CHAPTER 3

CELINE:

Once we reached the black car, Jace carefully placed me in the back seat. I did not even have time to see what kind of car it was, but it was beautiful. He told the driver, “Roy, to the reception venue.”

“Alright, boss,” came the calm response.

I sat there nervously as Jace and I rode in the rear. I shifted away from him, but then remembered I had to pretend I was my sister. Jace did not say anything. He simply looked at me and held my hand.

“How do you feel about this day, my love?” he asked.

I opened my mouth to speak, trying to think of what Clara would have said. Still overwhelmed, I told him the truth. “I am just overwhelmed.”

“Why is that? You did not believe me when I told you I would marry you and no one else. I love you, Clara, and I meant every word I used to confess my feelings. So you do not have to be afraid, thinking this marriage is a trap. I will always support your modeling career. How about your twin sister? I did not see her at the wedding.”

Jace looked at my face lovingly. I knew this was the right moment to tell him I was not Clara, but I remembered my father’s warning that Jace would deal with all of us if he found out Clara had fled before the wedding.

“Clara,” he said, calling my sister’s name. I snapped out of it, reminding myself that my new name was Clara.

“Yes. Celine traveled to help me cover for my modeling shoot abroad. You know I told you it means so much to me. So she had to travel in my place. That is why she could not attend our wedding,” I said with a fake smile and met Jace’s gaze. His dark, curious eyes held my blue ones, and he smiled.

“Alright. I know you said your sister normally covers for you, but you should have let her attend our wedding at least,” Jace said, drawing closer in the back seat and kissing my neck.

I gulped and said, “It does not change anything, so long as I am here with you.”

“I know, but a wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime day. You should not have sent Celine away. Maybe she could have traveled after the wedding. You never let me meet your sister, you know,” Jace said again. My jaw dropped as I looked at his handsome face in shock.

I recalled that each time Clara asked me to accompany her to see her boyfriend, I normally refused.

“Yes. You do not have to worry about Celine. She will get to meet you once she is back,” I lied.

“How about her bakery shop? I have not gone there, but you said she has a shop. Wouldn’t her bakery goods get spoiled or experience momentary losses now that she traveled for your modeling?” Jace looked concerned. I felt bad that I had spoken so badly about him before. He was a gentleman despite his wealth. I had thought of him as an arrogant billionaire, and I was angry because my parents had refused to let me marry Martin Enzo, my boyfriend.

“About Celine’s shop, I will go there for her until she is back to take over her business,” I told Jace as the car pulled to a stop at the reception venue, a large white hotel in the city.

“Can you cook?” Jace asked in shock. I smiled.

“I can try,” I lied, knowing Clara hated the kitchen and did not like to cook.

“Alright,” Jace agreed. “We have arrived. Let’s go in.”

I sighed and got out of the car with him as we entered the hotel for the wedding reception.

****

The wedding reception was more crowded than I had expected. Media crews were recording us, and many top celebrities attended, congratulating Jace and me. They obviously thought I was my famous sister, and I had to pretend I was her, wondering how Clara was faring abroad.

How did Clara feel, knowing I was taking her place as the bride?

It was not as if I had snatched Jace. Clara was the one who put me in a tight situation to marry her fiancé.

Jace and I were invited onto the stage by the MC to cut the huge white cake, which had almost eight layers. I smiled, knowing I was the one who had baked this lovely white cake for my sister’s wedding. My best friend, Ava Kingsley, was present as my assistant to help me ice the cake and make it ready for the reception.

“Three, two, one, go!” the MC squealed. Jace held my right hand gently as he sliced the cake into two.

Once we cut the cake, the audience erupted in applause. I wanted to step away from Jace. I was still overwhelmed. At one point, it felt as if I were the one getting married. But I was not the real bride. Clara was.

Jace wrapped his arms around my waist as the DJ changed the music to a love song. The MC invited us back onto the stage to dance while the guests cheered and brought numerous gifts and checks. I was nervous. I had not expected this kind of elaborate wedding.

How could Clara give up her wedding day for work? I shut my eyes, but I felt Jace bring his face closer and whisper in my left ear.

“Open your eyes, Clara.” He looked at me once my eyes snapped open. I had not expected the ceremony to go this way. I was not the media type. I mostly stayed low-key, and now I was a public figure. The lavish wedding made me sick because I knew it was fake. I felt quite emotional, and Jace pulled me into a hug and kissed my forehead tenderly.

Tears welled in my eyes. Jace whispered once more, “What is wrong, babe? Should we go home? If you are tired of the wedding reception, you should let me know.”

“No. I am okay,” I said, smiling at him sadly. I knew this was supposed to be his and Clara’s happy day. I tried not to think of what the future held for us. I did not even know when Clara would be back.

I promised myself not to fall in love with my sister’s fiancé. He was her husband now. I tried to dance and act as if I were Clara. Besides, the wedding was Clara weds Jace, and not Celine weds Jace. But he was so kind that I did not think my sister deserved him. An honest woman did, not me or her.

The wedding ceremony came to an end, and Jace took me back to the car. “We are going on our honeymoon, babe. Happy marriage to us!”

He brought out a champagne bottle from the car’s fridge and popped it open.

'Oh no. I do not drink champagne,' I thought. Well, for my sister’s sake, I had to sacrifice and do what she wanted.