The Don's Stand-In Isn't Playing Pretend Anymore

After I, Rosalie Ricci, was stood up 17 times, the mafia don, Daniel Marino, finally holds the perfect engagement banquet for me. In our second year together, we are ready to get married. But every single time, he has an excuse to hold our engagement off. He says he's busy with work, the timing isn't right yet, or that he isn't quite ready. I never blame him because I love him. I have loved him since our school days. In fact, I have loved him for seven whole years. This is the 18th time. I stand in the banquet hall wearing the gown he personally chose for me and watch as he slips the ring onto my finger. He kisses me with a passionate intensity he has never shown me before. At that moment, I believe that I have finally secured my perfect happiness after waiting seven long years. My happiness only lasts until the guests leave. As I step into the back garden, I see Daniel holding my twin sister, Leah Ricci, in his arms. He says in a hushed voice, "I announced my engagement to Rosalie 18 times. This time, you're finally back." That's when I realize that the engagement banquet that I have longed for is nothing more than a ploy by Daniel to draw Leah back to him. But when I decided to let them be together, Daniel panics. Chapter 1 The guests' blessings still echoed in my ears, but I could no longer feel happiness. My fiance, Daniel Marino, had drunk quite a bit that night. He said he needed some air, but he never came back. He wasn't back even after the engagement banquet ended. I searched everywhere until I finally saw his silhouette from the shadows in the back garden. I was just about to call out to him when my voice caught in my throat. The woman he was holding tightly lifted her head, revealing a face identical to mine. It was my twin sister, Leah Ricci. But I hadn't invited her. "You finally came back," Daniel said in a clear voice. It was nothing like his tipsy tone from earlier. He went on, "I arranged to get engaged to Rosalie 18 times. I sent you every single invitation to our engagement banquet... Finally, you decided to show up." My breath caught in my throat. Leah leaned pitifully against Daniel's chest. Her tears and smeared eyeliner dirtied the front of his pristine white suit jacket. Daniel, who was usually a clean freak, didn't even bat an eye or frown at the mess. Leah said tearfully, "That night at the graduation party, I wanted to confess to you… But then, I saw you walk into a hotel room with Rosalie… I was so heartbroken, so I left." As always, Leah could lie through her teeth effortlessly. She hadn't left because she was heartbroken. In truth, she had left because she got pregnant by accident and fled abroad overnight to get an abortion. Daniel said with a bitter smile, "I was drunk that night… I thought she was you. It was an unintentional and terrible mistake." I stood frozen because Daniel's words stabbed straight into my heart like a knife. I had thought that fateful night five years ago, when I gave myself away for the first time, was the beautiful culmination of years of secret love. But the truth was that Daniel had only slept with me because he needed a stand-in for Leah. Leah lightly tapped his lips with her fingertip and said, "It's alright. You don't need to explain anything. I know you still love me. The flowers you used at the engagement banquet were my favorite pink roses. And the gown Rosalie wore was my favorite style. You were thinking of me, weren't you?" Daniel paused for a moment before answering, "I chose them without thinking—" Leah cut him off. "It's okay. I know. I know you've been waiting for me. And now that I'm back, we can finally be together." "Leah…" Before Daniel could finish, Leah wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. My eyes stung as I watched the scene. My hand that was wearing the engagement ring clenched into a tight fist. Heartbroken, I yanked it off with all my strength. The diamond sliced my finger, but I didn't feel a thing. Seven years' worth of love came crumbling down. The weight of it crushed my heart, making it hard for me to even breathe. Daniel and Leah were still kissing passionately, as if trying to make up for all the lost years. I couldn't bear to watch any longer. I turned away and pulled out my phone. Then, I dialed a number I hadn't called in years. "Mom, please help me. I want to get away from here." Chapter 2 My mother, Anna Greco, didn't ask a single question. She simply agreed. Many years ago, she had immigrated to Mofrand and had been doing exceptionally well there since then. Just as I hung up the call, a message from Daniel popped up on my phone. He texted, "Babe, I ran into Leah. I'll take her home first. Take a cab back after you see the guests off." But he had been drinking the entire night, so how could he drive? Just as that thought formed in my mind, I laughed at how ridiculous I was. Even after everything, I was still worrying about him. An intense feeling of self-loathe surged within me. As I walked, I clenched my teeth and hurled the engagement ring to the