Chapter 2 Marry Him in Her Place

I was holding Rose's phone, and Wilson's message appeared before my eyes. This time, acting as though I hadn't seen anything, I set her down. I also stopped wrapping the wedding favors. I knew that soon, they wouldn't be needed anymore. After coming out of the bathroom, Rose checked her phone. Immediately, she froze. Her eyes widened as she stared at the screen. I could detect a hint of exuberance and exhilaration hidden beneath her conflicted expression. Not wanting to get involved with any more of her life choices, I wanted to leave, but she abruptly called out, "Let me ask you a question, Daisy." Before I could say anything, she continued, "Imagine this. It's just before your wedding, but an incredibly eligible bachelor—someone you'd only see on the news—starts pursuing you. What would you choose to do? This guy is a million times better than your fiance. You might even get to move up the ranks of society." I looked at Rose. From the moment she posed that question, it was clear she'd made her decision. Otherwise, she would've ignored the message and continued wrapping up the wedding favors in preparation for her wedding. In my previous life, I'd stuck my nose into her business and was vilified by her because of it. In the end, I even paid for it with my life. I did it because she was my older sister. I was afraid that, blinded by greed, she would give in to temptation and make the wrong decision. At the time, the wedding invitations had already been sent out, and both our families were preparing for the wedding. Everyone was looking forward to the day she and Samuel got married. Therefore, I couldn't just turn a blind eye to the message. I was afraid that perhaps it was just part of a bet or a joke among those rich scions. It might've even been a mean prank. I didn't want that to be the reason why two ordinary families got their hearts broken, and for everyone to think of Rose as a selfish, materialistic woman. But because of that, she ended up resenting me. Of course, I was willing to admit that what I did was wrong. The excitement that continued to linger in her eyes told me that her mindset, worldview, and outlook on life were all different from mine. Ever since she was little, she had always been the prettiest one in school. Used to being the center of attention, she expected more out of life. Only a prince was good enough for the fairest of them all. Perhaps all the romance novels made it a given that pretty young women should marry wealthy young scions. They certainly didn't focus on young people from ordinary backgrounds getting married and having a peaceful, stable life. Rose had never been offered such a chance before, but now, it was right in her face. She wasn't going to lose it this time. In my previous life, she told me not to make her life decisions on her behalf. Therefore, this time round, I responded to her question by simply stating, "It's your life. You decide." Strangely, she was a little hesitant. While holding her phone, she began pacing in the living room. "But how can you be sure that person truly loves you?" she asked. Well, surprisingly, she wasn't a complete fool. She was also aware that a message like that from someone of the highest social strata usually conveyed questionable levels of sincerity and genuine emotions. That being said, Wilson was offering Rose 100 thousand dollars a month. That was more than her annual salary as an elementary school teacher. Even though Samuel worked for the government, he was earning about as much as she did, too. It was hard to resist the allure of money. Plus, she would even get to mingle with people from the upper echelon of society and experience a different kind of lifestyle. She had the chance to be with someone in a position of power and view the glamorous world up close and personal. Desire bloomed within Rose's heart and consumed her entire soul. Like a kaleidoscope, it dazzled her, making her dizzy with longing. As I predicted, she immediately began responding to the message with a smile on her face. Then, ignoring the piles of wedding favors lying around the house, she went out even though it was nighttime. I knew she'd gone to meet Wilson—her ticket to another world. Sneering, I went back to my room. From now on, her life had nothing to do with me. … Rose came home in the middle of the night. I was asleep, but she knocked on my door anyway. When I opened it, she quickly slipped in. Even though she'd touched up her lipstick, I could see it had been smeared. I also noticed that her bra was a little out of place. She was still unusually flushed as well. I frowned. I couldn't quite put into words the sense of repulsion I felt. This was my sister. We shared a womb once, and we grew up together. She wasn't a stranger to me. And yet, even when she had a fiancee, she'd run off to have a rendezvous with another man. I felt the urge to vomit, but I forced it back down. Rose's eyes were shining with ecstasy. "Daisy, I think I'm going to join the ranks of elite society soon." Joining the ranks of elite society, huh? All it took was one single night for her to develop that belief. I figured Wilson must've taken her somewhere that ordinary folks like us could never even dream of going. But was that enough to prove that such a life was hers to have? Rose seemed unaware that everything in life came with its own price. I looked at her in silence without responding to her. I knew she would continue babbling away on her own. She sorely needed someone to whom she could brag about this. Sure enough, she continued, "This predictable, boring life isn't suitable for me anymore. Daisy, someone like me deserves to be with someone better. I deserve to live an even better life." Sighing, she added, "I truly detest this mundane life that's stifling me to death. I've long since fallen out of love with Samuel." Samuel, her fiancee, was probably dreaming about his upcoming wedding to his future bride, but she was busy thinking about how to call off the wedding. I remained silent. Taking my hand, Rose said, "I don't want to marry Samuel. I want to break up with him, Daisy. I don't want to get married. But the invitations have already been sent out. What should I do?" Well, it seemed like she knew she couldn't extract herself from the situation unscathed. She was aware of how difficult it would be to call off the wedding. After all, it was right around the corner, and all the preparations had been made. Yet, she wanted to cancel it anyway on such short notice. It would certainly be a slap in the face for Samuel and his family. As she knew the consequences of her decision, Rose abruptly leaned in close and asked me tentatively, "Daisy, since you don't have a boyfriend, why don't you help me out by marrying Samuel instead? After all, we're twins. Although you're not as pretty as I am, no one other than our friends and family can tell us apart."