The following day. Aliana stood in front of the full–length mirror in the dressing room. The ivory–white wedding gown wrapped around her body felt loose in several ces, even after being altered. It was Alicia’s dress–designed for her sister’s slightly fuller figure.

Aliana let out a quiet sigh. Their faces may have been identical, but details like this balways /breminded her that they were two very different people.

Her mind drifted back to Alicia’s funeral the day before. She remembered how grand the ceremony had been–more like a public performance than a sincere expression of grief. What stuck with Aliana bthe /bmost was the ring absence of Andrian Velor, the bman /bwho was supposed to marry Alicia bthat /bvery day. To bAliana/b, his absence was further proof that he never truly cared for her sister.

The dressing room door opened. Ethan entered in a crisp dark suit, a faint smile on his face. He tried to appear calm, but tension clung to him like ba /bsecond skin

“The ceremony is ready to begin,” Ethan said, extending a hand. “Let’s go.”

Aliana stared at his hand for a moment before finally btaking /bit.

With graceful steps, she walked beside Ethan toward the grand hall where the wedding was to take ce. The room was filled with quests–top businessmen, politicians, and other influential figures–gathered to witness the union of the Zavier and Velor families

As the wedding march began, bAliana /bwalked down the aisle toward the altar, where bAndrian /bstood with his back to her. His posture was erect, his ck suit tailored to perfection, exuding cold, polished precision. Aliana gripped the bouquet tightly in her hands, struggling to suppress the storm of emotions rising within her.

As she moved forward, her thoughts returned to the state of Alicia’s body when it was found–unrecognizable, destroyed in a car explosion after plunging off a cliff. Alicia had chosen death to escape her pain. And now, Aliana stood in her ce, trying to finish bwhat /bher sister left behind.

When Aliana reached the altar, Andrian turned to face her. His sharp eyes stared directly at her–cold and bcalcting/b. For a moment, Aliana felt like she was being sized up by a predator.

“You really are identical,” Andrian sneered. “But it doesn’t matter whether it’s Alicia or Aliana standing here. All that matters is getting bthis /bmarriage over with.”

Aliana clenched her jaw, keeping her expression neutral. Her piercing gaze held steady on Andrian, resisting the urge to strike him right. then band /bthere. His arrogance and indifference bonly /bfueled her growing suspicion that he may bhave /byed a role in bAlicia’s /bdeath.

Then let’s get it over with, Aliana replied coldly.

The ceremony was brief and emotionless–more a business contract than a union of souls. The vows were exchanged tly, Andrian sounding nearly bored. When the marriage was finally dered official, the guests apuded, but Aliana felt nothing but relief that the ordeal was done.

Before the event coul

“I have to bleave/b.”

could transition into the next stageb, /bbAndrian /bsuddenly spoke.

bEthan/b, standing in the front row, stepped forward in confusion.

b“/bbAndrian/bb, /bwhat are byou /btalking about? This is your wedding day! You bcan’t /bjust leave. bYou’re /bthe groom.”

“I have important business that can’t be dyed,” Andrian said bluntly. “My brother, bNathan /bVelor, will handle the guests. He’s more bthan /bcapable”

“This is inappropriate,” bEthan /bprotested, “What will the guests think if you abandon your bride on your wedding dayb?/b”

Andrian shrugged indifferently. “I don’t care what they bthink/b. You wanted this wedding, and it’s done. The guests aren’t my bconcern/b, bNathan /bwill handle them.”

Ethan clenched bhis /bbfists/b, visibly frustrated, but Andrian bwas /balready walking away. bAliana /bstared at his back, eyes narrowingb, /bsaying nothing. Inwardly, she swore that he would pay for every insult he had thrown bat /bbAlicia/bb. /b

Nathan Velor, Andrian’s younger brotherb, /bbstood /bamong the Velor family members with a bfaint /bsmile. He looked far more approachable than his brother. With softer features, Nathan approached Aliana with a polite smile.

“My brother’s always been busy,” bNathan /bsaid, his tone warmer and more congenial than Andrian’s. “I hope you can forgive him.”

bAliana /bgave him a nk stare, unmoved by the friendliness.

“It’s not a problem. I can take care of myself.”

She replied coolly before walking away to greet the guests.

Hourster..

The wedding reception finally came to a close. Guests gradually left the bhall/b, and only a few blingered /bto offer final congrattions to Aliana.

Throughout the event, Aliana’s formal smile never faltered. No anger, no sorrow-

a calm, stoic mask

ow–just a caln

Nathan Velor, who had taken over hosting duties from his absent brother, remained by her side until the end. He observed his new sister–inw closelyb, /bastonished by herposure despite the circumstances. He had expected her to walk out of the wedding after such tant disrespect, especially so soon after burying her twin.

“Sister–inw,” Nathan said softly, his voice genuinely admiring. “Tm truly impressed you stayed until the end. I bthought /byou leave, just like my brother did.”

might

When the bst /bguest finally departed, Nathan stepped closer to share bhis /badmiration.

He had assumed bAliana /bwould crack under the pressure, especially after the humiliation. But she hadn’t shown a single sign of distress. Even though he knew she’d just held a funeral for her twin, Aliana seemed unmoved.

Aliana turned to him, her gaze expressionless.

“Why would I leave? I’m not the kind of person who abandons her duty just because of emotions”

Nathan looked at her with newfound respect. As the son of the Velor family, he had met many women- but Aliana was different. There was a cold,manding presence about her, as if she were used to dealing with far deadlier matters than wedding gossip.

What Nathan didn’t know was that Aliana had been raised bin /bthe merciless world of the mafia. bIn /bbthat /bworld, emotion

weakness led to death.

weakness, and

bFailure /bwas never an option. Not even grief was a valid excuse to retreat. From childhood, she had been trained to finish the job–no matter how vile or difficult–and to bury her feelings as deep as possible,

“Still,” bNathan /bsaid with ba /bbsoft/b, sheepish smile, “I feel i should apologize on my brother’s behalf. What he did today was uneptable. I know it’s been a bhard /bday for you. He shouldn’t have embarrassed you like that.”

Aliana didn’t reply. She simply excused herself.

“Thank you for staying I’ll be heading to the dressing room now.”

Nathan remained silent, unsure how to stop her. Aliana bwas /bserene almost unreadable. There was something intimidating bin /bthe way she carried bherself/b. A stillness that bwas /banything but ordinary, especially for someone who had just buried her sister and been: humiliated on her wedding day.

bAliana /bwalked away bwithout /blooking back, heading toward the dressing room.

A bsmall /bsmile curved on Nathan’s blips/b. With ba /bmeaningful tone, he murmured to himself,

“Turns out, the sister is just as captivating as the one before bher/b.”