Chapter 3

• "They will come to ask for Marianne's hand in marriage but the one who will marry their son would be you." My eyes widened in disbelief when I heard those ridiculous words.
• "Don't fall that low." I spoke faintly.
• "Fine then. I'll make Marianne marry him and make her quit her career."
• "Please don't... " Marianne whispered while holding on my shoulder. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she was about to fall.
• "I will not let anyone destroy the life Marianne spent years to build. "I said sternly.
• "Then do as I say. You will marry Ryan Knight." Father announced.
• "For her, I will do it." I said firmly.
• "Don't Rebecca.. Please don't ruin your life for me.. " I turned to Marianne and smiled at her.
• "Marianne, my life is already in ruins but you have a long and successful life ahead of you. Please live your life, I don't want you to end up like me." I said giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Tears rolled down her cheeks as I continued to smile,
• "Rebecca, none of us have to do it. We will run away. You come with me, to California. We will live our lives together and never return here. You also have your life to live. You have skills, you can do it. Please don't sacrifice yourself for me. " she pleaded. I wiped her tears and turned to Papa and spoke with venom laced in my voice.
• "You see that man standing there. He will never let you live your life. He will make a show of the scars you are hiding behind these layers of makeup." I said making her recall the torture of her abusive ex-boyfriend.
• "Watch your mouth."
• "Shut. The. Hell. Up. " I said threateningly. My raised voice is enough to shut everyone in the room.
• "I have lost my will to live long ago." I said.
• "please.. Don't.." she cried.
• "Rebecca is right. Just to throw her away, I will do anything including what she just said." he said with his devoud tone.
• "You are the worst form of a father! Why can't you throw her out of the house rather than binding her life with a stranger!" Marianne shouted.
• "Only if I could. But, that will affect my name that's why, I need to make her leave using this way." He said.
• "You have proven that money has blind you. You have proven that you are the worst form of a father. I hope no child get a father like you." I said and walked out and went to my room with Marianne following me from behind.
• "Please don't do this Rebecca. It will drown me in guilt. " I stopped in my tracks and turned to her.
• "Then don't let it. Look, You have to live your life."
• "And what about you.. Your life..?" She asked. A hollow smile crept upon my lips as I replied, "It ended the day Jane died." and left.
• ***
• "Oh, both of your daughters are beautiful." Said Sarah, Mrs Knight. We are having dinner with our special guests, whose reactions I am looking forward to see when they find out that their bride is the younger daughter, not the elder one. An empty smile formed on my lips when I raised my gaze and looked at Ryan, who was looking at Marianne at the corner of his eyes with so much love and affection. But no matter how much he loves her, Marianne doesn't want to get married. Marianne passed Ryan a smile and tugged a strand of her hairs behind her ears. Only we sisters can feel the awkwardness of the situation.
• "How did you guys meet, Mr Knight?" I asked Ryan. He turned to look at me with his silver eyes. He passed me a smile and replied,
• "Three years ago when she became our model for the launch of our debut in cosmetic field."
• "Ah, Ruby Cosmetics." I said and he nodded.
• "By the way, I have heard a lot about you from Marianne. She told me you are a genius." He complimented.
• "was. " I corrected him which made him raise an eyebrow at me.
• "I left all those behind. I am just a simple woman now." I said taking a bite of my food.
• "She told me that too. Since I have heard a lot about you, I wanted to meet you." He said and I looked at Marianne from the corner of my eyes. She is just eating her food in silence.
• "Well, now you did. But, don't you think you should talk to the person you came for. " I said in my usual cold voice. Oh, you are talking with me. My bad.
• "Yeah.. You are right." He laughed and turned his head to Marianne as I excused myself and left.
• ....What fate has in store for me is truly fascinating...
• ***
• "STOP IT!! PLEASE I BEG YOU!! I WILL LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND! BUT PLEASE DON'T!!" I shouted at Jane who was standing at the edge of the roof.
• "As long as they have you.. No one will be there for me. " Jane said as tears streamed down from both of our faces.
• "I am here for you.. " I said holding my hands out at her while taking a step towards her.
• "You are blind in the fire of success... " she hissed.
• "And you are blind in the fire of envy.. Snap out of this, Jane." I said.
• "It's all your fault..." She said as a final tear rolled down and she jumped out of the roof...
• "JANE!! " I woke up panting heavily. Sweat rolled down from my forehead as I walked out of my room because I can't bear to be alone in that room anymore, it's breaking my every my tranquil, giving me extreme stress. I put my hand over my forehead and wiped the cold sweat form on it. My heart burst out of my chest as I felt so scared. I swallowed hard and wiped the tears that brimmed in my eyes. I shut my eyes and let out deep breaths to calm my tense form.
• These nightmares are frequent as they haunt me in the worst way possible, leaving me with the inability to think nothing and feeling utterly helpless and devastating. These scars are so deep that liberating myself from this is beyond my capabilities as I am lost in these lethal apparitions.
• Distraught with extreme fear and anxiety, I walked in the empty hallways as sunlight greeted me through the window. It's afternoon. I wonder when I fell asleep. Marianne left but I didn't went to my university. I sighed deeply and walked down. I ran my hand in my hair and went to the main hall only to see Ryan looking at mine, Jane and Marianne pictures. Then the truck of realization hit me that what happened just a few days ago was real and I am getting married to the person who wants to marry my sister and loves her. How ironic.
• Upon seeing him, my facades came back as I walked down with my usual cold look,
• "Marianne is not here Mr Knight. She left for California a few days ago."
• He turned to me and smiled.
• "Good Morning. I know she went. Actually, I am here to meet you. " He said. I raised my eyebrow at him and stopped in front of him.
• "By the way, who's she?" He asked referring to Jane.
• "She was my twin sister, Jane Morris."
• "Marianne never talked about her. And what do you mean by 'Was'?"
• "She died."
• "I am sorry for your loss." He said sincerely. I just hummed in response and turned my head away.
• "I guess you just woke up." He said. I looked down and saw that I am still in my pyjamas.
• "I never slept in the first place." I replied. A silence fell upon us but then I asked, "What brings you here Mr Knight? "
• "Actually I want to take Marianne out on a date so I need your advice about her likes and dislikes."
• "Don't you know about that much?" I asked.
• "She never talked about her, she always talked about you."
• "Like? " I asked, intrigued.
• "Your skills, fears, likes and all."
• "Mr Knight don't you think you should spend this time with her and get to know her... not from me but from her. It would be better. " I said bitterly.
• "She even told me you are rude." he smiled.
• "I take that as a compliment. Now, please, If you excuse me, I have other things to do. You are very welcome to came all the way here for me but I am sorry I cannot help you." I said and turned to leave.
• "Your behavior is hurting not only you but the ones around you too. Marianne is very worried about you. She loves you a lot." His words stopped as I moved my head to him and narrowed my eyes .
• "I don't need anyone to tell me that Mr Knight and as for my behavior, you should get used to it since we are getting bound to each forever." I finished my sentence with a smirk.
• "What do you mean?" He asked bewildered.
• "Marriage is an eternal bond for the couple and the other people as well." I explained. He laughed a little and replied, "Your words are clever. You are right, Sister-in-Law." he said. My heart clenched when I heard it. Not because for me but for him, for deceiving him. For doing this cheap trick to him. I felt sad and compassion for him.
• "Don't be too hasty to decide relations Mr Knight." I said and before he could say anything, I left.