ground as hard as I could. This was not enough… Not even close! Everything I was wearing made my skin crawl. I grabbed the hem of my gown and tore it apart, shredding the tulle until it hung in tatters. Only then did I feel a hint of relief. I didn't know how long I walked before I realized the back of my heel was throbbing with pain. Gritting my teeth, I slipped off the ill-fitting heels. I had forced myself to endure so much for this relationship. But just like those shoes, no matter how hard I tried, they were never going to fit. So, I left them behind and walked barefoot down the road. I trudged for about two miles before I finally managed to get a cab. By the time I got home, the living room lights were still on. Daniel was draping a blanket over Leah's shoulders with a cup of hot cocoa in his hand. He gently reminded her, "Careful, it's hot." Leah looked up and gasped softly when she saw me in a disheveled state, standing in the doorway. "Oh my! You're home, Rosie." Daniel turned around and froze at the sight of my state. He then hurried over with concern. He asked, "Where did you go? And what happened to you? I called you, but your phone was off. If you hadn't come back, I was going to send someone out to look for you." Leah rushed over too, glancing at my torn dress and bare hand. She exclaimed, "Oh no! Your dress is ruined! Also, where's your engagement ring? Don't tell me you're calling off the wedding just because Daniel gave me a ride home first?" "Yes, I am doing that," I admitted without hesitation. To my surprise, it felt strangely satisfying. Daniel's hand, which was just about to hand me a blanket, froze mid-air. The concern in his eyes shifted to irritation. "Rosalie, what kind of joke is that? I was just being nice by taking care of Leah on your behalf. How can you throw a tantrum and say we're not getting married now?" Daniel fumed. "Don't be mad, Rosie. It's my fault. Here, have something warm to drink," Leah said sweetly, trying to smooth things over. She stuffed the cup of cocoa she had taken a sip from into my hands. For a split second, I caught that familiar, malicious smile flicker across her face. In the next moment, the scalding liquid poured from the cup and some of it spilled onto my hand. "Ah!" I hissed in pain, flinging the cup away on instinct. "Ah!" Leah shrieked dramatically and stumbled back. The cup hit the carpet, and the hot cocoa splattered everywhere. "Leah!" Daniel shoved me aside and crouched down to check her legs right away. "Are you alright? Does it hurt? Let me see!" When he confirmed she was fine, he turned to me with an austere expression. "Can't you be more sensible, Rosalie? Leah flew ten hours just to come to our engagement banquet! If you're upset, you can be mad at me. She was just trying to calm you down and offering you a drink to warm you up! "What's with your attitude? She's your sister! I expect you two to get along." I retorted loudly, "She's no sister of mine. She was the one who sold out Mom to please our stepmother. She got Mom kicked out with nothing to her name!" Tears swam in Leah's reddened eyes. "Rosie, I was young and didn't know better… Mom and Dad got divorced because their relationship fell apart. What does that have to do with me?" She turned to Daniel with an aggrieved expression. "I didn't know she hated me this much. I'll just go." Daniel grabbed her wrist and turned to scold me furiously. "How can you be so petty? That was years ago! Are you really still hung up on that? You're being impossible!" I stared at him shielding Leah in a daze. It was so familiar and so unbearable to look at. When we were kids, my dad, Aldo Ricci, cheated on my mom. Mom wanted to leave with the both of us. But Leah had sided with Dad's mistress, Camilla Coppola, who managed to win her over with pocket money and new dresses. And so, Leah told Dad about Mom's plan behind our backs. On the day Mom decided to get a divorce, Leah accepted Camilla's gift and tattled to Dad that Mom was planning to take us away. Dad acted first and got the best lawyer, so Mom lost everything and left our home all alone. Because of Leah's act of betrayal, Dad and Camilla adored her. As I refused to bow down to them, I became the villain in the Ricci family. When we were in school, Leah incited everyone to boycott me. Every time I got bullied, she would stand at the back of the crowd and watch me with that same innocent smile. Now, it was her victory again. My eyes burned, and I rubbed them hard, refusing to let tears fall. Daniel seemed to realize he had gone too far with his words. He reached out, intending to comfort me. "Rosalie, that's not what I meant…" I said nothing and turned to go upstairs. "Come on, Rosalie. Let's talk!" he called out, hurrying after me to follow me into the bedroom. I slammed the door shut with all my might. It nearly hit him in the face. The hallway went quiet for a few seconds before I heard him taking in deep breaths and doing his best to keep his voice even. "If you don't want to talk, fine. Get some rest and stop overthinking. We'll take our wedding