Prologue

My mom's alarming voice jolted me awake, and I immediately shot out of bed and rushed out of my room. The sight that greeted me was my twin sister's door wide open, and Mom inside, sobbing. She was sitting on Alexa's bed, clutching a piece of paper. Seeing her in such a state, I hurried to her side, my heart pounding with worry. I'd just arrived from Paris last night for Alexa's wedding, and I had no clue what was happening.

"What happened, Mom?" I asked, my voice laced with concern.

"Your sister left," she choked out, her voice trembling.

Just then, Dad burst into the room, breathless from running, also checking on Mom. The moment she saw him, her wails intensified.

"What's wrong, Gemilia?" Dad's voice was sharp with distress.

"Gerardo! Maria Alexandra left! She ran away!"

"What do you mean she left? It's her wedding day, Gemilia!" Dad's thunderous voice filled the room.

"Your daughter ran away with Kyle! I found this letter on her bed. Oh, I can't believe Alexandra would do this to us!" Mom wailed, burying her face in her hands.

A gasp escaped my lips, and my knees threatened to buckle. Kyle? A bitter wave washed over me, and my eyes burned with unshed tears. When did they get back together? It was so funny how I'd secretly harbored a flicker of hope that Kyle might finally notice me now  that Alexa is getting married. Turns out, I was dead wrong.

"That bastard! She might have kidnapped our daughter! We should call the cops!" I couldn't believe how ridiculous Dad was being. Alexa left a letter; it was obvious she ran off with her ex.

"Kyle would never do that, Dad! I've known him for years," I protested, trying to inject a note of reason into the chaos. Alexa left a letter; it was obvious she ran off with her ex.

"Maria Alexandra would never do this to us. She was a good daughter. Unlike you, she would never turn her back on us!" The words hit me like a physical blow. 

I’ve always known that Alexa has been Dad’s favorite because she was such an obedient and gratifying daughter. Still, I couldn't believe that even after the mess she created, he couldn't admit she'd disappointed him.

"You really think she's incapable of failing you? She left a letter, Dad!" I pointed out the obvious, in case he hadn't grasped it yet.

Dad snatched the letter from Mom and began to read it. I saw his hands tremble with rage as he scanned the words. In a flash, he ripped the paper to shreds.

"Oh god, what are we gonna do now, Gerardo? Should we call the Saldivars? Shall we call the wedding off? Oh my god, this is a disgrace to our family!" Mom's voice was frantic, teetering on the edge of hysteria.

"You will not do that, Gimelia! We can't call off the wedding!" Dad thundered, his eyes blazing.

"But our daughter is nowhere to be found! We're running out of time! What are we going to do?" Mom's voice was frantic. A jolt of fear shot through me as Dad's gaze slowly shifted to me.

"You have to take your sister's place, Maria Alejandra. You will be the one to marry Zeke." Shock and fear immediately enveloped me after hearing my father. I blinked, trying to process his words, but Dad's face was stone-cold serious, and he's not one for jokes.

"D-Dad?" I stammered, my voice barely a whisper.

"What! You want Andra to take Alexa's place and marry Zeke Saldivar? Are you out of your mind, Gerardo!" Horror and a mix of other emotions flooded Mom's face as she echoed Dad's insane idea.  

"Do we have a choice, Gimelia? Tell me what other options do we have?" Dad snapped back, silencing Mom with a look.

"No! Absolutely not, Dad!" I recoiled, disgust and resentment rising within me.

I couldn't believe he could make such a decision so casually, as if he didn't care about my life or the impact of this madness. To my surprise, Mom suddenly came to me and took my hands, pleadingly.

"Listen, Andra, I was against your father's decision, okay? But we have no choice if your sister doesn't come back. We need your help, honey. Alexa's marriage is a promise we made to the Saldivars. We'll be ruined if the wedding doesn't happen. It's a merger of both companies," Mom explained, her voice laced with desperation. 

"No! You can't do this! You know I can't pretend to be Alexa and marry her fiancé. We can't just deceive him and his family!" I retorted, pulling away from her grasp.

Did they really think they could get away with this? A surge of disgust and anger toward Alexa welled up inside me. Why did I have this feeling she had set me up? That she'd intentionally invited me home to take her place? Her strange behavior last night suddenly made sense.

"Maria Alexandra only met Zeke twice. First was the formal dinner of both families and the last was the Engagement party. He won't suspect that you were not his original fiancée. Your father can handle the legal stuff and change your sister's name to yours on the marriage certificate after the wedding," Mom continued, her voice taking on a persuasive tone.

