The CEO's Second Choice

I stared at my laptop, not believing what I was seeing... Then I let out a shriek so loud that even my mother came running into my room.

"What in the world is going on, Elena?" she cried out, staring at me with eyes as big as saucers. I turn my laptop screen around and point towards it, "I got accepted, mother! Harvard has accepted my application!" I respond with glee, to a very confused mother.

She raised one expertly plucked eyebrow at me, "Excuse me? Harvard, as in The States?"

Fighting the urge to roll my eyes at her, I nod and could not help but grin.

Harvard Law School, my dream Uni has accepted me! Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing could knock me off this high. I've done it! I have proven to myself and my family that I could get somewhere without their influence.

I mean, I could have chosen Cambridge or Oxford, but that would be too close to home and the Wiltshire name. I would immediately have been accepted if they knew I was William Wiltshire's daughter.

My face hurts from grinning, and I look at my mother for a reaction, but as usual, there was none. And it was not the Botox.

"Well now, we will have to see what your father has to say about this. The States, Elena? Why not Oxford? It is, in fact, your father's alumni."

Did I say nothing could knock me off this high? Well, my mother just shot a bazooka straight into it.

I stare at her, a little despondent. I expected this reaction, prepared myself for it even, but it didn't hurt any less. Never in my 20 years on this earth, had my mother been proud of me or showed it. The smile drops from my face and I sigh, "Can't you just be happy for me for once, mother?"

She looked at me as if I had trampled on her favourite Louboutins, "I will be happy when I know you have rejected that acceptance letter and studied closer to home. Come, you need to get ready for tonight's dinner party. The Dumont's will be joining us this evening." With that, she turned on her heels and strode out of my room.

I stare at her back and feel a tear slip down my cheek.

My mother, Susanna Wiltshire, is an upper-class socialite of noble blood so it will always be expected of me to follow in her footsteps. My twin sister, Eliana, slipped into the role much easier than I did. Where I was brash and spoke my mind, she was reserved and soft spoken. A proper lady.

Speaking of which; a face pops into my bedroom door with a smile plastered on her face, my mirror image. With a few alterations.

Where she had soft honey coloured curls set in a natural balayage, I had more of a caramel tint to my balayage. Where her eyes were baby blue and sparkling, mine was more of an icy steel. We both had heart shaped faces, almond shaped eyes and bow shaped lips though.

People have said we were blessed with our looks, my sister seemed to think so. Where she got stares and knew she was beautiful, I had the self-esteem of a rock.

"I heard the news!" She exclaims and rushes over to me, engulfing me in a hug. "I am so proud of you, Elena! This is fantastic news!"

Trust Eliana to be my hype girl. I smile against my better judgement and a giggle escapes from my throat. She let go of me and looked me up and down, her blue eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"You get to live your dream instead of being forced to live the socialite life." She says, knowing that would have been the bane of my existence. My bottom lip starts to tremble at her words, knowing my father would never allow me to study at Harvard. The sudden realization hits me.

He would never agree to this. How stupid could I have been?

Eliana's smile drops from her face and she regards me with concern, "I was foolish, Eliana." I start, "Father would never allow me to move overseas when he could just have easily gotten me into Oxford. Me and my stupid dreams."

She offers me a thin smile then leads me back to my bed. "You never know, Elena. Speak to him about it. Maybe he wants one of us to experience what the world has to offer." She said, a knowing smile crossed her lips and I had a feeling she was hiding something from me.

Call it twins' intuition, but I could always tell when Eliana was lying to me or withholding something. In this case, it was the latter.

I decide to not push the subject but nod anyway. "I will after this evening's dinner party. I am guessing Sebastian and his parents will be joining us?" I ask.

Ugh, Sebastian Dumont. The most arrogant man God could ever have created. The man oozed self-righteousness and had an ego 10 times larger than his body weight. The first time he came to our estate to visit Eliana, he didn't mistake me for her at all, normally people do. He called me 'podgy' and said he did not understand why people confused the two of us.

Call me childish, but I never forgot that day. I had never been so embarrassed in my life. Of course, I never mentioned this to Eliana, I did not want her to think any less of her fiance.

She nods happily, "Yes, he is. Just a few last-minute preparations and alterations were made before the wedding. His parents wish to iron it out before the big day." She says with calm as if she wasn't marrying the wealthiest CEO in the UK.

