Replacement Bride: That Dress Wasn't Mine

Selena walked outta the doc's office lookin' like a ghost.

Her hand clutchin' the medical report was shakin' so bad, she nearly crumpled the paper without even realizin' it.

She stumbled to a chair in the waitin' area and dropped into it, her breath comin' in short gasps.

"How the hell am I supposed to deal with this?" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her head was a mess. The doc's words kept echoing in her brain like a broken record: "Stage three," "emergency surgery," "crazy expensive treatment."

"Chronic kidney care ain't cheap," she sighed, her voice bitter. "And I'm just a broke café waitress with, what, less than ten grand in savings?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, blurrin' her vision. Her mind drifted back to Cloe Miranda, her aunt-the only family she had left.

Cloe was the one who raised her after her parents died in that freak accident years ago.

Now Cloe was the one in need, and her life was hangin' on money Selena couldn't even dream of havin'.

"But I can't lose her," Selena thought, her grip on the report tightenin' like it was the only thing holdin' her together.

A soft voice broke her spiralin' thoughts.

"Selena?"

Her head snapped up. "Yeah?"

"This is the prescription for your aunt," the nurse said, handin' her a small slip of paper.

Selena took it, her hands still shakin'. Her eyes skimmed over the list of meds with names she couldn't even pronounce.

She knew this was just a bandaid fix. What Cloe really needed was way outta reach-a kidney transplant, somethin' that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"You alright?" the nurse asked.

Selena forced a tiny nod, but inside, she felt like she was drowning. Alright? How could she ever be alright?

"Seven hundred grand," she mumbled to herself. "I couldn't make that kinda money even if I worked 24/7 for the rest of my life."

She leaned her head back against the cold, white wall, starin' at the hospital ceiling.

"I need a miracle," she whispered. "Hell, even the devil wouldn't cut me a deal."

Selena stepped into her aunt's hospital room, her heart heavy, but she forced a soft smile onto her face. Cloe Miranda, pale and weak, stirred as Selena walked in.

"Selena," Cloe whispered, reaching out shakily for her hand.

"Cloe, you feelin' any better?" Selena asked, squeezing her hand gently.

"Maybe... but I still don't know what's wrong with me. All I know is... I'm just a burden to you," Cloe said, her voice faint.

"Don't you dare say that," Selena shot back firmly. "You're not a burden. I'll pick up another job if I have to. You'll get better, and we'll go back to being happy like we used to."

Cloe shook her head weakly. "You don't need to do that. I'm old, Selena. You should save your money for your own future, not waste it on me."

"I don't care about that, Cloe. I just want you to get better. That's all that matters," Selena said, her voice trembling with determination.

Cloe didn't argue anymore, but Selena could feel the weight of guilt in her aunt's frail grip.

***

At the Café

Later that afternoon, Selena slipped into her uniform and started her shift at a fancy café in Manhattan, just a few blocks from Central Park.

The place was buzzing with rich folks chattin' away, ordering overpriced lattes and fancy pastries without a second thought.

Selena weaved through the tables, balancing trays of steaming coffee and decadent desserts like a pro, even though exhaustion tugged at her every step.

Up in the corner, a big flat-screen TV blared out entertainment news.

Selena's ears perked up as the anchor's voice echoed through the café, announcing the lavish wedding of Damian Jorch, the billionaire heir, and Elsie Sonata, the renowned socialite and supermodel.

The screen flickered, showing scenes of a bougie venue in The Hamptons, boasting sprawling green hills and a skyline that screamed wealth and extravagance.

The reporter couldn't hold back her excitement, raving about the couple's $2 million bash-crystal chandeliers dripping from the ceiling, lush floral arrangements cascading down every corner, and custom-made golden arches lining the aisle like something out of a fairy tale.

Selena froze mid-step, her tray wobbling slightly as her eyes locked onto Damian Jorch's face on the screen.

His sharp jawline, piercing blue eyes, and confident grin screamed wealth and privilege.

"He's like a real-life Prince Charming," Selena muttered under her breath, a mix of awe and disbelief in her voice.

But before she could dwell on it, her supervisor, Ms. Harper, came storming over, her face tight with annoyance. "Selena, less daydreamin', more workin'! Let's go!"

Selena quickly snapped out of it and rushed to deliver the next round of orders.

***

Break Time

During a rare break, Selena slumped into a chair in the staff room. Her best friend and coworker, Maya, plopped down beside her.

"You catch that wild news today?" Maya asked, sipping her iced coffee.

