City A, Saint Yas Church, Bride's dressing room.
“Miss, your makeup is done!”
At the sound of the makeup artist, Kelsey Reese, dressed in a wedding dress, finally breathed a sigh of relief, hopping off the chair barefoot with a light heart.
She pursed her lips and walked over to the full-length mirror, examining her reflection dressed in a wedding gown.
Her skin was smooth and delicate. Coupled with the pure white wedding dress, it rendered her ordinary look into something remarkably elegant.
She spun around in place, cocking her head to one side and pouting her lips slightly.
So, this was what she looked like in a wedding dress!
Seeing that she was not dissatisfied, the makeup artist packed up and left the room.
After the door to the dressing room was closed, it was suddenly swung open again, and a figure slowly walked in.
"Very beautiful, this wedding dress suits you very well."
The crisp, familiar voice echoed in the dressing room, startling the person who was in a daze in front of the mirror.
Looking at the figure behind her through the mirror, Kelsey's bright eyes widened suddenly, and she abruptly turned around to face the person approaching her.
Even though the other party was wearing a baseball cap and a mask, and even though they had been separated since childhood, she could still recognize her at a glance.
Because they were really too familiar. They came from the same womb, bearing identical faces.
Suppressing her anger, Kelsey strode toward her. "Pearl Cole, I've already put on your wedding dress as a substitute. When will you give me back my mother?"
"Don't rush!" The masked Pearl elegantly turned around as if observing the layout of the lounging room.
"I have mentioned that the term is one year. When I return to the country, I will naturally return your mother to you, and also give you your freedom."
"Why should I believe you? At least let me see my mother."
"Kelsey, don't negotiate terms with me. You're not in a position to!"
"You... are just as indifferent as you were before. You watched Mother and me being expelled from the Cole family, and you did not care. And now you're even worse! You've actually kidnapped Mom and are using her to threaten me. Do you still have any humanity left?" As Kelsey continued, she became increasingly agitated and her little face flushed from anger. "Pearl, what have you done to mom?"
A glint of gravity passed through Pearl's eyes. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to her. After all... she's also my mother!"
"You better shut up. Do you feel that you're qualified to call her mom?" Kelsey glared at her disdainfully. Who would utilize their own mother to achieve their ends?
"That's enough, Kelsey!" Being counter-talked repeatedly, Pearl was extremely displeased. "I am not here to argue with you. I am trying to warn you to act this drama out well. If anything goes wrong, don't ever think about seeing Mom in this life!"
"How dare you!"
"You'd best not give me the opportunity to show you whether I dare or not. Otherwise, you will see whether I dare or not. Of course, the consequences are something you absolutely couldn't bear."
"Pearl, you are so despicable!" Kelsey felt like she was about to explode in anger. How could the person in front of her eyes be her sister? How could she be their mother's daughter?
With her ever icy demeanor, Pearl reached out on her own to straighten Kelsey's wedding dress. The wedding dress that originally belonged to her. Thinking about it, a touch of fierce determination flashed through her eyes.
"Kelsey, listen clearly. If you ruin my plan, I may do even more degrading things. Then, I might send Mom to the other side of the world, separated from you by thousands of miles, where you could never find her. Or perhaps, I might allow her to find peace sooner so she doesn't have to continue living in such pain."
"No, Pearl, are you crazy? You can't do this!" Kelsey's face turned pale, and she grabbed Pearl's hand.
Pearl was very satisfied with her reactions. The corners of her mouth turned up, smirking with a touch of coldness. She was as scared as ever.
"What I'll do depends entirely on your actions. If you willingly marry into the Hurlbutt family and devote your all to protect the Cole's, I promise you'll see your mother soon, or else..."
"I'll agree! I agree to everything, but you cannot harm my mother." Kelsey bit her lip corner firmly, her eyes filled with struggle and resentment, but eventually turned into helplessness.
She so longed to slap the other party, but she dared not. Her mother was in her hands, and no matter what, she couldn't risk involving her mother. Such consequences were indeed too much for her to bear.
Nonetheless, she bravely lifted her head and snapped, "Pearl, I can agree to anything, but I warn you, if anything happens to my mother, I'll personally ruin the Cole family and destroy everything of yours."
She meant what she said!
Pearl was taken aback, perhaps not expecting her to say so, and remained stunned for a moment.
Was the decision to swap identities really the right one?
She started to harbor some doubts, but she had already agreed, hadn't she?
Dong...
Suddenly, the bells in the hall tolled, announcing the imminent commencement of the wedding.
With the sounding of the bells, Kelsey's heart also quickened, she was about to play a charade.
"The show is about to begin, I should leave now, Kelsey, I'm entrusting you with my identity now, don't disappoint me."
After saying this, Pearl gave a faint smile and turned to leave.
In a moment, the spacious lounge was left with only Kelsey.