Emily, sinking into the warm bath, believed her life had finally found its happiness. But the whispered conversation between her husband and mother-in-law turned everything upside down, revealing a terrible secret that nearly shattered her world. Discover how she faced betrayal and forged a new path!
In a quaint town along the banks of the River Thames, where the evening bells chimed softly, Emily savored a moment of peace. The fragrant bubbles in the bath soothed the exhaustion of hectic weeks. Today, she had become Oliver’s wife, and her heart sang with joy. The wedding was behind her, the whirlwind of preparations had settled, and Emily allowed herself to breathe. She closed her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. Life before marriage hadn’t been bad, but it lacked warmth, embraces, support. Now, everything had changed—Oliver was by her side, a man who seemed like a miracle.
Oliver was like a hero from a romantic film: attentive, generous, with a gentle smile and charm that took her breath away. From the very first day, he showered her with care: bouquets of flowers, dinners at posh restaurants, endless compliments. Emily, accustomed to the modest life of a shop assistant, was overwhelmed by such attention. They’d met on a dating site, and her first impression of Oliver had been underwhelming—she hadn’t expected anything serious. But he arrived for their date with a bouquet of her favourite peonies, remembering every word she’d said, and took her not to a café but to a lavish restaurant. For the first time, Emily felt like the heroine of a fairy tale.
Even meeting her mother-in-law, Margaret, hadn’t dimmed her happiness, though it hadn’t gone smoothly. Emily was so nervous she fumbled her words, spilled wine on her dress, and accidentally knocked over a fruit bowl. Margaret called her a “clumsy girl,” but Oliver immediately stepped in, silencing his mother and whisking Emily away. That evening, he reassured her, saying, “She’ll come around, you’ll see.” And sure enough, Margaret soon called, apologising and suggesting:
“Emily, darling, let’s have dinner and discuss the wedding. I’d love to help with the arrangements, if you don’t mind.”
Emily was relieved. She knew nothing about weddings and had assumed it would be a simple registry office affair. But Oliver surprised her:
“Love, don’t you dream of a proper wedding? A stunning dress, a tiered cake, dancing, the works?”
Emily flushed.
“Oliver, I’d love that, but you know my salary barely covers the basics.”
He tapped her forehead playfully.
“Silly, since when do you worry about money? I’ll handle it. Even if you were a millionaire, I’d do the same.”
Margaret threw herself into planning, sparing no expense. Emily could barely keep up with her ideas—from invitation designs to the shade of ribbons on the bouquet. She had to take time off work just to avoid collapsing from exhaustion.
And then, the wedding day. From dawn, she was swept into a whirlwind: hairstyling, makeup, the dress, photos. The celebration passed like a dream—kisses, dances, cutting the cake. Now, lying in the bath, Emily relived the moment Oliver slipped the ring onto her finger. She shivered—the water had gone cold. Wrapping herself in a towel, she dabbed on scented lotion, combed her hair, and slipped into ivory lingerie as radiant as her wedding gown. Smiling, she knew Oliver waited for her in the bedroom.
Her hand hovered over the door handle when she froze, hearing Margaret’s voice.
“Why is she here?” Emily wondered. She hadn’t expected guests.
Leaning closer, she caught the hushed conversation between Oliver and Margaret. Curiosity won—she needed to know what they were whispering about on their wedding night.
“Oliver, I don’t like how you look at her,” Margaret hissed, as if accusing him of a crime. “Tell me I’m imagining it!”
“Mum, I’ve said it before—Emily’s wonderful. Stop this nonsense,” Oliver replied, voice laced with guilt.
“Nonsense? Love is a luxury you can’t afford! Don’t you dare grow attached to that nobody!” Margaret snapped.
Emily waited for Oliver to argue, but silence followed. Her chest tightened—she wanted to burst in and scream, but her feet felt rooted to the floor.
“Mum, listen, Emily matters to me,” Oliver finally muttered.
“Matters? That changes nothing! Your brother’s waited too long. You know he chose Emily. Your job was to marry her, and then we’d handle the rest.”
“You still haven’t explained how this works,” Oliver’s voice trembled.
“Haven’t I? You disappear, and your brother takes your place. Think she’ll notice? If we’re careful—no. Her husband ‘survives’ an accident, comes home ‘changed.’ If she loves him, she’ll accept him.”
Oliver let out a bitter laugh.
“Changed? Mum, listen to yourself! My brother isn’t just disabled—he’s unstable!”
“Don’t you dare!” Margaret screeched. “He’s not to blame for his condition. And you owe him, Oliver! You have to make this right!”
Emily trembled. A brother? Oliver had never mentioned one, let alone an ill one. How could they swap husbands? Were they twins? Before she could process it, Oliver raised his voice.
“I don’t owe anyone anything! Stop blaming me for his accident! You insisted I take him on that trip. He climbed that cliff himself! I won’t hand Emily over. If you bring this up again, I swear I’ll cut ties and leave him with nothing. Get out before she comes back!”
The door slammed—Margaret was gone. Emily, legs shaky, stepped out.
“Oliver, I heard everything. Explain.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair before sinking onto the sofa.
“It’s complicated, but since you heard… I have a brother. He’s very ill. Mum blames me. Years ago, I went hiking with friends. She made me bring him. There was an accident—he fell. He survived, but he’s disabled. Can’t walk, and his mind… he’s volatile. Breaks things, screams. He saw your photo online and wanted to marry you.”
“You spoke to him at first, but he knew you’d refuse if you met him properly. Mum’s plan was for me to marry you, then ‘vanish’ in an accident so he could replace me. I’m sorry—I meant to tell you. I wouldn’t have let it happen. I love you, Emily. I’d never give you up.”
Emily shook her head, backing toward the bedroom.
“I need time. Call a cab—I’m staying at a hotel.”
Oliver didn’t argue, only asked her to text when she arrived. At the hotel, Emily didn’t sleep, torn between love and fear. By morning, she called Oliver. He arrived with peonies and her favourite dessert, eyes full of remorse.
“I thought about divorce,” she admitted. “But I love you too. Still, your family… this isn’t normal. I can’t live near your mother, knowing what she planned. And I don’t trust you easily now. But I want to try. Let’s leave. Far away.”
Oliver took her hands, searching her eyes.
“Whatever you say. I’m all in.”
A week later, they moved to another city, far from Margaret. She threw a fit, but Oliver stood firm. They started anew, learning to trust each other again. For now, Emily was content—their future was theirs alone to write.
