Chapter 1 The Wedding

• Tick Tock Tick Tock.
• The sound of a clock was the only thing heard in a white dressing room.
• Tinsley looked into the mirror motionlessly and a beautiful young lady in an expensive white wedding dress stared back at her.
• The young lady's lips were quivering and tears began to pool in her eyes but not wanting to ruin her wedding make-up, Tinsley picked up a handkerchief and used it to clean the trace gently and quickly.
• A pathetic smile hung on Tinsley's lips and so she reached out her hand but before she could touch the mirror…
• "It's time for the bride to appear, Lillee are you done?" Someone asked which made Tinsley quickly dump the veil on her head and fixed it back.
• The door was suddenly unlocked from outside which made Tinsley raise her head.
• Her mom, Mrs. William's figure appeared to her through the mirror which made Tinsley's eyes reddened more.
• "Tinsley," Mrs. William called. "Remember not to alert Conrad. Just do it for us and your elder sister, please." Mrs. William said, but there was no trace of sadness or remorse on her face which made the pathetic smile on Tinsley's eyes grow wider.
• Yes, it was only about them and Lillee they cared about which was the reason why they forced Tinsley stand as a substitute bride on Conrad and her elder sister, Lillee's wedding.
• "Okay." Tinsley replied in a shaky voice. Her lips were quivering but everything was well-hidden by the veil.
• Mrs. William continued to give out warnings like she had been doing since the very beginning, "Don't talk to anyone except it's extremely compulsory and you're Lillee until Lillee is back from the modeling show." Mrs. William continued to inform.
• Not at all caring to ask about how Tinsley is coping up with being used as a substitute bride but Tinsley was already used and numb to it. Lillee was always the apple of her parents eyes while she was just nobody.
• "As long as you do everything I say, nobody will find you’re not Lillee." Mrs. William explained which made her nod.
• Mr. William suddenly appeared in Tinsley's view. "Did you hear all your mom asked you to, you mustn't mess it up." her father warned coldly which made her nod silently.
• "Please come out, Lillee William."
• Tinsley stood up and walked to Mr. William who immediately held her hand with a fake smile on his face.
• Tinsley's heart fell thinking about how cruel and selfish her family was when it comes to her. Memories of the past pour in like a spring.
• The William family already had a baby daughter, Lillee. And Mrs.William's body could not bear another child, but when another pregnancy came out unplanned, everything was thrown into jeopardy. Mrs. William tried to abort the child but the child turned out stronger, so they have to born the baby. But Mrs.William nearly lost her life giving birth to the child.
• There is no doubt, Tinsley who had always been hated before she was given birth to was hated more when she was given birth to and so her mother had thrown her to a nanny who had been the one to feed her and raise her.
• Except for the intelligence all the William family had, Tinsley had been a useless one with poor look, and poor social conduct. And so she was repeatedly schemed and accused by Lillee which made her reputation fall more in the eyes of her parents and everyone.
• Tinsley can't shake the memories of the past terrifying events from her mind.
• “Tinsley!”
• Tinsley ran as fast as she could upstairs. She can’t let Mrs. William catch her. If so, it will be another terrifying day for her.
• “Tinsley! How dare you disobey me! You must attend the wedding in place of your elder sister. If I catch you, you’re dead.”
• As usual, that was Mrs. William’s famous word. They want Tinley dead but end up they were torturing her day by day. And all she did was to survive.
• Why not kill her in an instant?
• Tinsley rushed towards her room and locked it. She might run from Mrs. William's anger, but that doesn’t mean that she’s safe.
• She only bought time. However, if the door opened or when she stepped out of it, she knew the consequences that awaited her.
• She leaned at the door and slowly pushed her body onto the floor as tears welled up and streamed down from her eyes.
• “Tinsley!”
• Tinsley moved away from the door when Mrs. William kept on banging it.
• “I told you! You can never escape me!”
• Tinsley was aware of that, and at this moment, she knew that Mrs. William had the keys and would be entering her room in a few seconds.