"Ah okay. I will be expected to attend then?" I ask with a grin, already knowing the answer. She gives me a sarcastic look, "My maid of honour wants to sit this one out? I don't think so." She responded and got up from my bed to leave my room. Then she turned around at the doorway and gave me another smile, "I truly am so happy for you, Elena. You deserve this little bit of freedom. Speak to father after the dinner party. I am sure he will give you his blessing."

Then she was gone.

I flop back down onto my oak four-poster and sigh out loud. Would my father honestly be okay with me studying overseas? If my mother was anything to go on, that would be a resounding no.

I take my cell phone out of my pocket intending to call my boyfriend, Nicholas. He had been my rock the past two years and was the one who encouraged me to apply at Harvard. This made no sense to me at all, because I wanted to be close to him as we were to be wed in a year's time. However, I started to realize that I needed to do this for myself, I needed to pursue my dream.

However, on the fourth ring, I put the phone down as my call goes unanswered. Weird, Nicholas always answered when he saw it was me calling. I shrug and try to push my emotions down. I would tell him my news later on.

The Dumonts would be here soon, I had better make myself look presentable.

Dressed in a burgundy empire evening dress with a sweetheart neckline and cap sleeves, I put on my Mary Jane Louboutins and was ready to face the Dumonts. I left my hair to cascade in curls down my back and didn't bother with over the top makeup. I had no one to impress, so why bother with frivolities?

As I descend our winding staircase, I spot my sister in the foyer. She was on the phone and seemed rather upset. The clicking of my heels alerts her to my presence and she kills her call. Turning to face me, she plasters a fake smile onto her face and walks towards me and catches my frown. "Wedding problems," she answers with the roll of her eyes. I knew she was lying, but who am I to say anything? She clearly did not want to tell me what was going on with her.

I offer her a tight smile, "Eliana, you know..." I start, but decided against it with the shake of my head, "Never mind. Is everything ready for this evening?"

She looked relieved at my change of subject and nodded, "The Dumonts should be here shortly."

Eliana looked nervous at this, where earlier she looked positively delighted to be seeing her fiance. We link arms and walk towards the dining area together. My sister relaxed a bit in my arm, but as soon as we entered the room, she stilled.

It seemed the Dumonts were here early.

Snooty and pretentious, both Mirabelle and Spencer Dumont oozed elegance. Mirabelle was a raven haired beauty who used to be a Prima Ballerina back in her day. She married Spencer when her dancing days ended. Spencer Dumont was the wealthiest man in the UK, with Sebastian set to inherit everything. Not that the man needed to inherit everything, he owned half of the country already. And by that I mean the majority of the buildings in the country belonged to Dumont Enterprises.

"Eliana, Elena," Mirabelle greets us in her haughty voice. The woman had nothing good to say about Eliana but seemed to dote on me. How that worked, I would never know. Everyone always loved my sister. "You are both looking gorgeous." She gushes as she walks over to us and gives us both kisses on either cheek.

"Mirabelle, how are you?" I ask her, being as courteous as I could muster. "You look lovely," I say, taking in her beautiful emerald wrap dress.

She rolls her eyes, "As well as can be expected, I guess. Another dinner party that could have been a text-"

"Mother." Came the voice of Mr Ego himself, Sebastian Dumont.

Mirabelle rolls her eyes again, and this time it was aimed at her son. "Fine, I will play nice," she says and winks at me while giving Eliana a once over.

My sister looks at me, "How did you bewitch that woman? She despises me." She said sadly, and I couldn't help but feel bad for her. Eliana could charm anyone, but not her mother-in-law to be.

I stroke her arm, "I am sure it will change after the wedding, love." How was this comforting my sister? Because she just turned a pale green.

Sebastian walks over to us and gives her a kiss on the cheek, "Excuse my mother for the millionth time, love. She will warm up to you." He says and Eliana nods robotically as if she had heard that line many times over.

They had been together for three years, and Mirabelle seemed to dislike my sister more each day.

"Shall we?" Came the voice of my father, boisterous Lord William Wiltshire, the second wealthiest man in the UK, second only to Spencer Dumont.

