THE REPLACEMENT BRIDE: Marriage Deal Gone Wrong

“The wedding upstairs still hasn’t started... “Mr. Lancaster is so unlucky.” Two hotel workers passed by, gossiping. Janelle's footsteps faltered. Royal Mystic Hotel was a towering skyscraper, but its topmost floor was reserved for Summer City’s elite, like the Lancasters. The Lancaster family was the number one family, known for its wealth and affluence. Janelle glanced at the golden letters written at the entrance of the VIP hall. THE LANCASTER WEDDING HALL The heir, Thompson Lancaster. The cold billionaire was getting married today. Well... she was looking for a groom. "Wait for me, my replacement groom." A subtle smirk formed on Janelle's lips. ... VIP Wedding Hall The tension in the hall was suffocating. Everyone sat stiffly waiting for the bride. Two whole hours. And yet she still hasn't shown up. Everyone had grown impatient and began to whisper. "Where is she?" "Her phone is off. No one can reach her." "Maybe she ran away? The wedding should be cancelled." At the altar, the man presumed to be the groom simply sat, exuding cold indifference. He didn't fidget. He didn’t check his watch. As if the wedding wasn't his. Then, The entrance door swung open, drawing every eye to the door. "Sorry, I'm late." A crisp voice echoed. Heads turned to the door. Everyone was relieved; finally, she was here. The bride had arrived. But the man at the altar, his sharp gaze narrowed as he slowly raised his head. That voice... It wasn't the bride. When everyone looked closely at the bride. Their brows furrowed in confusion as they exchanged puzzled glances. "Wait… That's not the bride." "Who is she?" "Why is she in a wedding gown? Did she enter the wrong hall?" All eyes turned to her, but Janelle didn't flinch. She simply stood at the entrance, basking in their attention. She looked every inch a bride, though not the one they were expecting. Her lips curled into a soft smile as she announced, "I'm Janelle, the new bride." For a moment, the hall descended into a pin-drop silence, everyone staring at the madness happening before their eyes. Thompson's eyes narrowed. Well...he had anticipated schemes, but this? It was unexpected. Interesting! He smirked in amusement as he watched the naive woman, or so he thought. "What does she mean?" "This has to be a joke, right?" "Whoa! This is getting interesting." The whispers quickly died down, everyone curious to see the drama unfold. They knew Thompson Lancaster was not one to be trifled with. Especially not on a day like this. Janelle's heels had clicked against the marble floor as she strode forward... “Let’s see how the mighty Thompson Lancaster handles a surprise bride,” she murmured under her breath. Thompson was known for his ruthless and terrifying reputation, but Janelle didn't show any slight wavering. She looked calm, but that was a facade. Behind that was a heart that had just been shattered. Janelle drew a deep breath and stepped forward. If her family wanted her to be a fool, she would be the boldest fool they had ever seen. Standing in front of Thompson, Janelle was taken aback by his eerie black eyes devoid of any emotion. 'Damn Terrifying!' She slightly lowered her gaze. This man seriously lived up to his reputation. "Your bride isn't here," Janelle whispered. "And?" "Why don't I replace her?" She blurted out with a grin. "You?" Thompson's voice was filled with disdain. "You're worthy?" "You think I'm not?" Janelle blinked. "You should consider us. I'm very pretty. We would make beautiful children.” "Us?" Thompson scoffed. But as though Janelle had no awareness of how ridiculous her words were, she continued, "And hmm... You know... we might make the perfect couple in history." Thompson pursed his lips. No one could tell what he was thinking. However, the guests' reactions were like they had eaten something bitter. "Wait, is she serious?" "Damn! She must have escaped from a psychiatric hospital." For the first time in their lives, the guests were witnessing something unthinkable. A bride hijacking a wedding. Seated in the front row, Gregory Lancaster, Thompson's grandfather, stood up, his face red with fury. He couldn't take it anymore. It was a shame for an unknown woman to humiliate them. "Guards! Remove her now!" He hollered. The guards moved instantly, but