My Fiancée Wanted to Exclude My Adopted Daughter from the Wedding – When I Found Out Why, My Knees Went Weak

Nora’s mouth trembled. “It means Susan already knew Sarah before the adoption. She’d met her years earlier and never told you. Susan was her biological mother, and she gave her up for adoption. It’s in the letter.”

I stared at her. “No.”

Nora nodded through tears. “She chose Sarah long before she told you she wanted to adopt. She kept that part from you.”

“Susan already knew Sarah before the adoption.”

I gripped the table. “You should have told me. And you should never have taken it out on Sarah.”

Nora started to cry.

“I panicked. Every time I looked at Sarah, I saw the secret first. I know how awful that sounds. I couldn’t watch you stand at that altar, making vows with Sarah beside you, while this was sitting in your house the whole time.”

I stared at her, numb. “So instead of telling me the truth, you wanted to punish a child for it? So what if Sarah is Susan’s biological daughter? She’s mine, too.”

“I panicked. Every time I looked at Sarah, I saw the secret first.”

The silence took over for a while.

Then, Nora wiped her eyes. “Can we still get married, Winston?”

I stepped back from the table. “Whatever Susan hid from me, whatever I learn now, Sarah is my daughter. You don’t get to punish her for the truth. You asked me to choose. I already have.”

***

I canceled the wedding. The florist called, confused. Then Nora’s mother started calling relatives, trying to say I’d overreacted and humiliated Nora over “old papers that meant nothing.”

I canceled the wedding.