I watched in silence as my mother fastened a pearl necklace around my neck. Her hands were steady and practiced, like she'd done this a thousand times before.

"It goes beautifully with the dress." she gushed, clapping her hands in delight. "You look absolutely stunning. I'm so glad we picked this gown."

I stared at my reflection in the vanity mirror, not bothering to hide the annoyance on my face. I hated the dress. It was too frilly, too lacy and far too much for my taste. But of course, Mum thought it was perfect. And now here I was, wearing it on my wedding day.

A wedding I didn't even want.

"I look ridiculous." I muttered.

Mum frowned. "Don't be dramatic. You look beautiful, like a proper bride."

"The gown is suffocating." I groaned, tugging at the neckline. "Just like this whole day."

Mum let out a sigh as her fingers brushed the edge of my veil. "Elena, please don't start now."

I turned to her, my voice coming out shakier than I expected. "How do you expect me not to? I'm about to marry a man I've never met before. You know that's insane, right?"

Her eyes softened, but her voice stayed firm. "It's not insane. It's necessary."

"Necessary for who?" I snapped. "For Dad? For his business?"

"Elena-"

"No Mum, you need to listen. You're letting him do this to me. You're standing by while he hands me off like I'm some pawn piece."

She looked away, her gaze falling to the floor. "You think I have a choice?"

"You're my mother." I said, voice cracking. "You're supposed to protect me."

"I'm trying." she whispered. "In my own way."

"By dressing me up and walking me down the aisle?" I stared at her, stunned. "Maybe if you had tried harder I wouldn't be here. Maybe Eleanor wouldn't have run away in the first place." I paused. "Are you even worried about her at all? What if something bad happens to her?"

Her silence was enough of an answer for me.

A knock at the door broke the moment and a blonde woman peeked in. "It's time. Everyone's waiting outside."

"We'll be out in a minute." Mum replied, her voice tight. She turned back to me, smoothing the veil over my shoulders. "We have to head out.  Are you ready?"

I looked at her, eyes burning. "If I say no will you stop the wedding?"

She didn't respond. Just gave me a tight-lipped smile, handed me a bouquet and opened the door for me to step out.

Feeling defeated, I took in a deep breath and tried blinking away the tears as I lifted my dress and I followed her out. My heart thudded against my ribs as I stepped into the hallway. The air was thick with tension and as I got closer to the wedding hall, every step felt heavier than the last.

The procession music was loud and overwhelming as we made our way to the main hall. I hated everything about this: the dress, the venue, the rushed planning. It was all thrown together in a week, just like the engagement, courtesy of my father and his selfish plans.

Mum walked beside me, her arm linked with mine. She kept her gaze forward, her posture perfect but I could feel the tension in her grip, like she was bracing herself.

At that moment I wished I had my sister's courage. Maybe then I'd have run away too. But instead, I found myself walking through those stained glass doors, dozens of eyes watching me as whispers floated through the air.

My gaze locked in on one person. My soon to be husband.

I couldn't help but be curious. In a few minutes we'd be married and all I knew was his name. I hadn't seen a photo, hadn't even heard his voice either. From what my mum had told me, though I'd barely been listening, he hadn't even been in the town until last night. He flew back the day before just in time for the wedding, like it was some business meeting he needed to attend. 

Nerves hit me hard as I walked closer. I gripped the bouquet tighter and tried to ignore the stares all around me. There wasn't a single familiar face in the crowd. Not even Kaylor, my best friend, who was off to Greece for a trip she couldn't miss. I could've been there with her, sipping martinis and soaking up the sun. Living my best life.

Instead, I was here, at my own wedding.

At the front, I finally saw him clearly. Nathaniel Sinclair. He had pretty green eyes, a sharp jawline, high cheekbones and wavy brown hair. He was really handsome and I didn't hide the fact that I was checking him out. And from the way he looked at me, I guessed he was doing the same. The priest cleared his throat, snapping us out of our silent exchange.

The ceremony dragged on. The priest spoke about love and unity, but it felt hollow. Nathaniel looked bored and I couldn't even blame him. I'd also rather be anywhere else but here if I could.

After we exchanged our vows, the priest declared us husband and wife and asked us to seal it with a kiss. Nathaniel raised an eyebrow and I blushed. He stepped forward, hesitated, then gently kissed my forehead, his lips barely touching my skin.

And just like that, I was married. To a stranger.

Applause and whistles filled the room as we walked down the aisle together. I glanced to the side and saw my dad, arms crossed, watching silently. His face gave nothing away.

My mother sat beside him, her face a mirror of his. I thought back to our conversation in the dressing room. I don't know why, but a part of me had really believed we could have a heart-to-heart. That maybe, just maybe, she would see how scared I was and save me from all this.

But she hadn't.

I quickly brushed away a tear slipping down my cheek, hoping no one noticed. Outside, Nathaniel and I were met with a flood of smiling faces, guests congratulating us and wishing us well in our new marriage. 

