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“Like I said, I need you to step in for her for the time being. We can’t risk making the King family feel like we are not able to follow through on our promise. He won’t know that it’s you and not your sister.” My father moved away from the table, nodding to Ian.
My gaze narrowed. “Wait, so… what’s going to happen with the Kings?”
“They’re not going to know. You and your sister are identical enough that a temporary switch won’t be too noticeable.”
My mouth opened to argue but he was probably right. Amanda and I had subtle differences only because we carried ourselves differently. If we were to meet someone in person, they probably wouldn’t be able to tell us apart at first glance.
Not to mention, the jitters of a wedding and the alcohol involved would have everyone turning a blind eye.
“I just can’t understand why she’d do this.” My father sighed again, shaking his head. “After all those letters she sent back and forth with Xavier King… I just can’t understand it. I really thought she was ready to settle down.”
At that, my father unfolded a piece of paper from his pocket and set it down on top of the table.
My face grew hot as I glanced over at the single piece of paper. I wouldn’t even have to read it to know what the contents contained. You see, this marriage is an arrangement between the families to broker a cease fire. The ruthless King family has grown a reputation for taking out any and all competition. The only way my father knew to secure the safety of his beloved daughters was to offer one of them as a sign of good faith. So that the families would be united and co-exist. This would also be a lucrative venture as they would be able to combine not only their territories, but also their supply chains.
“I’ll do it.” My voice was firm as I spoke. “Don’t worry. I’ll marry Xavier while you search for Amanda. We can’t let this alliance with them slip through our fingers. You’ve worked too damn hard for it.”
My father’s eyes shifted towards me, taking on an uncharacteristically watery sheen.
He was never one for showing his emotions like that, but I’m sure the stress of not being able to locate my sister, along with this alliance with the King family hanging in the balance, was enough to throw him off his game.
If my sister had one consistent quality, it was her unyielding knack to send our father into a goddamn spiral.
“Thank you, Mia. I promise it won’t be for long. We’ll switch you two out the moment I get her ass back here.”
I plastered a smile on my face, ignoring the slowly rising worry in my gut.
“No problem. And give her a good ass kicking for me when you do.”
“Of course.”
Chapter Two
Mia
Over the next two days, my entire family scrambled to get things in line for the upcoming wedding with the King family.
Amanda was still nowhere to be found, although her credit cards were being used, along with surveillance picking up her and the college boy she’d apparently run away with, moving through Mexico like they were on their own little honeymoon vacation.
If it wasn’t causing my family so much time and inner turmoil, I might’ve found the entire situation kind of funny.
Trying on my sister’s dress and veil, I couldn’t help but admire myself in the mirror. Of course it was a perfect fit—that wasn’t shocking at all—and looked terrific with my skin tone and hair. I had to say, my sister did have impeccable taste when it came to fashion.
“Are you nervous?” The seamstress, Betty, asked as she tailored the last little bit of hemming on the bottom of the skirt. “I wouldn’t blame you if you were.”
I had to hold my tongue in order to not spill the truth.
I was actually the complete opposite of nervous. In fact, I was quite excited to finally meet Xavier—the man I’d been corresponding with through letters over the past few months since his engagement to my sister had been announced.
Of course, he wasn’t aware that I was the one writing all those letters. It had started as a suggestion to my sister one night when she’d been complaining after a night of drinking that getting married to “a man I’ve never even talked to” sounded worse than death.
The next morning, I’d taken my own suggestion to heart and had written the King family a letter, not expecting any kind of reply in return. To my surprise, though, Xavier had answered within a few days, interested in corresponding with me—or rather Amanda—more.
My intrigue for him had honestly only started out of sheer curiosity. I wanted to know more about the man my sister would be marrying. And who better to dig up intel on her future spouse than her own sister?
That was, until I started to slowly fall for him.
But no one had to know that. It was a secret I was going to take to my grave.
