mind reeled, trying to process her words. How could my own sister want to ruin my wedding day? The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.
“Jealous? Of me?” I whispered, more to myself than to her.
A woman in a jewelry store | Source: Midjourney
As I looked at Jemisha’s tear-stained face, memories flooded back. I remembered the proud smiles on our parents’ faces when I brought home straight A’s, while Jemisha struggled to pass her classes.
I thought about my college graduation, landing my dream job as a software developer, and now marrying Aaron. All the while, Jemisha had bounced from one dead-end job to another, never quite finding her footing.
Had I been blind to her pain all this time? I’d always thought my success would inspire her, not breed resentment.
A woman looking at another woman | Source: Midjourney
“I never meant to make you feel less than, Jem,” I said softly, my anger slowly melting into guilt and sadness. “Why didn’t you talk to me? I had no idea you felt that way.”
“I was ashamed,” she sniffled. “You’re my little sister, but you’re so successful. I felt like a failure in comparison.”
I hugged her tightly. “You’re not a failure, Jemisha. We all have our own paths. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel less than.”
After a long talk, I signaled to Sarah that everything was okay.
A jewelry store owner | Source: Midjourney
As we left the store, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.
“So, no police?” Jemisha asked sheepishly.
I grinned. “Nope. Sarah’s an old friend. This was all part of my plan to get you to confess.”
Jemisha groaned. “I should’ve known. You always were too clever for your own good.”
We laughed, and for the first time in years, I felt like I truly had my sister back.
As we walked home, I realized that sometimes, the greatest gift isn’t found in an envelope, but in the healing of a relationship.
Two women walking on the street | Source: Pexels
Have you ever had to confront a family member about something difficult? How did you handle it?
If you enjoyed reading this story, here’s another one you might like: Jenny had always admired her sister Anna’s perfect life, but one unexpected job offer from Anna’s fiancé, Mike, changed everything. When Jenny refused, her world was turned upside down. Now, she’s fighting to clear her name and uncover the truth behind the betrayal that shattered her dreams.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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