Twice The Lies

Chapter One. The Wrong Bride. “Don't you dare walk away from me, Victoria.” My mother roared from behind. But it only quickened my pace as I stormed into my room. “Victoria! You will turn around and face me this instant.” Mom ordered again. “Why, Mother? How can you tell me to do such a thing? It's illegal! It’s insane!” I yelled, backing away from her. “It's supposed to be Valeria, and not me!” I snapped at her for the first time in twenty-three years of my life. Before I could even react, her palm swung hard on my left cheek, almost blinding me. “Don't you talk back to me. I am your mother. Have you lost your manners?” My palms braced my cheeks as I fought desperately to hold back the tears that were already welling up, stinging my eyes with every second that passed. “Now, you will do what I say. You will stand in for your twin sister. YOU WILL MARRY ALEXANDER DeLUCA.” Her words hit me like bullets. I wanted to scream, but the sounds stuck hard in my throat, almost choking me. All my life, I had been living a life of duality, covering up for my twin sister and rectifying her mistakes right from when we were kids. All the homework, the interviews, the sneaking out, the lies—I was always standing in for her. And now, Valeria is once again nowhere to be found, and I'm expected to cover up for her as the identical twin and marry her supposed husband. I threw myself on the bed, pressing my face to the pillows to muffle my screams as I poured out my tears, helpless and defeated. My fate had already been sealed. “Crying won't solve anything, darling. You're only making this hard for yourself. Tomorrow, you'll walk down that aisle and cover for Valeria, as you've always done. You two are very identical, so no one will notice.” With that, she walked away from me, leaving me alone in my misery. The sound of her heels as she walked away only reminded me of how determined my mother can be whenever she wants something done her way. ************** By morning, the makeup artists had arrived and were conducting their experiments on my face. When they were done, I walked over to the large mirror and stared at my reflection. My fair skin glowed with beauty, causing me to force a smile on my cheeks. Some strands of golden hair, which had managed to escape the bonds of the ribbons that bound my hair in a ponytail, hung loosely by the side of my face. Despite the great work they had done, it still felt wrong. My reflection in the mirror looked foreign. These were Valeria’s makeup and Valeria’s scent, and even my smile looked like hers, reminding me of how identical we looked. Tears trickled down my cheeks as the realization of what I was about to do hit me once again. “Hey! Stop the nonsense at once!” A familiar voice roared from behind, and my mother's image was reflected in the mirror. “You have no idea how much I paid for that makeup.” My skin jumped as I turned to see both my parents standing behind me. Mum held a wedding dress in her hand, the same dress that was meant for Valeria. “Wear this, quickly. It should fit you perfectly.” She threw it at me. My gaze went to my father, who stood at the doorway. His face was unreadable as usual. But his eyes were clouded with shame. He never protested against her. Ever. When his eyes met mine, he turned away, clearing his throat as his hands adjusted his tie. “The car is ready, Evelyn. We should be at the venue in less than an hour.” My eyes shut in pain. When I opened them, I was standing at the entrance, which led into the long halls of the church. All eyes were on me, watching. No one could tell that the bride wasn't Valeria. As the orchestral music began, my legs felt suddenly heavy as I walked down the aisle. The silk gown hugged my figure perfectly. The same gown that I had chosen for Valeria suffocated me with each step I took. At the altar stood Alexander DeLuca, tall and handsome in his well-tailored black suit. The stern look on his face when his eyes met mine almost made me trip. He was the perfect businessman. A man so wealthy he could pay the angels to write your name in the stars. When I reached where he stood, he held my hands, looking deep into my soul. I swore I held my breath. “You look…beautiful, Valeria.” His voice was almost like a whisper. My eyes lifted once again to meet him. “Th… Thank you,” was all I could mutter. His face was so perfect, with dark eyes, a sharp jaw, and broad shoulders. He was every lady's dream man. And now here I was, marrying him for another woman. “...Now, Mr. Alexander DeLuca. Do you take here Miss Valeria Howard to be your lawfully wedded wife?” asked the priest. Alexander's eyes flickered with something unreadable. “Yes, I do. I'll always love you, Valeria. I promise to be not just your husband but a friend, confidant, and helper.” The entire congregation erupted in excitement as Alexander continued his romantic speech, eyes unwavering from mine. “... I promise to help us raise our kids together, love you with all my might, and stand by you till the end of my days.” I felt a sharp pain in my chest, not because of his sweet words, but because he was saying all these things to the wrong woman. “And Miss Valeria Howard…” My heart sank when my name was mentioned. “... Do you take Mr. Alexander DeLuca here to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love him with all your heart in sickness and in health?” My gaze flew straight to my mother, and immediately her words replayed in my head. “You will walk down that aisle, Victoria. You will marry Alexander DeLuca in her place, and no one will ever know about this. It's for your sister.” “Miss Victoria?” The priest's voice jerked me back to reality. “Y...Yeah?” I stammered. I couldn't feel my legs anymore. Somehow, the gown had suddenly become so tight that I found it impossible to breathe. Alexander noticed this and leaned into me, whispering into my ear. “Are you okay?” I nodded, unable to speak. My throat felt like it had a rock stuck in it. I could still feel Mum's eyes boring hot holes through my back. “Hey?” Alexander grabbed hold of my palms. “Look at me, Val. We had a deal, remember?. So you'd better stick to the plan and get this moment over with.” Then he turned to the priest and nodded. My brows furrowed in confusion. What deal? What plan did he have with my sister? I was confused. Something did not feel right. The priest cleared his throat. “Miss Valeria Howard. Do you take Mr. Alexander DeLuca to be your lawfully wedded husband?” I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath. And the next words that came out of my mouth sent the entire church into an uproar.