My sister skipped out on her wedding, and my parents threw me into the bed of a powerful man. I huddled under the covers, trembling, as the soft whir of a wheelchair approached. A voice, chillingly devoid of warmth, cut through the silence: “Look up.” With a sigh of resignation, I slowly raised my head, only to be met by two identical faces. One sat in a wheelchair, the other stood behind him. The standing man smirked, his voice dripping with cruel amusement: “Guess who you’re actually marrying?” My mind went blank, a loud buzz echoing in my ears. Two identical faces, strikingly handsome, yet each exuded a distinctly different aura. The one in the wheelchair had sharp, cold eyes, an intimidating aura that warned people to keep their distance. He was the infamous, unpredictable Dante Hayes, the feared head of the Hayes empire. The man standing behind him wore a mocking grin, his eyes sharp and predatory. “What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” That was Adrian Hayes, Dante’s twin brother. He leaned in, his hot breath ghosting my ear. “Pick. Get it right, and you’ll be rewarded. Get it wrong… and things will get interesting.” My teeth chattered. My parents had only told me that if I married Dante Hayes in my sister’s place, our family business would be saved. But no one mentioned there’d be a life-or-death choice involved. My gaze flickered between the two of them, my palms slick with sweat. Dante in his wheelchair didn’t even glance at me, as if I were invisible. Adrian, standing behind him, watched my terror with an amused glint in his eyes. It was a death sentence, no matter which way I turned. I closed my eyes and pointed wildly. “I… I choose him.” I pointed at Dante in the wheelchair. I figured, if I had to die, at least he seemed less… twisted. A derisive chuckle filled the room. Adrian straightened up, clapping his hands together. “Congratulations, you picked wrong.” He grinned wider, “Looks like you’ll be spending the night with me.” My body stiffened, and my blood ran cold. He reached out, his hand already moving to snatch away my covers. I shrieked, scrambling back against the headboard. Just then, that cold, silent voice spoke again. “Enough.” Dante finally looked up, his gaze like daggers aimed at Adrian. “Get out.” Adrian’s smile froze. He seemed resentful but dared not defy him. He shot me a vicious glare, as if to say, “You’ll regret this.” Then, he turned and left. Only Dante Hayes and I remained in the room. The wheelchair glided slowly to the bedside, those eyes fixed on me. “Remember this: from today forward, I am your husband.” His voice was devoid of warmth. “But, don’t touch what isn’t yours, don’t ask what isn’t your business.” “Be an obedient puppet, and you’ll survive.”
The next morning, I was woken by my phone ringing. It was my mom. Her shrill voice pierced my ears. “Skylar! How did last night go? Are the Hayes satisfied? When can we expect that contract to be signed?” A barrage of questions, not a single one about my well-being. My heart sank to rock bottom. “Mom, I…” “You what, you what! I’m telling you, if you mess this up and ruin our family, I’ll be the first to disown you!” My dad snatched the phone from her, his tone equally cold. “Skylar, just be good. The Hayes family isn’t someone we can afford to offend. Just be obedient, and your father won’t treat you unfairly.” The call ended abruptly. I gripped the phone, my entire body cold. And just like that, the reality of my ‘family’ crashed down on me. The door burst open, and Adrian strolled in, a coffee cup in his hand. Without a word, he casually flung the scalding hot coffee onto the carpet right in front of me. “Deaf? Didn’t you hear my brother call you?” I flinched, startled, and quickly scrambled out of bed. “I’m sorry…” “Don’t apologize to me.” He pinched my chin. “Go. Clean that carpet. With your hands.” I bit my lip, knelt on the floor, and used my sleeve to wipe at the scalding coffee stain. Adrian stood nearby, looking down at me. “Tsk, tsk. What an obedient little dog.” He nudged my shoulder with his foot. “My brother’s waiting downstairs. Don’t keep him.” Swallowing my humiliation, I cleaned the carpet and hurried downstairs. Dante was already seated at the dining table, breakfast laid out before him, untouched. He merely glanced at me when I arrived. “Sit.” I cautiously sat opposite him. Throughout the entire breakfast, he remained silent, the only sounds being the clinking of cutlery against plates. The oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe. I could feel Adrian’s malicious gaze from across the room, making my skin prickle.
