The Bride he wanted was Never my sister

Mira.

I was supposed to accompany my sister, walk her down the aisle, and be her bridesmaid.

What I was not supposed to be doing was wearing her dress and walking down the aisle perched on my father's arm to be wedded to the same man my sister was supposed to marry.

"Keep smiling Mirabella." My father hissed.

I saw no point in smiling or crying, the veil covered my face.

My stomach knotted in a nauseating twist, whatever it was that hung so heavy in the air. Whether it was the overbearing smell of peonies and daisies, Selena didn't even like daisies, I did, while she preferred peonies. The flowers were just too much and too fucking expensive.

The number of eyes watching my every move seemed to be the cause of the nausea I was feeling.

I hoped no one else but my father could see my jittering. My sweaty palm gave it away and father had scolded me to stay still.

It was the least I could do for my family.

Selena absconded an hour to her wedding, her dressing room empty, her dress, heels and bouquet laid on the bed but the bride was nowhere to be found.

A merger of two powerful families that have stayed friends since I could remember how to say my name. It was to be aired, the wedding of the century, luxurious, the talk of the town and my fraternal twin sister threw all that to the wind once again leaving me to clean up her mess.

This time it wasn't just an unfinished assignment, or being forced to be her accomplice in all the trouble she caused. I was always caught in the middle and caught in her mess while she kept her reputation as the golden child who never did anything wrong.

I caught my mother's stiff smile from the corner. Her gaze is warm and considerate. Her arm squeezing into dad's own, her color, pale.

It steadied me, if my strong mother could have nerves, I wasn't broken.

I focused on my steps and the man at the end of the aisle waiting at the altar.

I finally took in the exquisite details of the venue. A converted cathedral with 40-foot ceilings and $100,000 worth of white peonies and daisies. I snuck a peek at the budget days before the wedding and nearly ran mad.

How wasteful.

The only delight was the stained glasses that bounced off deep hues of reds and blues. The sculptures of course were delightful, especially the pieta. I mirrored the sadness in the eyes of the woman carrying her son.

The entrance song was Selena's choice, the dress, greatly over priced, we had the money for it, the flower arrangements, the groom, Theo Hartley, all of it were hers. In all the lavishness of this wedding.

As selfish as always she threw all of it into the wind.

Theo knew my sister and I. We were childhood friends but he had always been fond of Selena.

They were the golden couple of the elites.

I knew we could fool the congregation but what would happen when I got to that altar?

What would happen when he lifts my veil and sees me?

The netting of the lace on the sweetheart neck suffocated me and I fought the urge to tug at it.

Father was so composed as he walked me down the aisle. No matter how my mother smiled, she wasn't okay and neither was I?

Where did Selena run off to?

What did she give up her dream wedding for?

Father was furious when I quietly informed him and Mom that Selena was not in the estate, I handed him the shabby hurried note she scribbled.

I couldn't unsee the trembling in his chubby hairy hands. I was scared he would clutch his chest and have a heart attack.

How could she be so selfish despite knowing our father's ailment.

He groaned. "We must repair this quietly." He said, looking away from me.

Mother traced his gaze and her worried look unnerved me.

I scrunched my brows. "What is there to repair but to call it off. The bride is gone."

Father brushed his jaw, looking away to the window leaving me and my mom.

She slithered to my side. "Dear, we can't allow your sister's actions to ridicule our family. We can't possibly announce that your sister jilted her groom. It will ruin the acquisition."

I glanced at my father, he didn't even spare me a look.

I was having a hard time understanding what this meant.

"You have to walk down that aisle." She said quietly.

"And there's no contesting that." Father added.

"Holden!" Mom scolded him.

"You're sacrificing her happiness, at least be gentle."

Selena's mischievousness being revealed to my parents didn't feel entirely bad. Of course I felt bad that she would do such a thing but then maybe they needed to see her for who she was when I wasn't caught up in it but to marry my sister's groom? That was absurd.

