Page 4 of Once Upon A Lie (Once Upon A Billionaire)

“The doctor says I need to have a hysterectomy. I can do that when you’re on the honeymoon!”

It’s as if she has it all planned out; she’s saying it so calmly, like she’s asking me to take her place at the cake tasting as she did a few months back. Belén's pushing the boat, this isn’t quite the same thing. I can't just take her place as if it’s nothing, because not only does she want me to marry him, but sleep with him too?

“Where were you two going again? Alaska?”

“No, the Bahamas. Remember, Diego owns an island there.”

She’s trying to talk me into it, but it’s not going to work by making out that it’s all going to work out.

“He’ll know I’m not you. I’m sunshine, and you’re rain. His words, not mine.”

She furrows her brow. “Yeah, I never understood what he meant by that.”

“He’ll know I’m not you. You're perfect for him, and I’m not. I’m due to go to art school in September. If I marry him, then I can’t go.”

“It doesn’t matter. You need to cut your hair.”

It’s as if she’s not listening to me. All this feels as if it's about Belén and no one else. Then again, I need to think about what’s going to happen to our family home and business if she doesn't marry him.

“My hair?” I gasp as I hold on to it with my fist and then back away from her. I wonder if our prima Cristina was right. She found it weird that Belén wanted me to be her chief bridesmaid. She’s never made me feel like a sister, let alone her twin.

“Just kill me already. Anything else you want to take away from me, Belén?”

“Hermana8, I wouldn’t do this if I wasn’t desperate.”

“He’ll know I’m not you. He’ll discover on the first night.”

“Oh, you mean about you being a virgin.”

I nod, thinking about the way she said it. I assumed she would save herself until their wedding night. The idea of her not being a virgin and having slept with Diego makes me feel uncomfortable. I’m not sure why. Especially when I saw him happy on Sunday when we did the wedding rehearsal, I thought they would fool around, but not go all the way.

Or have they?

Things like this, I should know about my twin, but I don’t, because she’s a closed book and now she’s opening it up to me, with so much pressure.

“No. He won’t because we’ve never done it.”

My sister hasn’t slept with him?

No, the way she’s looking at me, I can tell she’s already decided. This is why no one was in here when I came.

“Papá9 already had a heart attack. It will kill him if you don’t do this.”

Now she’s blackmailing me as she puts her hands on my shoulders. She’s reminding me about Papá’s health condition as if it’s my responsibility.

“Really? You’re laying this one on me. Why can’t you get married and then say you had an accident and that’s why you can’t have kids?”

“Then he will divorce me, and then Papá will have a heart attack.”

I’m not a good actress, and there’s no way I can pretend to be as cold as Belén, it’s just not in my nature. Everyone says I wear all my emotions on my face.

“We need to do this quick,” she says she takes my hand. Then she opens the sliding doors to reveal her hairdresser, Ruben.

“Leticia, are you ready to do this?”

She had it all planned.

I nod, but my heart is racing, and I’m trying to think of ways to get out of this, but my head is spinning out of control.

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