Five

E V E L Y N

I took a deep breath as the car came to a stop. I straightened out my dress, wiped off the remains of tears from my eyes and stepped out of the car. I looked around and realized that I was outside Nona's mansion.

I took a deep breath, brushed my hair back nervously and approached the entrance to the mansion. The door opened before I could even press the doorbell. "Please come in, Miss Jones," said the butler in a courteous tone.

I walked past him and found myself in Nona's luxurious living room. It was adorned with priceless antiques and exquisite artwork.

Nona sat at her desk, pouring over a pile of papers. She looked up when she saw me enter. "Ah, Evelyn, just who I wanted to see," she said warmly.

"Hello, Nona," I greet, trying to keep my voice even.

"I hope you're feeling okay," said Nona. "The wedding is tomorrow, and I want to make sure everything is perfectly planned."

I forced a smile. "Yes, everything is perfectly planned," she said, feeling numb inside.

Nona stared at me keenly. "Is everything alright, Evelyn? You seem..." she trailed off.

"I'm fine," I said, cutting off Nona's concern before it could go any further. "Is there anything else you wanted to discuss?"

Nona hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Actually, there is one more thing. It's about your future with Lucas."

I held her breath, waiting for Nona to continue. "I want to make sure that you and Lucas are happy together. I know it's not ideal that he was originally supposed to marry your sister, but I believe that you two are meant to be together."

I looked at Nona with confusion written all over her face. How could Nona say that when she knew that Lucas had never reciprocated her feelings?

"But it takes two to make a marriage work," Nona continued. "And I trust that you will do everything in your power to make it work."

I looked away from Nona's gaze, unable to respond. I knew that this was going to be a difficult journey, and I wasn't sure if I was up for it.

"Is there anything else you needed me for, Nona?" I asked, trying to end the conversation.

Nona shook her head. "No, that's all for now. You can go back to preparing for the wedding. I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded and turned to leave. As I walked towards the door, I couldn't help but feel that there was something Nona wasn't telling her. But for now, I had to focus on the wedding, I have bigger fish to fry.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the mansion, still reeling from my discussion with Nona about replacing my sister on the altar tomorrow. It wasn't something I had ever dreamed of, and yet it seemed like fate had other plans for me.

As I stepped out of the mansion, my eyes were blurry with unshed tears. I had just left Nona's office where we had discussed my role in the wedding, which was no longer that of a bridesmaid but as the one who will stand in for my sister on the altar.

I had barely taken two steps when I felt somebody bump into me. For a moment, I was suspended in the air, almost falling. Suddenly, I found myself in a pair of strong arms that held me securely. "Are you alright?" I heard a voice say, and I was startled to see that it was Lucas. He had caught me.

He looked at me with a stern, almost arrogant expression, and yet, there was a softness in his eyes that made me tingle inside. We stayed like that for a moment, our bodies pressed against each, other and then I heard him ask, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

I shook my head, fighting back tears. "Nothing is wrong," I lied. "I just have something in my eye."

But Lucas wasn't fooled. He reached out and gently brushed away the tears from my cheeks. That's when I lost it, and a lone tear slipped out of my eye as I thought of how I was being forced to replace my sister. It was painful beyond words, and I didn't know how I was going to get through it.

Lucas saw the tear and pulled me closer. "It's okay," he whispered. "I'm here for you."

For a fleeting moment, I wanted to believe that he meant it, that he was there for me, but then I remembered the way he had always looked at my sister. It was a look of love and adoration. He had never looked at me that way.

I pulled away, suddenly scared of being entangled with Lucas. I didn't want to be the one who came between him and my sister. "Thank you for catching me," I said, my voice trembling. "I have to go." And with that, I turned and left, leaving Lucas standing there, his expression a mix of concern and confusion.

I left the Moore's mansion feeling more lost than ever. The weight of what I had agreed to do for Nona's sake was pressing down on me, making it difficult to breathe. I had just made a commitment to marry Lucas, regardless of his feelings towards me and the fact that he was originally meant to marry my sister. The thought of it was suffocating.

As the car drove me to my apartment, my thoughts were in a whirlwind. I couldn't picture myself like this for the rest of my life - trapped in a marriage that was nothing more than a farce. I needed to do something, anything, to take control of my life.

But as soon as I entered my apartment, my hope for any form of control shattered. I found my mother packing up my things with a group of maids. "What is going on here?" I exclaimed as I dropped my bags to the floor.

My mother looked up at me, a cold expression on her face. "Evelyn, we need to talk," she said, looking as if she was on the brink of anger.

"What is there to talk about?" I asked, my voice rising with each word. "You're packing up my things as if I don't live here. I am not a child, mother. I have a life, dreams, and aspirations. Why are you doing this?"

My mother's expression darkened. "The wedding is tomorrow

"I know that!" I shouted, feeling the weight of my decisions crushing me. "So what, mother? What options do I have?"

My mother's face softened a little. "You have the option." her expression suddenly screwing up, "But you know better"

With that, she left, leaving me standing in my apartment, tears streaming down my face once again. It felt like the world was closing in on me, and that I was alone in a world where I was constantly being pulled in different directions. I couldn't help but wonder if I would ever be able to take control of my life and make my own decisions.

I tried to call my sister's number one last time before her wedding day, hoping that she would finally pick up and talk to me. But once again, the call went straight to voicemail.

Alice and I had always been distant siblings. She always had the spotlight as we grew up, and that's how Alice's charm captured the heart of the man I had secretly loved for as long as I could remember - Lucas.

Even then, I had never wished for her downfall. I had always hoped that Alice would be happy, even if it meant that I would have to give up my feelings for Lucas. But now, as I was forced to watch Lucas and Alice start a new life together, all I could think about was how much I wanted my sister to come back and take her rightful place in my heart.

For the rest of the night, I sat alone in my apartment, dwelling in my misery. I replayed the day's events in my head, going through every conversation, every decision, and every thought that had tormented me. I knew that I had a long journey ahead of me, but I felt ready to take the first step towards taking back control of my life.