Aria Lancaster was never the chosen one. Laging nasa anino ni Sienna-ang perpektong panganay, matalino, maganda, palaban. Si Aria? Tahimik. Sunod-sunuran. Hindi pinapansin. Hanggang sa tumakas si Sienna. A scandal no one saw coming. Just hours before her arranged marriage to Damian Valtor-the ruthless CEO every family wanted to be aligned with. Para maiwasan ang kahihiyan at tuluyang pagbagsak ng pamilya nila, si Aria ang ipinasuot sa gown. Walang tanong-tanong. Pretend. Smile. Say "I do" to a man who was never meant to be hers. Damian Valtor is cold. Calculated. Furious. He knows this isn't the woman he agreed to marry. Pero tinuloy pa rin niya. Because power is everything-and Aria? She's just a pawn. A weak replacement for her strong, flawless sister. But Aria is done playing nice. Done being quiet. Done being invisible. Sa isang kasalang binuo sa kasinungalingan, Aria and Damian enter a war of wills. She's not the weak girl he expected. And he's not as heartless as she thought. What started as a six-month deal slowly begins to blur... into something dangerously real. But when secrets rise and Sienna returns, Aria must face the truth: Will she always be second best? Or will she finally become someone's first choice?
View MoreAria's POV
"She's not answering." I held up my phone like evidence, habang ang atmosphere sa paligid ay sobrang tense—parang lahat kami walang karapatang huminga. "Her phone's been off. Three hours na," sabi ni Mama, hawak-hawak ang pearl necklace niya habang pilit pinapakalma ang sarili. Pero halata sa mata niya—she was spiraling. Father’s jaw tightened. His face thick and unnatural, it’s the most worried I’d ever seen to him. What do we do now? I thought, biting my fingernails. Nakabibinging katahimikan ang naghari, like we all seemed lost in the moment. Lucian was pacing near the grand staircase, his tux slightly wrinkled, tie loose around his throat. He had his phone pressed to his ear, calling again. "Come on, Sienna...pick up. Please." Yung desperation sa boses niya—kitang-kita sa kaniyang mga mata. Pero voicemail na naman ang bumungad. He didn't even have to say it. "Still off," he muttered. My mother constantly tapping her nails against the mahogany table. It was driving me insane. Tumalikod ako sa kaniya, turned to my father shaking his legs uncontrollably. Hindi pa rin siya nagsasalita simula kaninang nalaman namin. "She wouldn't do this," bulong ni Lucian, sobrang hina na parang siya na lang ang gustong maniwala. "Not like this. Not today." At this point he was covered in sweat. "She did," I said, flatly. "She's gone." Silence. The truth no one wanted to hear, let alone believe. The room stilled, no one breath. The wedding gown still hung like a ghost on the back of the dressing room door—ivory satin, hand-sewn lace, untouched. Her veil was neatly folded beside it. Diamond-studded heels, maayos ang pagkaka-line up, waiting. Pero si Sienna? Wala. She had vanished. No note. No goodbye. Walang paliwanag. “I couldn’t believe how Sienna did this to us,” Lucian sank onto the bottom step like realization knocked him out of gravity. Si Daddy, nakatayo sa may bintana, hands clasped behind his back. Pinagmamasdan ang mga luxury cars na nagsisidatingan—executives, diplomats, mga powerful guests that were waiting. Still he didn’t say a word, he didn’t move. Hanggang biglang nagsalita siya—his voice like a blade slicing through the room: "Get the guests out." "What?" Lucian looked up instantly. "Sabihin mong she’s unwell, na nahimatay siya that’s why the ceremony postponed. Anything—basta walang lalabas sa press," he said. His tone non-negotiable. "She ran, Dad," sabi ko, stepping forward. "She didn't trip on her way down the aisle. She left. On purpose." He face us. Yung mata niya—galit. The Lancaster fire that always frightened me. "You think I don't know that?" bulyaw niya, and I trembled but I still replied. "Then stop acting like this is manageable." His silence was bitter. Parang gusto niyang sumigaw pero alam niyang wala rin namang magagawa. Tumayo si Mama, weak, devastated, para bang wala nang lakas lumaban. "She wouldn't