"Are you insane? You expect me to marry a complete stranger? This is marriage we're talking about, Mom, Dad!" I protested, my voice rising in hysteria.

"Listen, you have to do this, Andra. Our company is failing, and the Saldivars promised to help us after the marriage. If this doesn't happen, we'll lose everything. Your Dad could go to jail if he can't pay the company's debts," Mom said desperately, practically begging now.

"This is the last favor I'll ever ask of you, Maria Alejandra. You need to replace your sister and marry the Saldivar heir for the sake of our company,” my father added, his voice devoid of emotion.

"How can you just marry me off to someone I barely know, like I'm some possession you want to get rid of?" I accused, my voice thick with resentment.

"Marry Zeke Saldivar, or I will disown you as my child!" Dad declared, his voice cold and unyielding.

Tears started to stream down my face. This was what set me apart from Alexa. I might be the rebellious, headstrong daughter, but I know I could never abandon my family. I knew I would eventually agree with this agreement because I have no choice. Dad could end up in jail if he couldn't pay the company's debts.

*   *   * 

My heart hammered against my ribs, and my knees shook uncontrollably. This was the moment I'd been dreading, the start of my own personal hell—my wedding day. I desperately wished that the ground would open and swallow me to death. I would rather choose that than marry a stranger and don't know what the future will bring me. 

Wearing a strapless white ball gown with exquisite floral lace that clung to my body, and with the white veil covering my face, I probably looked like a princess. I remembered the old superstition that a bride wearing a white veil is a sign that she was a virgin. Somehow, I felt a strange sense of pride knowing I was still pure, still untouched. If only I loved the man I was about to marry, I'd be happy to give him my everything. The irony was, I had no idea what my groom even looked like.

Deep inside, my heart and mind were a storm of pain and defiance. I knew I could run, I could stop this, but the consequences for my parents, especially Dad, would be devastating. I couldn't let that happen. I might be a rebellious daughter, but I could never turn my back on them when they needed me the most. I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and stepped out of the bridal car. It felt like I was a completely different person. Oh, I just wanted this to be over.

It was a church wedding, the kind I'd always dreamed of. The place was extravagant, and I knew it must have cost a fortune. A bitter smile touched my lips. The motif, the flowers, the curtains, and linens were all according to my taste and whoever chose every detail of this preparation, it's like he or she knows what I really like. In another life, I would have loved it. But this wasn't a dream; it was a nightmare.

As the ceremony began, all eyes were on us. Dad took my hand, signaling it was time, and we started down the aisle. With each step, my heart pounded harder and  louder. A tear escaped and traced a path down my cheek, blurring my vision. In the distance, I saw my groom standing at the altar in a white tuxedo. Just as I'd imagined, he looked every bit the regal stranger in his expensive clothes. As I drew closer, his features became clearer beneath my veil. I could see his intense gaze fixed on me, and it only added to the crushing weight in my chest.

When I finally reached him, he took my hand from my father, and my eyes flickered to his face. His expression was unreadable as he led me to the altar. He was tall, undeniably masculine, and for a fleeting moment, I couldn't help but admire him. But when our eyes met, I was taken aback by the cold, almost hostile look in his eyes. He could have been a very attractive man, but the disgust I saw there sent a shiver of apprehension down my spine. I wanted to step back, to run. He looked at me like I was some kind of predator, and he was the prey.

The ceremony droned on, but my mind was a whirlwind of anger and resistance. I don't know where I found the strength to keep standing there, but when the priest finally announced, "You may kiss the bride," I froze. He gently lifted my chin and looked deeply into my eyes. His gaze slowly traveled over my face, lingering on my lips. I saw his brow furrow before he closed the distance between us and kissed me.

The moment his lips touched mine, and his tongue slipped into my mouth, a jolt of electricity surged through me. My body grew hot, and a strange, unfamiliar sensation bloomed within me. I felt him halt for a moment but immediately keep up with his pace and deepen the kiss even more. My eyes started to turn heavy and I felt them slowly shutting as a soft moan of pleasure came out my lips. Moments later I found myself responding to his kisses and keeping up with his pace. And then I was snapped back to reality by the applause and the flashing cameras. Then, he kissed my earlobe and whispered something that completely left me shocked.

"Cut the theatrics, wife. You're playing your role very exaggeratedly." His tone was laced with disgust and sarcasm, and I was left reeling.

How had I ended up in this situation? What kind of life I must lead from now on after marrying a total stranger who seemed disgusted and hated me for unknown reasons? Could I ever escape this fate? Would I ever find the happiness that I have been searching for?