photos tomorrow morning. Make sure you're well-rested," Daniel said. I ignored him and plugged in my phone to charge it. I watched as the screen lit up. A new message appeared on it. It read, "I've booked the flight." The date was coincidentally set on the day Daniel and I were supposed to get married. Chapter 3 The next morning, I woke up to the sound of Daniel's call. "Are you awake, Rosalie? I asked the maid to prepare your favorite breakfast." I answered with a faint "Okay", and he rambled on. "Something urgent came up at work today, so I can't accompany you to try on the wedding dress. Don't worry. We'll definitely get the wedding photos done before the ceremony," he said. He was still the same—always making promises, but rarely keeping them. "It's fine if we don't," I said flatly, stifling a yawn. He fell silent upon hearing that. In the five years we had been together, I was always the one to make peace the next day, no matter what happened on the previous day. I expected him to get angry. But to my surprise, he softened his tone and said, "Don't be mad about last night. I ordered that pink diamond set you liked. Wear it for me at the wedding, okay?" I felt a lump in my throat and hung up without a word. I didn't like pink diamonds. In fact, I didn't like anything pink. That had always been Leah's favorite color. When we were little, she yanked my hair with pink barrettes, jabbed my hand with a pink pen, and plastered my backpack with pink sticky notes full of cruel words. I had told Daniel more than once that I didn't like that color, but he never remembered. When I mentioned that I did not like the color, he would just give me that hurt and disappointed look until I learned to put on a forced smile and act as if I loved it. But this time, I wouldn't need to pretend anymore. I was leaving. That thought filled me with strength. I got out of bed and washed up. Then, I began to pack my things. Over the years, I had handled all of his family's finances. Since I was leaving now, I had to take my personal files with me. So, I opened the door to his study and began sifting through the documents with practiced precision. When I was about to leave, I accidentally knocked over a photo album. My instincts screamed at me not to open it, but I did anyway. Inside it was full of Leah's photos. Some were snapshots of Leah and Daniel from their school days, others were photos of Leah's back taken without her noticing. On the back of each, Daniel had written how he felt about each photo of her that he took. It turned out that he had loved her all along, since the very beginning. At the very last page, I found a diary entry instead of a photo like the others. It was dated five years ago, on the morning after the graduation party. It read, "Damn it. I mistook Rosalie for Leah. She looked at me with such expectant and bright eyes. I couldn't tell her the truth. Maybe it's better this way. Since Leah's gone, I'll just keep Rosalie by my side." I found myself laughable. Even after finding out the truth, my heart still hurt terribly, like it was being torn apart. Everything finally made sense. The clothes that never fit and the gifts I never liked weren't due to him being forgetful. The truth was that none of it had ever been meant for me. I stumbled into the walk-in closet. Designer bags, jewelry, and high heels filled the entire space. It was a room most women would feel envious of. It was proof of Daniel's supposed generosity. But not one thing here belonged to me. My reflection stared back at me with reddened eyes and messy hair curling rebelliously from neglect. I realized that I wore a white dress that didn't suit me. I was born with curls. But because Daniel liked straight hair, I straightened them meticulously for him countless times. It turned out that he didn't love straight hair. He loved Leah, who happened to have straight hair. A surge of nausea hit me so hard it almost knocked me off my feet. I grabbed a pair of scissors and hacked away at my hair. The scissors snipped away furiously. I cut my hair so messily that it stuck out at awkward angles because of its varying lengths. I looked comical. However, I let out a merry and free laugh, as if I had finally cut the chain holding me down. When I was done, I tore down the wedding decorations, smashed the matching mugs, and threw away every piece of clothing that made me cringe. Just as I dragged the bags of trash toward the stairs, my phone buzzed as a message from Daniel came in. He texted, "How's the wedding preparations going? I've been so busy lately, but I trust you'll handle it well. If it's too much, just keep it simple." I stared at the screen for a moment. With a cold smirk, I texted back, "Of course." It would be as simple as could be. There would be no wedding suite and no wedding photos. Most importantly, there wouldn't even be a bride. Chapter 4 A week before the wedding, Daniel had still tried to come up with excuses for not coming home at first. But sometime later, he simply vanished. If I were any other bride, I probably would have broken down. But