The Tudors’ Substitute Bride

By the time the sun rose, my twin sister was gone. Her wedding dress was still hanging in the bridal suite, but her luggage was gone. And on the desk, where her passport had been the night before, was a single envelope with my name scribbled on it. ‘To Allegra.’ My hands were already shaking before I opened it. Inside was a single sheet of paper. Three words were written on it: ‘Do the right thing.’ I read the words again and again, until my vision blurred. I still didn’t understand. “What does it say?” I looked up. Three bridesmaids were staring at me, their faces pale with panic. I folded the note quickly. “Nothing.” I lied automatically. Maybe because I didn’t understand it myself. Or perhaps because some part of me was already protecting my sister. Whatever Allura had done, I knew one thing. The Tudors could never find out. ⸻ The night before, everything had seemed perfect. My twin sister was getting married. The bridal suite had been overflowing with dresses, jewelry boxes and shoes, while her closest friends argued over what she should wear on her honeymoon. I sat on the carpet, folding the last silk dress into her suitcase. “You’re folding that wrong.” I glanced over my shoulder to see Allura by the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching me with an amused smile. “I’m sorry?” “That dress wrinkles easily.” I looked down at the perfectly folded dress in my hands. “Then perhaps you should’ve packed your own clothes.” I huffed. Her friends laughed. Allura rolled her eyes before walking over and taking the dress from me. “Some things never change.” I smiled. Allura and I looked identical, but she had always been the one who loved being noticed. I preferred the background. And tomorrow, she was going to marry one of the most powerful men in the country. “Dominic Tudor will swoon when he sees this,” one of her friends teased, holding up a tiny white dress. Allura snatched it from her. “He doesn’t swoon,” she corrected. “In fact, he barely looks at anyone.” “But he looks at you.” “That is absolutely not true.” Allura laughed. I smiled as I watched her. She looked exactly like a woman about to marry the man she had been promised to for years— excited, a little bit overwhelmed, but happy. “You’re staring,” she said, amidst giggles. I blinked. “What?” “You’ve been staring at me for thirty seconds.” “I was thinking about how you’re actually getting married.” “Unfortunately.” Allura shrugged playfully. I laughed. “Do you realize you’re going to be Mrs. Tudor tomorrow?” “Don’t remind me.” Allura groaned dramatically. When her friends laughed again, I looked at my sister closely. Her smile had faded too quickly. “You’re nervous.” “I’m excited.” “Same thing.” The words had barely left my mouth when she threw a pillow at me. I caught it and threw it back. Within seconds, the bridal suite descended into chaos. Someone screamed as another pillow flew across the room. A jewelry box holding diamonds nearly fell off the vanity. Allura laughed so hard that tears filled her eyes. Everything felt normal— perfect, even. I had no reason to believe that by morning, my sister would be gone, and I would be the one left to clean up the mess. ⸻ Later that evening, after her friends had gone downstairs, I found my sister sitting on the edge of the bed, holding an old photograph. I sat beside her. It was a picture of us as children, standing between our parents in front of the Branwell estate. Our father looked as serious as ever, while our mother was grinning. Allura and I were both missing our front teeth. “Oh my God,” I laughed as I settled beside her. “Look at us.” Allura laughed softly. “We were adorable.” “We looked ridiculous!” “You looked ridiculous.” I nudged her shoulder. She leaned against mine. For a while, neither of us spoke. Until she whispered, “I wish they were here.” My smile faded almost immediately. “Me too.” Our parents had been gone for almost a year. Some days, the grief felt distant. Other days, it felt like the crash had happened yesterday. “Mum would’ve cried tomorrow.” Allura said as she turned the photograph over in her hands. “Dad would’ve pretended he wasn’t crying.” “He would’ve given Dominic a speech about responsibility.” “He would’ve terrified him.” We both laughed, remembering how intimidating our father was, until the room fell quiet again. That’s when I looked at her— really looked. “Are you happy?” Allura didn’t answer immediately. “Allura?” She lifted her head. “Yes.” The answer came