I will do it.

“No, this is insane, mum, dad! This is not the right thing to do,” I yelled at my father’s face, and trust me when I said that my heart tore when he didn't even bulge. Neither did my mum.

Is this a dream? How the hell could they suggest that I marry my sister’s fiance?!

“You are going to marry Logan, Sapphire. It’s the best thing you can do for our family right now,” Dad nodded his head slightly and exhaled.

I turned to look at my mum who had not been saying a word and breathed out. “Our family?”

My mum clasped her hands together and began, stuttering, “Sapphire… Listen to your father. It… it is for the best.”

“Mum!”

I swept my hair to the back and shook my head.

“It is for the best? It is the best that I can do for OUR family? Tell me when any of you has ever considered me FAMILY!”

I yelled. Maybe this was the time I talked. Maybe it was time I stood up for myself.

“Sapphire…” my mum muttered softly. While on the other hand, my dad looked like his mind had been made up and there was nothing that could make it change it back.

I am quite aware of what was going on. Our company was swimming in debt and the debtors started to threaten to collect the company from my family. He didn’t want that, so he approached the PRESTON family and in return, they asked for Emerald’s hand in marriage.

This was not something I was told. It was something I heard and stumbled upon on my own.

“You treated me differently like I was not your daughter. You hated me! You favored Emerald more. Do you have any idea how painful that was? Do you have any idea how much that BROKE me?! And now what? You want me to get married to the man she was supposed to marry? What happened to postponing the wedding till she wakes up? What happened to telling the family of her betrothed first? Is this how lightly you think of them? Is this…!”

I hadn’t finished my sentence when I felt the loud bang in my ear. Just like… every time, my father had just slapped me.

“I thought the only thing you were good at was being wicked to your sister, I had no idea envy and hatred were among them. Listen to me, Sapphire, I was not asking for your permission or anything. What I said was an order and nothing would change that. The wedding is in a few days and you are going to be the bride. The only thing you can do is to pray for your sister’s quick recovery so that she can take back her position. It is better you cooperate now… or see the worst side of me,” he said and then brushed past me.

“I am not going to marry any man you chose for me. I have a man in my life already!” I yelled after him.

“Dear, don’t annoy him further, please,” came the soft voice of my mum.

I turned my head to look at her and then glanced at her trembling hand. “Not you also, Mum.”

I shook my head and then rushed to the stairs, and then made my way to my room.

***

“I got home now and didn’t meet you. Did you go somewhere? Where are you?”

I exhaled as I placed the call on loudspeaker and dropped it on the bed beside me,

“I… Hilda, what do I do?” I breathed out and lay on the bed.

“Did something happen? Where are you? Do you need me to come to you?”

“Emerald got into an accident,” I announced as I imagined the shock that must have registered on her face.

“What? How…”

“That is not all. My parents want me to take her place at her wedding.’’

“What?!”

“Daniel… They want me to marry him,” I repeated.

“Are they crazy?” Hilda screamed and I closed my eyes shut. I was literally on the verge of tears.

I was scared. I wanted to cry. Why?

It was only because I knew that one way or the other, I would get persuaded. I knew deeply that I had no way out of this.

My father would practically do anything to make me do whatever he wanted.

“What are we going to do? You cannot marry that man? You have Aidan, remember.”

“Of course, Hilda. I know. I just…”

I was saying when I heard a soft knock on my door and my mum pushed the door open.

“I will talk to you later, Hilda,” I said and ended the call.”

“Dear,” My mum said and entered fully.

I sat up and scooted over for her. She sat on the bed beside me and breathed out.

“If you are here to persuade me, you better don’t. I am not going to marry that man.”

“Sapphire…” She started.

“It is for the best. This union is going to benefit our family a lot. We can not just cut it off… we can’t.”

“I am not asking you to cut it off. I simply cannot marry that man.’’

I breathed out heavily and turned my head to look at her. “Emerald is betrothed to him! Mum, how could you also think the same way Dad is thinking? How?” I allowed the tears to fall freely from my eyes.

I just wish all this was a dream. How much I wish this was a dream.

“Sapphire, it is just for a short period of time. The doctors said that your sister could wake up in two weeks, and maximum, one month. Logan won’t suspect anything. You have done this before… and you can do it again.”