Thompson beat them to it. He grabbed Janelle's wrist and dragged her out of the hall. Janelle's heart sank. Did she fail that ...woefully? All she wanted was to change her fate. How did it come to this? Three Hours Earlier. Janelle had been scrolling through her newsfeed when a message popped up. [YOUR FIANCE IS CHEATING; CHECK YOUR ROOM.] It displayed. Immediately, Janelle's body froze. Her fingers subconsciously tightened around the phone. The sender was anonymous. She stared at the screen—one second. Two. Without blinking, surely her eyes were playing tricks on her. However, that wasn't it; the message remained. For a moment, Janelle felt a dull pain spread through her chest. Her mind filled with despair. However, she instantly shook her head in denial. Xavier won't. He loved her so much, and today was their wedding. Who would cheat on such a day? ...Maybe a fool. Someone must be trying to mess with her head. To make her doubt her beloved, or maybe ruin her wedding. Yes! That's it. Although Janelle dismissed the message as a prank, her legs had already started moving, and she had to confirm it. The doubt had crawled in. But reaching the stairs, the maids stepped in her way. "Miss Janelle, please… You can't go up." "Why not?" "Miss—" The maid trailed off, her darting eyes avoiding Janelle's. 'This expression?' Janelle's heart sank. She quickly shoved them out of the way and rushed to her room. Upon arriving at the door, her footsteps pulsed. She noticed a pair of slippers that wasn't hers. 'What's going on?' She wondered. Just then, as her hand grabbed the doorknob, a soft and coy voice came through. "Xavier, do you really need to marry Janelle? She's plain-looking and has no wit." Caught off guard, Janelle's body stiffens. It wasn’t just because her fiance was with another woman... it was the voice of the woman. She recognized it. Her sister, Annabelle. And through the gap in the door, she saw her sister snuggle up to Xavier, and he tenderly caressed Annabelle's hair. "Of course," Xavier sneered. "Only if I marry her will she be willing to transfer her shares to me." "Then... will you divorce her after?" Annabelle asked in anticipation. "Well... there'll only be a loss of a spouse," Xavier chuckled darkly, then added. "Before which she must have suffered miserably." "You're so bad!" Annabelle giggled, and a round of intense make-out followed. The world seemed to turn dark for Janelle. All she could hear was the shattering of her heart, mingled with the sound of their moans. Playing a cruel joke on her. It wasn't just a betrayal. It was planned destruction. She backed away from the door. Her shoulders trembled. The man she loved... never loved her at all. His love and his care —he had faked it. And Annabelle, the sister she had protected for years, had been scheming behind her back. She had been played for a fool. A tear slipped down Janelle's cheek as she let out a self-deprecating smile. Who would have thought those two were together? Though the girl tried to act strong, bitterness welled up inside her. Her fingers clenched into a fist. She wanted to burst in, hit them hard, and demand answers. 'Is this the payback for all the good I've done?' But she didn't. She suppressed the burning sensation. It wouldn't change anything, and neither would she give them the satisfaction of seeing her broken. 'I won't pretend to be that good girl anymore.' Descending the stairs, Janelle noticed the maids who cast sympathetic glances at her. 'They all knew. Ah! I had been the only fool.' "Throw this away." She threw a crumpled paper to the nearby maid. ... In the dressing room, Janelle exhaled and then made a call. "Bring the other wedding gown." She was already in a wedding gown, the one Xavier had prepared for her. A plain, cheap one that lacked any elegance. Before, the joy of getting married had clouded her mind, and she hadn't thought much of it. But now, she realized, Xavier never intended to spend more on her. 'Whatever! I would spend more on myself.' The makeup artist arrived, and Janelle gazed at her reflection in the mirror. That girl, hopelessly in love, was gone. 'I'll make myself beautiful today and give them a payback,' she vowed. "Sister." A soft, innocent voice called out from the door, but Janelle heard something else in it. Contempt. . . . She's here!