CHAPTER ONE - Ava’s POV
991 Words
One Year and Six Months Earlier
I have exactly three missed calls from my mother, seven unread messages from my sister, and one driver who has looked at me through the rearview mirror at least five times because he probably thinks I'm about to jump out of his car before we even reach the venue.
"I'm not running away," I tell him when I catch him looking again.
He laughs.
"I didn't say you were."
"You were thinking it."
"I've driven enough brides to know that face."
"I'm not the bride."
"Oh."
He looks embarrassed.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay." I smile. "Everyone makes that mistake."
They always do.
My sister and I have spent our whole lives confusing people. Teachers mixed up our names. Friends told the same story twice because they couldn't remember which twin they had already told. Even our grandmother once wished me happy birthday three days early because she thought I was Amelia.
We look almost the same.
Almost.
People notice our faces first.
The people who really know us notice everything else.
Amelia laughs with her whole body. I laugh until someone looks at me.
She loves being the center of attention. I'd rather disappear into the background with a cup of coffee and a good book.
She can make friends in five minutes.
It takes me five months.
She's sunshine.
I'm more like a cloudy afternoon that surprises you with a little bit of light when you least expect it.
The driver slows as we turn through the giant black gates of Blackwood Estate.
I look out the window.
For a second, I forget to breathe.
The place is beautiful.
Not the kind of beautiful you see in magazines where everything feels cold and perfect.
This is the kind of beautiful that almost doesn't look real.
White roses line the driveway.
Tall trees are wrapped in tiny lights, even though the sun hasn't gone down yet.
People in black suits walk quickly from one place to another with little earpieces tucked behind their ears.
Luxury cars keep arriving, one after another, so shiny that I can see my own reflection in them.
And beyond the gates...
Reporters.
Cameras.
Microphones.
It feels less like a wedding and more like the biggest event in the country.
I shake my head.
"Only Amelia would fall in love with a man who turns a wedding into breaking news."
The driver smiles.
"Or maybe only a billionaire could."
I laugh.
"You have a point."
He parks near the front entrance.
As soon as I step out, I hear music floating through the gardens.
A violin.
Soft.
Beautiful.
The air smells like fresh flowers, and for one strange moment, everything feels calm.
This is it.
My twin sister is getting married today.
I should be thinking about how happy she looked when she found her dress.
Or the way she called me at midnight three nights ago because she couldn't decide between two almost identical shades of white nail polish.
Instead...
I keep thinking about the last thing she said to me.
"If anything strange happens tomorrow, promise me you won't panic."
I laughed when she said it.
"What could possibly happen?"
She smiled, but it wasn't her usual smile.
It looked... tired.
"Just promise me."
"I promise."
At the time, I thought she was nervous.
Every bride gets nervous.
Don't they?
My phone vibrates in my hand.
A smile spreads across my face before I even look at the screen.
Amelia ❤️
Finally.
I open the message.
It's a picture.
Just a picture.
Her bouquet rests on a chair beside the window, white roses tied together with a long satin ribbon.
I stare at it.
No caption.
No explanation.
I type quickly.
Beautiful. Are you hiding because you're crying?
Three little dots appear.
Disappear.
Appear again.
Then another message comes through.
Three words.
I'm sorry, Ava.
My smile fades.
Sorry?
For what?
I type again.
What happened?
The message sends immediately.
Nothing.
I wait.
Still nothing.
I press call.
The phone rings once.
Twice.
Then...
The call ends.
I frown.
That's not like Amelia.
Not today.
Especially not today.
"Miss Hart?"
A young woman wearing a headset walks toward me with a bright smile.
"Everyone's waiting upstairs."
I nod.
"Thank you."
Inside, the mansion is even more beautiful than it looked from outside.
Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling.
Fresh flowers cover every table.
Guests laugh softly as waiters carry trays of champagne through the room.
Everything feels warm.
Happy.
Alive.
I should feel the same way.
Instead, that strange feeling from earlier settles a little deeper inside my chest.
The elevator doors open on the third floor.
The moment I step out, chaos greets me.
Someone is asking where the photographer went.
A makeup artist rushes past carrying a bag bigger than she is.
One bridesmaid is trying to fix another bridesmaid's dress while both of them argue about lipstick.
It makes me smile.
This feels normal.
Wedding mornings are supposed to be messy.
"Ava!"
I turn just in time for my mother to wrap me in a hug.
"There you are."
"You've called me three times."
"You weren't answering."
"I was in the taxi."
She studies my face for a second, then smooths a wrinkle from my dress like she used to when I was little.
"You look beautiful."
"So do you."
She laughs.
"I've been too stressed to look at myself."
"Where's the bride?"
"Getting ready."
"Can I see her?"
"In a minute."
Something in the way she answers makes me pause.
It isn't the words.
It's the tiny hesitation before them.
My mother never hesitates.
Not unless she's worried.
I glance toward the end of the hallway where the bridal suite door is closed.
My phone is still in my hand.
Still silent.
I look at my mother's smile.
Then back at the door.
I don't know why...
I just know something doesn't feel right.
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