Chapter two

Chapter 2

I watched Father's expression hardened. My mouth fell open in horror as he began to loosen his belt advancing towards Ellien in anger. Losing his belt meant one thing, he was really furious.

I swallowed hard in fear. This was the first time I had ever seen him this way towards her. He was never angry at Ellien, He never raised his hand against Ellien, unlike me, who he hit at any slightest mistake.

“How dare you, Ellien? How could you disgrace me like this?” He roared, his voice shaking the entire room.

I watched in shock as Ellien immediately fell to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry, Father but I don’t want to marry him. Rachel should go on with the marriage,” she cried out.

I froze. Rachel?

My heart sank into my stomach, and my whole body began to tremble. This wasn’t right. This was never mine.

“Father, this was never mine to begin with. Ellien is here. Please, let her take back her place,” I said quickly, desperation lacing my voice. I knew this was the only chance I had to escape this nightmare, this bondage.

“I’m not fit for this role, Father, and you know it. Ellien is here, let her take her rightful place,” I pleaded.

I was never fit for the role, that was why he chose Ellien from the beginning. She had been registered in countless classes, groomed, and trained to be sophisticated and perfect.

This moment, this life, I was sure it was what she had been prepared for all along

“I’m in love with someone else, Father,” Ellien confessed, leaving everyone completely in shock especially me.

Ellien and I knew she was always fickle when it came to relationships. That was why she had rejected countless suitors, most of them in the harshest way possible. But now...

I knew why she was doing this. It was because of the terrifying rumors surrounding J.

Everyone knew how dangerous he was. This was said to be his fourth engagement, and none had ever ended well. Whispers said he disposed of his fiancées... tossing their lifeless bodies into the sea!

I watched as Father’s expression began to shift, and fear clawed at my chest. I knew he never cared about my opinion and he would do anything to make Ellien happy.

“Please, Ellien... don’t do this to me,” I whispered, rushing toward her, grabbing her hands, and trying to convince her. I was praying, hoping she would save me from this nightmare. But Father’s next words made me drop her hands instantly — as if my entire world had shattered.

“We proceed with the marriage as planned. You are to marry him, Rachel,” he said coldly.

It felt like I was being punished for sins I couldn’t even remember committing in my past life.

Deep down, I knew it... I knew this was all Ellien’s plan from the start — to pin this cursed, unwanted marriage on me.

Soon it was evening, I was sitting on the couch with my father pretending to be Ellien while the real Ellien was hidden away.

My gaze fell on the young man in his early thirties clad in a black suit, busy on his cellphone. But he wasn’t J, my supposed-to-be husband. He was his attorney.

It was our wedding day yet my so-called groom hadn’t shown up for the formalities.

“What’s going on Mr. Remora?” Father finally broke the silence.

“He is probably on his way.” Mr. Remora replied calmly, trying to reassure him.

But half an hour passed, and the groom never came. Instead, the attorney brought me a document and asked me to sign it.

Under the deadly glare of my father, I picked up the pen and signed. Just like that, within seconds, I became J’s wife.

I was escorted to a waiting car. My father didn’t even spare me a glance before turning back into his mansion, leaving me to the hand of my fate with the charlatans. To him, this was a good riddance. I was certain he was already thanking Ellien for the switch.

I was driven to the Charltons’s mansion. It was grand, a paradise of its own, but I didn’t have the mind to admire it.

Mr. Remora led me inside, and we were immediately greeted by a housekeeper who led me straight into my so-called husband’s room.

“Welcome, Miss. Sir J has instructed us to prepare you for tonight,” the housekeeper said.

He didn’t show up for the wedding, but he could make sure to leave instructions for that?

Soon, I was sitting on the edge of the bed. The maids had taken their time to strip me bare and scrubbed every inch of my skin with scented water, except my hair, which I had insisted they leave untouched.

In the meantime, I heard footsteps. A bead of sweat formed on my forehead. I knew it was him.

The doorknob twisted, and the door opened. A tall figure stepped in. I didn’t need a soothsayer to tell me it was J.

He was just a few inches away from me, but I dared not look up at his face. I kept my eyes glued to the floor, trembling.

It was our wedding night. I knew what that meant. But I had promised Jacob to give myself to him first.

I swallowed hard as Father’s warning kept echoing in my mind. I was to comply with him with whatever he wanted just because he mustn’t find out that his bride was swapped. “The moment J found out you are not Ellien, you’re dead!”

Not that I needed him to say it — I knew the Charltons would finish me off and send whatever was left of me back to Father, who wouldn’t hesitate to burn it.

“Ms. Ellien, won’t you welcome your husband?” I heard J’s deep voice.

Ellien…Right. There there was no way he would find out I wasn’t Ellien. Even Father had almost mistaken me for her.

With confidence, I looked up at him.

The moment my eyes met his, I was left stunned for a moment. I couldn’t help but notice his perfect features.

His hazel eyes were flecked with gold, and framed by thick eyebrows that instantly caught my attention. His straight nose sat perfectly above his pale pink lips. He was dangerously handsome, too perfect for what he was rumored to be.

“You know what a wife’s duty is on her wedding night, don’t you?” he asked.

Without thinking twice, I began undoing the delicate lingerie, just as Father had instructed me.

I blinked back my tears as he moved closer.

His cold fingers brushed around my neck. I shut my eyes, bracing myself for what would come next. But surprisingly instead of touching my body — he suddenly pulled off my wig. My white hair spilled out. I froze.

My eyes shot open in horror.

I looked up at the man who already had a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

“I knew it. It was you, monster.”

His words hit me like a blade. He was just like Father.

Tears slipped down my cheeks. He knew who I was and I knew it was the end of me.

“Leave first thing tomorrow,” he said coldly. “I’ll have the divorce papers sent to you.”

I shivered even more. Father won’t listen to my explanation before throwing me into the dungeon the moment I return home.

He moved toward the door.

He wanted to exit the room completely but before he could twist the door knob opened, my voice stopped him.

“I- I can cure your infertility. In exchange, make a deal with me, J!”

He stopped dead in his tracks.

“H-How…?” He stuttered, his voice betrayed his shock. I knew it was supposed to be his secret.

Right. I forgot to mention the most important part:

I had a special power no one knew about not even my father.