Chapter 2

LESLIE

“You will have to get married tomorrow in place of Lauren.”

“What!” I yelled in shock. “Tell me you’re joking, mom.” “You can’t be serious, right?” I laughed like anything was funny.

“We are serious, Leslie!” Dad yelled at me.

“What have you done for this family since your twenty-one years, huh?” nothing but trouble! You are very different from your twin sister.

She is very calm, smart, and has everything a man would want in a woman. But what about you? “You are nothing but trouble.” Dad stated this harshly.

There, Dad was doing it again. Comparing me with Lauren

“You are right, dad! You said it yourself: Lauren and I are different. So why should I take her place? What if I get caught? We may look alike, but we don’t have the same character.

Do you think I can fool Caden, who has been going on several dates with Lauren to get to know her better?

They’ve gone on like four dates, and I’m sure that he knows her very well by now. “So, this is nonsense.” I huffed angrily.

“Please, Leslie, you have to do this for your sister and our family.” “The doctor said your father should not be provoked or his blood pressure would increase and he may collapse,” Mom said, holding my hands in hers.

“You won’t get caught if only you behave properly.” “Try to act like your sister.” Mom added.

“Lauren and I have been apart since we were sixteen, and I just came back home six months ago; how am I supposed to act like her when we spent five years apart from each other?” I questioned.

I was so reeling inside, but I tried my best to calm myself down.

“You won’t get caught, Leslie; please, you have to help us!” Dad pleaded. No, he did not plead; it was more like an order.

I placed my palm on my forehead and walked around the sitting room.

“Fine, I’ll do it!” but not for long. “Once Lauren is fine, she will go to him, and I will leave as if nothing happened.” I told them and breathed out.

“Thank you, dear; you made the right decision.” Mom smiled and hugged me. I forced a small smile on my face and reluctantly hugged her back.

I saw mom and Lauren at the airport. Lauren was in a wheelchair, and she was asleep until we got to the airport.

I cried as I watched mom and Lauren walk over to the place where they would enter their airplane; that was the place others who weren’t boarding a plane stopped.

I waved at Lauren and turned to leave the airport.

It was late when I got home. I had a quick bath and went to bed, but I couldn’t sleep.

I kept turning and tossing on the bed because I was very nervous about the following day.

I kept having different thoughts of what might happen. I had so many “what if” thoughts.

And those thoughts weren’t doing me any good because they made me more nervous.

I slept when it was around 3 a.m. in the morning.

“Leslie!” I heard someone call my name very loudly and so close to me, but I didn’t open my eyes. I just groaned and turned my head to the other side of the bed.

“Leave me alone; I want to sleep more.” I grumbled when a hand shook me.

“You have to get up!” “Today is your wedding day!” I heard a female voice say something beside me.

My eyes snapped open at once. Oh my! I forgot! I’m going to get married to Lauren’s husband today.

I got up from my bed sharply. “Good morning, Miss Leslie, I mean Miss Lauren.” Dad’s secretary and a very close friend of Lauren smiled at me. She was also very close to our family.

She was like a big sister to Lauren, and my parents had sponsored her education since she was in middle school. My parents sponsor orphanages, and she was one of the orphans my parents took a liking to.

“Why didn’t you wake me up earlier, Rose?” I groaned as I checked the time on my phone.

“I’m sorry. I was busy with other things. “I thought you were getting ready,” she said.

“It’s fine. I couldn’t sleep last night, and I ended up falling asleep this morning. “It’s my fault.” I sighed.

“It’s fine. I understand how you feel; you must be very nervous and anxious.

“Every bride feels that way on her wedding day, and I see that you are no exception.” Rose smiled at me. I glared at her from under my eyelashes.

“That’s not it, Rose! “I’m nervous and anxious because I’m getting married to Lauren’s husband, and I’m scared not to get caught,” I said with a heavy sigh.

Alright, if you say so. Let’s get you prepared. “We are running late.” Rose smiled at me while I nodded my head and stood up from the bed.

……..

Dad held my right hand while my bouquet was in my left hand as we walked down the aisle, my white gown trailing beautifully behind me. There was a veil over my face, and I tried my best to smile. Even if it was a fake smile.

I was handed over to Caden, and all this time, my face was down.

“Do you, Lauren Paula Ron, take Caden Max Holton to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, in riches and in poverty, till death do you apart?” The priest asked me.

He had asked Caden first, and he had said yes.

Now, it was my turn, and I was hesitating.

I shook my head negatively and threw my banquet away. “I’m sorry, but I can’t marry you!” I cried out and ran out of the wedding hall.

I heard gasps from the guests, but I didn’t care and just continued to run.

LESLIE

I shook my head negatively and threw my banquet away. “I’m sorry, but I can’t marry you!” I cried out and ran out of the wedding hall.

I heard gasps from the guests, but I didn’t care and just left.