A Substitute Bride for Mr Billionaire

Demitra's POV It was supposed to be my sister's wedding day. A happy day. But here I was, sitting in the silk wedding dress she chose only a week ago, in the same heels she'd practiced in, with the same makeup artist she'd specifically chosen. Everything was as it should be. But the bride had gone missing just this morning. And I was going in her place. The door opened and my mother stepped in with a tight face. She was all dressed up but with the frown on her face, one would think she was going for a burial. Not her daughter's wedding. Her eyes were red from the tears that had refused to stop flowing since Jayne disappeared. “Excuse us, Hannah,” She said to the make-up artist who stepped out with a little nod. Once the door clicked shut behind her, she placed her hands on my shoulder. Normally, her touch should calm the storm in me but I knew she was not crying because I was going to get married to the ruthless billionaire, Erin Carter. A man who could throw me behind bars if he found out about our deception. She was crying because her favourite daughter had eloped with her real love. “You look just like her, Demi. No one would be able to tell the difference,” All my life, I'd heard these five words from almost everyone around me. You look just like her. Funny since I was the older sibling. In truth, we did look alike but that was where the similarities ended. While Jayne was the outgoing type who loved to be at every party, every social event, every soiree, I preferred to be by myself. I was a typical wall flower. Everyone wanted to be around Jayne. They saw her before they saw me. It was that way even for my parents. Though they would never say it, it was obvious in the way they treated us. Better vacations. Better dresses. Better … Even the better man. Erin, the city's most eligible bachelor. But for some reason, Jayne had escaped only two days to her wedding. And now, I was getting married to Erin in her place. “Yes, mom,” I said. She shook her head, “Higher. You need to sound like her,” I cleared my throat, “Yes, mom,” “Perfect,” Among the things that were not similar between Jayne and I was our voices. While Jayne had a high soft spoken voice – which sounded more fake than real, I had a deeper one. Mom stared at my reflection in the mirror, “You remember why you're doing this, Demi?” I literally had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. She'd asked this question at least a thousand times since Father broke the news that I would be replacing Jayne. But I simply nodded. The reason was simple – Father had taken a huge loan from Erin in the past in order to save the family business from bankruptcy. Now, it was time to repay the loan but the family was not financially capable enough to produce five hundred thousand dollars. The interest had ballooned it into an insurmountable sum. So an agreement had been reached. A daughter was to be given as a form of repayment. And Erin had chosen Jayne. “It's either this or the family name goes to ruin. You would not want that to happen now, would you?” I said nothing because I did not know what to say. Mom crouched beside me, “You would not watch all your father has struggled for turn to nothing, right,” I nodded, “Yes, mother,” A small smile played on her lips, “Great. Smile, honey. It's a wedding, not a funeral. Chin up, shoulders back. You're Jayne today – radiant, confident. Everyone will be watching.” Under her watchful eyes, I forced a smile that I hoped passed as bridal joy. Satisfied, she turned and headed out of the room. But if she had waited longer, she might have seen the ring I was twisting on my finger. The ring that signified my engagement to my boyfriend, Theodore. *** When the car pulled to a stop in front of the church, Mom got out quickly and headed in without so much as a glance at me. Father stayed, because he was to walk me down the aisle but I could tell he would have preferred to be anywhere else. As he helped me out of the car, his grip on my hand tight, he leaned closer to me, “Today is an important day. This is the day that decides our future, Demitra,” I watched him carefully as the car door shut behind me. Today was the day that would save his reputation and secure his business. My life was simply the currency he was using to pay his debt. “There can be no slip ups. Today you take your sister's identity. Erin is a cruel man. But all you have to do is be a submissive wife to him. Keep your head down, smile when spoken to, and let him lead. That's all it takes to keep this family afloat.” “I understand, Father. I'll do my best.” I nodded, “But what if he notices something? What if I say the wrong thing?” “You won't. Because if you do, it's not just the business we lose. It's everything – our home, our standing in society. Erin doesn't forgive deceit. He offered me his arm and I took it. I could feel his impatience as we walked to the thick wooden doors of the church. I could hear the organ playing a familiar melody – Jayne's favourite song. Father paused at the tip of the red carpet that led all the way to the end of the aisle where my soon to be husband stood, tall and imposing in a custom fitted suit. “Don't look nervous. Don't speak out of tone,” Father said. I ran my finger along the rough edges of the band Theodore had given me just yesterday. A symbol of the love that had stood strong for years. I should have stopped him when he got down on one knee and pulled out the little blue velvet box. But how could I tell him that I was getting married to the one man he had sworn to destroy. With a heavy sigh, I slipped the ring off and pressed it into the bun on the top of my head. And as the music ushered me forward, I took my first step down the long aisle, walking toward a future that wasn't mine, with a man who wasn't meant for me, all while wearing my sister's face.