Chapter 1

Celine's POV:

"Celine, you have to take your sister's place tomorrow," my father, Mr. Morris Mason, said to me as he stormed into my room with my mother.

"Dad, I don't understand. Why do I have to take Clara's place tomorrow? Where is she?" I asked, knowing that Clara had gone to her bridal shower. How could she just disappear on the eve of her wedding?

"Something came up, according to Clara, and she had to take care of it," my father said, and I sighed.

I was standing in my bedroom, having not attended the extravagant bridal shower of my twin sister, Clara Mason.

Clara and I were identical twin sisters, both 25 years old. I knew that many of Clara's friends said I was jealous of my twin sister because she was getting married before me, but that wasn't the truth.

I was in a relationship with Martin Enzo, a construction worker, but Martin wasn't the type of groom my father wanted, so he rejected him.

Everyone was proud of my twin sister. She was the apple of everyone's eyes, even our older brother, Luca. But I was the opposite.

I owned a bakery shop in this part of the city. Last month, I had pleaded with my parents to allow me to marry Martin, but my father flatly refused, saying that only a rich man was allowed to marry me.

Despite my pleas, my parents refused and chased Martin and his uncles away when they came to ask for my hand in marriage. Because of that incident, I refused to attend my sister's engagement party or her bridal shower. Now, she had disappeared and wanted me to take her place on her wedding day.

"How could Clara just disappear without explaining her reason to her modeling manager? She's getting married to a wealthy man—the groom you all wanted," I queried my father, who stood in my doorway with my mother.

My father had a dark complexion, while my mother was fair, like me and my twin sister. We were her exact replicas.

"Celine, I know this is hard to believe, but Clara said she had worked hard to be selected for the stars award, and couldn't miss the modeling shoot. Please, you're her twin sister, and Jace Augustus will never find out," my mother begged me, and I looked at her in horror.

"Mom, I can't do it. You and Father need to get Clara to come back right now. Where's my phone?" I stepped back, picked up my phone, and called my sister.

She owed me an explanation for this sudden disappearance. How could she expect me to stand in for her on her wedding day?

Was she crazy? I had already stood in for her before, and many people wouldn't know I wasn't Clara. The worst part was her fans visiting my shop, taking photos of me, and tagging me as Clara. But I wasn't my sister. Dammit.

"Clara!" My angry voice boomed over the phone as soon as she answered.

"Hey, Celine. I'm sorry I took so long to call. Please, can you stand in for me tomorrow? Please, sister," Clara begged in her sweet, seductive voice that always rendered me speechless.

I was ready to do anything for this crazy twin sister of mine, just to make her happy and help her achieve her dream as a top model.

"Clara, I don't think I can do this. How do you expect me to stand in for you? Wait, during the wedding, the priest will ask us to exchange vows and kiss. How can you trade your wedding day for business?" I couldn't understand my sister, so I needed an explanation.

"Celine, I wish I could explain, but my phone battery is about to die. After this, I won't ask you to stand in for me again. Please," Clara begged once more, leaving me speechless.

"Are you saying I should kiss your groom? What if he finds out I'm not you? You know I'm not as talkative as you, and I'm not that close to him. Did you already tell him I'm not you?" I asked, wanting clearer clarification, as I knew Jace and I weren't close.

I knew he was my sister's fiancé. He showed her off to his friends and other politicians, as my sister was a very popular person with more than 10 million followers online.

"No, Celine. Please, don't tell Jace that I'm not you. You have to act as me and pretend to be me. You know how I behave, so mimic me perfectly," Clara said, and I sighed heavily.

"This is too risky. What if Jace finds out and has me locked up? What do I tell him? You have to explain to him so we don't kiss or have him think I'm you. I don't like your fiancé, and I can't stand in for you. I'm sorry," I said, wanting to end the call, but she begged, "Please, Celine. I'm begging you. If you don't help me, then we're no longer sisters."

"Clara!" I was tongue-tied. This was her usual threat.

"I don't think I can do this," I said, and she threatened, already sobbing over the phone, "Then don't call me again."

The call ended, and I looked at my parents' worried faces, especially my father's, which was filled with dread.

"Celine, you have to stand in for Clara. If the Augustus family finds out she's missing, we're doomed," my father begged, even going as far as kneeling down.

I guessed this was the price I had to pay for being born a twin. My twin sister used me for most of her silly business, sending me to cover for her with threats of disowning me. Now, it was her wedding.

"Fine. I'll try to do this, but I hope Jace Augustus doesn't find out. If he does, I won't go down alone," I warned my parents, and they shivered.

"No one will know. You'll learn to smile and act like Clara until she's back. Besides, this isn't your first time taking her place," my mother said, making me sigh heavily.

"Fine. I'll give it a try. You guys should excuse me. Let me get some sleep. This is past midnight," I told my parents, and they smiled and wished me goodnight before leaving my door.

I shut the door and muttered, "I hope I can do this." I then went to my bed to sleep, but dread filled my heart.