Chapter 1: Impostor

“Are you ready, miss?” The voice of a man who looks like in his late thirties made Lianna Callis Smith regain her senses.

Lianna takes a deep breath before she gives one last look of her appearance on the grand mirror just beside her vanity. No words could explain the sheer appreciation on herself as she views the entirety of her glamoured figure.

For the first time in years, she finally saw herself once again. Now, wearing a gorgeous white gown that features a classic silhouette, yet still embodies a lavish detailing that stretches until its edges. As her assistant fixes her veil, she feels her eyes starting to water from her bursting emotions. With the off-shoulder design of the white dress and her long, wavy hair flowing naturally on her back, her outfit becomes complete.

“You truly look like a princess straight from a fairytale miss! And just a few minutes, you’ll get to meet your prince! Ahhh!” Lianna couldn’t help but smile upon hearing her wedding assistant, Lorie, shriek in excitement at the thought.

“Princess? That’s an understatement, Lorie.” Another assistant of hers, Kate, appears behind them. “ The madam is a goddess in personification. The dress is perfect for her!”

Lianna smiles shyly as the two assistants giggle in front of the mirror. “You really think so?”

“Think so? Trust us, madam. WE KNOW SO!”

“Uh huh! You’re like the prettiest woman I ever saw, madam. And that’s no exaggeration.” 

“No need for drastic compliments.  You’re still gonna get paid even if you don't shower me with compliments.” Lianna chuckles and shakes her head. Both Lorie and Kate immediately rattles in place in disagreement.

“No!”

“That’s definitely not true, madam! “

“We’re being completely honest with you. Believe us!”

“Okay okay chill. I’m just messing with you.”

Lorie and Kate sigh in relief hearing Lianna’s answer.

“Kidding aside, madam. You truly look ethereal.” Kate carefully places her hand as she looks at Lianna’s reflection in the mirror. “Like Lorie said, it’s like a fairytale princess has been personified in front of us.”

“And just like a princess of a fairytale, I hope you live happily ever after.”  Kate and Lorie assure Lianna politely, giving her a sweet smile.

The words they sincerely uttered truly reached Lianna, tugging her heartstrings.

Believe me. I hope that too.

“But of course, I’m not joking when I said you’re a goddess.” Laughter echoes on the marble walls of the room upon Kate’s statement.

“Ahh! I can’t wait for the wedding to happen!”

“Me too. Knowing how handsome the madam’s groom is. Goodness, my heart will burst just imagining how picturesque the couple will be later at the venue!”

“Well, if there’s a beautiful princess in our midst, there’s also a handsome prince!” Shrieks fills the atmosphere as the two ladies’ imagination coincided with each other.

Unbeknownst to their pleasure, the bride’s smile reflected on the grand mirror slightly fades.

A prince, huh…

That'd be nice, if that were the case…

Fortunately, no one noticed the sudden change of expression on Lianna’s face due to the veil covering her. Before she gets fully drowned in her thoughts and emotions, she decides to head out to the lobby of the hotel. As she got on the luxurious, white limousine, she takes another deep breath.

This is it. The big day. The day where her dreams will come true. 

The day she attains freedom she has always longed for.

“Hopefully…this time, it's for real…”

***

At the Crimson Crescent Hotel, numerous big names of high society were gathered. After all, it was the union between two prestigious families. The Kilmers and the Smiths. Two powerful families dominating the construction industry.

However, this wedding wasn't focused by the crowd with good intentions in mind. Afterall, this wedding consisted of Lianna Smith, the illegitimate daughter of Mr. Damascene Smith. 

Surrounded by packs of high elites who entered the event hall one by one, Rupert Kilmer feels restless as he stands on the sides before his entry. He keeps on adjusting his collar and tie, even up to his sleeves. If it weren't for the air conditioning, he'll be sweating buckets to how nervous he's become upon seeing his guests arrive.

“Everything needs to be perfect" Rupert keeps reminding himself. 

As the second son of the Kilmer family, born from the patriarch's second wife, Rupert has a lot to prove and is constantly on the edge. If it weren't for his mother's effort, no one might have come.

"There's still time to back off, dear" he turns, feeling a tap on his shoulder. It was his mother, Natalia Kilmer. 

Although, wearing a shining black long gown and looking beautiful, the expression on her face was the absolute contrast. Instead of a smile, befitting of a mother that is happy with her child's wedding, Natalia's brows were narrowed and showed utter disappointment.

“Tsk. All this grandiose just for that lowly girl.”

“Mom, enough”

“No, son. This is utterly wrong and shameful. To top it off, A TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY AND EFFORT.”

“Here we go again.” Rupert releases a frustrating sigh, realizing the start of another banter with his mother.

“I don’t really get why you’re so keen on someone like her! Even to the point of marriage? Just what kind of drug did she make you consume, huh?”