Theo and Selena's relationship had been the end of our childhood friendship. After middle school Selena became the center, he looked at her, cared for her and I was always the third wheeler despite a silly promise we made to ourselves in mid school to not fall in love and ruin our friendship.

Theo and Selena had gone ahead to do it leaving me and Harper to ourselves. And then he'd gone away for a long time only to return to propose to my sister.

For goodness sake, Harper was at this wedding. How was I going to fix anything?

For context, I was the one who befriended Theo first. I had a crush on him but he'd chosen my golden sister. The star of the show.

Look where that star has got us.

"Please Mira. Please." Mom begged.

Father drew closer. "Just get through today and I'll speak to Theo to call the marriage off and free you."

I snatched my hand from my mom and ran my fingers across my temple.

"What makes you think he won't call it off at the altar. I'm not the one he wants mom."

She grabbed my hand again.

"I know but this is the best we can do. He's close to our family so maybe he won't cause a scene but a bride must walk down that aisle today."

Father had been over the moon about the wedding, he could finally retire knowing that capable hands could run the acquisition.

Talks of the wedding were on the news. Theo mostly, given his ruthless reputation, a far cry from the boy I had grown up as friends with and had a crush on. The most eligible bachelor to wed the starstruck daughter of the Holden Director.

Worst case scenario, I would live through the disgust and rejection on Theo's face, it would kill me to see the disappointment on his face but Mom was right, he won't outrightly call it off and embarrass our family, just a wedding and when things have died down, we can all go our separate ways.

We were fraternal but there was still a stark resemblance so the guests wouldn't catch on quickly, not like I cared about them because very few of them were truly close with our family.

I so wanted to cuss Selena out.

We are twins but I had never for once lived for myself and even now I must live through her marriage.

I could almost feel the shock that will come from Theo and the embarrassment that will come from always falling short in front of him as I had always done since childhood.

I wondered if he even remembered me, if he still knew who I was.

My family's reputation was at stake and subsequently mine as well. I had to be my sister's replacement and clean up her mess.

I drew back, taking a deep breath. "I'll do it."

And I did.

Theo's pov

I wasn't one to be jittery.

My palms were sweaty, my nerves were getting the better of me but all that ceased as the large hall door opened and the bride stepped in with her father.

I watched closely as she walked further.

I made the call, but the only way to know if it worked was to see the bride, to lift her veil and see her face.

She grasped onto her father's arm, her steps were slow, contemplative, the grumpy man had whispered something to her.

Her gait was familiar, nostalgic almost.

If my plan had worked or failed I couldn't show it, I could only hope for the best.

Soon she was right before me, I took her from her father's hand, Mr. Holden patted my hand over hers and then my shoulder like he was comforting me. He had a strange look on his face.

I took her hand and led her up the podium where we would exchange vows.

First, her scent hit me, soft, floral notes with a major hint of jasmine. Under all that flowery scents I could still sense just a tiny waft of turpentine.

It wasn't unfamiliar but it wasn't Selena's.

Sweet sweet, Mirabella.

That scent hung on her like a cloak.

I bit down a smile. My plan had worked.

Even her fingers felt different, more slender, coarse.

I steadied myself and lifted her veil.

Two orbs of chocolate glassy eyes looked up at me, her hands shook in mine, her lips quivered.

I was right.

My lips curled into a smile, my eyes watered.

Her brows furrowed. A brief frown crossed her features quickly replaced with confusion. She cast a glance at her parents in the front seat. Both of them mirrored the confusion on her face.

They smiled at her.

There was a startled shuffle coming from someone in my train of groomsmen.

Harper.

Mira's eyes flicked to him but I obstructed her view. Harper knew better than anyone not to cause a scene.

He must have seen his long-time crush standing on the altar with me.

But this was my dream.

I tightened my hold on her hands. Offering her what little comfort I could. As much as I liked this outcome, she didn't deserve to be thrown into it like this.

When Selena came to me, I knew this was the prison break chance I'd been needing. She was right about me being a coward.

