Chapter 1 Chapter 1

CELINE

It was Friday night. I stood beside my bed, preparing to sleep when my door flew open.

"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 would I have to take Clara's place tomorrow? Where is she?" I asked, because I knew Clara had gone 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 replied, and I sighed. I stood in my bedroom, having not 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 that many of Clara's friends were saying I was jealous of my twin sister because she was getting married before me. But that was not the truth.

I am in a relationship with Martin Enzo, a construction worker. But Martin wasn't the type of groom my father wanted, so he rejected him.

Everyone was proud of my twin sister. She was the apple of everyone's eyes—even our older brother, Luca. But I was 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 that only a rich man is allowed to marry me. Despite my pleas, 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 had disappeared and wanted me to take her place on her wedding day.

"How can Clara just disappear without explaining her reason to her manager that she is getting married to a wealthy man—the groom you all wanted?" I questioned my father, who stood in my doorway with my mother.

My father had a dark complexion, while my mother was fair like me and my twin sister. We were her exact replica.

"Celine, I know you are finding this hard to believe. But Clara said she worked so hard to be among those 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, and 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 me bed, picked up my phone, and contacted my sister. She owed me an explanation for this sudden disappearance. How could she expect me to stand in for her on her wedding day? Was she crazy? I had stood in for her before, and many people wouldn't know that I am not Clara. The worst part is that 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 call as soon as she answered.

"Hey, Celine. I am 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 ready to do anything for this crazy sister of mine—just to make her happy and help her achieve her dream as 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 that I am not you?" I asked, wanting better clarification, as I knew Jace and I aren't close.

I knew Jace was my sister's fiancé. He shows her off to his friends and other politicians, as my sister is a very popular person with more than 10 million followers online.

"No, Celine. Please, do not tell Jace that I am not you. You have to act as me and pretend that 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 am 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, most especially my father's face, which was filled with dread.

"Celine, you have to stand in for Clara. If the Augustus family find out that your sister is missing on her wedding by tomorrow, 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 and sent me to cover up for her with the threat of disowning me. Now it was her wedding.

"Fine. I will try and 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 door.

I shut the door and muttered, "I hope I can do this." I climbed on my bed to sleep, but dread filled my heart.