stand in bride

The words settled like lead in my chest, pressing down on me and making my breath labored.

That didn’t sound like my mother. Whoever Huracio was talking about wasn't my beloved mother.Why would she run away on the day of her own wedding?My mother was finally happy—wasn’t she?

I shook my head, refusing to believe it. “No… There has to be some mistake. My mother wouldn’t leave like that.”

I was finding it hard to believe my mother left, much less on her wedding day. I was convinced that something else happened rather than accepting Huracio's accusations.

Huracio stepped closer, his expression hardening. “Believe what you will, but that’s the reality we’re facing.” He snapped at me, forcing me to take a step back.

The man never raised his voice at me before so seeing him acting like a beast shocked me, Just like my mother's disappearance. How could this happen? Did she perhaps get kidnapped or drunk too much last night that she blacked out?

Yes, that must be it.

Forcing myself to calm down and think logically, I rushed to the table and grabbed my phone.

With trembling hands,I dialed her number only for my call to be forwarded to voicemail. I shook my head, not wanting to believe anything.

" Do yóu believe it now? She fucking left me on my wedding day.” Huracio hissed, a glare on his face.

His tone of voice scared me to say the least and I took a step back involuntarily.

Why was he directing his anger to me anyway? It's not like I am the one who pissed him off.

I knew better than to say those words out though,not with him looking like any defiant word from me and he would snap my neck.

I shivered from the thought.

" Maybe she just forgot to charge her phone or dropped it somewhere last night.” I murmured, trying to convince myself but it wasn't even working. My mother was never the one to go offline,it wasn't her habit.

That could only mean two things. Either something was terribly wrong with her or just as the man before me accused,my mother ran away. She fucking ran away and left me behind to deal with this brooding lion.

Huracio matched to me, gripping my wrist in a tight grip.

“ I don't fucking care what ever reasons she had to embarrass me like this. And most importantly, I don't care what you think happened. What I care about is my reputation. And now, that's gonna go down the drain if I don't fix this.” He paused, releasing my hand.

" The guests are all waiting. The press is already circling like vultures. If word gets out that your mother fled, it will be the scandal of the year.”He enunciated every word clearly, maybe for my stupid brain to grasp the dire situation he was stuck in.

As the reality finally settled in my mind, I felt a cold dread settle in my stomach. “Huracio… what are you saying?”

A small smile curved on his lips,not the usual sweet he would give me. The smile on his face held no warmth.

“ Don't yóu already know what I mean, Kata? Or do you want to play the fool?" He snapped at me, sending glares my way.

“I’m saying that you’re going to take her place, Katalina. You’ll stand in as my bride.”

My blood ran cold. “What? No—no, that’s insane. I can’t just… replace my mother! That's so wrong in every way.” I voiced out. This is my mother's fiance we are talking about. Besides, I have a boyfriend…

Huracio leaned in, his voice low, filled with something dangerous. “Oh, but you will, Katalina. Your mother created this mess and yóu, the perfect daughter will clean it. I am not going to have my name dragged through the mud because of your family”

I stumbled and almost fell if it wasn’t for the table that offered me support.

“ This is a sick joke, Huracio. I don't appreciate it." I hiss, glaring at him.

" Do I look like I am in the mood for jokes? Don't piss me off, little bird or you don't want to see what I am capable of.” Huracio snarled at me and I trembled from the intense fury lacing his words.

“ This is crazy Huracio. You are my mother's fiance." I reminded him, hoping that the words would finally help him break from whatever absurd thoughts he was having.

“ Not anymore Kata. Now, I am your groom and you are going to wear that wedding gown and be my little bride." Huracio replied much to my horror, a sadistic smile on his lips.

I was about to open my mouth to protest when, “Because if you don’t, I can promise that both of your lives will unravel faster than you can imagine. Do you want to see your mother hunted down by the people I’ll send after her? Or worse—come back in a body bag?”

I shivered from his words,a chill running down to my toes,freezing them. I felt sick to the stomach, the urge to empty my guts pressing me but I held back.

The man before me was no longer the perfect gentleman I was accustomed to. Now, he resembled a sinister devil straight from hell.

How could someone take a 360 transformation in a span of a few hours?

My heart raced as the weight of his words pressed down on me. I searched his face for any sign of mercy, any hint that this was some horrible joke, but his eyes were dark, unyielding.

“If you care about your mother’s safety,” Huracio continued, his voice a poisonous whisper, “you’ll step into her place without question. Smile for the cameras, Katalina. Act like this was your choice.” He sneered, a look of contempt on hís face.

“I can't just marry you. You are …”

“ I am old ? Is that what you want to say, Kata?” Huracio asked with a glare. I shrinked. I could tell that the words rubbed the man the wrong way.

“ Don't worry about that. I'll prove to you that I am not that old tonight." He added.

" Why are you doing this Huracio? You can marry any woman you want. Why force me into this?"

No matter how I thought about it, I couldn't come up with a reason why Huracio was hell-bent on forcing me to take my mother's place.

He was a man any woman would die to marry willingly. Why force me?

“ To punish you." Huracio replied, a glint of malice flickering in his eyes.

“ You see Kata, nobody plays me for a fool just like your mother did. No one fucks with me and that should remind you to be a good girl, otherwise…”

Huracio didn't finish his statement. He didn't have to. I could feel the raw threat in his words.

He straightened, extending a hand to me.“Come now. The guests are waiting.”

My mind screamed at me to run, to find someone, anyone to help me.But the thought of what Huracio could do, or what he might already be planning if I refused, held me captive. Swallowing the terror that clawed at my throat, I forced myself to nod and took his hand,my body moving numbly as he led me to God knows where.

***

The officiant’s voice faded in and out as I struggled to focus, panic constricting my chest. As I faced Huracio, his smile grew colder, and I felt the bars of a cage close around me.

Leaning closer, he planted a lingering kiss on my forehead.

“ See, that wasn't so hard, was it, little bird?"

I shivered despite the summer sun shining brightly.

" Come, let's say hi to the guests, wife.” Huracio teased me, holding my hand in a tight grip ànd leading me down the aisle.

Despite my reluctance, I could only follow him willingly. It's not like I had much of a choice.

As I toasted to the guests, I fought the urge to cry. I had envisioned my wedding day so many times. How happy I would be walking around with Kelvin by my side…

“ So this is why yóu haven't been answering your phone?" An angry voice sounded from behind me, making the glass in my hands slip and fall.