Chapter 1.

"Here!!"

Claire said out loud as she hurriedly tried to put on her earrings while the cab stopped in front of her parents villa. She picked up her coat and quickly shrugged it on, it was quite a chilly morning.

"Here? Oh Oh! You live here?"

He asked as he looked back and Claire shrugged.

"Unfortunately."

She glanced at the huge monstrosity that was their family home and smiled, she did miss it.

She groaned as she dragged her purse with her immediately the cab came to a staggering halt in front of the pretty wrought iron gate.

"Thank you so so much! You are a lifesaver!"

She muttered as she handed a couple of hundred dollar bills to the driver as he came out of the car to help her with her luggage.

She was late, very late. She could only imagine what her mother and her father would be scolding her about the moment she walked in.

How could you be late to your own sister's wedding! Why didn't you arrive a week ago like we told you to, even when we paid first class for your flight back home to San Diego?

And her perfect sister Charlotte would be there trying to calm them down while she convinces them that Claire must have been busy with work or something important, which would be a slight mockery to Claire considering the fact that she was currently unemployed like she had been for the past few months.

"Have a nice day! Thank you!"

Her driver said as he waved at her while she walked towards the house.

The Butler, Grayson was already in front of the house waiting for her, so he called someone to help her with her bags as she walked inside.

"Grayson! How are you this fine morning?"

She asked and he smiled as she gave him a brief hug.

"Very well Ms Claire. Your mother would be delighted to see that you have made it on time."

"I know right! That would be after she chastises me for not coming a week ago like she had begged me to."

"I'm sure she wouldn't worry too much about that."

"And where can I find my sister the bride to be?"

She said as they walked past the foyer.

Greyson pointed to the stairs.

"I believe she should be in her room, although she should be awake by now."

Claire looked up at the stairs, that was precisely the same time when their housekeeper Lily rushed down the stairs, she barely noticed Claire's presence.

"Where's Charlotte? She isn't in her room and the stylists would be here in half an hour!"

She exclaimed. She turned to Claire, surprised to see her and smiled.

"Claire! You're here already? My God! What did you do to your hair!"

She exclaimed as she came down the stairs.

Claire smiled as she ran her hands through her hair, it used to be waist length but she had chopped half the hair and it was now shoulder length, easier to manage for her.

She grinned at Lily.

"I like it! Do you?"

She asked as she hugged Lily who was panting after running down the stairs.

"It's too early for you to be running around Lily, why are you looking for Charlotte?"

Lily smiled.

"She has about five hours to get ready and hair and makeup arrives soon. It's even unlike her to be asleep by this time, I checked her room and it doesn't seem like she slept in."

Claire cocked her head to the side.

"That's strange indeed. But I'm sure everything is fine."

"Knowing Charlotte she has probably gone out for a jog or something and doesn't want to bother anyone. I have to go upstairs now."

Lily nodded as she touched her forehead. She was tired from her long flight, she wanted to rest.

"You are probably right."

Her room looked different, of course it was. Her mother must have made sure of that. And she had not been home since the holidays so she understood why. Her posters were removed and the décor had been changed. It went from being a dark room with posters of famous artists and LED lights to a light and airy room with a four poster bed and flowery wallpaper.

Predictable.

It reminded her more of Charlotte's room.

Claire Reagan Branson was the daughter of Edward Branson and Lauren Wellington-Branson, she was a twin, her twin sister, Charlotte Rhea Branson.

Even though they were identical twins, they had grown up more apart than ever. Their entire childhood, the memories Claire remembered were filled with them fighting over one thing or the other while screaming at each other.

As adults, they grew farther apart. With Charlotte being the perfect sister while Claire was more of the rebel sister. Charlotte easily became her parents' favourite.

She did everything that was asked of her, unlike Claire who rebelled against every of her parents' decision concerning her life.

She jumped on her bed with child-like glee and proceeded to rest a while before confronting her parents, at least she can count on them being too occupied to even notice that she was in the house.

Their favorite daughter was getting married today, they would be ecstatic.

A loud noise woke up Claire. Someone had slammed her door really hard and she looked up from her bed frowning, to meet her mother in front of her with her prodding grey eyes staring at her daughter's.

She had her arms folded and she was tapping her left foot in that usual manner that meant she was irritated. She was still in her dressing robe and her hair was unbound so Claire could tell that she had just woken up.

"When did you get here?'

She asked and Claire picked up her phone and looked at the time.

"About an hour and a half ago. What's the problem?"

"Your sister is missing. That is the problem."

"Missing?"

Claire sat upright.

"That can't be right. Have you checked her room?"

Her mother gave her a look.

"Very funny. I have. We have looked everywhere."

"I've called her phone, the line's dead, I've called Henry and he hasn't heard from her since yesterday too."

"Calm down Mum. She probably just went out for a jog or something."

"On her wedding day?!"

Her mother snapped as she glared at her.

Claire jumped out of her bed. The only way her mother would stop disturbing her sleep was if she at least helped to find Charlotte. Although she didn't think it was that much of a problem, Charlotte was the perfect sister, she would never be so irresponsible.

"Where are you going?"

Her mother asked as Claire slipped on her shoes.

"I'll just check her room and call some of her friends."

Her mum sighed as she followed her out of the room and into the large hallway.

"I called all of them! No use! They're all awake and getting ready by the way. Mia her maid of honor would be here any minute now."

So Mia was her maid of honor, Claire clicked her tongue.

Claire disliked Mia. It was a strong dislike and for good reason too. Mia and Charlotte have been friends since college and for some reason, Mia liked to act like she was Charlotte's twin.

She found fault in every single thing Claire did and would literally throw Claire under the bus as long as she got to kiss Charlotte's ass. She was one of the reasons Charlotte and Claire didn't have such a good relationship. Because stupid Mia kept coming in the middle of everything.

"See! She's not in the room like I said!"

Her mother said as Claire walked in.

Something seemed off, Claire noticed as she walked into the room.

Charlotte's wedding gown was hanging in the corner with her shoes and everything, there was a mini set up at the side where the stylists were going to fix her hair and makeup and the room looked exactly as she remembered it except that she could tell something was off.

"Her laptop's not here Mum."

Claire said as she checked the top of her bedside drawer. Charlotte was addicted to work, her laptop was always on her bedside drawer.

She opened the drawers to find them mostly empty, unless they had been cleared out earlier, Claire knew they were never empty, they usually contained her pills, some lip balm and Charlotte's endless supply of midnight snacks.

With her panic rising and her mother catching up quickly, Claire ran to the walk in closet hoping what she was thinking wasn't true. Everything looked intact but upon closer inspection, a lot of things were gone.

A pair of shoes there missing from the rack, some of her scarves, jeans, random stuff seemed to be missing. Especially one of her favourite suitcase.

"Mum! How could you have missed this!"

Claire said as she looked around the closet.

"Charlotte's gone!"

"No! No! That's not possible! Maybe something happened to her..."

Claire shook her head.

"Well, have Grayson pull up the CCTV camera footage while I look around more."

Her mother walked towards her bed and sat on it, confused and worried.

Several thoughts were going through her head.

Her daughter couldn't just have run away, no! That wasn't the kind of person Charlotte was.

She looked at the pillows again and tried to rearrange them and found a note under one of them.

"There's a note here."

She said with a  shaky voice.

"What does it say?"

Claire asked as she approached her mother whose hands had began to shake uncontrollably.

"Charlotte's left the country!"