Chapter 4

The wedding day.

Mom, Dad, and Toby Winfield all wore bright, glowing smiles.

The moment the wedding was over, my parents could move into the villa Les had prepared for them, and Toby would have a job waiting.

Les had put everything into this wedding.

He'd spent a fortune building a stage covered entirely in fresh flowers. Even the staff setting it up couldn't hide their envy.

The gown had been designed by hand by an international designer and flown in overnight.

Les had invited every one of my relatives and friends, and he'd gone out of his way to bring in several local media outlets to livestream it.

In the dressing room.

Mom sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, watching me.

"Doris, everything you have today is thanks to Fern Winfield and to us. You understand that, don't you?"

"When you go up there, remember to smile sweetly. Les always loved Fern's smile the most."

"After the wedding, change your name to your sister's. That way, when you and Les sign the marriage papers, he won't see the wrong name and have another episode."

The more she talked, the more excited she got, as if she really meant to turn me into Fern.

In her mind, as long as I could stand beside Les as Fern, they got to ride along on the wealth and comfort.

Before he left, Dad patted my shoulder.

"Doris, your mom and I will be right down there with you. Don't be scared."

I said nothing.

A few minutes later, Les came into the dressing room.

When he saw me in the gown, the corner of his mouth curved up, satisfied.

"Fern, this gown suits you. You're going to be the most beautiful bride today."

"I also prepared a gift for you."

"When we go up there together, you're going to love it."

I looked at him in the mirror in front of me.

"Les, call off the wedding now. There's still time."

He frowned, clearly not seeing that I already knew the truth.

He set both hands on my shoulders, his voice softening.

"Fern, are you nervous? Don't be scared. I'm right here."

"The wedding's about to start. I'll be waiting for you up there."

Then he left.

The whole dressing room was empty except for me.

I took off the jewelry, stepped out of the gown, and put on my own clothes.

I dragged the suitcase I'd hidden in the cabinet out the back door of the hotel and took a taxi to the airport.

……

As the music swelled, the doors where the bride waited swung open.

Les watched the veiled bride walk toward him step by step, and Doris's bright, shining eyes surfaced in his mind.

The calm he'd felt gave way to a sudden restlessness, and a fine sweat spread across his forehead.

The emcee spoke.

"Everyone, please look to the big screen. These are the beautiful moments of our groom and bride……"

Les suddenly shouted.

"Don't play it."

But it was already too late. The button had been pressed, and the image was already on the screen.

The lively crowd below went dead still.

The photos on the screen weren't of Doris. They were of Fern, close and intimate with another man, a stranger.

And the dates printed beneath them ran across nearly the last four years.

"Isn't that Fern in the photos? Didn't she, four years ago……"

"Somebody rigged this with AI as a prank, right? Fern's dead. How could she be in these pictures?"

"I heard Mr. Henson always treated Doris as Fern's stand-in. Is Doris getting back at him on purpose?"

At the murmuring, Les whipped his head around, and the instant he saw the screen, he froze.

Then he yanked the veil off the head of the woman beside him.

"Fern?"