Chapter 1 1

•Celine's POV•

"Celine, you have to take your twin sister's place tomorrow," my father, Mr. Morris Mason said, as he rushed into my room with my mother.

"Dad, I do not understand. Why will I have to take Clara's place tomorrow? Where is she?" I asked, because I was aware that 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 said, and I sighed, standing in my bedroom, as I had not attended the extravagant bridal shower of my twin sister, Clara Mason.

Clara and I were identical twin sisters. We were both twenty-five years old. I knew that many of Clara's friends were saying that I was jealous of my twin sister because she was getting married before me. But that was not the truth.

I was in a relationship with Martin Enzo, a construction worker. But Martin was not 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 eye, even our older brother, Luca. But I was the opposite.

I owned a bakery in this part of the city. I had pleaded with my parents last month to allow me to marry Martin. But my father plainly refused and said that only a rich man was 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 could 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 queried my father, who stood in my doorway with my mother.

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

"Celine, I know that you are finding this hard to believe, but Clara said that she had 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 father replied, and I looked at his face in horror.

"Dad, I cannot do it. You and Mom need to order Clara to come back right now. Where is my phone?" I moved back to my 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? Is she crazy? I had stood in for Clara, and many would not 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. Damn it.

"Clara!" My angry voice boomed over the phone as soon as she answered.

"Hey, Celine. I am sorry that 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 rendered me speechless.

I was ready to do anything for this crazy sister of mine, just to make her happy and to achieve her dream as a top model.

"Clara, I do not think that I can do this. How do you expect me to stand in for you? Wait, during the wedding, the priest will ask you to exchange vows and kiss. How can you trade your wedding day for business?" I could not 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 will not ask you to stand in for me again. Please, please," Clara begged me once more, rendering me speechless.

"Clara, are you saying that I should kiss your groom? What if he finds out that I am not you? You know that 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 were not close.

I knew that Jace was my sister's fiancé. He showed her off to his friends and other politicians, as my sister is a very popular person with more than ten 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 do not kiss or even think of me as you. I do not like your fiancé, and I cannot stand in for you. I am sorry," I wanted to end the call on my sister, and she begged me, "Please, Celine. I am begging you. If you do not help me out, then we are no longer sisters."

"Clara!" I was tongue-tied. This was her usual threat.

"I do not think that 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 that was filled with dread.

"Celine, you have to stand in for Clara. If the Augustus family finds out that 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 as a twin. My twin sister used me for most of her silly business and sent me to cover up for her with threats of disowning me. Now it was her wedding.

"Fine, Dad. I will try to do this, but I hope Jace Augustus does not find out. If he does, I will not go down alone," I warned my parents, and they shivered.

"No one will know, Celine. You will learn to smile and act like Clara until she is back. Besides, this is not your first time taking her place," my mother said, making me sigh heavily.

"Fine, Mom. I will give it a try. You both should excuse me. Let me get some sleep. It is past midnight," I told my parents, and they smiled and wished me goodnight before leaving my door.

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