I couldn't even fake a smile. And with the buzz in the air and everyone's happy spirits, I doubted anyone noticed just how unhappy the bride looked.

I let out a tired sigh as I sank into the leather seat of the car that was finally taking us home. Well, not my home, Nathaniel's.

The wedding reception had dragged on far longer than necessary. People kept coming up to congratulate us, most of them strangers, offering warm wishes and a happy marriage. If only they knew it was temporary, one year and it would all be over.

Before we left the reception venue I'd spoken to my mum briefly. She told me she was proud of me and that she was glad I hadn't caused a scene. Not that it even crossed my mind to do that, I felt hopeless during the ceremony. And my thoughts were all over the place. I didn't know how I was supposed to be a wife to someone I barely knew. Marriage came with responsibilities I wasn't ready for. And pretending to be okay with that already felt exhausting.

I leaned back further into my seat and closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing. The nerves hadn't left me since morning and I didn't think they'd be going away anytime soon.

"Your name is Ellen, right?"

My eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice beside me. I turned to meet curious green eyes watching me. He hadn't said a word to me all day and now he was asking for my name and getting it wrong.

"Elena." I corrected, giving him a pointed look.

He studied me for a moment, brows furrowed. "You look nothing like your sister."

That caught me off guard. "You know my sister?"

"Of course I do." he said, raising an eyebrow. "I was supposed to marry her, remember? We met once before she disappeared. Guess she wasn't a fan of the whole wedding idea either."

Right. That made two of us. Except she got out of this bizarre plan and I didn't.

The silence that followed was welcomed. My thoughts drifted to Eleanor, where she might be, what she was doing. A part of me was upset. Her escape had turned me into a replacement and had taken a year of my life. Now I was married to someone who wasn't even sure of my name until five seconds ago.

I hated everything about this. The urge to curl up and cry grew stronger with every passing minute.

Eventually, we pulled up to Nathaniel's house, a luxurious estate that made my modest apartment look like a shoe box. As we drove through the iron gates, the setting sun cast a warm glow over the manicured lawn. Everything looked polished and expensive. I could almost picture myself lounging on the grass with a book while I  soaked up the sun. Or pretending I was in Greece with Kaylor, just relaxing and sipping cocktails with her.

A petite lady in a black-and-white uniform hurried down the steps as the driver parked the car in front of the house and killed the engine. As she got closer I realised she was an older woman, maybe in her early forties, with rosy cheeks and red hair that was barely contained by a loose scarf she had wrapped around it. 

"Good evening, sir.  It's good to have you back." she said her tone rushed as her brown eyes flickered to me with mild curiosity.

"It's good to be back, Velma." Nathaniel replied. "This is Ellen. She'll be staying here now, so please take her bags and show her to her room."

"Elena." I corrected again, offering her a small smile which only earned me a curt nod as she moved to retrieve my bags. I followed them into the house, trying not to gape at the glossy banisters, towering pillars and the grand chandelier that lit the foyer. There was also a sweeping staircase curved upward, leading to the floors upstairs.

I kept quiet as I absorbed my new surroundings. I wasn't great at adjusting to unfamiliar places, especially with unfamiliar people.

Velma led me upstairs to the last room at the end of a long hallway. I blinked in surprise at how pretty it was; creamy wallpaper, a king-sized bed, pendant lights in each corner and large windows framed by elegant curtains. I noticed a dresser beside a wide vanity mirror that stood against one wall. Upon closer inspection I realised it was empty. For me that was a relief, because it meant this wasn't Nathaniel's room and I could have it all to myself.

"The bathroom is over there, ma'am." Velma said, gesturing to a door near the vanity. "You can take a shower and come down for dinner when you're ready. Or I can bring it up to you."

I studied her carefully. She wasn't unfriendly, but her tone felt rushed, like she had somewhere else to be. Or maybe she was just nervous and I certainly didn't want to be a bother on my first day here.

"I think I'll skip dinner tonight,  I'm pretty full already," I said honestly. Despite the nerves, I'd made sure to eat well at the wedding reception. It was my wedding day, after all.

"Are you sure, ma'am? I can prepare anything you like."

I smiled and shook my head, reaching down to remove my heels. "I'm sure. I'll just shower and call it a night. It's been a really  long day."

Velma hesitated, then gave me a tight smile and without a single word left the room.

I let out a heavy sigh as I eyed the large, inviting bed in the middle of the room. Guess it was time to curl into a ball and have a good cry session. But first, I needed to get out of this wedding dress.

I stepped into the bathroom and flicked on the light. The tiles were cool beneath my feet as I stood in front of the mirror and looked at my reflection. Tired eyes, smudged makeup and a wedding gown that looked droopy from the long day. 

I reached behind me to undo the buttons, fingers fumbling with the lacy fabric. As the dress slipped off my shoulders and pooled around my feet, I felt the first tear slide down my cheek.

I didn't bother wiping it away.

The next morning, I woke up with a snot stain on my pillowcase and a pounding headache. I won't lie, I'd slept soundly through the night and I wasn't sure if it was because I was completely drained from the day before or because the new bed I found myself in was just that comfortable. 