Selena blinked, confused. "What news?"

"Damian Jorch's wedding announcement? Billionaire heir and all that?"

"Oh, that," Selena replied with a shrug. "They look perfect together, don't they?"

But Maya's eyes narrowed, studying her friend's face. "You don't see it?"

"See what?" Selena asked, feeling awkward under Maya's gaze.

"You kinda look like her-Elsie, the bride," Maya said matter-of-factly.

Selena rolled her eyes. "Barely. And c'mon, Maya, their world and mine? Night and day. They're up in the clouds, livin' the dream, and I'm down here, burnin' up in the core of the earth with all my problems."

Maya laughed but then tilted her head. "You don't seem like yourself today. What's up?"

Selena let out a heavy sigh, her walls crumbling as tears welled up.

"Hey, hey," Maya said softly, pulling her into a hug. "Spill it. Don't leave me guessin'."

Selena sniffled and wiped her face. "It's Cloe... my aunt. You know she's been complainin' about her back pain?"

Maya's smile faded. "Yeah. Is it bad?"

"It's stage 3. The doc's talkin' kidney surgery," Selena said, her voice cracking.

"Holy... that's gotta cost a fortune," Maya whispered, her face full of worry.

"Seven hundred grand," Selena said, her frustration bubbling over. "I've already burned through my savings just gettin' her checked out. If even a tiny bit of that billionaire wedding money went to her, she'd probably already be recoverin' by now."

Maya frowned but then reached into her bag. "Look, I've got a little savings. You need it more than me."

Selena's eyes widened, her chest tightening with emotion. "Maya, I... I can't take that."

"Don't argue with me," Maya said, her tone firm but kind. "We'll figure this out. Together."

Evening at the Jorch Residence, a Luxury Penthouse in Manhattan's Upper East Side

Damian shrugged off his shirt, showin' off those perfectly sculpted muscles on his sun-kissed skin. He stepped into the steamin' hot tub, lettin' the warmth soak into him. It had been a hella long month-non-stop work, crazy schedules, and the insane prep for his big day. But it was all worth it, 'cause tomorrow? He'd be marryin' Elsie Sonata-the love of his life.

He let out a long sigh, leanin' back against the slick edge of the tub, his eyes closin' as the heat eased the tension in his body.

The peace didn't last long. A soft creak of the bathroom door made his head snap up. Instinctively, his sharp gaze softened as he saw who it was.

"Mind if I join ya?"

His lips curled into a boyish smirk. "Be my guest."

Elsie stepped in, her long, pale legs catchin' the dim light as she moved closer to the tub. She slid the straps of her silk nightgown off her shoulders, leavin' only her lingerie underneath.

"Nice and warm," she murmured, easin' herself into the water. They sat across from each other, faces just inches apart.

"You're somethin' else," Damian teased with a cheeky grin, admirin' her boldness. They weren't even hitched yet, and here she was, sharin' a soak with him.

"I feel like we're already married," Elsie whispered, her voice soft as she leaned closer. She planted a featherlight kiss on his lips, her hand trailin' gently across his chest, sendin' his pulse racin'.

The tension thickened, the air between them cracklin' like static as she slowly bridged the gap between their bodies, her movements careful, deliberate.

But then, Damian pulled back, his expression shiftin' from desire to restraint.

"What's wrong?" Elsie frowned, clearly frustrated.

"I'm not takin' your virginity before the wedding," he said firmly.

"Oh, c'mon, it's just a little fun," she teased, her fingers glidin' down his arm, tryin' to coax him back.

"After we're married," Damian shot back, standin' up and grabbin' a towel. He wrapped it tightly around his waist, his tone unyielding. "We'll have all the time in the world."

"Damian!" Elsie groaned, crossin' her arms in a pout. "The wedding's in, like, sixteen hours! Why're you bein' like this?" She couldn't wrap her head around it. "Any other guy would've given in by now! But you? Ugh!"

Her eyes narrowed as a thought popped into her head. "Wait... is he impotent? No way. I saw it standin' at attention earlier."

Damian smirked to himself as he walked away. He adored her, but sixteen hours? That was nothin'.

***

Over in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Selena stepped into her tiny apartment.

The crisp fall air sneaked in behind her as the door creaked shut.

She tossed her worn-out jacket on the door hook, her tired eyes scanning the same cramped space-a beat-up couch in the corner and a rickety bookshelf barely holding up under a stack of old novels.

"Cloe..." she called out softly, looking for her aunt. But reality hit her quick. "Hospital," she mumbled to herself.

