Chapter One
1575 Words
“DARA IS MISSING!, MY DAUGHTER IS GONE!”
The shrill scream of my mother rang across the halls, silencing the commotion in every room.
A few hours earlier, the hall buzzed with life, caterers running around with stacks of trays in their hands, makeup artists fussing over the bridesmaids, myself included, and I was fed up with a brush poking my face the whole day.
I was bored out of my mind with all the chaos and loud chattering. I decided my little sister needed a little company. Without bothering to knock, I pushed open the door to my sister's room and was completely awed by how beautiful and grown my little sister had become.
“I spy with my little eye a soon-to-be-married bride,” I said rather enthusiastically. At the word bride, my sister’s head jerked up so fast in the direction of my voice.
“Shut up with your shenanigans, Allie; this is not the time to joke like this; I am already so nervous”. Dara said, looking down at her dress.
I reached out my hand to fix a pin in my sister's veil. “There,” I said with a small smile, stepping back to admire my work. “Perfect.”
I expected a smile or even a laugh, but she just stared at herself in the mirror without saying a word.
“You don’t look convinced”. I teased, folding my arms. “Most brides would be filled with unimaginable joy right now.”
Dara forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. I felt a slight pang in my chest but thought nothing of it.
“I told you before, it’s just pre-wedding blues. “
I let out a snort. “Of course you are; you’re marrying one of the richest men in New York. " I’d be terrified too,” I said, popping a grape into my mouth.
My sister let out a quiet laugh, although she didn’t sound like her usual self. I noticed and was about to question, but a knock interrupted my thoughts.
Mrs Hawthorne, my mother, swept into the room in a navy blue gown, looking as chipper as ever.
My mother had always been a sucker for wedding events.
“The photographers are here”. She said. “They’ll be wanting a few family photos of us before the guests start coming in; the ceremony is starting soon; try to at least put a smile on your face, dear”.
“I’ll be there in a minute”. Dara replied, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.
My mother nodded and left the room as quickly as she had entered.
The room fell silent again, and the thoughts I tried so hard to push down started to resurface. I looked longingly at my sister.
“Are you sure you’re alright? It’s okay if you feel it’s all too soon; you can tell me, Dara.”
I tried to gauge her expressions, but she never let me see her face; she turned to stare out the window and finally spoke. “It’s far too late to decide that now”. There was an extremely long silence before I heard a sigh.
“I’m fine, Allie.”
She looked through me. “I just need a minute; go enjoy the ceremony; I’ll be down soon.”
Everything in my heart screamed at me to protest, to talk my sister out of this, but I just couldn’t. “Okay.” I left the room.
Deciding to brush whatever happened earlier under the rug, I wandered around the venue trying to take everything in.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, Manhattan glowed beneath the morning sun. The city looked beautiful.
As I rounded the corner, my steps slowed.
A man emerged from a private lounge with a few groomsmen and personnel after him. He stood well over six feet, dressed in a perfectly tailored tuxedo. His Dark hair and sculpted jawline made him impossible to ignore.
Collin Laurent.
The man my sister was supposed to get married to. Even from a distance, he carried himself with a quiet authority. For a brief moment, I found myself watching him, hoping he would be good to my sister. I don’t know for how long I watched him quietly until my phone buzzed in my pocket, distracting me from my thoughts.
It was a text from Noah, my long-time boyfriend; we’d been together since high school and had been inseparable ever since. I couldn’t imagine how life would be without Noah.
“Hey, I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to the wedding, Allie. You know I can’t ditch my boys for this; weddings are just not for me. How’s it going?”
I loved him; I do, but sometimes I feel like we’ve been together for so long; I don’t know how life would be without him, and that scares me. It must been important. I sighed and texted back.
“It’s okay, I understand; you said it was urgent, a little lonely without you, but I’ll survive”.
I shook my head, smiling as I slipped my phone back into my pocket.
“There you are”. The floral designer said. “Could you hand me those white roses?”
“Coming”. I picked up the bouquet and crossed the ballroom, completely absorbed in my thoughts about Noah.
Just as I was about to text him again, I heard a scream—
“Allie!” I saw my mom running frantically towards me. Tears streamed down her pale face. A pang of worry filled my heart. “Mom, what’s going on?” I asked frantically.
“Your sister is missing. I searched everywhere for her, but I only found this letter she kept on the stands”. She said.
I took the letter from her hands, my mind racing at whatever I was going to uncover.
from Dara
I’m sorry, Mom, Dad, and Allie, but I can’t go through with this marriage. I can’t marry a man I do not harbor love for, so I have decided to run away. Please do not look for me.
My heart sank, and suddenly everything started falling into place. The way she was so off this morning. The way she couldn’t look at me at all today.
I should’ve known.
My dad appeared from behind my mom. I searched his face for any comfort, but there was none to be seen.
He spoke. “Laurent's family is getting impatient; our family depends on this marriage; we can’t afford to lose it.” He paused, looking at Mom, then continued. “You know what would happen if we can’t settle them”. He said quietly.
“What are you talking about, Dad?” I demanded, refusing to be left in the dark.
He turned to me but couldn’t quite look at me.
There was silence.
My father closed his eyes.
“We’re bankrupt”. Those two words hit me like a ton of bricks, over and over again.
“What do you mean, Father?” I asked.
My father's eyes focused on the floor.
“We owe Laurent’s family a huge debt, and we can’t afford to pay it, not even in a million years, and this marriage was the only way to settle it”. His hands balled into fists.
Heat rose to my cheeks. A sudden burst of anger flooded me as I realized where this was going.
“So the best idea was to sell Dara to them”. I yelled. “This is what this is all about?” I blinked rapidly, hoping to wake up from whatever nightmare this was.
“I need you to calm down, Allie; there’s something you need to do for us”. My dad continued.
“Dad, what are you talking about?” I asked impatiently. “Is there anything I can do to find Dara?”
A deep frown etched on his face.
“We will find your sister; she couldn’t have gone far”.
“But you will have to take her place”.
“What?”
I stared at him, waiting for him to laugh and tell me it was some twisted joke.
He didn’t.
“You’re serious?”
“You want me to marry my sister’s fiancé?” I screamed.
“Have you both lost your minds?” I looked towards Mom. “Mom says something; you can’t possibly agree to this”.
She turned her back to me.
“Listen to me”. Father spoke. “We would be out on the streets if you don’t do this. Our family depends on this”. He begged. He looked so broken. I had never seen him that way before.
My spirit broke the more they spoke to me. “I have a boyfriend, and I love him; I can’t leave him”. I said.
“He’ll get over it; we need this allie, I beg of you, please”. My dad pleaded.
The room was unbearably quiet.
My father looked ten years older than he had that morning.
My mother couldn’t stop crying.
I hated them for asking.
I hated Dara for leaving.
Most of all…
I hated that I already knew what my answer would be.
“…I’ll do it.”
- Writer
