Chapter 4

They dressed me like a puppet on strings, painted my face into something flawless.

It was only when I slipped on the heels that I truly felt myself come back to life.

But on the other side of the fitting room, a very different scene was playing out.

Ruby had just changed into a gown identical to mine, and promptly threw up all over it.

My mother stared at the bawling Ruby, worn thin.

"Ruby, eat less. There's only the one gown."

My father snapped, frowning, thoroughly displeased.

"Ruby, there's a limit to your nonsense. You're not an actual baby, so how are you spitting up milk?"

The only answer he got was Ruby's wailing.

I handed the surveillance footage to Eric Gilbert, seated beside me.

The moment he saw it, disgust flickered through his eyes.

"What's this idiot putting on now?"

I curved my lips into a smile. "A stand-in for the real thing."

Beside me, Eric looked genuinely sickened.

He listened to my plan through to the end, expressionless, and finally dropped one line.

"I'll help you. There's no way I'm marrying a twenty-year-old idiot who still wets the bed."

So now not only had every reporter and outlet in Harbor City shown up, but every person of standing in the city had come too.

On my side, my makeup was done and I sat with my eyes closed, resting.

On Ruby's side, the gown had already been dry-cleaned three times.

As the music swelled through the hall, I opened the system panel.

Transfer progress had reached ninety-nine percent.

Just then, my mother appeared in my dressing room with Ruby, whose makeup was every bit as flawless.

The one thing that didn't fit that face was the pacifier in her mouth.

The moment she saw me, she stretched out her hands and clapped in delight.

"Getting married! Ruby's getting married!"

My mother turned and shot me a hard, severe glare.

"Your part's done. Stay hidden here, and don't you dare ruin your sister's big day!"

I watched, contempt filling my eyes, as Ruby was settled onto the rising platform.

Afraid Ruby would give herself away, they'd actually come up with a scheme like this.

I stood behind the lounge door, watching Eric's signal come through. Everything was set.

Eric walked toward Ruby across a floor scattered with flowers.

Just then the panel in front of me flashed wildly, blazing out a fierce white light.

【Baby illness transfer progress: One hundred percent!】

A crisp 【ding!】

Ruby, who a moment ago had been sitting on the rising platform, dropped flat onto the floor.

"Waaah!"

A piercing infant's cry rang out through the whole venue.

Then Eric flung the veil off Ruby's head and turned to my parents, ice in his face.

"The Hensons dared pull a baby swap? Trying to marry this fool off to me?!"