That afternoon, Adrian claimed I’d somehow sullied his morning suit and, as punishment, ordered me to tend to the villa’s rose garden. It was the very garden Dante’s late mother had cherished most. The butler handed me a large pair of shears, his face impassive. “Young Master Adrian instructed that all the thorny branches must be trimmed.” I looked at the blooming roses, feeling a pang of reluctance. “No ‘buts.’ It’s an order.” The butler cut me off coldly. I could only take the shears and step into the rose bushes. The thorns were vicious, sharp as needles, and within minutes, my hands were a canvas of bleeding scratches. Adrian sat on the nearby terrace, sipping red wine, enjoying my misery. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my fingertip. A thick thorn had deeply pierced beneath my fingernail. I gasped, tears instantly welling up. Just then, a crisp white handkerchief appeared before my eyes. I blinked, then slowly looked up, realizing Dante was suddenly beside me. He sat in his wheelchair, his expression still cold, but his eyes were fixed on my bleeding finger. “Fool.” He uttered a single word, sharp and clear, then pressed the handkerchief into my hand. Before I could react, he had already turned his wheelchair and left. I clutched the fragrant handkerchief, feeling a sudden sense of disorientation. It was the first time he’d shown me anything other than utter indifference. “Well, well. Already making moves, are we?” Adrian’s sneering voice cut through the air. He walked up, snatched the handkerchief from my hand, threw it on the ground, and ground it under his foot. “Skylar, you’re nothing but a stand-in for your sister, a bought dog for the Hayes family!” “How dare you try to seduce my brother? Do you think you’re worthy?” He grabbed my wrist, dragged me to a nearby fountain, and brutally plunged my head into the icy water. The freezing water instantly filled my nose and mouth, and the suffocating sensation made me thrash wildly. “Time to rinse that foolishness out of your head and remind you of your place!” My vision blurred. Just as I thought I was going to die, he yanked me out. I clung to the edge of the fountain, coughing violently. “Remember, if you ever dare to have such thoughts again, I’ll dump you in the river for the fish.” Adrian’s voice was a chilling whisper, like a demon straight from hell. That night, I huddled in the corner of my room, soaked and shivering. My phone buzzed, vibrating violently in my damp hand. A strange number. I answered, and a familiar voice trickled through the receiver. “Skylar, it’s me.” It was Chloe, my sister. My grip on the phone tightened, nails digging into my palm. “You actually have the nerve to call me?” “Oh, come on, sis, don’t be so dramatic.” Chloe’s voice was annoyingly light. “I’m just checking in, you know. How are things at the Hayes mansion?” Rage surged within me. “Thanks to you, I’m having an ‘absolute blast’!” “That’s good then.” Chloe seemed to miss my sarcasm entirely. “Skylar, you know, I only ran away to find my own happiness. You helping me is helping our entire family.” “Oh, and by the way, my boyfriend’s startup is a little short on funds. Since you’re Mrs. Hayes now, just a little something from your pocket change would be more than enough for us.” I trembled with anger, unable to utter a single word. The sheer audacity of her! Just then, the door burst open with a violent kick. Adrian stood in the doorway, a malicious grin on his face. “Well, well, who are you talking to?” He snatched my phone and saw “Sister” on the call screen. “Ah, so it’s the runaway bride herself on the line.” He put the call on speaker, and Chloe’s voice came through clearly. “…Skylar, why are you so quiet? You absolutely have to help me. My boyfriend and I are truly in love…” Adrian’s face grew darker and darker. He ended the call and smashed the phone against the wall. “Oh, how touching. Such sisterly devotion.” He took a step closer to me. “One ran away, the other’s an inside accomplice. Are you Hayes girls just an ATM for the Hayes family?” “No, I didn’t…” “Looks like you need a painful reminder to stay in line.” He suddenly smiled, a terrifying, chilling smile. “Tomorrow is the Hayes family dinner. I’m excited to see how well you, the stand-in, can play the part in front of everyone.”