Whatever the reason was, I was grateful for the well- deserved sleep. My heart felt a little lighter and even though I was still unhappy about my current marital situation, at least I could face it with a less tired look on my face.

Before I could stretch my limbs and give my body the wake-up it needed, a sharp knock echoed from the other side of the door.

"Come in." I called out, voice still groggy from sleep.

Velma poked her head through the doorway, offering me a polite smile. "Good morning, ma'am. I hope I didn't wake you up?"

I shook my head quickly, sitting up straighter. "No, no, you didn't." My eyes darted to the pillow, heat rushing to my cheeks at the thought of her spotting the stain from where she stood.

"I just wanted to let you know that I've laid out breakfast in the dining room. Mr. Sinclair usually eats around eight o'clock whenever he's home." she  paused. "But if you're not hungry now, I could bring yours up to you later. Or perhaps you'd prefer to have it in the garden?"

"I think I'll just eat downstairs with Mr. Sinclair." I replied, trying to get the sleepiness out of my voice.  I didn't want to seem like a bother to her especially since this was my first morning here, I wanted to give her a good impression. 

Besides, I was pretty hungry. And even though I'd rather have eaten alone, I didn't want to seem rude to my host, who I assumed was waiting for me downstairs.

Or so I thought.

"Uh, Mr. Sinclair isn't around at the moment." Velma said. "He left with the driver right after I brought you to your room last night."

Oh. "I see." I said, trying to hide the bit of confusion in my voice. "Well, in that case, I'd really appreciate a setup in the garden. But let me take a shower first then I'll be right outside."

~~~~

"I'm surprised you actually went through with it." Kaylor's voice rang through the other side of the phone. "Part of me thought your parents were joking."

"Well, with the way they threatened me with financial doom, this was far from a joke." I sighed, popping a strawberry into my mouth and chewing slowly. "Trust me, Kaylor, if there was any way I could've gotten out of this ridiculous plan, I would've taken it."

"You should have run away like your sister did." she chuckled and I rolled my eyes even though she couldn't see me. "Then your parents would probably find some distant cousin of yours and marry her off to the guy."

"Ha, ha. Very funny." I was genuinely relieved to be talking to my best friend. Especially after everything that had happened in the past 24 hours; the wedding ceremony, coming to my new home, then later finding out Nathaniel hadn't even bothered to spend the night. 

There was definitely a lot for me to process. And having Kaylor to vent to was exactly what I needed. 

"And the wedding itself? What was it like? Or was it more of some rushed courthouse thing?"

I took another strawberry from my bowl. "Definitely not a courthouse thing, it was a full ceremony. Nice venue, flowers everywhere, the reception even had a string quartet."

Kaylor giggled. "How fancy."

"Yeah." For something that had been thrown together in like a week, it was pretty amazing.  Maybe if it was someone else's wedding I attended I would have liked it even more. "The music was great and the food was pretty decent." I paused. "I'll admit I enjoyed myself a tiny bit. At least more than Nathaniel did."

"He hated it, huh?"

"It didn't seem like he enjoyed himself at all." I shrugged. "He looked bored the entire time. And he kept excusing himself like every five minutes, he was all over the place. Can't blame him though, my nerves were just as bad."

"But wait," Kaylor paused me, her voice laced with curiosity. "Is he cute? Or is he just your typical rich white guy with no personality?"

"He's hot." I said without hesitation, making her squeal. "Tall, tanned, nice features. I think he's mixed with something, maybe Hispanic?" Sinclair didn't sound like a Hispanic name, but who knows.

"Ugh, I've been manifesting this for you since high school." she said dramatically. "I love you, but your taste in men is trash. Remember Joe Fisher?"

Ah, Joe. Eleventh grade. How could I forget? Especially since he crashed the car I got for my sixteenth birthday. The jerk had the nerve to blame me too, said I distracted him while he was driving. Mind you, he was the one that refused to stop at a red light. Long story short, my parents called his parents, they paid for the repairs and my pretty Audi was taken away for some time as punishment.

 Lesson learned.

"Speaking of trashy men." Kaylor continued, "Remember that sexy hunk I met at the resort the first night I arrived? Well turns out... he has a wife."

"What?!"

"And a daughter. too She's probably around five."

"Oh my goodness, that's insane!" I said, eyes widening. "Imagine if you'd actually taken him up on his offer that night  and hooked up with him."

"Ugh, trust me Elena, I almost did." she groaned. "But I was so tired that night and the wine at the bar had made me really drowsy. I'm pretty sure I would've fallen asleep before we even made it to his room."

"Look, for now, just enjoy the rest of your vacation." I advised. "And maybe steer clear of the older white guys. They sound like bad news."

"That reminds me." she said with a mischievous tone. "I've got my eyes on another guy at the moment. Tall with a French accent. I've never been into bald men, but I might make an exception for him."

I burst out laughing at her words. "You're crazy."