Staring at her reflection one more time in the mirror, she had a satisfactory smile. Hazel Jones had been searching for the perfect wedding dress for ages-something that was going to complement her fair skin and long black hair.
"It's so beautiful," her younger sister, Nady, said with an excited tone. The shop assistant could finally sigh in relief.
"We want two," Nady added, and this left Hazel confused. "Why?" she couldn't help but ask.
"For me," that was Nady's response.
"Sorry, Miss, but this is a limited collection, and it's the last piece we have," the shop assistant apologized, and Nady was about to lash out at her when Hazel butted in.
"Please go make the payments," she said, handing her card to the lady who happily left. Hazel could only throw a look at Nady before she went to the dressing room to slip out of the wedding gown. Nady stomped her foot angrily. "Stop giving me that judgy look; is it a crime if I want to look as beautiful as you?"
"We are not the same people, Nady." Hazel snorted before she walked out, now dressed in her simple blue gown. The ringtone of her phone echoed as she handed the gown to Nady and retracted her phone. It was a call from her boss, so she mouthed to Nady, "Be careful with the gown," before leaving.
Nady scoffed, "Be careful, my ass." She walked to the dressing room to try on the gown.
-
Hazel was done with the phone call and tried contacting her fiancé, Max Wilson, but it went straight to voicemail.
"Come on, you said you would join me at the shop; where are you?"
She returned and couldn't find Nady where she left her; her eyes hastily scanned over the hiding area, and she stumbled upon a covered area. Hazel blushed, fully assured of whatever reason the couple inside needed privacy; she was about to leave when she heard a familiar voice from within the covered area.
"Admit it, the gown looks prettier on me than on my sister."
"Of course it does," a hoarse voice echoed, and Hazel's thoughts stopped for a second. "It's irritating whenever I think that I am going to be a sister-in-law to my man; can't you just tell them it's me you love?" Nady pouted and Max sighed.
"How many times do I need to tell you that my dad wants me to marry Hazel instead? It's all for my inheritance," he explained, and Hazel's eyes widened in shock. In a split second, she forgot to breathe.
Her legs went numb and her body weak, so she leaned on the wall next to her, not able to believe what she was hearing.
"But you will divorce her immediately after you get your inheritance, right?" Nady asked, and Max nodded before he asked, "What if your sister refuses to divorce me?"
A creepy smile crept on Nady's lips. "Then we will find a better way, something quicker and easier."
As if their thoughts were in sync, Max understood her perfectly. "Let's do her a favor and make her death less painful then."
They both burst out in laughter when Hazel stumbled on the chair next to her, and it made a sound. Nady got alerted and pulled the curtain open.
They were both shocked to find Hazel, who had a very pale look.
"Hazel, we..." Nady stuttered, not able to find the perfect excuse for why she was in there with Max.
"Uhm, he came looking for you." Nady couldn't blurt out everything; there might be a possibility that Hazel didn't get their conversation.
Hazel stood there and watched her sister battle with her words and Max, unable to hide the surprised look on his face.
"Wow" Hazel smacked her lips in disbelief; her palms became all sweaty.
"Fuck you both; how could you do this to me?" She finally burst out in tears. Before her was the man she had ever loved in her life, and next to him was her sister, the closest person to her heart, and they had to treat her this way.