The deal was sealed a week before the wedding when Selena approached me to break it off. Her request softened what my initial plan had been and it was a harder means so when she came to me I was relieved I didn't have to go the extent I wanted to go.

"Why are you going ahead with this Theo?" she had asked

I was pouring her a glass of wine at the fancy diner we had gone to. I stopped mid way briefly before continuing.

"What do you mean?"

"This wedding. Our wedding." She sat brimming with a smile.

She touched my arm and I brought it down, placing the wine on the table.

I chuckled. "We are to be wed, Selena."

Her smile dipped. "I know we are. But you don't love me, you're barely there, even when you're with me, you're absent, your eyes wander."

I placed my hand palms down on the cold glass table.

"Selena, I..."

"... I have someone who loves me, Theo. Someone who looks at me the way you look at her."

"I don't follow." I drank wine. "This is what you've always wanted. The wedding of your dream."

"You know exactly what I mean, Theo. Yes, it's what I dreamed of and that's precisely the problem. If I marry you, I'll be getting married by myself."

She stabbed a forkful of tender chicken into her mouth.

An odd satisfaction filled the hollowness in my chest. "You have another man and you no longer want to marry me, is that what you are saying?"

She wiped her mouth. "Yes and it's annoying how you're not spiralling and begging me not to leave you." A coy smile played on her lips.

I smiled back. "I wouldn't want you to be in a marriage by yourself."

"Be lucky I don't rave about you or I'd have to gut you out with China ware." She cut into another piece of chicken.

I laughed at her threat.

It drew out and then the heaviness of a reckless decision settled.

It was no longer just about us, invites were already underway, our families were involved.

Reckless decisions made things spiral out of control and I hated when that happened.

"We have to call it off." I said.

"What?!" She spluttered. "Are you mad?"

I corked an eyebrow up. "you have a man that loves you, and truly, this wedding..."

"Don't say it." She said between gritted teeth.

"We can't call off the wedding, my reputation, your reputation, my family. Hell no!"

"But we don't want to marry, I don't see where you're driving at."

She dragged her seat to my side of the table. "Exactly. We." Her finger moved between us.

I corked my head in confusion.

My confusion clearly annoyed her because the eye roll was so personal.

"I don't show up for the wedding at all." She said it with a mischievous smile. One I had grown accustomed to after years of knowing her.

That smile never boded well, it usually meant trouble for Mirabella.

She winked.

"No... no no."

Another eye roll.

"You're all broody and cold but you've been such a coward. You like her then for God sake, marry her."

I leaned away from her. "Are you insane?"

"Maybe." She shrugged.

"I'm not doing this with you. It's your sister's life Selena. Don't you care about that?"

She flinched. " Of course I do. But I'm not going to be the fool in y'all's love story, if you won't do this with me, then call it off. I won't be marrying you Theo."

She grabbed her bag and began walking away, then paused. "Besides, Mira would be fine. She normally is fine in the end.

***

Mira was scrunching her brows, her eyes bouncing from me to her parents.

I would explain it all after this if she won't hate me by then.

Her hands were stiff in mine as we said our vows.

"I do." She said, her eyes appeared glossy and her throat bobbed up and down incessantly.

Then it was time to kiss the bride. My bride. The one woman who always made my heart flutter.

I leaned into her and lowered my head, eager yet gentle, taking in her scent, the way her jasmine perfumes always deliciously mixed with the heaviness of linseed oil. The patience I had was running over, all these years I had yearned to be close to her, to kiss her red plump lips and give her all the affection my being could muster, I cupped her face and lifted her head till her gaze met mine, defiance and fury mingled with confusion.

Our lips are a breath apart and just right before our lips touched, she turned her face so the kiss could land on her cheek.

Thankfully her veil blocked the guests from seeing it. When I looked up at her face, she was glaring.

She might have gotten a hint of the game I was playing.

Mira turned to the guests, a stiff smile pasted on her lips, she flashed her ring to the congregation. That ring was perfect for her, specially crafted with her measurements.

