I wasn't supposed to be the one walking down this aisle. My sister Vivian was. Beautiful, poised Vivian who'd agreed to marry Alexander Chen sight unseen to save our family's crumbling business empire. But Vivian ran away three hours ago. Now I'm wearing her dress, her veil, her name. The silk feels like a noose around my throat as I approach the altar where a stranger waits—tall, dark-suited, impossibly handsome in a way that makes my breath catch. Alexander Chen doesn't know me. He's never seen Vivian either. Our fathers arranged everything through lawyers and contracts. He thinks I'm her. "Vivian Zhang," the officiant says, and I don't correct him. Alexander's eyes meet mine through the veil—storm-gray and intense. Something flickers in his expression. Surprise? Recognition? Impossible. We've never met. "I do," I whisper when prompted. His voice is deep, controlled. "I do." The kiss is brief, professional. But his lips are warm, and for one insane moment, I forget this is all a lie. At the reception, he leans close. "You're not what I expected." My heart stops. "What do you mean?" I ask. "I thought you'd be..." He pauses, studying my face. "Different." Does he know? Can he tell? "People rarely are what we expect," I say carefully. Alexander's hand finds mine. His touch sends electricity up my arm. "No. They're not." His father approaches—Richard Chen, steel magnate, the man who brokered this arrangement with my desperate father. "Welcome to the family, Vivian." The name feels like acid on my tongue. "Thank you, Mr. Chen," I say. "Call me Richard." His smile doesn't reach his eyes. "After all, you're going to give us an heir within the year. That was the agreement." The room tilts. Alexander's grip on my hand tightens. "Father, not here." "Just reminding your wife of her obligations." Richard walks away, leaving ice in his wake. I turn to Alexander. "An heir?" "It's in the contract," he says quietly. "Didn't your father tell you?" No. Because Vivian signed the contract. Vivian agreed to everything. I'm just the replacement nobody knows about. "Of course," I lie. "I just didn't expect to discuss it at our wedding." Alexander's jaw tightens. "My father has no sense of timing." He pulls me closer. "Dance with me?" We move to the floor. His hand spans my waist, and I'm hyperaware of every point of contact. "Why did you agree to this?" Alexander asks suddenly. "An arranged marriage to a stranger?" Because my sister ran, and my family would lose everything if I didn't take her place. "Why did you?" I counter. "Duty. Family obligation. The usual reasons." His eyes search mine. "But looking at you now, I'm starting to think I got lucky." Guilt crashes over me. He doesn't know who I really am. "Don't," I whisper. "Don't what?" "Don't look at me like that." "Like what?" Alexander asks. "Like you're starting to care." His hand slides up my spine. "What if I already do?" This is dangerous. This is wrong. This is exactly what I wanted him to say. The song ends. Alexander leads me toward the exit. "Let's go home." Home. To his penthouse. Where we'll be alone. Where he'll expect his wife to fulfill her obligations. I follow him to the car, my mind racing. I should tell him the truth. Right now. Before this goes any further. But then my father's voice echoes in my head: "If you don't do this, Elena, we lose everything. The house. The company. Your mother's medical care. Everything." So I slide into the car beside my new husband. And I don't say a word. Alexander's phone buzzes. He glances at the screen, and his entire body goes rigid. "What is it?" I ask. He shows me the message. Unknown number. *That's not Vivian Zhang. You married an imposter.*