BRIDAL MISHAP

CHAPTER THREE

"Have you gone insane?" Jared declared immediately. My lips pursed in a straight line as I accessed his words.

"Haven't I always been Insane, Jared?" I retorted with a sharp tone, another lone tear rolled down my cheek and I bit hard on my bottom lip.

"Sebastian loved Mabel! He would have given his life for her! They were going to get married! How can you—" Jared paused and ran his hand through his dark hair. "How can you even assume something as despicable as this?!" He demanded in an exasperated tone.

"Because I know him better than you; I know what that man is capable of, and I cannot believe that I abandoned Mabel with him!" I clenched my fists and my fingers dug into my palm.

"I think... I think what you need is some rest; Let's tell everyone what happened and—"

"And what? What next?" I breathed. "We'll tell everyone that Mabel was murdered on her wedding day and allow that murderer to be alert?" I tilted my head at him as I spoke. I took a few steps and sat on the bed. "We are not doing that." I added, "Whoever did this has to pay." I gripped the sheets and felt my knuckles turn white.

"But it's not Sebastian," Jared informed me again.

"Why do you keep on defending him? Huh?" I demanded in a sharp tone. "You can think whatever you want to think, but I will avenge my sister's death, I will make Sebastian pay. " I finally released the sheet and swallowed.

"You omitted the part where you explain how you make that work?" Jared questioned and I glanced at him through my wet lashes.

"I will do the same thing, they did to her. I will enter Sebastian's life and completely ruin it." I watched as Jared's facial features loosened in horror.

"What do you mean?" Jared's tone had a warning underneath it, almost as if he knew what I was on about before I had even said it.

"A wedding will happen today," I stood up and knelt beside Mabel, Her blood-coated hair made me firm in my decision. "But the brides will change," I added sharply.

"Now you have the chance to make your decision." I locked eyes with Jared. "Are you with me, or against me?" I asked. My voice held no form of reluctance or resentment. I wanted him to make an honest decision so we could both move on. Time was running out.

"You can't do this. No, you can't Melody. How can you just decide to get married? It's not a joke! Not just this wedding, you do realize that to keep up with this lie, you will have to lose your identity completely, Right?" Jared spoke in what sounded like a panicked tone.

"My life as Melody has always been sad, painful, and depressing! Maybe playing the role of the perfect daughter for quite a while will be fun. I've always been dead inside, Jared. This would just be formalities," I responded swiftly and took two steps toward where he stood by the door.

"So will you help me? Are you going to be on my side? Or will you betray me again?" My words tugged on my heartstrings as I spoke

"This—"

"Melody, Mabel!" The sound of three heavy knocks on the door brought us straight out of our train of thought, my blue eyes widened as I glanced from the door to Jared who squeezed my hand for what I assumed was comfort, I pulled away immediately. I did not need comfort, I was angry, filled with rage. I needed something to soothe the pain and anger in me, and the only way that would be soothed was if I saw the dead body of Sebastian.

"We're coming out soon," I responded sharply to the familiar voice.

"Melody, I don't know what you are planning, but you better not be trying to ruin this wedding, Grab Mabel, both of you should come down. None of your plans will work this time." William reassured me in a cold tone and we heard footsteps leave soon after.

"Believe me, brother, no one wants this wedding to happen more than I do. " I muttered to myself. My shoulder-length brunette hair stuck to my skin. "You can leave. It's been enough drama for a day, just forget this happened." I directed my words to Jared. He stared at me with wide eyes before he proceeded to walk away.

A tear rolled down my cheek. It hurt deeply to know that he was leaving me alone again. When I needed him the most. I was shaken out of my thoughts when I heard the sound of keys twisting in the lock. I locked eyes with Jared who was standing in front of the door.

"Have I messed up so bad that you think I would leave you when you need me the most?" Jared's deep voice rang through my ears, a sob broke out from my lips;

"It wouldn't be the first time," I commented and he winced. Before I could say, Jack, Jared pulled me into his arms and I hugged him, It was only at this point that I realized just how much I needed a hug.

I let go of him a few moments later. Time was running out. We needed to act fast if this wedding was going to happen.

"Can you stay outside on the lookout? I need to remove her wedding dress, then you need to help me burn it." I informed Jared. He sighed and nodded.

"But if you burn it, What will you wear?" Jared asked with furrowed eyebrows. I sighed and walked toward Mabel's closet, I stopped at the closet door and sucked in a deep breath before I began talking.

"Normally, people say the groom should not see the wedding dress beforehand, but you are no longer my groom, and our wedding will no longer happen, So it doesn't matter if this wedding dress that Mabel and I bought for each other's wedding is here or not," I rambled in a pained tone and I heard Jared wince.

"Melody..." He trailed off. "I thought you had forgotten—"

"You had forgotten!" I snapped. "You had forgotten everything!" I continued and pulled the brand-new dress out of the closet. "You completely forgot about our love, future, and plans! You ran after another woman and you got her pregnant!" I yelled and Jared stumbled back. his blue eyes softened with tears and I sobbed.

"This isn't about us." I reminded myself.

"Please wait outside. I'll take off the bloodied dress and hand it over to you. You need to burn it and go back to the event. Everyone needs to think you were there all along." I informed Jared who simply nodded. I watched as he took sluggish steps toward the door but finally left.

I sighed and wrapped my hands around myself. This was neither the time nor the place to relive the pain that Jared caused me. And even though a full month had passed since everything happened, his betrayal stung me as it happened a moment ago.

I took a few minutes to pull myself together before I got to work. I took off my dress which was covered in Mabel's blood. Then I removed her bloodied wedding dress, with shaky hands but a will made of steel. I dressed her in my outfit and loosened her brunette hair to fall.

When I was done; Even I had issues differentiating the two of us. I sighed. Now, I had to make myself look and act like Mabel. How hard could that be?

But as I finally handed the bloody dress to Jared, dread filled me and I realized that from that day on, Melody would be dead, and only Mabel would exist.

I pushed that fear aside though. My anger and thirst for vengeance were stronger. I was going to make Sebastian's life a living hell, no matter what I had to lose.