Dear Substitute Wife, You Are Mine

“What do you mean you're still going on with the wedding, Mum?” Serena's voice was thick with disbelief as she stormed into their bedroom, her heart pounding with frustration.

Her mother, Cynthia, and her stepfather, Dominic, were locked in a serious conversation when she burst in, and they both froze, their eyes snapping towards her as if they had been caught in a secret. But that didn’t matter to Serena, all she needed was a satisfactory explanation.

“Hey, dear. You’re back.” Cynthia said, her voice steady yet laced with uncertainty as she rose from the couch, her brow furrowed with concern.

“Yes, I’m back. What’s this I heard about the wedding? It’s all over social media, and frankly, I was expecting things to have calmed down.”

Cynthia placed a soothing hand on her forehead, a small gesture meant to quell the storm brewing within her daughter. Yet nothing could extinguish Serena's anger. “This isn't just about your twin sister, Serena. If we cancel the wedding, everything our family has worked so hard for will vanish overnight. Your father's company is on the brink of collapse. Dominic is trying to save our family.”

“Mum, that plan is insane. Raquel is in the hospital right now, her condition becoming unstable after collapsing three days ago. She’s fighting for her life.” Sweat trickled down her temple as she wiped away the increasing tension on her forehead.

“I’m doing what I can, Serena!”

“You’re not. I only agreed to cover for her for two days because I believed she would wake up. You promised to inform Henley yesterday! He doesn’t even know about her heart disease… Why, Mum?” Her voice escalated in a desperate yell.

Cynthia took a step back, jostled by the fierceness of her daughter's emotions.

“Serena, you should not speak to your mother like that,” Dominic interjected.

She shot him a look of disdain. “I’m not speaking to you, stepfather. I know this is what you're doing.”

Cynthia took a deep breath, struggling to maintain her composure. “Please. There’s something we haven’t told you. The family business has accrued a massive debt, if we don’t proceed with the wedding, it will all crumble. The only way to save your late father's legacy is for Raquel to marry Henley MacDonald. It's a good thing he has shown interest in her. If we reveal Raquel’s surgery to him, he’ll pull out of the deal, and that will put us all at risk.”

“So you’re suggesting that Raquel should go through with this wedding?” Surprised, Serena shook her head, grappling with disbelief.

“There’s no choice, Serena. You’re going to be Raquel tomorrow,” Dominic announced, leaving no room for argument.

“What?” She gasped, her eyes widening as if they might leap from her head.

“You two are identical. You have such strong resemblances that it would be difficult for anyone to distinguish you. We just need you to do this for her, for Raquel, because it matters so much to her. She is willing to go along with it,” Hw explained, his voice almost pleading.

“Are you out of your mind? Heleny is only interested in Raquel, not me. You want me to act as my twin sister?” She replied, incredulous.

“Calm down, please! I don’t want this either, but we’re desperate. Raquel will recover, and after the wedding, we’ll tell Henley the truth. This marriage is significant for him too. Do you know what will cost him if the news appears in the headlines tomorrow?” Cynthia snapped.

Disappointment washed over Serena as she glared at her mother. “If Dad were alive, he would never agree to this! I’m so disappointed in you, Mum. I won’t do it. I regret what I did two days ago.” With that, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the room.

“Baby,” Cynthia called out, desperate to chase after her, but Dominic caught her arm, holding her back.

“Stay here. I’ll handle it. Tomorrow is a big day. she’ll listen to me.” He assured her, but the worry etched on Cynthia's face was palpable.

She met his gaze, filled with both hope and trepidation. “I hope she listens. I can’t deal with this much longer. Why is it hard for her to understand that I don't want this either?”she murmured, retreating back to the couch.

Dominic trailed after Serena.

“Serena, wait!” he shouted, his voice echoing off the walls.

Ignoring him, she hurried down the stairs. “Leave me alone! If you aren’t going to do anything about this, I’ll tell MacDonald everything about Raquel’s condition.” She declared, resolutely marching towards the exit.

“I told you to wait!” Dominic finally caught up, gripping her wrist and turning her to face him. “Calm down and listen to me.”

“Why should I?” She retorted sharply, yanking her hand away. “You’ve manipulated Mum into this craziness. I know your intentions and I will not fall for your schemes. Contractual or not, I will stop this wedding. When Raquel wakes, I hope she has a better explanation than this.”