so quickly that I didn’t even question it. “Good.” I squeezed her hand. “I just want you to be happy.” “I know, Allegra.” She smiled sweetly, then pulled me into a hug. “You’re the best sister I could’ve asked for.” I laughed against her shoulder. “I’m the only sister you could’ve asked for.” She hugged me tighter. “Tomorrow is your wedding,” I whispered. “You aren’t allowed to make me cry before then.” “Fine.” She pulled away. “Goodnight, Allegra.” “Goodnight.” I said, then headed toward the door. Just before I stepped outside, I turned around. Allura was still sitting on the bed. Still watching me with the photograph in her hand. We smiled at each other just before I closed the door. I had no idea it would be the last time I saw my sister. ⸻ The knock on my hotel room door woke me just after dawn. I groaned and pulled the blanket tighter, too exhausted to get out of bed. The knocking came again. Louder this time. More urgent. “Coming,” I groaned, dragging myself out of bed and opening the door. One of the bridesmaids stood on the other side of the door. She looked terrified. “What happened?” She grabbed my wrist. “We can’t find her.” My sleepiness disappeared instantly. “Can’t find who?” Her lips trembled as she spoke. “Allura.” For a second, I couldn’t process the words. “What do you mean you can’t find her?” “She isn’t in her room.” “Maybe she’s downstairs,” I suggested. “She isn’t.” “Is she with another bridesmaid?” “She isn’t.” The certainty in her voice sent a chill down my spine. What could have happened to my sister? “I went to wake her because the makeup artists are arriving soon, but her room was empty.” The bridesmaid explained. I stared at her. “Empty?” She nodded. “We checked everywhere.” Her voice cracked. “Her luggage is gone.” I didn’t wait for anything else. I ran. Barefoot, messy hair, still wearing pajamas. But I didn’t care— not when my sister was involved. When I reached Allura’s suite, chaos had already taken over. Bridesmaids crowded the hallway. Wedding planners rushed between rooms.Someone was arguing with the manager. I pushed through the crowd. “Move!” I yelled. Nobody listened. “Move!” This time, they did. I rushed into Allura’s bedroom. The first thing I noticed was that the bed was untouched. The curtains were open. Everything looked normal until I opened the closet. My breath caught in my throat. It was completely empty. Her dresses, her suitcase, her jewelry… everything was gone. I turned slowly. “She took everything.” The bridesmaid covered her mouth. I couldn’t speak. Because suddenly, I understood. Allura hadn’t been kidnapped— she had left. Voluntarily. My eyes moved around the room, then landed on the desk. An envelope sat where her passport had been. It had my name written across it, in a handwriting I recognized too well. My sister’s. ‘Allegra’ My fingers trembled as I picked it up. “Should you open that?” someone whispered. I tore it open without hesitation. Inside was a single sheet of paper. Three words: ‘Do the right thing.’ My stomach twisted violently as I read the words again. What did that even mean? Had she discovered something? Was she in trouble? Had she been planning to leave all along? “Allegra?” I looked up. Everyone was staring at me. “What does it say?” I quickly folded the note and slipped it into my palm. “Nothing.” My phone suddenly began ringing. Every conversation in the room stopped. I took one glance at the screen— my stomach dropped. Eleanor Tudor. The woman whose son was supposed to marry my sister in a few hours. The phone continued ringing. I stared at it. ‘Do the right thing.’ But what exactly had Allura wanted me to do? Stop the wedding? Protect our family? … or something else entirely? I looked around the room. Our parents were gone. The Branwell name had barely survived bankruptcy, humiliation and years of public judgment. Most of what was left of our family’s wealth was tied up in property and unfinished projects. And the Tudors were the reason we still had any of it. Without them, the estate could be sold and everything my parents had spent years trying to rebuild could collapse all over again. This marriage wasn’t simply a wedding. It was an agreement— one that had been keeping my family’s future alive. And now Allura had walked away from it. For the first time, I understood the terrible position my sister had left me in. Before this day would be over, someone would have to pay the price for her sudden disappearance. I just didn’t know yet whether it would be Allura… or me.