Chapter 3. The Switched Bride

The news of the wedding going ahead reached Rebecca’s ears. Everything was going according to plan. Nothing had changed. Except for the bride-to-be. It was not Rebecca Clovin, but her stepsister, Rowena Clovin. This decision was made to protect the family’s reputation. More precisely, Elvis’s parents did not want their name to be tarnished.

Rebecca’s heart was repeatedly wounded. She was still crying in her room when she found out that her dream wedding dress was being tried on by her stepsister in another room. She hugged her trembling body, mourning her sadness while the house was busy preparing for the wedding the next day.

No one heard her pleas. Her father covered his ears, while Elvis blocked all direct contact with her. She was even kicked out when she came to the house of the man she loved.

She had tried everything to explain to everyone about that night’s incident, but no one believed her. Rebecca was now like trash, completely ignored. They trusted what they saw and heard from April instead.

Not long after, a knock was heard, and the door to her room opened wide, revealing a housemaid.

“Mr. Clovin is calling you to his room, Miss Rebecca,” the maid said politely.

Rebecca did not hesitate and immediately got up from the bed. She left behind the pillow soaked with tears. She had no intention of washing her swollen face. Everyone in the house already knew the sorrow in her heart.

“Daddy is calling me?” Rebecca asked directly as she arrived in front of her father’s desk.

“Pack your things immediately. I have prepared your trip to Scotland tomorrow,” Nelson said firmly without looking at his daughter.

Rebecca was stunned. Her face became even wetter with spontaneous tears. “Why am I going there?”

“You will oversee the development of our company branch there.”

Nelson was lying! Rebecca knew very well that the development project was still uncertain due to strong protests from several directors. She realized one thing for sure: her father was subtly kicking her out of Manchester.

“I’m not going anywhere! I won’t leave the department and the team that I’ve worked so hard with—”

“Rowena will replace you.” Nelson did not give his daughter a chance to speak.

“She can’t! Rowena still needs guidance even though she has been with the company for a year—”

“The new product she developed achieved the highest sales this year. Rebecca, give your sister a chance to grow. As an older sister, you shouldn’t be greedy,” Nelson interrupted.

When had Rebecca ever been greedy toward her stepsister? Never once did she protest Nelson’s biased affection for Rowena. In fact, when Rebecca was 16, she had just lost her biological mother forever. Then, a few months later, Nelson married Rowena’s mother and brought them both into their home. So, was she supposed to give in? Do the same thing for eight years?

“Daddy is kicking me out?” Rebecca’s hoarse voice was full of irony. Her eyes were red and swollen. She struggled hard to hold back tears that almost fell again.

Nelson turned his face away coldly. “You will leave early in the morning, so you don’t have to attend Elvis and Rowena’s wedding. There are many important guests coming to the wedding,” he said indifferently.

“Daddy is kicking me out?” Rebecca repeated in a trembling, heartbreaking tone.

“Rebecca, I’m struggling hard to succeed at this point. Elvis’s family is the best partner, so I can’t do anything. Go, and don’t make a scene. The disgusting thing you did yesterday already stained my dignity. You should be grateful I’m only relocating you, not abandoning you,” Nelson said firmly, holding back his anger.

It hurt. Rebecca’s chest felt pierced by her father’s words. For power, she was made a victim. She wanted to scream to explain to everyone that she was innocent. But she knew it was all useless.

She wiped the remaining tears and said sadly, “I’m very disappointed in you, Dad. You don’t know your own daughter at all. I hope you regret it someday. I’m leaving. Take care of yourself.”

Rebecca left the room after saying goodbye. There was no point in staying longer because the result would be the same. No matter how loudly she screamed, her father would never believe her. It was as if she had to accept the bitter reality that destroyed her happiness.

Nelson had nothing to say. The middle-aged man watched Rebecca’s back disappear from sight. His eyes showed anger and disappointment, but sadness dominated.

Rebecca’s steps stopped when she accidentally saw April’s presence. The appearance of that traitor changed her course. Since yesterday, she had been struggling to find her, but now the woman appeared on her own without being asked.

Her eager steps froze when she saw April enter Rowena’s room. Rebecca was surprised. Since when was April close to Rowena? As far as she knew, the two women only greeted each other as subordinate and superior. What was this?

Her curiosity was answered when the housemaids inside Rowena’s room left, leaving April and the room’s owner alone. From the small gap in the door, Rebecca overheard their whispered conversation.

“This is the remaining money I promised yesterday. Oh, yes, don’t forget to replace all the furniture in my new room. I don’t like using my sister’s old stuff.”

Rebecca’s eyes widened as she saw April receiving a check from her stepsister’s hand. Although she was upset by the betrayal, she did not want to rush to attack. She decided to eavesdrop further on the two women’s conversation.

“I have ordered new furniture as you requested, Miss Rowena,” April said politely.

“Good!” Rowena praised. “Have you paid the hotel and restaurant staff from yesterday? Make sure they keep their mouths shut. No one must know that my sister’s drink was mixed with an aphrodisiac.”

“I have done that. I also made sure the CCTV operator destroyed the recordings from that night, Mrs. Dalton.”

Rowena looked pale as April mentioned using Elvis’s family name, Dalton.

Disgusting! No wonder Rebecca felt strange in her body after drinking. The truth that her drink had been mixed with an aphrodisiac made her powerless.

The two-faced traitor was very clever in playing her role. Rebecca was even deceived by her sincerity. From that angle, she finally discovered Rowena’s evil plan working with April.

