“The Abandoned Banquet”

I never imagined the happiest day of my life would turn into such a humiliating joke.

A wedding is supposed to be the most joyful day, yet because of a banquet table, I was pushed into the depths of disgrace by my husband’s family.

The Two Families

Nam and I had loved each other for three years, overcoming countless obstacles to be together. He was gentle and hardworking, but his mother—Madam Hảo—was infamous for being strict, obsessed with reputation, and contemptuous of my humble background.

My family lived in the countryside, not wealthy. My parents were farmers, scraping together every penny to give me an education. I always told myself that as long as my husband and I loved each other, we could overcome any hardship.

But I was wrong.

The Banquet Cleared Away

The wedding was held at the groom’s house. When my family arrived, I saw the tables already prepared: golden-boiled chicken, fried spring rolls, clear broth, even imported wine. I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking everything would go smoothly.

But as soon as I stepped down from the car, Madam Hảo glared at me and suddenly snapped:
— “Go home! There will be no wedding!”

All the guests froze in shock. The banquet was immediately cleared away by the staff, leaving both families dumbfounded. Whispers spread through the courtyard.

I stood paralyzed, while Nam, panicked, grabbed his mother’s hand:
— “Mother, what are you doing? Today is my wedding day…”

Madam Hảo coldly pointed at me:
— “This kind of daughter-in-law I will not accept. This banquet is not for some greedy peasant girl. I won’t let the family be laughed at for bringing home such a burden.”

Her words made my face go pale. I heard the mocking chuckles around me, cutting into my heart like knives.

The Bitter Reason

It turned out that a few days earlier, my family hadn’t managed to deliver the betrothal gift she demanded: hundreds of millions in cash, plus gold for distant relatives. My parents tried their best but still fell short. Nam and I had planned to make up for it after the wedding, but she chose to publicly shame us on the most important day.

— “Her family is dirt poor, can’t even provide proper gifts. Marrying her only brings disgrace. People will laugh in our faces!” she shouted loudly before everyone.

My parents bowed their heads, tears falling. My heart shattered.

Anger Explodes

Unable to bear it, I trembled as I spoke:
— “Auntie, I love Nam for who he is, not for money. Why do you look down on my parents like this?”

She rolled her eyes:
— “Love? Can love feed you? I need a daughter-in-law with money, not some girl clinging to my son. Get out—you’re not worthy of my household!”

Relatives murmured, some even nodding in agreement. Nam was furious:
— “Mother, that’s enough! I love Mai. I will marry Mai. Whatever the dowry is, I’ll handle it. I won’t let her family be humiliated!”

But Madam Hảo sneered:
— “You dare defy me for her? Fine—then from now on, don’t call me mother.”

The Decision

In that moment, I understood clearly: if this marriage went on, I would live my whole life under scorn. I gripped Nam’s hand tightly, choking back tears:
— “Nam… let’s end it here.”

He panicked:
— “Mai! What are you saying?”

I bit my lip, tears rolling down:
— “If on our wedding day I am treated like a beggar, how much worse will the future be? I can’t let my parents suffer such humiliation again.”

I turned, embraced my parents, bowed, and resolutely walked away—leaving behind Nam’s desperate cries and the chaos of the crowd.

The Aftermath

After that day, the story of “the bride cast out on her wedding day” spread everywhere. My ex-in-law’s family became a laughingstock. People whispered:
— “Rich but unlucky. Their greed for dowry cost them a good bride.”

Nam sought me out many times afterward, begging to reconcile, but my trust was gone. Even if he loved me, he was powerless against his mother. If I returned, I would forever live under her shadow.

My parents, though heartbroken, were secretly relieved that I had escaped a lifetime of misery.

The Ending for Each Person

Madam Hảo, proud of “saving face,” was actually mocked by relatives for her greed and arrogance. A few years later, she fell ill and lay bedridden, alone, with no one to care for her.

Nam lived in regret all his life. He lost the woman who truly loved him and endured a string of failed arranged matches.

As for me, after the shock, I poured my strength into my career. A few years later, I started a small company and gave my parents a comfortable life. I learned that a woman’s worth does not lie in banquets or dowries, but in her ability to value herself.

Conclusion

That day, when the banquet was cleared and the wedding collapsed, I thought my life was over. But in truth, it was the beginning of freedom.

My ex-mother-in-law’s last words—“I won’t let the family be laughed at”—ironically made her the true laughingstock.

And I, once a rejected bride, learned to lift my head high and walk forward on my own two feet.