Lie To Me

Exchanging Grooms

"He said he is sorry; he can't marry you."

These words struck my ears like a bomb. I was already standing by the door of the church, about to walk down the aisle, and my fiancé, Eric, ran away? It felt like a joke. The person in front of me was Eric's twin, Noah. He looked at me with complicated eyes. Both looked so identical to each other that it was always quite hard to tell them apart.

I promised I would be married today, was I supposed to just admit defeat?

"Where is he?" I asked.

Noah seemed annoyed by this question.

"He eloped with another woman. Why are you so obsessed with him? Why wouldn't you give anyone else a chance?" Noah asked agitatedly.

My head seemed to buzz when I heard the first part of his words. Eric abandoned me and eloped? Hadn't he agreed to marry me? Why does this entire situation make it look like a stubborn mule?

The door to the church opened, and a staff member walked out to ask when the wedding would begin. Only then did I notice that the church was empty.

Today was my wedding day, even if the groom ran away, Why was my venue empty? Where were my guests? Did someone find out about the deal I made? Did someone find out why I had to get married to today? Was this sabotage?

I panicked and grabbed the staff.

"Where did all the guests go?" I asked frantically.

"We have not seen any guests yet," the staff answered in confusion.

I took out my phone to call Eric when my phone began ringing. It was my mother.

"Mom, where are you?" I asked. Even if the guest did not show up? Why is my family not here?

"Calm down, honey. It seems the Black family cancelled the engagement on their end without telling us. Mom has been busy all day making calls to guests. Your sister and I are in Little River hotel room 233. Hurry over," Mom said and ended the call.

I still had a lot of questions and honestly there was still time to salvage this, but when I tried to leave, Noah grabbed me.

"Lily, marry me," he said, and I paused. What was he saying? Marry him? Why? Did he know something? I looked at him with eyes full of caution.

"The entire city is talking about you right now. You can already guess what they are saying. Lily, I have always loved you, and though you may not love me, use me. Marry me instead," he said.

Loved me? Since when? Looking into his eyes, I looked for lies, before I stopped. What did it matter if it was a lie? His words were too tempting. I hesitated. I still needed to marry today.

A part of me still wanted to hold some hope for Eric, so I called, but all I got back was a message that said, "I'm sorry."

Sorry? Anger filled me. Sure I may have had a thing for him when we were young, but why does everyone behave as if I am obsessed with him? I must marry today, but did it have to be him? Noah was also part of his family, right?

My eyes panned to Noah, who seemed apprehensive that I would say no.

"Alright," I said. Noah released a breath, and we walked towards the priest, who was already preparing to leave.

The man liked between the bothe of us. I, dressed in a n elaborate white gown and Noah dressed in a dressed down shirt and flared hair throat.

The vows were short and easy. I waited apprehensively for the marriage certificate to be issued. When it was handed to me, I sighed in relief. I had married my fiancé's twin brother.

"I need to go meet Mom; I will call later," I said to him and quickly hurried away, leaving Noah behind. I knew my family was doing damage control. I needed to be there.At least I needed to explain that I had still gotten married. I rushed over to the hotel.

I was in too much of a hurry to notice anything. The moment I stepped out something struck the back of my the head, and everything went black.

I was not sure how long I had been unconscious. I woke up to familiar voices talking.

I opened my eyes slightly. My head hurt badly. Everything spun.

I felt myself getting carried into bed and voices speaking above me. It was hard to open my eyes. And hard to move my body. What was going on?

“Leave her there. Chairman Kent will be here soon,” a familiar voice said. I knew this voice. It was my mother.

What followed was my cousin Daine's worried voice.

"Aunt, are you sure we should do this?"

I felt my heart rate increase rapidly. There was no way I would be conscious and unable to move if they ha not drugged me. My heart fell. Why? And it seemed they were waiting for Chairman Kent.

This man was a well known leach and word was, he liked to keep women and enjoyed torturing them. Why would my mother do this? What was going on?

“That old thing really likes her; he will not be able to hold back,” my mother said.

“But what if uncle finds out?” Riley asked, "We don't need to go this far. If we just tell her. Sue is her sister, even if Lily finds out she has no choice but to accept it," I heard Diane say, and my heart stopped.

I could not understand what they were saying. What happened to Sue? What were they hiding from me?

"It is your grandfather I am worried about. He helped Lily get an engagement with Eric after she failed to date him all these years. I am worried about what he will do to Sue. So, for the failure of this marriage, Lily must take the blame,” my mother, Grace, said coldly. They began to strip me of some of my clothes.

“Really? But Aunt, Lily is still your daughter,” I heard Diane say, sounding worried.

“If she had not embarrassed me, I would have married her off well. Everyone knows I don't have a son, and your uncle is busy running around with other women, yet she failed to marry him. Since she isn't the one getting married to him, then she should protect her sister instead. What is the use of virginity? Won't she lose it eventually?" my mother said with a scoff, and my heart went cold.

I knew my mother cared a lot about appearances, and Eric cancelling the wedding after the entire city through j was obsessed with Eric. Getting so close to what they thought was my goal yet failing must have had the entire city talking, but to sell me for this reason? I could not believe it. Was she really my mother?

I felt my world collapse. Why were they doing this?

While my eyes were closed, I felt someone close in. Soon, I heard Diane whisper in my ear.

"You used to be so proud of being the daughter of the Stone family. Could you have expected that you could be reduced to this just because you shamed Aunt?" Diane said. I could hear delight in her voice.

Diane. The soft spoken cousin who always stayed by my side could say these words? How much did she hate me? I racked through my thoughts, when have I ever done anything to send Diane to make her hate me so much?

But before my thoughts could run far, she spoke again.

"Let me tell you where Eric is. By now he should be on his way to his honeymoon with your sister, Sue," Diane said, and my world shattered.