Her stepsister actually hated her. Even though Rebecca never disturbed her life. Secretly, Rowena had long loved Elvis, but unfortunately, the doctor loved her older sister.

“So it was all your idea.” Rebecca entered the room and surprised the two women.

“Si-sis—”

“Shit! Don’t call me that! I don’t want a sister like you!” Rebecca snapped sarcastically, pushing Rowena’s shoulder with her index finger.

The push was weak, but strangely Rowena fell by herself, then cried sobbing.

“What are you doing, Rebecca? Why did you push Rowena?” Elvis suddenly shouted at Rebecca.

Rebecca laughed seeing how Elvis cared for Rowena to stand. Her mind immediately realized the futility of wasted tears. He said he loved her! He said he couldn’t live without her! But just one misunderstanding made Rebecca see clearly Elvis’s true nature and foolishness.

Wake up! They are not people who can destroy Rebecca! They don’t deserve her tears, which belong to the real victim.

Slap!

Rebecca slapped Rowena’s right cheek hard.

“Rebecca!” Elvis shouted at her.

That was deliberately done by Rebecca so Rowena’s act of pain would seem genuine. “This is not over!” She grabbed a glass of water and immediately poured it on April’s face.

April was shocked by Rebecca’s action. Her face was soaked. Luckily, it was only water; if the glass had followed, her face would have been seriously injured.

“Rebecca Clovin!” Elvis shouted sharply at Rebecca.

Rebecca looked at him with red eyes, holding back the tightness in her chest. “We’ve been together for years, but you don’t know me at all, Elvis.”

Elvis gave a sharper glare at his ex-girlfriend. “I used to think I knew you well, Rebecca. But that night’s incident made me realize I was deceived by your innocent face all this time. Stop your drama, Rebecca Clovin. I know your wickedness!”

Rebecca smiled bitterly. “My wickedness? Ah, yes… if you think that, then I’m not angry at all. Keep thinking of me that way.” Her gaze shifted to Rowena and April. “I’ll make sure you all feel ten times the pain in my heart!” she said with full vengeance. Then she left Rowena’s room.

“Elvis.” Rowena immediately hugged Elvis tightly, begging for protection from her fiancé.

Elvis looked at Rebecca who was disappearing from his sight. His eyes still watched his ex, but he returned Rowena’s embrace. “Forget what Rebecca said. She’s just angry because you replaced her position. Don’t listen to her. All the problems come from her.”

Rowena smiled slyly in Elvis’s embrace. All her plans were going perfectly. Even the whole big family already thought Rebecca was the one with the wicked heart.

***

Glenn took off his gray jacket and loosened the tie that had been wrapped around his neck all day. Without delay, he threw himself onto the soft sofa. Just like yesterday, his day was very tiring due to a busy business schedule. He tried to calm his body without caring about Eric’s presence.

“I was just reading your schedule for tomorrow…”

Eric’s words were cut off by a phone notification on Glenn’s phone. But the owner ignored it by pressing the red button to reject the incoming call.

“Continue!” Glenn ordered.

“You will be free at breakfast time. At ten in the morning, you will attend a wedding…”

Again! The phone notification interrupted Eric’s speech.

Glenn sighed harshly. Just by seeing the name on the screen, he could guess the caller’s purpose. Because that person had been attacking him since morning. “Continue!”

“You better answer that call first, Mr. Glenn.” Eric bowed his head and excused himself to give his boss some privacy. But Glenn stopped him because he didn’t want to spend long answering the incoming call that disturbed him again.

“Hello, Granny—”

“You rude grandson! Why do you keep rejecting my calls?” the woman, who was Glenn’s grandmother, scolded.

“I’m busy. Granny knows I’m on a business trip to Manchester.”

“All I know is you’re busy avoiding me!” the grandmother retorted.

Glenn smiled bitterly. “No, Granny.”

“Glenn!” The grandmother shouted angrily.

“Granny, don’t shout. Your throat will hurt. Have you eaten? How about the new nutritionist I hired?” Glenn changed the subject.

“I’ve fired her! Don’t send any nutritionist before you come to every blind date I arrange!”

Glenn massaged his temples because his head was throbbing.

“Granny, have you eaten? If you don’t eat, you’ll die.”

“Let me die! So my ghost can haunt and choke the grandson who doesn’t obey his grandmother’s wishes! So remember, Glenn, come to every blind date!”

The call was abruptly ended by his grandmother. Glenn immediately reacted with annoyance at the unavoidable threat. Meeting women? That was something he hated. He deliberately avoided getting close to any woman for the past five years. He always drowned himself in work. Busy without limits, regardless of how tired and sick he was.

“Do you want to go out, Mr. Glenn? You’re free tonight.” Eric approached Glenn when the man had just ended the phone call.

“Seems like a good idea. I’m bored. I need a refreshing atmosphere for my brain.” Glenn agreed to the suggestion. He really needed some nightlife entertainment. Besides the threat from his grandmother, his mind was also burdened by several things.

Their destination that night was a private nightclub. Glenn ordered Eric not to accompany him. He wanted to be alone and planned to go home by himself later.

The club’s atmosphere warmly welcomed Glenn. It was not too crowded, and the waiters were polite in serving him. His goal was the bartender’s table. He wanted to calmly enjoy alcohol in that corner. However, someone’s presence there made him startled.

“Damn! Bastard!” muttered a woman who was asleep at the bartender’s table due to excessive drunkenness.

Glenn’s eyes focused sharply on the woman. His expression changed. His eyes stared deeply at the beautiful woman who was drunk. A fragment of memory appeared when he saw her.

That woman… she was the stranger he had enjoyed intimately.