We all took our respective seats at the dinner table; my father at the head of the table, Eliana and I next to him on opposite sides of the table, the elder Dumonts were seated next to me and Sebastian was seated next to Eliana. My mother was seated at the opposite head of the table.

Dinner was served soon after and the polite conversation was made, however, the air was fraught with friction. Something was going on and I have a feeling this was not just your average dinner party between influential families.

"Now, it is lovely to have you over again, Spencer and Mirabelle, but I fail to see why a dinner party was needed to discuss this. Surely a phone call would have sufficed?" My father, asking all the real questions now.

We were currently seated in the parlour, having wine and our palette cleansed after a light four-course dinner.

Mirabelle gets up from her chair, and I could tell she was completely livid but sad. She gazes at everyone in the room and her eyes fall on Eliana. I followed her line of vision and saw my sister looking anxious, that green tinge to her skin again.

"William, Susanna, I am afraid we come bearing awful news this evening." She said and looked straight at Sebastian, who had the same confused look on his face as everyone else in the room.

Everyone except Eliana.

Spencer stood up this time, "This marriage cannot be, Sebastian." He said and his son frowns at the statement.

"What exactly is this about, Father?" He starts, "I know you all hate Eliana but I love her and I will marry her in two months time. Your blessing given or not."

Mirabelle had a horrified look on her face and she looked towards Spencer, "Tell him." is all she says and sits down again. Spencer grins, "Even better, I will have someone else do it for me." He says and the parlour door opens.

A man whom I have never met before enters the room and I heard Eliana gasp. I looked towards my sister and saw that she had gone a deathly pale.

What was going on?

Echoing my thoughts, Sebastians asks the same question out loud. "Uncle Robert? What exactly are you doing here?" He added.

The man, Robert Dumont, looks towards everyone in the room. He was tall, well built and frankly, quite handsome. He ran his fingers through his curls in what I can only assume was frustration.

"Sebastian, you are being lied to." He said and pointed towards my sister, "Eliana has not been as forthcoming with you."

Oh no. Oh heck no. Eliana, what have you done?

Sebastian looks at my sister and frowns, "What exactly does he mean by that, Eliana?" He asks but his expression showed that he did not wish to know. Eliana looks up at him with tears in her eyes, "I am sorry, Sebastian," she says.

Gosh, was I in a soap opera right now?

I take in everyone's expression; My father seemed livid, my mother looked put out of countenance. The Dumonts were upset and angry, whereas my sister seemed sad but elated?

Was that even possible?

"Sorry? What are you sorry for? What have you done?" He asks, taking a step back from her.

Eliana stood up and walked towards Robert Dumont, then faced us with a grim expression, "I am in love with Robert and wish to call off this engagement."

Her statement sent literal shockwaves through us all. Sebastian looked as if his heart just got ripped out, my parents went ashen and me? I sat there with my mouth hanging open in a very lady-like fashion.

Eliana, the poised and proper Wiltshire sister was going to cause an upper class scandal.

Robert grinned and looked proud, "But that's not all. Tell them the news, love." He says in an incredibly sleazy way that I even got shivers.

Eliana gazed proudly at him, "I am pregnant with Robert's child."

You could hear a pin drop.

Eliana, my sweet sister, would be causing a scandal with her news. The worst type of scandal in the upper class and nobility circles.

Affairs and babies born out of wedlock.

Sebastian had gone pale, my parents were reeling from this news and the Dumonts? Well it seems that even they did not know this last little titbit.

Mirabelle walks towards them, "You're pregnant?! A child born out of wedlock, how shameful!" She shrieks and I could tell this upset her incredibly. "I knew there was something about you that I didn't like."

Eliana throws her head back and laughs, or rather cackles, "Mirabelle, there will be no scandal. Robert and I will wed before the child is born. Then you will finally be rid of me."

I do not think I have ever heard my sister speak in such an acid tone, especially not towards Mirabelle Dumont. I could feel the shame radiating from where my parents were seated.

Mirabelle goes completely red in her face, "You-"

"Mother, you knew about this?" Sebastian finally speaks up and looks towards his parents. My eyes flicker to his voice and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He maintains his composure, but the hurt in his eyes was evident, something I think Eliana did not care to notice. Mirabelle shakes her head, "I found out about the affair yesterday, the pregnancy is new." She answers her son, her face dropping as she took in his expression.

