1— The Start

Cora's POV

“She ran away!”

“What do you mean?” The world paused around me as I gazed at my mum. “What do you mean she ran off? I don't understand?” Confusion laced my voice as I tried to comprehend it.

My sister? Ran away? For what reason?

“I just said it! She fucking ran away!” Mum screamed and before I knew it, she was pacing around. “Goodness, what do I do? Oh my god, I'm so done for,” she kept mumbling around and slowly, my fist tightened.

She was worried. But not for my sister. Mum didn't care enough about people to worry for her. She had done something.

“What did you do to her? Why did she run away?” I screamed hard as I turned to her. “What the hell did you do?”

“There's a problem…” Mum mumbled before she settled down, worry etched on her face.

“What did you do to her? What did you do?” I screamed as I leaned into her, “it was just for two days. You were just supposed to take care of her for two days before I get back from my trip. What did you plan for her, huh?”

“Marriage!” Mum suddenly screamed, taking me aback.

“Marriage?” My eyes popped out in shock, “what kind of marriage? Did her boyfriend propose to her?”

“Hell no! It was with those people,” mum stood and paced around, “I got a deal. For 500,000 dollars, Cora. If she got married to the man, I'd be getting that.”

And at that moment, I understood everything. Mum gave me sister out. She planned a marriage for her and she managed to escape. Oh my god. I've never been happier. Thank you Ari, for going into hiding for now.

“And why the hell would you do that? You were trying to give your daughter out? For money, I thought you cherished her! What kind of a mother are you?”

“Don't say that to me!” Mum screamed hard and stood. “I already took the contract. Got part of the money and I've begun spending it already.”

“Spending? What the hell did you buy?”

“The materials needed for the shop!” She screamed and the room went dead with silence.

The shop. Dad's shop. After everything crumbled in fire that day, my father went into depression and later gave into death. And mum has become hostile since then, trying whatever it took to bring the shop back to life.

“You didn't need to! I already said I was working on it!”

“Your goddamn job can't even feed two people, Cora!”

“Don't talk down on my job! I'm working so hard to land a huge contract! And besides, it's what makes me happy! It's what brought me back to life…”

“And getting this shop to its feet is capable of bringing me back to life too!”

Oh using the cards. I chuckled and shook my head, “Not at the expense of my sister.”

At that, mum suddenly became aware of the situation and began pacing around. “How could she run away? Goddamn it. I wasn't supposed to tell her.”

“And? Now that you spent part of the money, what are you going to do, huh?”

And the room fell into another silence before mum looked up, her worry etched face suddenly going bright. “You'll help me out, Cora.”

“Ex… cuse me?” My brows furrowed in confusion as my mum's insane smile spread wide on her face. With that toothy smile, I was sure the idea was insane.

“You will replace your sister.”

And the world stopped. I stopped breathing as it sank into me. Replace Ari. That means… get married… in place of her. Get married. Again.

“Are… that's insane!” I shook my head and took a step back, “How'd… what kind of idea is that?”

“A nice one, Cora!” Mum screamed and grabbed the papers, “this is the agreement of the contract. I've signed it. All you have to do is go in place of Ariana.”

“I am not Ari!” I screamed loud enough for it to get into her head.

“They didn't know who I was giving out! All they want is a wife tomorrow!”

“Tomorrow?” My eyes almost popped out.

“Yes. Tomorrow.”

“You were planning on giving Ari out without telling me? What if I didn't come back today?”

“That's not the issue right now,” Mum smiled and moved towards me, “We don't get along but you'll have to do this for me, Cora.”

“Really?” I shook my head, “what kind of a mother are you, huh? You know what happened the last time…” I sniffed and fought back the memories, “And you still want me to get married? Who does that?” The last question came out in a scream which took the both of us aback, well mum, only for a second.

“It will favour you, Cora.”

“How? How? I'm just going to be traumatised more? How the hell would it favour me?”

“Your contract. The one you've always craved. You'll get it with them.”

“That's not enough for me to go into marriage all over again.”

“Just for months. Please, Cora.”

“I'm not doing it.” I stated.

And I turned but barely taking a step, the sob broke into my ears. Mum was crying.

“All I'm trying to do is rebuild your father's empire. That's all I'm trying to do. He struggled on it. I finally got a chance. You only have to marry him for paparazzi sake. You won't be sharing the same room.”

“Don't try to manipulate me.”

“I'm not,” mum sniffed and I knew she wasn't. Manipulation wasn't her style. Force was. And her breakdown was real. She was doing it for my father.

“And besides I've already spent part of the money. They're rich, Cora. They will put me in prison. Would you watch that happen to me?”

“I don't care what happens to you,” I returned even though it was a lie. We didn't get along but I still hoped one day we would.

“Then I bet I'd just go to prison then. At least I'd know I tried to rebuild your father's heritage.”

And there, I remained on the spot thinking of it. Even though we weren't cool, I wouldn't want to see her in jail. She was doing this for my father.

Maybe I could go in for Ari.

But the past…

I am strong and matured now. I could face whatever man it was. No one was breaking me again.

Maybe I'd get some advantage. A big contract for videography. It'd make me happy. I could try it.

“Okay,” I exhaled and maintained a gaze with my mum, “I am in.”