Never the Donna
When I was five, I was kidnapped, and the people behind it memorized my face.
To protect me, my older sister, Julianne, said, "Maddie, you need to stay out of sight for your own safety."
From then on, she took my place whenever I was supposed to appear with my fiance, Adrian Moretti.
At the grand opening of his casino, she said the crowd would be too dangerous, so she wore my dress and cut the ribbon beside him.
At the Conti family's victory gala, she claimed our enemies might be lying in wait, so she took my invitation and danced with Adrian.
After every event, she would pat my head and say:
"Once the two of you are married, I can finally stop worrying."
I always believed she was doing it for my sake.
Then, before my wedding to Adrian, she put on my wedding gown and publicly stood in for me at the rehearsal.
She posted pictures on her social media page.
Wearing the gown that was supposed to be mine, she stood at the end of the aisle with her arm linked through Adrian's.
The caption read:
[I tested everything for Maddie first. It was all perfect.]
The first comment underneath was from Adrian.
[That dress suits you.]
I stared at those words for a long time as my heart slowly turned cold.
It was time to end this game of replacing me in the name of protecting me.