I leaned in close enough for her to hear me. "You were brave for that Mira but for the purpose of this and your parents, you are the doting bride, my bride." I fastened my suit for what I was about to say next. "Pull away again and I'll tell the press exactly why your sister isn't here and maybe you'd have your father's heart problem to deal with."

She snapped her glare to me, her lips quivered to say more but it wasn't the right place for it. She snapped her lips into a line.

"Your call, Mrs. Hartley."

She flinched.

Calling her my Mrs. sent me into a spiral of excitement. It was the best possible outcome.

We walked out of the church hand in hand, her anger burned hot beside me.

Whatever the case, she was my wife.

I squeezed her hand and she cast me another glare.

Mira was my wife and I would spend the rest of my life convincing her that this was meant to be.

Mirabella

Everyone was playing with me.

They always did, not once has there ever been a time anyone took me seriously or cared for what I had to say. It was always I'm sure Mira wouldn't mind.

All this was fishy, how was everyone fine with me marrying my sister's fiance.

I wanted to flee from this sham and disappear into the depth of an old artwork. And disappear forever.

But first I needed to squirm away from these guests and have a conversation with the husband because all this was too much.

I was by the snack bar chugging down champagne and hoping Harper doesn't get to me. I had been surveying the environment for him but each time I scanned for him, he wasn't within the church building.

There was only a few minutes before the Maybach came around to drive me and my husband, how gross, my sister's husband to the reception party.

Mum asked me to stay away from the guests as much as possible and what better place to hide away but at the snack bar was set up for the couple and their train.

It was my idea because I knew Selena would be hungry after the ceremony and would need some snacks before the next activity. Who would've thought I would be the bride instead of the train.

Mom and dad haven't as much as looked for me. They were beaming, receiving congratulatory messages.

"What is going on Mira?"

I jumped at the sound of Harper's voice, forcing one last gulp of champagne down.

I chuckled nervously. It was either I came clean or act completely oblivious.

"Oh God, you scared me Harper." I said with a hand on my chest.

His ivory suit made his eyes pop in an attractive way.

"You look amazing. Who knew you'd look this handsome in a suit."

That didn't deter him. He came closer.

Knowing Harper I knew he wouldn't take this lightly.

"Don't act dumb with me. Where is Selena?"

I feigned a frown. "How am I supposed to know?" I attempted to take another glass but he took it from me and put it down.

Harper took a deep breath.

"Look I don't know what's going on and why you just got married to my brother instead of your sister but I sense foul play. Is he forcing you?"

"Forcing me?" I spluttered creating more space between us.

"Then by all means help me understand this charade playing out."

I finally looked in his eyes. The pain of what I was about to say choked me in the throat. "You're the only one who thinks this is a charade."

He visibly stumbled back a fraction before running his hands through his swept back brown hair.

"Whatever. Look Mira, I know you and I know this isn't what you want. You didn't even kiss him." He blurted out.

I immediately covered the distance between us and placed my hand over his mouth frantically looking around.

"Can you shut up."

He looked at me for a moment before taking my hand away.

"Look there's a car waiting out back, come with me , I'll take you away from this madness."

I started to shake my head to refuse but he took my hands in his.

"I'm not going to ask you to explain. Just please come with me and put an end to this madness."

"What madness?"

I jerked my hands away from Harper's at the sound of his elder brother's voice as if I was doing anything wrong.

In all honesty, Harper was right, it was madness.

He and I were involved in the planning of this wedding while nurturing a possible attraction but not one greater than what I felt for Theo but all this was unfair to Harper.

He stepped away from me as Theo drew closer to us.

"You do realize Mirabella is my wife, don't you little brother."

My eyes bounced between the two brothers, the heat in the area rose up and my chest constricted, I needed another drink.

Harper's eyes didn't leave mine. He watched as Theo came to stand beside me and took my hand in his.

"Mirabella is my wife and I advise that you respect that."

What was Theo even saying?

Was he drunk or blind or delusional? What was it with him and this wedding and the godforsaken wife title?

Each time he called me his wife there was a nauseating feeling mixed with a tingle in my belly.

