~Celine~
"Celine, you have to take your sister's place tomorrow," my father, Mr. Morris Mason, said to me as he rushed into my room with my mother.
"Dad, I don’t understand. Why will I have to take Clara’s place tomorrow? Where is she?" I asked. I was aware that Clara went to her bridal shower. How could she just flee on the eve of her wedding?
"Something came up, according to Clara, and she had to take care of it," my father said, and I sighed. I stood in my bedroom—I hadn’t attended the extravagant bridal shower of my twin sister, Clara Mason.
Clara and I are identical twin sisters. We are both 25 years old. I know many of Clara’s friends say I am jealous of my twin because she is getting married before me, but that is not the truth.
I am in a relationship with Martin Enzo, a construction worker, but Martin isn’t the type of groom my father wanted, so he rejected him.
Everyone is proud of my twin sister. She is the apple of everyone’s eyes—even our older brother, Luca. But I am the opposite.
I own a bakery shop in this part of the city. Last month, I pleaded with my parents to allow me to marry Martin, but my father plainly refused and said only a rich man is allowed to marry me.
Despite my pleading, my parents refused to let me get married and chased Martin and his uncles away after they came for my hand in marriage. Because of this incident, I refused to attend my sister’s engagement party or her bridal shower. Now she has disappeared and wants me to take her place on her wedding day.
"How can Clara just disappear without explaining her reason to her manager? She is getting married to a wealthy man—the groom you all wanted," I queried my father, who stood at my door with my mother.
My father has a dark complexion, while my mother is fair like me and my twin sister. We are her exact replica.
"Celine, I know you are finding this hard to believe, but Clara said she has worked so hard to be selected for the Stars Award, and she cannot miss the modeling shoot. Please, you are her twin sister and Jace Augustus will never find out," my mother begged me. I looked at her face in horror.
"Mom, I cannot do it. You and Father need to order Clara to come back right now. Where’s my phone?" I moved back to my drawer, picked up my phone, and contacted my sister. She owes me an explanation for this sudden disappearance.
How can she expect me to stand in for her on her wedding day? Is she crazy? I have stood in for Clara before, and many people wouldn’t know I am not her. Worst of all, her fans visit my shop, take photos of me, and tag me as Clara. But I am not my sister. Dammit.
"Clara!" My angry voice boomed over the phone as soon as she answered.
"Hey, Celine. I’m sorry I took so long to call you. Please, can you stand in for me tomorrow? Please, please, sister," Clara begged me in her sweet, seductive voice that renders me speechless. I was always ready to do anything for this crazy sister of mine, just to make her happy and help her achieve her dream of becoming a top model.
"Clara, I don’t think I can do this. How do you expect me to stand in for you? Wait—during the wedding, the priest will ask us to exchange vows and kiss. How can you trade your wedding day for business?" I couldn’t understand my sister, so I needed an explanation.
"Celine, I wish I could explain this to you, but my phone battery will soon run down. Please—after this one, I won’t ask you to stand in for me again. Please, please," Clara begged me once more, rendering me speechless.
"Are you saying I should kiss your groom? What if he finds out I am not you? You know I am not as talkative as you, and I am not that close to him. Did you already tell him I am not you?" I asked, wanting better clarification. I knew Jace and I aren’t close.
I know Jace is my sister’s fiancé. He shows her off to his friends and other politicians because my sister is very popular, with more than 10 million followers online.
"No, Celine. Please, do not tell Jace I am not you. You have to act as me and pretend you are me. You know how I behave, so mimic me very well," Clara said, and I sighed heavily.
"This is too risky. What if Jace finds out and locks me up? What do I tell him? You have to explain to him so that we don’t kiss, or even think of me as you. I don’t like your fiancé, and I cannot stand in for you. I’m sorry," I wanted to end the call, but my sister begged me, "Please, Celine. I am begging you. If you don’t help me out, then we are no longer sisters."
"Clara!" I was tongue-tied. This was her usual threat.
"I don’t think I can do this," I said, and she threatened, already sobbing over the phone, "Then do not call me again."
The phone call ended, and I looked at my parents’ worried faces, especially my father’s face, which was filled with dread.
"Celine, you have to stand in for Clara. If the Augustus family find out your sister is missing, then we are doomed," my father begged me, even going as far as kneeling down.
I guessed this was the price I had to pay for being born a twin. My twin sister used me for most of her silly business, sending me to cover up for her with threats of disowning me. Now it was her wedding.
"Fine. I will try to do this, but I hope Jace Augustus doesn’t find out. If he does, I won’t go down alone," I warned my parents, and they shivered.
"No one will know. You will learn to smile and act like Clara until she is back. Besides, this isn’t your first time taking her place," my mother said, making me sigh heavily.
"Fine, Mom. I will give it a try. You guys should excuse me. Let me get some sleep. It’s past midnight," I told my parents. They smiled, wished me goodnight, and left my room.
I shut the door and muttered, "I hope I can do this." I went to my bed to sleep, but dread filled my heart.
