His stand-in bride

CHAPTER 3

I frantically searched Amelia's room, my heart pounded in my chest for any clue that might lead me to her.

As I tore through her belongings, clothes, books, trinkets, all scattered across the floor, yet nothing gave me the answer I needed.

Where was she? Just when I thought I was at a dead end, I spotted it.

A small safe hidden in the corner of her wardrobe.

My fingers trembled as I entered the password for the third time. Just one more try…

Before I could enter the last number, the door burst open, an assortment of people walked in, halting me in my tracks.

My parents, along with my uncle Simon and Aunt Penelope, all stormed in without a knock, but the look on their faces, worry was etched onto their features and my mother looked deathly pale, as if she might faint at any moment.

“What is it?” I asked, my heart racing.

No one answered; they looked like they didn't have the courage to answer. I looked around at all of them, expecting someone to speak up.

After what seemed like eternity, it was my mom who answered, her face contorting into a mask of pain and sorrow.

Okay, now I am officially freaking out.

Whatever she was about to say, I could tell it wasn't good.

“Annie, we know this must be very difficult for you, but the fact is that we have a wedding to go to in less than 24 hours with over five thousand people arriving.”

I stared at my mom, thinking she had lost her mind.

What wedding? The bride had run away, she had made a terrible mess and left us to deal with the consequences that were surely going to follow.

There wasn't going to be any wedding anymore. How could there be?

As if reading my mind, my father spoke up, his voice completely lacking the empathy I normally associated with it.

“We can't cancel the wedding, sweetheart. It’ll ruin us, all of us.

If the wedding doesn't take place today, not only will we be humiliated, but we could stand the chance to lose everything,” he choked out, and I stared at him stupidly, not knowing where this was headed.

“What?” Is all I manage to get out as I sit there in my seat.

My fidgeting hands come to a halt as I now fist my T-shirt in a tight grip.

My mind is completely blank at the moment. I can't seem to be able to process his words.

“Dad,” I finally managed to get out,

“You can't mean that, you wouldn't.”

I whisper as I look at him for confirmation.

“You know I don't like repeating myself.” My father says sternly as he looks at me.

“Well you're going to have to this time Dad!” I exclaimed as I stood up.

“I told you, I will not repeat myself.”

He says standing up now too, having to repeat himself. My father's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing into slits as he spoke, his arms crossed over his chest like a fortress wall.

The anger is clear as day in his eyes as in mine too.

It's like fire against ice.

“Annie please…” my mother stepped forward, her hand reaching out to mine, her touch warm and gentle.

My mother, someone who would never allow herself to be humbled by anyone, looked at me, pleading with me with her eyes.

I glanced at her with pleading eyes, begging for her to reason with him.

She is my mother, she has to do something. I know she would never agree to such a thing. But she remains silent.

I felt like the ground was slipping from beneath me under my mother's intense gaze.

Her voice, usually so composed and regal, wavered as she said my name.

The sheer vulnerability in her eyes left me stunned. I can't remember the last time I had seen her so desperate.

“We need your help, Annie. You're the only one that can save this family now.”

“Please, Annie, for the family. You have to.”

“Why do I have to do what?” I demanded, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and anger.

“You can't seriously expect me to…”

“Take her place,” Uncle Simon interrupted, his voice soft but firm, as if what he had just said was the most reasonable thing in the world.

“Excuse me?” I whispered, hoping I'd misheard.

The air left my lungs. I couldn't breathe.

"We can't afford to lose the alliance," Aunt Penelope added, stepping forward. "Amelia's disappearance has thrown everything into chaos. The only way to salvage this is for you to step in as the bride."

My knees buckled beneath me, and I reached out to steady myself against the wardrobe. My head swam. Take her place? Marry in her stead?. This had to be some sort of nightmare. There was no way this was happening.

"No," I said firmly, backing away from them, "I won’t do it. I can't do it."

"Annie, you have to understand," my father started again, his voice low and dangerous.

"We are out of options. If the wedding doesn't go through, everything we've worked for our reputation, our livelihood, it all goes down the drain."

"But I’m not Amelia!" I cried, my voice cracking as the weight of their expectations bore down on me. "I can't just pretend to be her!"

My mother took a step closer, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, as though she were trying to hold herself together.

"Annie, this isn't just about you. It’s about the family. We've sacrificed so much to get to this point, and we need you now more than ever."

"I don’t care!" I shouted, the dam breaking inside me. "I won’t live Amelia’s life just because she decided to run away!"

The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the soft hum of the air conditioner vent above us.

My father's voice cut through the thick silence. “Annie,” he said so quietly.

“You know what's at stake here. There's no way out of this.”

“ I wish we didn't have to do this. But you don't have a choice.”

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”

“Please, Annie, for the family. You have to,” my mother repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

I stood there, feeling the walls close in around me, my mind spinning.

They were asking me to sacrifice myself, to step into Amelia’s shoes and marry Nate Reynolds, the man my sister had run from. The weight of their expectations crushed me, leaving me gasping for air.

I looked at my mother one last time, but her silence told me everything I needed to know.

This wasn’t just about saving the family. This was about survival, and in their eyes, I was the only one who could do it.

Hours passed quickly, I was locked in my room, staring blankly at the wedding dress laid out on the bed.

When the time came, I barely noticed the hands pulling me into the gown, fastening the veil, fixing my hair. I was numb.

Numb until the moment my father took my arm, guiding me into the church,

As I walked down the aisle, my heart felt like it was going to stop.

I fixed my gaze firmly on the ground, begging myself to not let any tears escape. My father linked his arm with mine as we walked down.

“Annie, honey, you have no idea what this means to us,” he whispered in my ear and I nodded my head slightly, not trusting myself to speak.

The church was packed with strangers, all staring at me with a mixture of curiosity and pity, their faces a blur of disapproving eyes and whispering lips.

I walked towards the altar, my father gripping my arm tightly, comforting me but all the while suffocating me.

He let go of me when we reached where Nate and his best man stood and, after completing his duty of giving me away, he left me alone to take the biggest step in my life.

I stood at the altar, my breath hitched.

My jaw dropped as I took in the sight of my husband-to-be.

Nate Reynolds stood tall, his dark hair perfectly styled, his piercing light blue eyes caught my attention.

I can tell he clearly works out with how his suit fits perfectly against his toned torso, hugging each inch of him.

I felt a surge of resentment. I hated how good he looked, it wasn't fair that someone so perfect could stand there, acting like none of this was wrong. His eyes didn't show any hint of doubt or hesitation.

Nate’s face was unreadable, he didn't smile, didn't frown, just stared.

His hand brushed mine as we exchanged rings, and for a moment, I swore I felt him tremble.

But when I looked up, his expression was as cold and composed as ever.