The Fake Bride

ANNAMy eyes sprung open, only then did I realize it was a dream. Although the chances of this dream coming to pass are high. I yawned as I rolled over to the edge of the bed and I picked up my phone, I had gotten a message that gave me clarity that my nightmare would soon come to pass. The message was from the loan sharks my mother had borrowed money from, a threatening message at that, the content of the message contained things they would do to me if I didn't meet the deadline. I dropped my phone, cupped my face in my hands and I let out a loud sigh. What did I ever do to be birthed to someone like my mother? I have always felt out of place and unlucky ever since I was born. My father worked as a security guard, he lived his life as best as he could, although he had his faults. He sometimes came home drunk or ran into debts sometimes, only later did I realise it was to keep up with the mounting bills. He died in a motorbike hit-and-run accident, an autopsy proved he was drunk

ANNATears welled up in my eyes immediately, my hands shook uncontrollably from fear. I put my phone in my bag, wiped my face and hastened my steps towards the bus stop. I had just two weeks to come up with fifty thousand dollars, I felt devastated. I opened the door to my house with full alertness in case I was being traced to where I lived, I locked the door behind me immediately after I entered. I took a sit, unlocked my phone and searched for who I could call for help, the only contact that stared at me was Cassie's. I couldn't bring myself to call her to lend me money, after all, it wasn't like the regular two hundred dollars she would lend me. I met Cassie in high school, she was transferred because her parents relocated to our town, Aurora. We clicked pretty well and we have been friends, she often came through for me whenever I needed help. I was able to get my current job through her, I could say she was the only person who truly cared about me and I couldn't ruin everythin

ANNAI took a step back, I tried to think of what to say while twisting my fingers. It didn't stop him from getting closer to me and before I could say, Jack, he removed the veil and tossed it on the floor. He lifted my face and asked, "Who the hell are you?"I went mute and shaky, Daisy didn't prepare me for this stage. Daniel had a terrifying look on his face which made my mouth dry up immediately. "Answer me!" he yelled at me. I lost my composure and I blurted out the words without giving it a thought, "Who are you and why are you here?" I yelled back at him but he didn't move, he kept the furious face. Without hesitation, "I am betrothed to someone who I assume is not you, you wouldn't be asking me such a question of it were you" I added. He looked at me and laughed wickedly, "You're trying to play smart, I'm not dumb little miss", he grabbed me by the arm. "I think we both got the wrong partners, we can't keep going back and forth. Let's annul this mismatch tomorrow" I fire

ANNAHe just asked me to sign a contract and work for him. I don't know anything about this man and I started to feel I made a great mistake by agreeing to replace Daisy on her wedding day. I was starting to see Daisy could have used me as a bulletproof to avoid an aggressive man. He's been blowing up since he found out, he wasn't having any of my excuses. I cursed at my mother inside of me, I would not be stuck with this total stranger not agreed to be a fake bride if she hadn't filled me as a guarantor and fled. Daniel is an intelligent man, no doubt about that. He already knew I wouldn't have a choice. He found out I had a debt dangling around my neck, he knew why I did this fake bride thing. He was trying so hard to make me regret my decision and punish me for it. I haven't been able to reach Daisy or Pamela, if I want to make things easier for myself, I need to concur with this man. I have been through a lot of things ever since my mother left and I learnt everything is time-

ANNAI froze at the sound of the voice, I was not expecting anyone to be at home. I tried to hide the surprise on my face as I looked back, Daniel’s eyes were rigid so I gave a fake smile which did not work because he could see through it. “I asked you a question Anna”, he folded his arms. “Where the hell have you been?”, he asked again. I racked my brain for answers, I would be shooting myself in the leg if I told him I went to see Mr Lewis. “Do I have to tell you?” I asked in my defence and to stall more time to think of a proper lie I would tell him. He chuckled lightly, unfolded his arms and dipped one hand in his pocket, “I won't ask you one more time”, his voice firm and commanding. His expression is always scary, I doubt if I can live long if I stared at that face for too long.“I went out for a walk”, the words slipped out of my mouth. Gosh! I shouldn't have said that. “You went for a walk in heels?”, he questioned, looking at me from head to toe. “I took a taxi to the