The Hayes family dinner was held in the grand, old-world mansion. The long mahogany dining table was filled with Hayes relatives. Every single one of them eyed me with scrutiny and disdain. I stood there in an ill-fitting dress, feeling like nothing more than a grotesque clown. Adrian, seated beside me, slipped a tiny earpiece into my hand. “Put it on,” he commanded. “You’ll do and say exactly as I tell you. One wrong word, and your entire family will vanish from this city, understand?” My heart leaped into my throat. The dinner began. Relatives took turns verbally attacking me. “So you’re the second Miss Hayes? Funny, I’ve never heard of you before.” “Your sister ran away, and you just stepped in? Your family’s etiquette is certainly… unique.” I was about to speak when Adrian’s voice came through the earpiece. “Smile. Tell them I fell in love with you at first sight and insisted on marrying no one else.” I forced a stiff smile and repeated his words. The relatives burst into laughter, their disdain growing even deeper. Next, an elder instructed me to serve Dante some food. As I picked up my forks, the command came through the earpiece: “Shake your hand. Drop the food onto his trousers.” My body went rigid. Dante, with his notorious obsession with cleanliness, would be furious. “Hurry up!” Adrian’s voice was laced with menace. I had no choice. My hand ‘trembled,’ and a greasy, sauce-covered piece of roasted meat tumbled onto Dante’s pristine white trousers. The air instantly froze. Dante’s face turned as dark as a storm cloud. I was terrified, quickly apologizing. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!” Through the earpiece, I heard Adrian’s satisfied chuckle. “Now, stand up. Proclaim loudly that you’re madly in love with my brother and would do anything for him.” The humiliation was a crushing wave, threatening to drown me. I stood up, and under everyone’s watchful eyes, like a puppet, I recited those mortifying lines word for word. The mocking laughter and whispers pierced me like needles. I caught a glimpse of his eyes—a flash of cold, undeniable disgust. Just as I felt myself about to crumble under the weight of this endless degradation, Adrian’s most vicious command came through the earpiece. “Excellent. Now, walk up to my brother and tell everyone.” His voice vibrated with a cruel, undeniable glee. “Tell them that the man in the wheelchair is nothing but a useless cripple. Tell them you truly want me, his strong, healthy brother. Beg me to replace him.” My mind went completely blank. This command was beyond outrageous. Make me trample Dante’s last shred of dignity in front of everyone? That would be worse than killing me. I froze, my blood turning to ice. All eyes in the room were on me, filled with eager anticipation for the show. Adrian whispered beside me, his voice only audible to us, “Say it! What, are you scared?” I looked up at Dante, who was still seated at the head of the table. He had kept his head down, his expression unreadable, but his tightly clenched hands, knuckles white against the armrests of his wheelchair, betrayed his turmoil. A surge of courage, unlike anything I’d ever felt, rose from deep within me. To hell with the Hayes, to hell with Adrian! I was done playing their game. I took a deep breath, and made a decision that stunned everyone. (Paywall) I abruptly reached up and ripped the tiny earpiece from my ear. Under everyone’s astonished gazes, I slammed it onto the floor and crushed it to pieces with the heel of my shoe. “So annoying,” I uttered, my voice icy. A deathly silence fell over the entire dining hall. Adrian’s smile completely froze, replaced by shock and fury. “Skylar, you have a death wish!” he roared in a low voice. I ignored him, turned, and walked, step by step, towards Dante at the head of the table. Everyone held their breath. I walked up to Dante, and under his intensely cold gaze, I slowly knelt down. I didn’t say the vicious words from the earpiece.
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