Chapter 2.

Feeling a total stranger throw herself at him, Dylan instinctively pushing her away. "Who the hell are you?" he questioned, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"What do you mean, who am I? I'm your wife-to-be!" Emily snapped, her expression shifting to one of bewilderment.

"Listen," Dylan began, trying to steady the whirlwind of chaos unfolding around him. "I’m here to get married, but it’s not to you."

"What are you talking about?" Emily's voice cracked, desperation washing over her. "Daryl, If this is some kind of prank, it’s really not funny anymore!" 

"Daryl?" Dylan stared at her, bewildered. "I’m not Daryl."

"If you’re not Daryl, then who are you?" Emily shot back in frustration.

"I'm..." Dylan paused, wrestling with the decision to reveal his true identity as Daryl's twin. Doubts lingered in the back of his mind. "What if this is for my good?" he thought. 

"Are you ready to get married?" he asked instead, shifting his strategy to leverage the peculiar situation.

"If I wasn’t ready to get married, would I be here?" she retorted, irritation rising in her voice.

"Then let’s just get this over with," he said, adopting a matter-of-fact tone that belied the storm of emotions beneath his cool facade.

Together, they headed into the Registry Office, the air thick with tension and confusion. Emily clutched a small bouquet of dainty white flowers, her excitement and annoyance palpable as they approached the desk, where a disinterested clerk was typing away on her computer.

“Next,” the clerk said, barely looking up.

“I’m here to get married,” Emily announced, injecting as much confidence as she could muster.

The clerk finally glanced at them, eyebrows raised. “And who is your groom?”

She gestured towards Dylan. “He is,” she stated, trying to keep it as uncomplicated as possible.

The clerk nodded, flipping through a stack of papers. “You’ll need to fill these out,” she said, sliding the forms across the desk. 

They exchanged glances, and Emily's irritation was palpable. “Are you actually serious about this?” he whispered.

“Serious as a heart attack,” she muttered back. “Just… play along.”

Emily inhaled deeply before picking up a pen. Together, they began filling out the forms, their hands brushing against each other now and then.

Once the paperwork was complete, the clerk motioned for them to stand before her. “Do you both wish to marry today?”

“Yes,” they replied in unison, their voices echoing in the small room, a moment they would both remember for different reasons.

“Do you, Dylan Blackwood, take Emily Green to be your lawfully wedded wife?” the clerk began, her monotone voice nearly drowning out the weight of the moment.

"Dylan?" Emily echoed in confusion, glancing nervously at him. 

"Daryl," he feigned correction, a disarming smile plastered on his face. “The clerk must have made a mistake in reading my handwriting,” he lied with practiced ease.

The clerk, looking slightly taken aback by the sudden turn of events, started to say something but Dylan quickly interjected, “I do,” he said swiftly, casting a quick glance at Emily to gauge her reaction. She raised an eyebrow, hesitating for just a moment before nodding, a flicker of doubt dancing in her eyes.

“And do you, Emily Green, take Dy...” the clerk paused, pausing to avoid another blunder, “Daryl...do you take him to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do,” Emily answered firmly, her voice wavering slightly, but the determination behind her words shone through.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may exchange rings,” the clerk stated, signaling the end of the officialities with a practiced professionalism.

Dylan fumbled in his pocket, his fingers brushing against the box of the ring he had brought for his actual bride. With an air of disinterest, he opened the box to reveal a stunning golden band with an intricate diamond. 

Emily gasped, her eyes widening with genuine admiration. “This is beautiful,” she cooed, extending her hand eagerly for him to place the ring on her finger.

He slid the ring onto her finger, feeling an unexpected softness as their fingers touched. For a heartbeat, he mistakenly held her gaze a moment longer than necessary, caught off guard by the flicker of something beyond annoyance in her eyes. 

As soon as he released her hand from his grip, Emily smiled, admiring the glint of the ring on her finger.

“Okay, my turn now,” she said, shaking him from the unexpected connection.

As she slipped the ring onto his finger, the cold metal startled against his warm skin. She met his gaze directly, feeling a surge of happiness at the thought of marrying the man she had dreamed about for so long, the love of her life. If only he was actually the love of her life. She reached for his lips, sealing them in a lingering kiss.

Meanwhile, Dylan remained stiff, his muscles tense as he waited for her to finish with her business.

Emily pulled away, her heart fluttering with excitement as she flashed him a radiant smile. "Really, you don't have to be shy; we’re married now!" she said, concluding that his aloofness must be a result of his nerves.

“And here's your marriage certificate,” the clerk handed the delicate piece of paper to Dylan.

“Thanks,” he managed to respond, his tone flat.

Emily, still brimming with enthusiasm, threw her hands in the air. “We’re officially married!” she gushed, her joy infectious but met with Dylan's expression of bewildered disdain.

As they exited the Registry Office, Emily felt a rush of giddy anticipation wash over her. But as Dylan turned to walk toward his car, she felt a pang of disappointment. "Where are you going?" she asked, her excitement faltering.

"Back to work," he answered, his voice devoid of enthusiasm.

Emily’s smile faltered, confusion settling in. "No, we have to head to my parents' house first," she urged.

"To do what there?" he asked, his brow furrowing as if he genuinely didn’t comprehend.

Emily's face fell, surprised by the genuine cluelessness in his gaze. "We need to tell my family the good news! I’m finally free from the ultimatum, remember?" She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to gauge his reaction.

“Lead the way,” Dylan replied plainly.

“What?” Emily blinked in disbelief.

“If I recall correctly, you came here in your own car, so you need to drive it back home. If you want to leave it here and ride with me in mine, that’s totally fine too. It's your choice,” Dylan stated, his voice flat as he entered his car .

Thinking less about it, she climbed into her car and drove away, leading the way to her family's house as Dylan drove behind her.