ruin us," she whispered. "Anak natin siya..." "Exactly," Lucian chimed in. "She's a Lancaster. She knows what this marriage means." "She knows," I cut in, mas matalim ang tono ko. "And she didn't care."A little hesitant. I sighed and dropped the bombshell. "She was seeing someone," I said. Silence. "What?" Si Mama halos masabit ang hikaw sa buhok sa bilis ng paglingon. "Yeah. Some unknown guy that made her happy. Happier than this would’ve.” "You knew?" Lucian's voice cracked. "And you didn't say anything?" Guilt ate at me. Masakit marinig pero totoo. "Would you have, Kuya?" tanong ko sa kaniya pabalik. Tumingin ako sa kanya pero umiwas siya. Exactly. Tahimik ang lahat. None of us really said it out loud, pero lahat kami alam ang totoo: Marrying Damian Valtor wasn't love. It was strategy. Power meets power. Money doubles. Families merge. A contract disguised as marriage. And Sienna? She never wanted to be queen. She wanted to be free. "She was supposed to be in makeup an hour ago," Mama murmured, lost in disbelief. "She promised she wouldn't embarrass us," she added, halos maiyak na. "She didn't promise," I said. "She endured. For the family." "Damian will not forgive this," Daddy muttered, jaw clenched. "No," si Lucian na nababalisa. "He won't," I echoed. And for once, the four of us agreed on something. Damian Valtor wasn't just powerful. Damian Valtor was not acquainted with failure or humiliation but this? This was a blow served to him in public, in front of every deal he'd ever made. "We can salvage this," Daddy said. Nakatingin siya sa kawalan, parang may nilalarong invisible chessboard. "A small ceremony next week. Press release—illness, exhaustion—something clean.” He said with certainty. My brows furrowed. "She's gone, Dad," I snapped. "She made her choice." "Anong sasabihin natin sa Valtors?" Mom intervened, her voice panic. "They'll want answers." "They'll want blood," Lucian corrected. And we all knew, he wasn't exaggerating. Damian had always watched Sienna like she was his not his bride-to-be, not his fiancée, but his property and losing her like this, he'd make all of us pay. Umupo si Mama, dahan-dahan, parang reyna na natalo sa digmaan. Her hands trembled against her silk dress. "She destroyed us," she whispered broken. I wanted to go to her, to assure her or something but there was no word, we were all caught up in this mess. Sienna had detonated the bomb and vanished before the smoke settled and we were the ones choking on it. "What now?" tanong ni Mama, her eyes wielded in tears. Si Lucian, tahimik. Nakayuko. Father moved toward the door, muttering instructions to one of the security. "Clean it up. Shut it down," ang narinig ko. Pero alam naming lahat—damage was done. We could silence the guests, pay off the tabloids but this scandal would spread like wildfire. This wedding wasn't no ordinary one, it was supposed to seal the most powerful merger in the city. It was supposed to crown us kings again but instead, it turned us into fools. "We are ruined," Mama whispered, and then, bigla siyang bumagsak. Tuluyan nang nalugmok. "Mother!" sigaw ko. Napatingin si Daddy. Si Lucian, agad tumayo, takot ang expression. Nahulog ang phone ni Mama sa mesa. Sunod-sunod ang tawag. "We are doomed.”Aria's POV"Do I have to smile like a doll or am I allowed to blink like a human being tonight?"I didn't mean to be sarcastic but the words just came out.Damian didn't even turned his head to me. Nakatingin lang siya sa ballroom entrance—like it owed him something."Just don't embarrass me. That's all I ask," he said coldly."Right. God forbid your fake wife ruins your real image."Finally, he looked at me—briefly. Cold. Calculating. Parang nainis siya na hindi ako kasing dali i-handle gaya ni Sienna. Pero hindi niya alam, I was never the porcelain type. I don't break that easily."You should be thanking me," I muttered habang inaayos ang silver silk gown na pinili ng assistant niya."You're welcome for saving your legacy," I added with a little smirk."You didn't save anything. You just showed up in the wrong dress," he snapped, jaw tightening."Still married you though," I said sweetly.He didn't answer. Napakabigat ng katahimikan bago bumukas ang pinto."Try not to talk too much
