Chapter two

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but Dorian's cold eyes glared at me like he could kill me, and Lara beat me to it.

"She locked me up!" she cried out, grabbing Dorian's shirt and pulling him closer to her. "I tried to tell her to stop. I told her she would find her own husband, but she refused." Her voice trembled as she whispered, "She quickly stretched out her hands, and when I told her to stop, she hit me so badly that my hand scraped and I almost died." Tears flowed down her face.

"This is unbelievable! I did no such thing. I don't even remember seeing you last night," I argued, my voice almost a plea. I glanced at my parents. My mother's eyes filled with tears as she looked at my sister with pity. My father just shook his head, like I was a disappointment he couldn't get rid of.

Dorian's hands moved to her shoulders as he pulled her closer, his eyes scanning her face to check if she was hurt. I stood there watching them as I tried to understand what was happening. Lara buried her face in his chest, her shoulders shaking as she cried.

"Mom, Dad, please say something," I said, my voice cracking. They were my last hope, even though I felt I couldn't count on them.

For a moment, nobody spoke. I looked at my father, waiting for him to say something, anything that would show he still believed me. He had always been strict with me, but I never thought he would stand there and watch everyone accuse me without even asking for my side.

My mother finally moved, and a little hope rose inside me. Maybe she was coming to comfort me, maybe she would listen to me first. I stood still as she approached, waiting for her to say something. Before I could utter a word, a sharp sting spread across my face and my head snapped backward.

"How dare you do this to your sister!" she snapped. "I trained you to be a good girl, and look what you did. You are a disappointment." Her voice was cold, as if I were not her daughter.

I lifted my eyes and stared at her. Tears stung my eyes, and I tried to hold them back, but they fell anyway.

My father stepped forward, still shaking his head. "You should have just stayed invisible."

Invisible. A shaky laugh escaped my lips. He turned to Dorian. "This is a family matter. Since the real bride is here, the fake can leave."

Fake. That was what I was, the one they could replace easily after my sister's disappearance, and now they wanted to close the case with no evidence.

His words hit me harder than my mother's slap. Invisible. That was what I had been to them for years, the daughter who was always expected to understand, to step aside and let Lara have whatever she wanted. Even now, when I was standing in front of them wearing a wedding dress I never wanted, they still expected me to accept the blame and keep quiet.

I pressed my lips together, trying to stop the tears from falling again. I had cried enough. If they wanted to accuse me, then Lara would have to prove that I had done it.

"No," I said, my voice sharp and daring. All eyes turned to me. "You can't just let this case close when there is no evidence. My sister can't come here and blame me, and then everyone just accepts it. I don't accept it."

Lara's expression faltered slightly, but she quickly hid it. My eyes narrowed as I stared at her.

"Bring the evidence, Lara. Prove that I did it," I demanded.

She smirked and put her hand in her pocket. She brought out a small tape and pressed a button, and I heard a voice. It was garbled and not clear, but there was no doubt it was mine. My throat throbbed as I listened, and more disappointed eyes glared at me.

I replayed it in my head, trying to remember when I had said those words, but nothing came to me. The voice sounded like mine, yet the recording was too short for me to understand what the conversation was about.

"Play it again," I demanded, stretching my hand towards her. "Let me hear the whole thing."

Lara pulled the tape away from me and held it against her chest.

"Why? So you can come up with another lie?" she asked, tears still running down her cheeks.

"I'm not lying! If that recording is real, then let everyone hear the complete conversation."

My eyes moved to Dorian. He had been silent, but his expression had grown colder with every second.

"Where did you get that recording?" I asked Lara, turning back to her. "And why are you only playing this part?"

"Enough," Dorian snapped, his voice slicing through the room. He glared at me as he stepped closer.

"Dorian, please, just listen to me. I didn't do anything to her."

"Save it," he said sharply.

Before I could say anything else, he grabbed my wrists and pulled me towards the door. I stumbled as I tried to keep up with his pace, but he did not slow down. The guests murmured as they moved aside.

In the corridor, he suddenly turned and pushed me against the wall. My back hit it, and I gasped as he moved closer.

"You wanted to be my wife?" he asked, his voice low and cold. "I will make you regret it."

"Dorian, what are you—"

He didn't let me finish. He held my chin, and before I could turn away, he slammed his lips onto mine. I mumbled against his mouth and pressed my hands against his chest to push him away, but he held me tighter. My hands trembled as I struggled, and tears gathered in my eyes from humiliation and anger.

He finally pulled away and wiped his lips, his face filled with disgust, as if he had just kissed the dirtiest thing.

"Don't ever think this marriage gives you the right to anything," he said as he walked away.

I wanted to slap him, to scream at him and tell him how much I hated him, but the words hung in my throat.