“Do you want to know the truth? Then follow me.” He didn’t let her protest; instead, he pulled her into the kitchen, shutting the door firmly behind them. He ordered the maids to leave, and they scurried out, leaving an unsettling silence in their wake.

Dominic positioned himself against the wall, creating a barrier in the space that felt almost suffocating.

“Step away, Dominic.” She warned, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear.

“Do you believe you love your sister more than everyone else? While you pursue your career, Raquel is fighting to save this family’s legacy. She cares deeply that if anything happens to our company, she will feel responsible.” He argued.

“What do you mean? Mind you, it's my father's company not yours.” She stammered.

“You’re selfish, Serena.” Dominic’s voice sliced through the air like a sharp knife, filled with contempt and accusation. “If you want to turn your back on everyone now, then go ahead. You’re a doctor, but if you can’t save the only person who matters to you, then what good is it? You can go ahead and tell MacDonald that his bride-to-be is scheduled for heart surgery tomorrow, and mark my words, their family name will be splashed across the headlines. Good luck with that, Serena.”

With those biting words hanging in the air, Dominic withdrew his hand from the wall. He cast a furtive glance at her anguish-stricken face before striding out of the kitchen, leaving a heavy silence behind.

Alone at last, Serena felt the weight of the world collapse upon her. She crumpled onto the cool kitchen floor, curling up into a small ball, her body shaking as the tears she had been desperately holding back finally spilled over. Each drop that fell was a blend of confusion, fear, and guilt, pooling by her knees. In the back of her mind, she could hear the echo of her sister’s struggles—Raquel had been fighting heart disease for five relentless years, and yet now, as Serena faced the most harrowing choice of her life, she wrestled with the label of ‘selfish.’ She had always wanted to save Raquel; that was the very reason she had chosen to become a surgeon.

Henley and Raquel, the supposed partners in life and business, seemed to be wading in the shallow waters of a deal that played upon their family names. Yet, inside her heart, she felt it was pure insanity for them to expect her to step aside and allow someone else to take her place in a marriage that was to happen tomorrow—a day that was supposed to be filled with joy and celebration. Raquel was set to undergo surgery the very next day, while the wedding loomed ominously. “Be Raquel tomorrow? I can't.” she whispered to herself, the words barely escaping her choked throat.

Despite her distrust for Dominic, a spark of truth flickered in his statement. If the marriage fell apart, their business ties would unravel as well.

She sank deeper into despair for a while, allowing the tears to flow freely before steeling herself. With a deep breath, she wiped her tear stained face and pushed herself back to her feet, determination igniting in her chest, propelling her upstairs to Raquel’s room. Once there, the sight of her sister’s wedding dress shimmering under the soft glow of the light cut her to the bone.

Cynthia turned the corner and strolled toward her, coming to a halt just behind Serena. “We all want the best outcome from this.” She said, her voice laced with warmth. “Raquel is going to make it through, and once the wedding is over, we’ll inform Henley. You don’t have to shoulder this burden for much longer.”

“I’m going to perform her surgery tomorrow.” Serena declared, her voice firm despite the tremor underneath.

“Doctor Welch said his team is more than capable of handling it,” Cynthia countered gently, attempting to soothe her.

“Some of them know Raquel is the one at the hospital,” Serena shot back, feeling the urgency of the situation.

“Trust your mother on this. We’ll ensure that the news doesn’t spread until we’re ready to break it to Mr. MacDonald. Yes, the marriage may serve both interests, but you know how your sister feels about him.”

“I know, that's why I shouldn't be doing this. What if he finds out?” Serena replied, her voice softening. “She talks about him with such affection in her eyes. I’m just... not sure if it’s love or merely a transaction.” Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she nodded. “Okay, once everything is over tomorrow, you’ll tell him…” They were still talking when her phone buzzed. She checked only to find out it was Raquel's phone and the caller was no one but Henley.

“Mum, he's calling.” Her heart raced.

“Just answer it.”

With a shake of her head, she attempted to decline but Cynthia snatched the phone from her and answered the call.

Her eyes popped up when she heard his voice. Then she moved the phone close to her left ear. “Henley?” She murmured.

“I noticed you've been calling me Henley lately, not baby. Sweetheart, is there something you want to tell me?”

Her heart throbbed as she looked at her mother's face, she moistened her lower lip, nearly speechless.