I hired an actor to be my “groom” at a fake wedding, all to get revenge on my cheating ex. But as we stood at the altar, exchanging fake vows and a not-so-fake kiss, I never could have predicted how this elaborate charade would completely upend my life.
I never thought I’d be the kind of person to stage a fake wedding for revenge. But there I was, staring at my phone, scrolling through photos of Charlie and Samantha’s latest date night. My stomach churned.
“Screw this,” I muttered, tossing my phone aside. That’s when the idea hit me. If Charlie wanted to flaunt his new relationship, I’d show him I could do one better.
I called my cousin Tess. “Hey, you still friends with that actor guy?”
“Ryan? Yeah, why?”
“I need a favor. A big one.”
Two days later, I was sitting across from Ryan in a coffee shop, outlining my ridiculous plan.
“So let me get this straight,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “You want me to pretend to be your fiancé at a fake wedding?”
I nodded, feeling a bit ridiculous. “I know it sounds crazy, but —”
“I’m in,” Ryan interrupted, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Sounds like fun.”
Over the next few weeks, I threw myself into wedding planning. Dress shopping, venue booking, inviting friends who were in on the plan — it was exhausting but exhilarating.
“You sure about this, Nat?” my friend Kira asked as we picked out flowers.
“Absolutely,” I lied, trying to ignore the knot in my stomach.
I nodded, and our lips met. It was just acting, I told myself, ignoring the unexpected flutter in my chest.
After the ceremony, we posed for countless photos. Ryan’s arm around my waist felt oddly comforting.
“You’re a natural,” I murmured as we smiled for another shot.
“What can I say? I’m a method actor,” he winked.
That night, I posted a flurry of wedding photos on social media. “Found my true love,” I captioned one. “New beginnings,” on another.
“Are you sure about this?” Kira asked when I told her. “It’s not just part of the act?”
“It’s real,” I assured her. “Unexpected, but real.”
Things were going great until Charlie found out. He started spreading rumors that our relationship was a sham, that I was paying Ryan to be with me.
When Ryan heard, he was upset. “I thought we were past all this,” he said, his voice tight.
“We are!” I insisted. “Charlie’s just being a jerk.”
I smiled, watching Ryan chat animatedly with the photographer. “Sometimes the craziest plans lead to the best outcomes,” I mused.
As I reflect on everything that’s happened, I can’t help but marvel at the journey. What started as a misguided attempt at revenge led me to true love and personal growth I never expected.
Life has a funny way of working out sometimes. And while I wouldn’t recommend staging a fake wedding as a path to happiness, I can’t regret the choices that led me here — to Ryan, to love, and to a future brighter than I ever imagined.
Grappling with his son’s suicide, Michael Madsen still hopes to find answers
Actor Michael Madsen of Reservoir Dogs received a final text from his child that said, “I love you dad,” and nothing more.
According to his father, 26-year-old Hudson Madsen, a prominent Hollywood actor’s son, shot himself in the head after completing his first tour as a U.S. Army Sergeant stationed in Hawaii.
Star of the Kill Bill franchise Madsen told the LA Times, “I am in shock as my son, whom I just spoke with a few days ago, said he was happy-my last text from him was ‘I love you dad.’”
“I saw no indications of depression. It is so terrible and tragic. He went on, “I’m just trying to make sense of it and comprehend what happened.
Hudson, the oldest child of Madsen and his wife DeAnna Madsen, had Quentin Tarantino as his godfather. The next oldest kids were brothers Luke and Kalvin. Madsen has two more boys, Christian and Max, with his former spouse Jeannine Bisignano.
In 2019, he wed Carlie, who posted encouraging remarks about their love on social media. Carlie’s social media accounts reveal that the couple, unable to conceive naturally, was thinking about doing IVF.
Just one week before he died on January 22, 2022, Carlie posted a selfie of herself wearing a hospital gown to Instagram, captioning it with the news that she had recently had a tumor removed.
She continues in the post, “I just want to give a shout-out to my amazing husband!” Throughout the entire process, he has shown a great deal of patience. I had surgery on one of my breasts yesterday to remove a tumor. Carlie went on, “We spent approximately seven hours at the hospital yesterday. He went to Target and purchased me a card, flowers, cozy pajamas, and my favorite candy while I was in surgery! He has also been tremendous in aiding with my recuperation, and I am incredibly appreciative.
A few weeks later, she posted a sweet photo of herself and Hudson to Twitter with the straightforward message, “I miss you so much.” The circumstances surrounding Hudson’s suicide baffled everyone.
According to Madsen, the 64-year-old father expressed his distress about his suicide by saying, “He had typical life challenges that people have with finances, but he wanted a family.” This is mind-blowing, since he was thinking about his future. I just don’t know what went wrong.
The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor Madsen also revealed that, despite his outward contentment, his son—who had served in Afghanistan—was struggling with mental health concerns. The actor claimed that because his son was keeping his difficulties to himself, he stopped getting counseling when he needed it.
Madsen felt “that officers and rank and file were shaming,” so he asked the military to look into it. However, the investigation’s findings are still under wraps.
Known for his work on Quentin Tarantino’s gory comedies, Madsen was arrested in Malibu at the mansion he had just been evicted from, one month after Hudson committed herself. Madsen was charged with trespassing and was given bail.
The actor has a past criminal history; TMZ reports that he was charged with child endangerment in 2012 and with DUI in 2019 following an SUV accident.
When the actor entered his house and saw that his teenage son was using marijuana, the two got into a fight.According to TMZ, Madsen and his young son got into a violent altercation, and when the police arrived, they saw multiple injuries on the boy. According to reports, Madsen looked to be intoxicated when he was taken into custody. Madsen’s name was disclosed, but not that of the son.
After Hudson passed away, the family released a statement in which they said, “We are crushed and overwhelmed with grief and pain at the loss of Hudson.” His memory and light will live on in the hearts of all those who were acquainted with and loved him.
Carlie posts a poignant homage to her spouse, whom she affectionately refers to as “Lump,” on Instagram on January 23, 2023.I have no idea how a year has passed without you. The pain is still exactly the same as it was that day. Every morning when I wake up and every evening before I go to sleep, my thoughts always turn to you. How much I miss you and how much I hurt is beyond words.
“I simply wish you would have spoken with me and told me what was going on that day,” she said. I apologize if you believed that there was no other way to turn things around. I apologize for not seeing the symptoms and for not being able to do more. Regretfully, I let you down. Please know that you are never far from my thoughts or side. Lump, I love you more and I miss you a lot.
Hudson Madsen passed away tragically, leaving behind a husband, best friend, son, and hero. If someone needs to hear it, this is the perfect opportunity to let them know how much you care.
There is always help available, and don’t forget that if you want to talk to someone anonymously, you can call the Suicide Hotline in the United States and Canada at 9-8-8.
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