PEOPLE always say that time and tide wait for no one. As much as Cyrel wanted to lock herself in her room to sulk and cry her heart out, she could not. She could not just ask her family and her beloved sister, Casey, to postpone the wedding because her heart was in pieces, could she?

Casey had already found the perfect man for her. And in a few hours, she would be walking down the aisle with him.

Cyrel took a deep breath as her chest tightened. The silk dress was already a little tight for her curvy body. She sat in front of the mirror, inside the cold hotel room, supposedly doing her makeup. But instead, she kept reading Raymond’s text over and over again.

I’m sorry, Cy. I am not happy with this relationship anymore. If I don’t walk away now, it will only hurt us more. I didn’t mean to fall for Julienne. But she was always there for me. She brought life back to me. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.

He broke up with her through the phone! The asshole she dated for five years dumped her through text a few days ago. Raymond said he found someone new. Someone adventurous, exciting, and outgoing—someone she was not. She already imagined his new girl to be tall, long-legged, and fit—someone she was not, again.

Cyrel was stuck inside the same old office every day where she worked as an accountant. A part of her could not blame Raymond for leaving her for someone else, though. She had spent more time in front of her computer than with him.

And she kept reading his text not because she was a masochist and she wanted to hurt herself. Crazy as it may seem, Cyrel was hoping Raymond would contact her again, tell her he regretted his decision, and ask her to start all over again.

Heaven knows how much she tried to beg him not to leave her and give their love another chance. But he would not take her call, and he refused to meet her.

She was trying so hard to be the perfect daughter so that her parents would be proud of her, forgetting her responsibilities as a girlfriend in the process. Only to realize that after all these years of trying, her efforts were bound to be put to waste.

Her parents still could not appreciate her. They always had their eyes on Casey. Casey was sickly as a young girl, so she needed more attention. Casey wanted to do this; Casey would be happy to do that. Casey got what she wanted without doing that much.

All Cyrel wanted was to pursue a career in singing. And when she told her parents that she wanted to pursue music as a course in college, they rejected the idea without having a second thought.

She was the older daughter; she must help with the family business. No one cared about what she wanted. No one asked if she was all right.

She was jealous of her sister. Although they had a good relationship, it only hurt her to see that she could not live as freely as Casey. Everyone just could not help but fall in love with her sister.

And now, Casey was getting married. And it would be a wedding that every woman was jealous of.

“That could have been Raymond and me,” she muttered under her breath. After being together for half a decade, the only thing she was expecting was a marriage proposal from him. Not this stupid break-up via text.

Cyrel quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped her eyes.

She hummed her favorite tune as she squeezed the liquid foundation on the side of her knuckle. She began to pat a generous amount on her freckled face.

Cyrel admitted to neglecting herself for a time now. She gained some weight, and she lost her confidence because of that.

“I am beautiful no matter what they say… Words can’t bring me down…” she sang.

Cyrel cleared her throat as her tears began to well up around her green eyes.

You only got yourself now, Cyrel. You have to be strong…

“CYREL!”

Cyrel jumped at the booming voice of her father outside the hotel room. It was followed by a loud banging on the door.

“Cyrel, open the door!”

The wooden chair squeaked as she hastily stood up. This was supposed to be a merry celebration for the family, but Christian Byrne’s tone insinuated something else.

“D-Dad, what’s the matter?” Cyrel asked as her parents stormed into the room.

Her father wore an elegant tuxedo while her mother, Rosell Byrne, wore a glittering white dress. Christian looked furious while Rosell was about to cry.

Her heart pounded as she thought of Casey. What could have happened?

“What do you know about this?” Christian waved a letter in her face.

She instantly recognized Casey’s handwriting. Cyrel took the letter and read it carefully.

Dear Mom, Dad, and Cyrel, I could not think of a better way to tell you goodbye and that I never wanted this wedding. I don’t want to sound ungrateful to all of you, but it’s the truth. It’s the only chance I got, and I’m afraid I would regret it if I let it pass.

Cyrel’s hand trembled as she continued reading.

I just wanted to know what I wanted with my life before I settled down. I’m going backpacking in Europe, hoping I will find myself and realize what it is that I truly desire. I hope you understand. I love you. Please don’t worry about me. I’m not as weak as you think I am.

Cyrel, I’m sorry if I failed you as your sister.

Love, Casey

She stared at the piece of paper, dumbfounded.

“Where did you get this letter?”

“What? You don’t know anything about it?” Christian roared.

Her father was a bulky man and intimidating at all times.

She shook her head.

“I haven’t talked to her since yesterday. I never got the chance.” Because I was still crying my heart out. But, yeah, as if you’d be interested to know.

But that was not the case at the moment. The fact still remained that Casey jilted her groom, and it will be the talk of the town.

“I went to check her in her room, and I found the letter on the bed.” Rosell sobbed. “W-what are we going to do now? We’re canceling the wedding at the very last minute!” She turned her back, and she went on crying.

Cyrel swallowed the lump that formed in her throat.

“We can’t do anything about it, can we?” she said.

“Of course, we can,” Christian snapped. “A wedding will still take place. And you, Cyrel, will walk down the aisle in your sister’s place.”

Cyrel’s eyes widened.

“Dad!” She glanced at her mom, searching for backup. But Rosell was not looking as the matriarch’s tears poured. Her heart broke once again. “You got to be kidding me! This is not fair! How can I marry a man I never met? I’ve got nothing to do with this!”

“I wish I was, Cyrel, but it’s the only choice we got. We’re losing our company. You are losing your job. I have a huge debt to pay. Unless you want to see our family on the streets begging for food… Look, I could never afford to ruin my friendship with Rustom. You have to marry his son. You have always wanted to pursue a career in music, haven’t you? If you agree to be his wife, it’s now possible. Now’s your chance to do it.”

Cyrel wanted to convince herself that this was not happening, that she was only dreaming.

Christian smirked as he cupped her cheek with his cold, rough hands. Cyrel flinched.

“Now is your chance to save our family from impending humiliation. I know you’ve always wanted to make us proud, Cyrel. Now is your chance to prove it. Make your father proud, hmm?”

Cyrel clenched her fists at her sides. Her father knew all along, and he purposedly ignored her efforts. What kind of a man was her father?

A monster…

What happened to the man she used to adore as a kid?

“Rosell, you’re going to stay with Cyrel until she puts on Casey’s wedding dress. Make sure that things would turn out well.”

“Y-yes, Christian.”

“M-Mom…” A tear fell from her eye.

“It will be all right, darling.”

“I can’t marry someone I don’t know.”

“Unfortunately, it’s not for you to decide,” Christian snapped. He then walked out of the room, the door closing with a loud thud behind him.

Rosell squeezed Cyrel’s hand.

“I know it’s hard for you, darling. It’s hard for me, too. But your father is on edge. We could not think of a better way to save our family. This would not have happened if Casey did not leave just like that. I don’t know what has gotten into her mind…”

Cyrel pulled away and sat on the bed, feeling weak.

“I-I’ll just… I’ll just call the hair and makeup artist,” her mother said awkwardly.