• The sound of the slammed door echoed in her ears, and there she met with Mrs. William’s flaming gaze.
• “You, bitch!” Mrs. Williams grabbed her by the hair and threw a slap on her left cheek. “You never done good in this family, at least do one last good thing for this family before you die?”
• Tinsley groaned in pain when Mrs. Williams punched her stomach. She fell to the ground as her eyes clouded with tears.
• “P-Please…” she begged, but Mrs. Williams didn’t even flinch. She pulled Tinsley by the hair and slapped her once again.
• Tinsley cried louder, whimpering in pain. “I… beg you…” she pleaded. Trying to gain some strength but it seems like her body will give up once again.
• Dizzy, Tinsley tried to grip something to pull herself up but ended up being kicked by Mrs. Williams.
• “Ahh!” she cried in pain when Mrs. William’s pointed heels hit her left leg.
• “Unless you're dead right now, you have to be the substitute bride. You are nothing but an annoying piece of trash!”
• Tinsley was too weak to respond… to beg… she finally gave in with a nod.
• The music and cheers from the auditorium woke Tinsley, who was deep in memory.
• Conrad's cold face was soon replaced with a wide smile when he saw the approaching figure that was being held by Mr. William. Conrad's happiness was vivid to everyone. After all, how wouldn't he? Conrad and Lillee had always been childhood sweethearts who swore to love each other for eternity.
• Unfortunately, Lillee was invited to a modeling show out of the country and so she had pushed all the wedding aside to pursue the dream that would finally make her famous.
• Tinsley and Lillee could easily pass for each other because they have the same body structures which they took from their mother, Mrs William, but that thought wasn't enough to assure Tinsley because Conrad always recognizes the love of his life.
• And that made Tinsley's heart caught in her throat as she made way toward him.
• 'This was all wrong! Everything was all wrong!' she trembled with fear. But she had no choice than to follow her parents' order. You mustn't mess it up.
• 'Do you, Conrad Norton, take Lillee William to be your wedded wife….'
• The wedding vows, everything that was being said continued to flash in her ears and like a machine, Tinsley continued to give answers like a robot.
• "You may now kiss your bride." The pastor said which caused an eruption of claps from the massive crowds.
• Tinsley's mouth immediately turned dry and her heartbeat immediately sped up.
• Didn't mom and Dad say there'll be no kissing of the bride in order to not blow her cover? Tinsley thought in confusion.
• Her heart began to pound as Conrad suddenly held her waist and pulled her closer toward him with a mischievous smirk playing on his face.
• And before her hand could fly toward the veil to cover herself tightly, Conrad suddenly reached for the veil and threw it away.
• At that minute, the church seems to undergo a massive change as everything stops. The noise and claps Immediately fell silent as the bride turns out to be Tinsley not Lillee.
• The church was so silent that one could hear the sound of breathing but that wasn't what scared Tinsley; it was Conrad's smirk that immediately turned back into a cold and furious expression, Conrad looked like he was about to strangle Tinsley to death.
• "Where's Lillee?" Conrad's booming voice resounded in her ears which made Tinsley's mouth dry.
• Tinsley's body began to tremble and she looked towards her parents and casted a helpless gaze at them but no one looked at her side which made a fearful feeling RI wash over her. But wait, why does her parents frown as if they didn't know about this?
• Conrad raised his hand slightly as if he wanted to slap Tinsley's face which made her hurriedly take steps back in fear. But in a few seconds his hand made way to ruffle his hair.
• Conrad wouldn't dare slap her now considering his status as a famous actor and that the wedding show was being played live on all the famous TV stations and social media, "How dare you pretend to be Lillee. Where's Lillee?" Conrad asked her with a contemptuous gaze which made tears pooled into her eyes.
• A burst of fury seems to make way into every of the party attendants and many hands pointed toward Tinsley with disgust.
• Tinsley gulped and stuttered in fear while looking at her parents to say something, "I..."