I took my lower lips in my mouth and shook my head. Why do they keep believing that it was easy because I have done it before? It’s not even like it was easy or anything. Daniel didn’t look like he was easy to fool. Just during our first encounter, it was as if he could see through me. That man scares me. I can't get entangled in stuff like this. 

This is not a movie! Can my parents just get that already?

“I can’t, mum. I can’t.”

She folded her hand into a fist and shook her head. She looked like she was holding it in too. She looked like she had a lot to say. She looked like she wanted to yell at my face to make me see things from their own view. She also looked like… she was holding it in.

“The company, and reputation that our family has been building for many years will get ruined… because of you.’’

When she said that, we both locked eyes together and a ting feeling of guilt hit me. Emotional blackmail was starting to come in.

“You think the PRESTONS are some kind of people you can do that to? The wedding is in a couple of days and you want us to cut it off abruptly? Do you have any idea what kind of person they are? Apart from the fact that we are going to lose everything, we will forever be in debt to the Prestons and might forever live in hiding because of them.”

“And you think deceiving them would make things better?” I asked after a few seconds of contemplating.

Right now, my mum is literally telling me that everything is going to be my fault should anything fall apart.

“Deceiving? That is all you care for? Taking your sister’s place for two to four weeks won’t kill you, Sapphire! Don’t be selfish!”

“Mum!” I snapped with my eyes wide open. 

I stood from the bed, swept my hair backward, and exhaled.

“It is not me who is selfish. It is you and Dad.”

With that, I grabbed my bag from the bed and turned to the door. Screw whatever they think. I will not marry that man!

My mum didn’t say anything and watched me leave. I turned the knob of the door and halted abruptly as I met with a cold glare from my father.

“I told you it is worthless talking to her,” he said as my mum walked to him.

“It really is,” she agreed, shook her head, and glanced at me.

She walked past me and stood outside my room behind my father. “And where do you think you are going?”

“I am not going to marry that man.’’

“Even if our family goes bankrupt?” he asked.

I swallowed hard, held my bag tightly, and looked away.

“Then prepare to rot in your room,” with that, my father pushed me and slammed the door.

I pulled myself hurriedly as I heard the creaking sound of the key and twisted the knob.

I have been locked in.

“Stay in there till you are ready to do what we ask of you. The wedding is in a couple of days so I would advise you to come to a conclusion by tomorrow afternoon. Your boyfriend, Aidan Wesley…” his voice trailed off and I widened my eyes. How did they know about Aidan? I never told them!

“I tried digging up some dirt on him,” I imagined him smiling in between the words and breathing out.

“He is not that much of a saint. If this gets to his superior, he would lose his job and might never be able to work anywhere again.”

“Are you threatening me?” I curled my hand into a tight fist and asked.

“Threatening you? Come on, my princess, I wouldn't. If you don’t want your boyfriend to get into this mess because of your selfishness, then do as I say. I'll give you till tomorrow afternoon.

“Make sure she doesn’t leave her room till I say otherwise. No one goes in or out and no one should give her food.”

I heard him give his order and then breathed out as I heard his retreating footsteps.

I AM SCREWED.

AN HOUR LATER.

After an hour of lying helplessly on the bed passed. I exhaled and sat up.

I hadn’t even bothered to shout for help or begged for the door to be opened.

This is not my first time getting locked up in my room and I know so well that my father does not bluff.

I picked up my phone, glanced at the missed calls from Hilda and Aidan then nodded my head. I needed to come to a conclusion or Aidan would suffer because of my stubbornness.

I strolled to G****e and typed out Daniel's full name then raised my brow when the search suggested his name even though I hadn’t finished typing it.

DANIEL LOGAN PRESTON.

After almost half an hour had passed of me looking through his profiles and recent interviews, my phone rang and I sucked my lower lips when I saw the caller ID.

I picked up her call and listened to her rant for a few seconds and then scratched my forehead.

“Will you let me talk?”

“Of course, but trust me when I say that I would do anything to convince your parents. Why would you marry a man you barely know? That is not cool and I hope they know…”

“I will do it,” I cut her short and a long silence ensued.

“Do what? Saphy, don’t tell me…”

“I will marry Daniel.”