all I felt was relief. If he were back, I would have to pretend and direct my efforts into playing my part to deal with him. All I wanted now was to leave quietly. The day before the wedding, I was packing the last of my encrypted documents into my suitcase when my best friend, Emily Barbieri, called. "Hey, Rosalie! How's Parneyland? Was the firework show magical?" Emily asked excitedly. I frowned and said, "Parneyland? I think you got the wrong person." Emily fell silent for a moment before saying, "Wait, didn't you see Daniel's latest post? I'll send you a screenshot." I tapped to open it. In front of the Parneyland castle, Daniel had his arm around a woman with straight hair. She wore a cute mouse headband while holding onto his arm tightly. Daniel looked down at her with a tender smile. He was wearing a ridiculous mouse headband too. Daniel's eyes were full of boundless, tender love. Scrolling down, I saw photos of them at the beach, the theater, and every single place on my bucket list. I had once begged Daniel to go to all those places with me. He either said they were too childish or that he would go with me next time. The comments section was filled with blessings for the couple. "What a loving couple! I didn't expect to see Don Marino wearing matching headbands with Mrs. Marino." No one realized the woman in the photos wasn't me. I couldn't be bothered to look at the rest of the photos. "I didn't see them," I said impassively. Emily panicked and tried to comfort me. "Don't be upset, Rosalie—" "I'm not upset," I said. Perhaps the truth I had already learned hurt far more than anything else. So, when I saw those photos, all I felt was numbness. Right after I hung up, I heard the roar of Daniel's sports car in the driveway. Was he back? I barely had time to hide my suitcase away before he walked in, holding a paper bag. He handed it to me with a bright smile. "You've been working hard these past few days. Here's a gift for you. I remember you like this." I opened it, and inside the bag was a plush toy. Of course, it was pink. I set it aside and asked pointedly, "Didn't you say you hated theme parks because they were noisy and childish?" Daniel's answer came too swiftly. It was like he had rehearsed it way ahead. He quickly said, "It's a sample from a business partner. Anyway…" Suddenly, he trailed off and stared at my uneven short hair. He pointed and said, "The wedding's tomorrow. Why does our place look so empty? And what happened to your hair?" I gave him a perfunctory reply. "The weather's hot. Why are you suddenly home? Are you done with everything at the company?" He averted his eyes diffidently and said, "Yes. The moment I took care of it all, I came back to keep you company." I scoffed inwardly and thought, "You just remembered you have a wedding tomorrow after having the time of your life with Leah out there for a week." "Anyway, both our families are meeting tonight to finalize the wedding details. Go get changed. We're leaving soon," Daniel said. "You can go without me," I said, declining instinctively. Daniel's tone was firm as he insisted. "No. My parents want to see you. The pink diamond set is ready too. Leah was kind enough to pick it up for you. You can wear it when you try on the wedding dress later." I knew his stubbornness all too well. Refusing to comply would only cause more trouble for me. Furthermore, I was going away tomorrow. I might as well play along one last time. When we reached the garage, I froze upon opening the car door to the passenger seat. Crumbs and greasy snack stains covered the leather seat. There was even a pink scrunchie wedged in the seat cushion. Chapter 5 Two years ago, I drank until I threw up just to secure a business deal for Daniel. When we were driving home, my stomach hurt so much that a layer of cold sweat formed all over my body. Even when I was so unwell, Daniel prohibited me from throwing up in his car very sternly. However, it seems that his supposed severe obsession with cleanliness could be easily disregarded for the woman he truly loved. I slammed the car door shut and slid into the back seat. Daniel glanced over his shoulder and asked, "Why aren't you sitting in the front?" "I'd get car sick." I closed my eyes and refused to talk to him. The rest of the ride passed in heavy silence. When we arrived at Marino Manor, Leah was already there. She was wearing an exquisite white chiffon dress with a garment bag in her arms. A dazzling pink diamond necklace glittered on her neck. "Hey, Rosie! I picked up your wedding dress," she said, thrusting the bag toward me. "Go on and try it on." I didn't move. Daniel's eyes flicked between the necklace on Leah's neck and my bare neck. He looked a little embarrassed as he spoke up awkwardly. "Leah, didn't I ask you to just pick it up?" Leah instantly put a hand over the necklace, feigning innocence. "I know, but the designer insisted it looked good on me and asked me to try it on." Then she turned to me and asked, "You don't mind, do you, Rosie?" I met her gaze steadily and replied, "No. You can keep