“None. There’s no drug or anything. As I said before, I LOVE LIANNA.” Rupert frustratingly clarifies.

“Love? Hah! That joke is no longer funny son, now that we’re just minutes away from a total disaster.” Natalia scoffs as she fakes a smile when a guest passes them before entering the hall. Gone are the sweet smiles she was showing as she turns to her stubborn son. 

“My wedding is NOT a disaster, mom. It’s a dream come true.”

“Dreams are for sleeping. This is reality.”

“In that case, it will be a reality just a few minutes from now.”

“That girl is way out of our league! She has no breeding or anything of all sorts! I told you countless times already. A man of your stature needs to be paired by someone of equal caliber. Not someone in rags and in rock bottom. “

Sensing another lengthy conversation ensuing, Rupert chooses to ignore his mother and greets the guest to divert his attention. However, his silence was cut short when Natalia continues her rant. “It would’ve been better if the bride was Ms. Joseph.”

"Mom. We went through this already. Eridessa is JUST A FRIEND  and to clear things off for the nth time, I'm marrying Lianna whether you like it or not." Rupert reminds his mother again before greeting another guest.

"And I told you that an illegitimate girl is no good for you! Her existence alone is a dirt in your path. A total eyesore. Even her father abandoned that bitch-”

“Mom, watch it!”

‘WATCH YOUR TONGUE TOO, YOUNG MAN!”

“You still haven't solidified your position in the family, and you're just gonna blow it up by choosing that filthy girl? Have you lost your mind?!" Natalia yells in a whisper after pulling Rupert who was attempting to flee, back on her side to focus on their talk.

"Mom. Are you also forgetting my status in that house?" The subtle clarification of Rupert makes Natalia speechless.

“Your situation and hers are different!”

“How is it different, huh?”

With the glare that Rupert is giving, Natalia feels the need to shut her mouth. As much as she wanted to prove her point, the amount of guests entering the hall increased, thus choosing to surrender and walking away in frustration to prevent further issues.

From the start of their relationship, Natalia has already made it clear that she doesn't like Lianna, especially when she learned about her status and situation.

In Natalia’s book, Lianna is a disgrace.

But Rupert thought otherwise. He loves Lianna. The only one who understood him deeply. The one who gave him comfort and peace in his dark days. Which is why despite the opposition from both his mother and his enraged father, he persisted to the wedding. Well, Damascene Smith was also finding ways to get rid of the child, and Rupert became his solution.

“No matter what you say, Mom. I’ll marry Lianna today and that’s final.” 

After a few minutes of pondering, the ceremony starts and he marches on the aisle with elegance and poise. Despite the differing expressions from the guest, he still held his head high. He has to make a good impression on them.

Now, the little flower bearers and ring bearers graces the aisle, making the tension on the hall much brighter, which makes the nervous Rupert sigh in relief. Next to them are the bridesmaids and groomsmen whom he doesn’t recognize as they were filled in by his mother's initiative.

There was only one person left to enter. Rupert gulps and watches in anticipation as the black, metallic doors slowly sprang open, revealing a woman clad in white. As if on cue, flashes of cameras dominate the hall as the woman leisurely takes her steps on the aisle, gradually nearing him.

He already expected it but Rupert felt a slight pity, seeing his bride walking alone on the red tapestry. 

“Looks like Mr. Smith didn’t even bother to walk with her on this special day, even for the last time.”

His thoughts could no longer continue when she fully reached him. There, he takes her hand and guides her to the altar with him.

“You look beautiful, my love” Rupert couldn’t help but stare at her with admiration amidst the thick veil covering her facial features. 

How could he, when the woman draping her arm on his was looking like a literal princess. She truly was breathtaking, and it's taking his all not to rip the veil off her face just to see her.

The bride remained mum, only replying with a slight chuckle while tugging him on the arm. Minutes later, the ceremony starts.

“Rupert Zachary Kilmer. Do you take Lianna Callis Smith as your lawful wife? To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse. For richer or poorer. In sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

“I do, father” Rupert replied with a bright smile, as he tightens his hold on Lianna’s hand.

“And you, Lianna Callis Smith. Do you take Rupert Zachary Kilmer as your lawful husband? To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse. For richer or poorer. In sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

“Yes father, I do”

Despite his joy, Rupert’s ears wanders on the sides upon hearing his mother express a rather disappointing sigh. 

“Now then, from this day forth, I now pronounce you, husband and wife!”

It was the sentence Rupert was patiently waiting for after the lengthy ceremony. 

“Finally, you’re now my wife.” Rupert whispers in her ear as he positions himself in front of her. Slowly pulling the veil upwards, Rupert longed to see the face he was eager to see since earlier. 

The face of the woman he loves.

But the face that greeted him as the veil completely unraveled wasn't the one he was expecting.

"Eridessa?"

“What…what are you - wait…”

“Where's Lia?”

*****