Before I could put my thoughts together Harper lunged forward and pushed Theo off me. The push was so sudden that the content of Theo's glass spilled on the cashmere rug. And his suit.

It was a poor thought to keep a cashmere rug that expensive at a snack bar. What was wrong with the rich?

I pushed Harper, doing my best to hold him back. "Please do not cause a scene here Harper. Let's talk about this later." I stifled out.

His eyes focused on Theo who was flicking off wine from his suit jacket completely unbothered, a smirk pulled at his lips. He always knew how to get to Harper, made me wonder if they were really brothers or rivals of some sorts.

"Listen to me Harper. Harper!" I spoke a little louder and finally got his attention.

"I'm not being forced and I promise to explain things to you as soon as the dust settles. Can you stay calm until then?"

He attempted to look away but I held his face. "Please."

Harper stepped away after glaring between me and his brother who is now my husband.

"This is madness." He said before walking away.

I felt warmth on my side, then a hand slowly wrapped around my waist.

I flinched away from Theo's touch, casting him a glare.

"We need to talk."

"The car is waiting to take us to our reception. We can talk in the car." He gestured a hand to the exit like a gentleman would.

He had always been one. But maybe I was wrong.

What husband would be fine with seeing another woman under his bride's wedding veil?

The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that Harper was right.

This was madness.

Some detailed men in black suits and earpieces stuck in their ears escorted us to the car. Theo opened my door for me before getting into the car seat beside me.

I was holding my breath.

Perhaps all hell would break loose now. Maybe he was staying quiet for my sake and my family's reputation. He had always put family first.

I sat stiffly in the car, my gaze on his face. He had an expression I couldn't read every time his eyes fell on the stain on his suit.

The silence hung so heavy.

We could have the discussion now and he could toss me out of the car on the way there or perhaps Selena would show up for the swap. I didn't know what to say.

"Sorry about the stain." I said, pointing a glance at his jacket.

"It's alright Mira. We both have another look for the evening so it's fine."

"We?"

He turned to look at me, his expression still unreadable.

"We did get married, didn't we?"

Madness.

"That's precisely the point Theo, are you mad?" I yelled, glancing at the privacy partition, I wasn't sure we had our privacy.

Theo covered the space between us, one hand held my hand and the other was placed beside my head.

"Yes I'm mad Mirabella and God help me, don't push to see the extent of this madness." His voice was low, his mid alcoholic breath brushed my face, his scent imposed my space. Theo took up space.

His breath was mildly laced with mint and alcohol. Had he been drinking?

I spoke low too. "By all means show me the extent of this madness." My eyes met his with equal stubbornness.

His eyes fell to my lips and he swiftly pulled away.

Theo knocked on the partition. "Can't you move any faster?" He told the driver who then increased acceleration.

Was he ending the discussion?

"Mr. Hartley?"

He took a deep, controlled breath in.

"Mrs. Hartley you will act as the doting bride so in love with her husband and I'll do the same..."

"I will not do that. You are my sister's husband."

"And Yet you married me. We got married. We are husband and wife Mira."

He said it like it was a bad thing. I mean it was but it's not intentional and most importantly I was not the villain.

I chuckled, dry at first then it blossomed into a full bout of laughter. Theo was staring at me, his jaw hung loose but he still looked impeccable, not a strand out of place.

"Do you think I'm a joke Theo. That I'll just accept this." My hand moved between us, the rock resting on my fingers laid heavy on it, a stark reminder of the mess I had gotten myself into.

"You'll do as I say, otherwise I'll ruin your family, I'll take everything away." He said, his voice lower than before, his eyes appeared colder and darker, like a void. "I'll pull the rug from under your father's feet."

I blinked, relapsing into the car seat. Cold sweats broke over me. I'd known he was a ruthless businessman but he never took my family lightly nor have I ever heard him talk in the manner he just did.

A knock rattled on the tinted window, startling me.

"We're here sir." A man called.

Theo gave a warning glare.

"Behave Mrs. Hartley."