She collapsed onto the couch, pulling a blue knit blanket over her shivering body. With a deep sigh, she ran a hand down her face.

"God, I can't lose my aunt," she whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of it all. "But I've got no cash. None. I'm so damn screwed."

Tears streamed down her face as she let the sobs take over. But eventually, the sobs softened. She fell asleep right there, tears still drying on her cheeks.

***

At the Jorch Residence, a Luxury Penthouse in Manhattan's Upper East Side.

That morning, Damian sat at the massive white marble dining table alongside his parents and his future in-laws.

"After the wedding, you two will definitely take a vacation. I'll arrange security for wherever you go," Richard Jorch-Damian's father-stirred his favorite hot coffee.

"Your dad's always on top of it, Damian," replied Vivian Jorch, Damian's mother, with pride.

"Of course, I adore my future daughter-in-law-Elsie. Her security is a top priority," said Richard.

"Thanks, Rid. In that case, I'll prepare the nursery decorations for our future grandkids," Charles, Elsie's father, chimed in.

"Damian and Elsie are just getting married, don't pile on the responsibility of raising kids," Vivian quipped, sending everyone into a fit of laughter.

"Elsie will love that surprise," Damian said with a smile, prompting Charles to chuckle. "You're way too eager, Damian."

And the laughter continued.

Suddenly, Charles' phone rang loudly, cutting through the conversation.

He picked up with a stoic face, but his expression shifted drastically after a few seconds listening to the voice on the other end.

"What do you mean Elsie ran away?!" Charles' voice rose sharply, making everyone turn their heads toward him.

Vivi dropped the fork she was holding, her eyes wide. "Ran away? No way!"

Richard and Damian exchanged serious glances.

"There was a note left in her room," the voice on the phone sounded firm. "No sign of where she went. Mr. Charles, we've reviewed all the CCTV footage, but-"

"Stop talking and find her!" Charles snapped before ending the call with a harsh gesture.

The room that was once filled with laughter was now eerily silent.

Damian looked towards Richard. "So, what do we do now?" he asked coldly.

Vivian's hands trembled as she reached for a tissue on her lap. "This... this has to be a joke. She'll come back. She knows how important this event is to all of us."

Damian felt a pang of guilt, though he didn't understand why. He remembered how Elsie had asked him last night, only to be turned down. "There's no way she's mad about that, right?" Damian murmured.

"Do you know something?" Richard asked sharply.

"No," Damian replied, confused.

"Last night, Elsie was here, was't she? Was there something between you two that made her run off? Or maybe she's in your room?" Charles speculated.

"Elsie left after I turned down her request. She's not in my room," Damian said, shaking his head.

"I'll go check your room," Vivi announced, rising quickly and heading towards Damian's room.

Richard scoffed loudly. "If this leaks to the media, we're done. Our company, our family name-" He pointed towards Damian. "You're the one who has to fix this before everything falls apart!"

This day was supposed to be everything-a dream come true.

Damian was finally going to make Elsie his forever, vowing at the altar to take on life's ups and downs together. But now?

Elsie's gone, and it's a complete mess.

Vivian rushed into the living room, looking pale as a ghost. "Elsie's not in the room!"

Charles was already on the phone with the household staff, while Damian and Richard were in the middle of an intense conversation.

"We need to handle this quietly," Damian said firmly. "No cops, no media. This stays between us."

Richard shot a glance at his watch. "We're running out of time. Five hours, Damian. Five hours until you and Elsie are supposed to be at the altar. If the media finds out she's missing-especially since she's a top model-this'll be on every front page."

Vivian's voice broke as tears streamed down her face. "We'd already be on our way to the Hamptons if she hadn't disappeared."

Charles jumped in, his frustration obvious. "The butler didn't find anything, and someone hacked the CCTV. I can't wrap my head around what Elsie's thinking right now."

Richard pulled Vivian into a reassuring hug as she sobbed, while Charles paced the room, his worry written all over his face.

Meanwhile, the families' trusted staff scattered, working to track down Elsie without causing a media frenzy.

Outside the mansion, the press was already buzzing, trying to dig for any juicy scoop about the high-profile wedding.

But both the Jorch and the Sonata family issued a joint statement claiming the event was "strictly private," keeping everyone at bay-for now.

Across town, Selena and Maya were gossiping about the whole ordeal.

"Something about this feels so sketchy," Maya said, her curiosity piqued.

Selena, always the voice of reason, shrugged it off. "If it is, that's their problem. We'll dish after work, okay?"

