The Substitute Bride

ANASTASIA I always dreamed of a fairytale wedding—walking down the aisle to the man I love, surrounded by people who adore us. But reality? I’m walking on a gold-carpeted aisle, hand-in-hand with a man I met less than 24 hours ago. Clad in a designer wedding gown worth more than my entire apartment, I kept my smile frozen in place. My heart, though, was pounding like a war drum. “I thought he’d choose someone from a rich family,” someone whispered behind me. “She’s marrying into the most powerful family in the country. She’s so lucky,” her friend replied. Lucky? If only they knew. All around me, the grand wedding hall shimmered —glass chandeliers, roses imported from Italy, and rows of important guests I didn’t recognize. The only familiar faces were my parents. And even they didn’t bring me comfort. How did I end up here? **** A Few Days Ago The shrill sound of my alarm jolted me awake. I slapped it off and rolled over with a groan. My name is Anastasia Robert, and I have an identical twin sister, Aubrey. We’re so alike that not even our parents could always tell us apart. I moved out when I turned eighteen. I was tired of being invisible—overshadowed, overlooked, and unloved. My parents always favored Aubrey, and no matter what I did, I was never enough. I left to find peace… and maybe love. And I thought I’d found it—with Jace. We’d been together for three years. That day was our anniversary, and I wore a red dress I knew he loved as I headed to the restaurant where we always celebrated. But when I saw him, my heart sank. The smile I expected wasn’t there. Instead, he looked… distant. “Are you okay?” I asked, trying to stay hopeful. “We should break up,” he said flatly. Just like that. No warning. No emotion. My whole world cracked open. “Please, Jace. If it’s something I did—just tell me, I’ll fix it,” I begged, hating the desperation in my voice. “I’m done. Enjoy your meal. I already paid,” he said before walking away. I sat there stunned, blinking back tears, a lump lodged in my throat. He didn’t even look back. ⸻ I barely made it home before collapsing on my bed, sobbing into my pillow. The pain was raw, slicing through me. I thought that was the worst my day could get—until my father called. I ignored it at first, but he kept ringing. I finally picked up. “You have to come home. Aubrey’s been hospitalized,” he said urgently. My heart stopped. “What happened?” I choked out. “I’ll explain when you get here.” Despite everything, I loved my sister. I threw a few things in a bag and rushed to the hospital using the address he sent. At the front desk, I told them, “I’m here to see Aubrey Robert.” The receptionist blinked. “Down the hall, first ward.” Her stare lingered. She thought I was Aubrey. I’d gotten used to that. Inside, I found Mom sobbing beside a battered figure on the hospital bed—Aubrey. Dad paced like a storm cloud, panic etched into his face. “What happened?” I asked, horrified by my sister’s bruised and broken face. “She was attacked on her way to the mall,” Dad said grimly. I was still reeling when I snapped, “We need to report this to the police!” “That’s not our biggest problem right now,” Dad said, locking eyes with me. “What do you mean?” He hesitated. Then it came out. “Her wedding to Christian O’Brien is in three days.” I blinked. “Wait—what wedding? No one told me.” “It’s to the O’Briens. The richest family in the country,” Mom added sharply. “And Aubrey has to marry him.” I was confused. “So? Postpone it. Tell them she’s hurt.” “No!” Mom snapped. “You don’t get it. Do you know what marrying into that family means for us? We can’t let this opportunity slip away.” My heart raced. “So what do you want me to do?” Dad looked me dead in the eye. “You’re going to marry Christian in her place.” Time stopped. “What?!” “They don’t know she has a twin,” Mom added, calm as ice. “No one will suspect a thing.” I stepped back, cold with disbelief. “I can’t do that! I don’t even know this man!” “It’s not about love. It’s about responsibility,” Dad said. “She’ll wake up in a few weeks, and you can return to your life. It’s temporary.” “What if I get caught?” “You won’t.” I turned and walked out of the room in tears. This family—the same one that pushed me aside—was now asking me to throw away my identity to save their pride. They’d kept me hidden. Acted like I didn’t exist. And now, suddenly, I was useful? I tossed in bed all night, unable to sleep, thoughts racing. The next morning, I went back to the hospital. They looked anxious—terrified, even. I took a deep breath. My heart pounded. “I’ll do it,” I said. Their stunned expressions were all the answer I needed: I wasn’t their daughter. I was their pawn. But if I was going to do this, it would be on my terms. Let the game begin.