Chapter 1
"Why is Elisabeth not ready yet? She's taking so long." Marian went upstairs to check on her sister. Today was her wedding day. Elisabeth had asked everyone to leave her room because she wanted to spend some time alone before getting married.
"Elisabeth? Why are you taking so long? You don't want to be late for the wedding, do you?" She hurried to her sister's room. She knocked on the door but got no response. "Come on now, at least open the door." She whined. The door slowly opened, and Elisabeth stood at the door, looking dishevelled. Marian gasped in surprise, "Elisabeth? What's wrong? You were supposed to be in your wedding dress!"
Elisabeth grabbed her hand and pulled her into the room. "You have to help me, Marian. If you don't, Marcus will die." She sounded tearful, with dried tears staining her cheeks; she had been crying hard. "Marcus? Who's Marcus?" She frowned.
"Marcus is the man I love. I don't want to get married to Rufus; I don't like him at all." She sobbed. Marian's eyes widened, "You don't like Bruce? He's every girl's dream!" Her mouth fell open. "He's not my dream; Marcus is." She sniffed.
Marian shook her head in disbelief, "Why are you saying this now? Why didn't you tell them you had another boyfriend?" Marian's head was already spinning; she was so confused. "Today is your wedding day; what are you going to do then?" She bit her lips.
"You have to act as the bride in my place." She dropped the bomb. Marian gasped, "Are you listening to yourself? I'm not the bride; I'm your sister, Elisabeth, your sister!" She almost yelled. "Keep it down, or the others will hear you." She pleaded.
"Why are you doing this?" She asked. "That's because I don't want to lose the love of my life! I love Marcus, and no one else." She fired back. Marian was dazed and couldn't figure out what to say. After a while, she finally spoke up, "I'm not doing it; I won't act as the bride. Do you want to put me in trouble? They'll kill me if they realise I tried impersonating you."
"They will do no such thing; I assure you." She nodded. "I can't do this; I can't get married like this, especially not to that man." She shook her head. Elisabeth was about to reply when her phone rang; she looked at it and rushed to pick it. "Hello?" ... "I beg you, Marcus, please don't do this; I promise, I'm on my way. My sister will act as the bride in my place." Marian shook her head violently. ... "Just give me a few more minutes, and I'll join you." She sniffed and hung up.
She turned to face Marian, "Please, Marian, just do this for me, please." She folded her arms, "If Marcus dies, then I'll also die." Marian looked at her in disbelief, "You aren't serious!" "I'm damn serious." "Elisabeth? What are you still doing therek?" Their mother's voice came from outside.
"Just a few more touches, I've got this!" She replied. "You see? Mother will soon be here, and you have to do it." She went towards the bed where her wedding dress lay. "Come on, you have to wear this." Marian was stunned, but she didn't know what to do at that point.
"Do it, Marian; you're my only hope." A tear slid down her cheek. "Elisabeth..." "Thank you so much, Marian; you're the best sister anyone could ever ask for." She hugged her.
She helped Marian get ready as soon as she could. She was a bit taller than Marian. "These heels will help, so they don't notice your height." She said, Soon, she was all set.
"Thank you so much, Marian; thank you so much." She hugged her one final time. She went to the window and jumped out. Marian could only follow her with her eyes, biting her lips to hold back the tears in her eyes. She sat down on a chair to help support her wobbling feet.
"I'm coming in, Elisabeth." Her mother's voice boomed, and she opened the door. Marian quickly covered her face with a veil. "You're already set!" She walked towards her. "Come on, dear; let's go." She helped her up, and they both walked towards the door. The other ladies were downstairs waiting for them. "Oh, doesn't Elisabeth look beautiful today?" They all agreed and complimented her. Marian felt so heavy within; she felt so guilty for lying to all these women. Of course, they would find out later in church. She trembled slightly, thinking of what would later happen in the wedding when they found out she wasn't Elisabeth.
"Wait... Where is Marian? I thought she went to meet Elisabeth?" Her heart skipped a beat; she gulped, wondering what she would say.
"Elisabeth, where is Marian? She came to see you, right?" Her mother asked. She froze; her voice was not identical to Elisabeth's, and she couldn't respond; she just couldn't.
"Come on, say something." Her mother urged her. "Just forget it; Marian might have gone home without informing us; she was so excited anyway." Her aunt said. "At least she should have answered my question."
"It's her wedding day; let her be." Marian wanted to cry or maybe scream, but she couldn't do either. They led her to the car steadily. Marian was trembling slightly.
Never in her wildest dreams had she thought that she would be getting married in place of her sister, so a stranger whom she knows completely nothing about.
The thought of it alone was so overwhelming for her that her palm became all sweaty due to nervousness.
"Take care, Elisabeth; take it steady, alright?" Her mother said softly. Marian could do nothing but lament inside; each time her mother called her Elisabeth, it made her heart weak. She dreaded what would happen later in church; she wanted to refuse, but she just couldn't. Everyone wanted a bride, and she happened to be that bride -a bride by compulsion.