Wedding night

“How long do we have before we reach the mansion, Kyle?” Henley asked the chauffeur, his eyes glued to his phone.

“Less than ten minutes, sir.”

 “All right.”

 After that, he fell silent, his complete attention focused on his phone while sitting opposite his bride in the limousine. The weight of unspoken words hung in the air between them, thick with unresolved questions and unbridled determination. Serena moistened her lower lip, staring intently at the man in front of her. She felt uneasy, on the verge of losing her mind unless she confirmed something she had overheard earlier.

“Henley,” she called out softly.

His gaze lifted slightly to her alluring face as an unexpected grin touched his lips, providing her with the solace she needed at that moment. “Yes, sweetheart. What's wrong? Do you need something?” 

The name he had called her earlier echoed ominously in her mind, leaving her to wonder if it was a mistake or if she had misheard. She swallowed anxiously. “No, I don't. You called me Serena earlier. Why did you do that?” 

Her heart throbbed as she clutched her purse, trying to muster a flicker of courage. 

 His eyes narrowed. “Did I do that?”

Puzzled, her eyelashes fluttered with curiosity. “Yes, you did. You called me Serena when we were in the parking lot. I was confused because you've never mistaken me for my sister before.” 

“Yes, I never did this before, so it's hard for me to believe, too. Why would I call you that? I'm certain I can tell both of you apart in the dark, sweetheart.” 

She let out a sigh of relief upon hearing that from him. Her mind had been on the verge of destruction ever since he called her Serena. She couldn’t imagine what would become of her if he found out her real identity. “Perhaps I heard wrong,” she managed to steady her trembling voice while looking into his eyes. 

 “Today must be really exhausting, isn’t it?” 

 “Not really.” 

Eventually, the car drove into the grand, opulent mansion. As it skidded to a halt in the garage, her heart palpitated uncontrollably. The profound sense of their wedding night gnawed at her; she knew she needed to act fast. 

The chauffeur opened the door, and both of them stepped out. Henley led her inside, but before heading upstairs, he turned to Felix, his butler. “Come to my room after twenty minutes. And make sure no one comes upstairs until I give permission.”

“Of course, Mr. MacDonald. I’ll instruct the maids as well,” Felix replied.

Henley extended his hand forward, gesturing for Serena to place hers on it. “Come with me.” He said.

Although she felt the urge to reject him, her hand moved on its own. As she laid her palm on his, he pulled her along upstairs and then into his room. Once inside, he locked the door from the inside and gently turned around.

 Henley sauntered to the bed with sovereign grace. The bedroom was extravagantly decorated with roses, scented candles, cards, and gifts on the left side of the bed. Heart-shaped roses floated above the bed and tons of gifts lined both corners of the luxurious bedroom. 

 Serena took in the beautiful sight; despite the circumstances, she couldn't imagine a more perfect wedding night than this. Nevertheless, she shrugged off the thought of admiration, mustering enough courage to disclose the truth. 

 “There’s something I need to tell you. It's very important, and… I'm sorry.” 

 “Sorry?” Henley paused momentarily in front of the king-size bed and turned to face her. “I don't think that's the right word to use at this point. “It's not enough to placate my anger right now. Do you have any idea what you've done, Serena?” His left hand clenched into a fist, muscles taut with rage.

She took a step back, her nerves sizzling. "What do you mean?"

"Are you surprised that I know you aren't Raquel? I was in disbelief, too, when I received the message that my bride was switched. Just one question, okay? How long have you been posing as your sister?"

 “Henley, I can explain.”

A confident smirk danced on his lips as he ran a hand over his face, exhaling softly. He prowled closer, exuding an intensity reminiscent of a predator closing in on its prey.

 “That's not the right answer. I’m at my limit right now. You have no idea how much I'm restraining myself from taking drastic actions. You think you understand?” He hollered through clenched teeth. 

Serena instinctively lifted her hands to her neck, a tremor coursing through her body. “Four days ago.” She shouted, her voice ringing loud and clear. “I’m sorry. I never intended for this to happen, but I heard if I didn’t act, the company would suffer significant losses, and your relationship with Raquel…."

 “And you believe this is merely about the company?” His voice pitched with ferocity, prompting her to flinch and slump to the floor, overwhelmed by his presence. 

 “I–I’m sorry,” She began, her voice steady. “I wanted to tell you the truth. I’ve always intended to be honest with you…” 

He cut her off, his eyes narrowing. “And you had your chance but you let it slip away. A fatal mistake, Serena. You should have run the moment I called your name.” 

Fear coursed through her, igniting a determination within. He stood before her, not the man she once knew, but someone cloaked in darkness, exuding an unnerving aura. His cold gaze was enough to chill her to the bone. 

“Please, Henley, I’m sorry. Whatever you need from me, I’ll do it. Just keep my family and the company out of this. Please don't hurt me..” 

Tears threatened to spill, but she held them at bay. 

He crouched before her, lifting her chin with a firm grip, forcing her to meet his gaze. “You will do anything I ask, correct?” 

“If I can,” She replied, her voice steady. 

 “Shush. You will. Your only option is clear. As my wife, you’ll remain in that role until Raquel recovers. If you have any reluctance, not only will I terminate my partnership with your family’s company, but I will also see to it that it is blacklisted. Your life will become a twisted nightmare, one that will have you wishing for death, which you won’t find. “I promise you.” He assured her, his voice as cold as ice, carrying the weight of a threat.

Meeting his fierce gaze, the tears she had been holding back streamed down her face. “I don’t have any objections,” She responded, her voice steady despite the situation.

“Good. You’ll be a good wife and you’ll listen to me, won’t you?” He cupped her face with his right hand, tightening his grip around her arm. 

She nodded firmly, masking the pain in her arm with resolve. Deep down, she knew that her opportunity to escape whatever darkness lay ahead had slipped away.

Slowly, Henley released her hand, rose to his feet, and stuffed both hands in his pockets. He was determined to maintain his self-control, though moments of hurt still lingered. Could he hold on long enough? The truth stung, and the realization that he had been deceived in the name of saving their company was hard to accept. None of them cared about his feelings.

“Sir,” Felix entered the room, his footsteps almost inaudible.

Henley turned away from her, retrieving his phone from his left pocket and extending it to Felix. “I need you to find out who sent this message. Someone else knows she’s an impostor and must also be aware of Raquel's condition. Keep this under wraps.”

“Yes, Sir.” Felix nodded slightly before exiting.

“Is there anyone else who knows about you?” 

“No one besides my family and Claire.”

“Who’s Claire?”

 “She’s my best friend, the woman in the fitting room who wore glasses.”

 “Are you sure there’s no one else?” She nodded. “Someone texted me just before we left the party that you’re an impostor. If it’s not one of your family members, it has to be your best friend; they’re the only ones who know about today. But it doesn’t matter now. You’re already my wife, and that’s what counts.”

He moved toward the door.

 “But I’m not your real bride.”

“I married you, not Raquel. That makes you my real wife, and you’d better start acting like it. Remember our bargain, Serena. Like hell you won't want to make a mistake.” He opened the door, stepped out, and closed it firmly behind him.

Left alone, she buried her face in her palms, frustration bubbling inside her. Suddenly, a thought of her sister’s surgery crossed her mind. She hadn’t received any news, and Henley hadn’t mentioned it. She sprang up and rushed to the door, twisting the doorknob repeatedly, but the door remained locked.

“Henley, open this door!” she called out. She banged on it insistently, but no one came to her aid. No matter how hard she tried to deny it, Henley had undoubtedly locked her in like a prisoner. “Please, open this door!”