Sebastian scoffs then looks towards my sister, "How long were you going to keep at this?" He asks Eliana, "And you, uncle Robert, sleeping with your nephew's son as if we were in some sort of bad soap opera. What were the both of you looking to gain from this?" Sebastian was livid, but how he was keeping calm when his fiancee and uncle were just exposed was beyond my recognition.

My eyes went towards my parents and saw the anger in their expression. Eliana had always been the golden girl, the lady set to marry into a prominent family and uphold the Wiltshire name. Now she would bring nothing to the family but scandal, something my mother absolutely despised.

Robert suddenly spoke up, making us all turn in his direction, "I have been urging Eliana for months to come clean and call off your engagement." He says, taking Eliana's hand in his, "We fell in love during my visits last spring when I had helped with the Spring Ball. I am sorry this has hurt you, Sebastian, but the truth needed to come out. This is why I went to my brother and Mirabelle before an even bigger scandal engulfs the family name."

Oh, snap. The Spring Ball was in April of last year, it was now September the following year with an Autumn wedding scheduled. My sister has been cheating on Sebastian for over a year now. Why had she said yes to him in June when she was in love with Robert?

Sebastian strides towards the door, but my father calls him back and stands up, looking deeply ashamed. "Mirabelle, Spencer, I am deeply sorry for this insult Eliana has caused to your family. She has undoubtedly tainted both our names, but we know in order to avoid an even bigger scandal, Eliana would have to wed Robert." He says we all knew this would have to happen, even I did and I despised the upper-class rule and regulations. I might be the rebellious heir, but I knew how to toe the line.

Spencer nods, "Indeed, she will. But now with that out of the way, what will come of Sebastian's supposed marriage? Our family's name will be left tainted because of this." He gestures towards Robert and Eliana.

Sebastian scoffs again, "I will not be getting married, father-"

"But you must. If the public finds out about Eliana and Robert, we will be pariahs in our circles." Mirabelle says shaking her head and looking dismayed, then her eyes flicker towards me. "Unless..."

Unless? Unless what, Mirabelle?! The look in her eyes softens as she takes me in with a warm smile, Then she gets out of the armchair she was seated in and walks towards me, pulling me out of my seat.

"Unless we find a replacement."

It took me a few seconds to register what she had just said. A replacement bride. ME??

Horrified, I look towards her, "Excuse me? A replacement?" I ask, my voice a high pitched wobble then I look about the room.

Sebastian regards me then looks away.

My parents nod, and look towards one another, their minds made up.

Spencer stares at me but I could see him putting the pieces together in his mind.

Eliana and Robert both stared at me, dumbfounded.

Mirabelle an elated ball of joy.

"Yes, it's perfect. We could tell the press that Sebastian and Elena were always together, and they got it confused because the girls are twins. IF everyone sticks to this story, we should be okay." Spencer responds, a grin crosses his face as he stands up and walks towards his son. "This needs to be done, Sebastian."

"Very well," Sebastian says and stomps out of the room, then we hear the front door open then slam shut.

Was I just offered up as a pawn to appease families and social circles?

"Uhm, excuse me. Did anyone think to ask me how I felt about this?" I suddenly spoke up, having found my voice. They all turn towards me and I see my mother staring daggers before she walks over to me.

"Honey, this needs to be done. Your sister has insulted the Dumonts and we, as Whiltshires, need to make this right. Unfortunately, you do not have a choice in the matter. This marriage will be arranged and go ahead as scheduled."

My mother, always caring about appearance more than me. What else did I expect?

I sigh and my bottom lip trembles, then I look towards my sister who had an apologetic look in her eyes. "I cannot do this, I'm sorry." I finally say and storm out of the parlour to the surprise of everyone present.

Running up the stairs to my room, I hear my name being called behind me but I refuse to look back. This can't be happening! I just got accepted into Uni! I had Nicholas, I had a life planned for myself separate from the Wiltshire circles! They could not force me to marry, and to Sebastian at that. I despised the man, now I would be forced to marry him.

I slam my bedroom door then fall onto my four-poster as tears stream down my face.

How would I tell Nicholas that I could no longer be with him because I would be forced into an arranged marriage to a self-centred, egotistical CEO?