Maya shot her an incredulous look. Selena wasn't usually this nonchalant about juicy gossip. "What's gotten into her?" Maya wondered. "Maybe she's just stressed about all the bills for Cloe's treatment. Girl's probably working overtime."

***

It's been two hours of searching, and they only had two hours left.

"No hope left," Vivian muttered, totally defeated.

"There's always a way," Richard said, though even he didn't know when or how that "way" would show up.

Everyone was a ball of nerves, pacing and stressing, while Damian was glued to his phone. Suddenly, he shouted, "I found a miracle!"

All eyes snapped to him. "What? What is it?"

Damian held up his phone, grinning.

Richard squinted at the screen, skeptical. "Looks like her, but... not quite." He handed the phone to Charles. "That's not Elsie, right?"

Charles took a good look and froze. "I don't think so, but the resemblance is crazy," he said, then turned to Damian. "Where the hell did you find this girl?"

Damian shrugged. "I was scrolling through TikTok and, boom, people were tagging me in videos comparing Elsie to this girl. Turns out, she works at some restaurant not far from here. I don't know why, but I need to make a deal with her."

Charles immediately lost it. "A deal? Are you saying you're gonna marry this girl to replace Elsie? How dare you? How worthless is my daughter to you that you'd even think of swapping her out?"

Richard stepped in before things spiraled out of control. "Calm down, man. I don't think Damian's trying to replace Elsie."

"Exactly," Damian added. "Listen, we've got to cover for Elsie's escape. This girl could step in as my stand-in bride-just until we find Elsie."

Vivian handed Charles an iced tea, trying to cool him down. "Charles, think about it. It's just temporary. Damian's not replacing Elsie-he's just buying us time."

Damian nodded firmly. "Elsie means everything to me. I'd never replace her. But for now, I need this girl to be my stand-in bride."

After making his point, Damian left the house in disguise, dressed as a waiter to avoid the media. His escape was smooth-no one noticed a thing.

Meanwhile, the TikTok fame of Selena, the girl who looked like Elsie, blew up fast.

Her fancy café was raking in insane profits in just 1.5 hours.

"Damn, I didn't realize Elsie's fanbase was this huge. You're basically riding her fame wave," Maya teased.

Selena, however, was not in the mood. "It's not as fun as it looks," she snapped, exhausted from dealing with endless orders from customers insisting she serve them personal.

***

Damian spotted Selena inside the café, and honestly, he couldn't believe it-there were two people who looked way too similar.

"All the features on Elsie's face are there," Damian thought to himself.

No time to waste. He needed to strike a deal fast.

Damian called the café owner and made an offer. "I'll give you 1,000 Apple shares for free if you shut this place down for the day."

With his slick negotiating skills, Damian finally got access to meet Selena.

"Strange, I don't know what's going on. Suddenly, the café is closing, and we're allowed to go home," Maya said, frowning at Selena.

"Maybe the owner-what's his name again?-felt sorry for me," Selena grinned widely.

"Yeah, more like sorry for us. No extra tips for us, and you get everything," Maya added bitterly.

"I'm just grateful because God is really good to me today. I've earned a total of $63,537 in tips in just 1.5 hours. I'll share it with you," Selena said, feeling generous.

"Hmmm, what about Cloe?" Maya asked cautiously.

"I've calculated her dialysis costs. It's only around $400 per session. If we keep this up, Cloe will get her kidney donor soon enough. And we'll be happy like we used to be," Selena said with determination.

"I hope so too."

Damian appeared in front of Selena just as Maya had walked away in a different direction.

Selena felt a twinge of fear, intimidated by Damian's intimidating presence.

"Your name's Selena Hart, right?" Damian said casually. He already knew Selena's background from her personal information at the café.

"What do you want with me?" Selena asked, her voice steady but cautious.

Damian removed his mask and hat, revealing a face that Selena had secretly admired. His charm was undeniable.

"You're the guy who's supposed to marry Elsie Sonata, that famous model, right?" Selena asked, her voice edged with disbelief.

"Yeah, and I've got a little problem. I hope you'll help me out," Damian said with a smirk.

They moved to a secluded spot to talk. Damian offered a deal. "One mil bucks for this deal. You ain't really marrying me, though."

Shocked, Selena could barely believe what she heard. "For what?"

"Elsie Sonata ran away. I don't know how to handle this."

"I heard on TV there's some super private event that can't be shared with the public. So why are you saying Elsie just dipped?"

Damian let out a heavy sigh. "It's a long story. But for now, you got my back, right?"