Aria's POVNakatayo ako sa tapat ng bintana, suot pa rin ang wedding dress—still playing her role. My skin itched, my lungs refused to expand properly. I couldn't tell if it was the lace choking me or the man standing ten feet away, unblinking, unbothered, unreadable.Damian Valtor.Kakakasal ko lang sa isang estranghero. He loosened his tie, unbuttoned his cuffs, watched me, unable to handle the quiet I spoke up first."Why didn't you cancel the wedding?""Why? Because you're a fake?" sagot niya, may halong pangungutya. Bawat salitang binibitawan niya, parang nakakairita sa balat.He stepped closer. Slowly. Parang isang predator na siguradong-sigurado sa bawat hakbang."I don't like to waste leverage." Napalunok ako."So that's what I am now? Leverage?"Napatingin siya sa singsing na suot ko."No. You're a solution.""To what?""To your sister's mess, your family's lie, and now...to my very plans." Kumibot ang kanang kilay niya, kaya napatawa ako—isang tawang punô ng pagod at despera
Damian's POVShe's not the bride.That was my first thought when the chapel doors opened.The second?I'm going to kill someone for this.She walked like Sienna—same posture, same veil, same dress we picked out together—but it wasn't her. This girl was too rigid, too hesitant, too honest in the way her body moved. With every step, I knew.She wasn't Sienna Lancaster.Sienna was many things—a liar, a manipulator, an heiress—but never hesitant.This girl had fear stitched into her spine.I clenched my jaw, refusing to look away as she moved down the aisle. Each step screamed, I don't belong here.And I agreed.Where was my bride?My mind wandered, but I didn't show it. She stopped in front of me—chin high, lips painted in defiance. She wasn't trembling. I'll give her that. She stood with elegance, but beneath the shield, I saw the truth.The priest began speaking—something about vows and eternal love. Like they always do at weddings. But none of it mattered.My eyes stayed on her. Hers
Aria's POV"She's not coming back, is she?" bulong ko, pero walang sumagot.Nakatulala si Mama, hawak pa rin ang gilid ng champagne glass sa harap niya. Si Daddy naman, mahigpit ang pagkakakuyom ng kamao habang nakaupo sa trono-like chair.Lucian went on a meeting."Sienna made her choice," ani Aunt Elise sa kabilang linya, her voice was calm but sharp."Now we'll make ours.""No," agad kong putol and shook my head to my parents. My breath unsteady. Alam ko na ang susunod bago pa niya banggitin."We can't afford to cancel the wedding," dire-diretso niyang sinabi. "Alam mo naman, the Valtors are not forgiving people. Hindi natin pwedeng hayaan na gumuho ang empire natin dahil sa isang makasariling babae. We need peace, not war." She said feisty."It has to be Aria."She dropped the missile."What?" Nanikip ang dibdib ko, para bang may mabigat na bumagsak sa balikat ko."You’ll wear her dress, her name and no one will question it, remember, you're doing this for the family's honour, just
Aria's POV"She's not answering." I held up my phone like evidence, habang ang atmosphere sa paligid ay sobrang tense—parang lahat kami walang karapatang huminga."Her phone's been off. Three hours na," sabi ni Mama, hawak-hawak ang pearl necklace niya habang pilit pinapakalma ang sarili. Pero halata sa mata niya—she was spiraling.Father’s jaw tightened. His face thick and unnatural, it’s the most worried I’d ever seen to him.What do we do now? I thought, biting my fingernails. Nakabibinging katahimikan ang naghari, like we all seemed lost in the moment.Lucian was pacing near the grand staircase, his tux slightly wrinkled, tie loose around his throat. He had his phone pressed to his ear, calling again. "Come on, Sienna...pick up. Please." Yung desperation sa boses niya—kitang-kita sa kaniyang mga mata. Pero voicemail na naman ang bumungad. He didn't even have to say it. "Still off," he muttered.My mother constantly tapping her nails against the mahogany table. It was driving me i
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