it." Daniel's patience snapped. He grabbed the garment bag irritably and shoved it into my arms while barking, "Go try it on." Leah clung to my arm playfully. "I'll help her with it." She dragged me along forcefully with a strong grip on my arm. The moment we stepped into the changing room, her saccharine smile vanished. Lowering her voice, she asked in a voice full of unmasked hostility, "Rosalie, do you remember the time when you got locked in the equipment room all night back in high school? You cried until you lost your voice, but no one came. Do you want to experience that again?" Of course I remembered. That night left me with crippling claustrophobia. "What are you getting at?" I said in disgust. She shrugged and replied, "If I were you, I'd get lost before the wedding. We look so much alike. No one would even notice if we swapped with each other. Daniel loves me, not you. I'm the one who should be his bride." I tightened my hold on the garment bag and asked quietly, "If you love Daniel so much, why didn't you come back sooner in the last five years? Why now?" Leah burst out laughing. "Who said I love him? Those five years abroad were the best years of my life. I just got bored of it now. So, my foolish sister, be smart and step aside this time. I took everything from you once. I can do it again easily." "Fine. He's all yours. I don't want him," I replied uncaringly. Her triumphant smile faltered, and she shot me a doubtful look. "What are you playing at, huh? You've always loved Daniel. Oh, I see. You're pretending to give up, but you're actually aiming to go through with the wedding." She scoffed. "Come on, Rosalie. That's all you've ever been good at. You've always hid your jealousy behind that haughty facade you put on." I retorted, "Leah, we're not kids anymore. Your little mind games have long stopped working on me." My attitude infuriated her. Gritting her teeth, she spat, "Why, you! That won't work, huh? Then, what about this?" Suddenly, her eyes reddened. She yanked the necklace from her neck with a violent tug. It snapped, leaving behind a red welt across her skin. "Ah!" she screamed. In the same motion, she tore the garment bag in my hands before bursting out of the changing room in tears while holding her cheek. She ran straight into Daniel's arms, sobbing pitifully until her whole body shook. "Rosie… Rosie wouldn't try on the gown! She said it wasn't her size and that it was made for me… Then, she yanked the necklace off me and tried to hit me!" I stepped out slowly, holding the torn garment bag. In the living room, Daniel's parents, as well as my dad and Camilla, all snapped their heads at the commotion. Their faces were grim, and their judgmental gazes that gave away their immense displeasure landed on me. My dad slammed his hand on the table and scolded, "You're just like your mother. You're selfish, difficult, and have no respect for family!" Camilla shrieked in agreement, "Exactly! How can you throw a tantrum on the day before your wedding?" Daniel's parents, Pedro Marino and Beatrice Lupo, said nothing but made their disapproval known through the grimace on their faces. Just like that, I was once again the villain. I was the unreasonable, ungrateful, and impossible one. I didn't bother defending myself. I just stood where I was with a stoic expression. "Enough!" Daniel snapped, cutting them off. He came over and gripped my shoulder. But to my surprise, he didn't lose his temper. "Alright, that's enough," he said gently. Then, he put a hand over my shoulder and gave me a comforting side hug. "Since Leah has worn that pink diamond necklace, it's not a good choice to let you wear it as the bride. As for the dress, just let it be if it's torn. "I'll order you a new set of jewelry made of top-grade diamonds. We'll have your gown remade. You'll be the most beautiful bride tomorrow, I promise." Once upon a time, I would have teared up and felt immensely touched that he defended me in public. I would have thought all that I had suffered had been worth it. But now? I found it incredibly boring. I murmured half-heartedly, "Sure. I'm tired. I'll go home first." Before anyone could respond, I turned and walked out. Daniel instinctively reached out to stop me, but Leah grabbed his arm and whined, "My neck hurts…" And just like that, his attention shifted back to her. He never came home that night. With my suitcase on standby, I waited for time to pass. When the sky started lighting up, I left without a second glance backward. … At the venue where Daniel and my wedding was held, he stood at the altar. However, his bride was still nowhere to be seen. He grew restless and called my number over and over again. By the 19th time, the call connected. "Where are you, Rosalie? Our wedding has started!" he shouted into the phone. In the next moment, he heard a clear and mechanical voice over the line. "Attention passengers, please proceed to Gate B17 for boarding…" The color drained from Daniel's face. Every trace of anger on his face vanished, replaced by raw panic. He asked frantically, "Where are you going?"