Elena's POV
I stared at the girl in front of me, shocked. I'd never seen something like this in my life! Could it be… I have a secret twin?
"You…" she pointed at me, speechless. Well, I was speechless too!
"Hello," she finally said with a soft smile. "My name is Jennifer. And you are?"
"Elena."
"Elena what?"
"Elena Adams."
"Ohh…" she giggled, then suddenly grabbed my hand. "Hahaha! Looks like heaven has finally answered my prayers!"
"Prayer?" I asked in confusion. Do rich people pray?
"Yeah! Selena, you're my saviour!"
Before I could reply, a woman in her late thirties walked in. "Jenny, what are you doing there…" She froze the moment she saw us. Her eyes widened as she looked from me to Jennifer.
"Who is Jennifer here?" she asked, completely confused. Jennifer and I exchanged looks… and burst out laughing.
"Aunt Ophelia, I have an idea!" Jennifer said suddenly.
Her aunt frowned. "Don't even think about fooling Elijah."
" She doesn't want to participate in the DAMITE sewing competition either!"
Jennifer said and turned to me. "Look, Elena, I don't have much time. I need your help with something. Please, I'll pay you every month."
"Pay me?" I asked, already excited. Anything that will give me money.
She smiled and nodded. "Yes. But first, how long have you been here?"
"Today's my second day in this country," I said. "I came here to meet an old friend."
"Really?" she asked, clearly happy about that. "And what about the attendants here?"
I remembered how they looked at me earlier. "They asked why I came alone," I murmured.
"Good," she said, grabbing my hand and dragging me toward a secret passage. Before I knew it, we were in her expensive car.
"Look, Elena, do you like this car?" she asked, grinning.
I chuckled. "The car is nice, but my friend has the same one."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of your friend."
"Wait… what?"
"Let's go," she told the driver. Aunt Ophelia sat in the front seat, quiet but clearly listening.
"To my private estate," Jennifer added proudly.
I blinked. She has a private estate? Wow.
When we arrived at her huge, beautiful mansion, she dragged me inside.
"Is it that serious?" I asked, out of breath, she's wearing heels and walking very fast.
She nodded. I looked at her side profile in awe. What kind of coincidence was this, meeting my own doppelganger?
After we settled in the living room, she brought out an iPad and showed me a picture of a man.
I blinked. "Sylas?" I smiled. "So this is the real him?" I giggled, brushing my fingers over the screen. When I looked up, both Jennifer and Aunt Ophelia were trying not to laugh.
"What?" I asked.
"That's not an animated character," Jennifer said, still giggling. "He's a businessman. His name is Elijah."
I looked back at the screen. "Why did he dye his hair white?! He doesn't even look real!"
Aunt Ophelia burst out laughing. "He's real, dear. You just don't know him because you're new here."
I looked at his blue eyes and perfect nose and sighed. "Do you want me to assassinate him?"
Jennifer's eyes widened in horror. "Wait what?! No! That's not why I showed you his picture!"
I laughed awkwardly. "Oh, sorry…"
She sighed. "He's a dangerous businessman. My family's company needs help, and they want me to marry him."
"A contract marriage?" I asked.
She nodded. "Yeah. He wants to marry just to stop his family from bothering him."
I raised a brow. "Okay… but why are you telling me this?"
She glanced at her aunt. "Please, I want us to switch."
"What?" I asked, shocked. Did I just hear that right? How am I supposed to deal with this man?
"Please, Elena. It's just for six months. He needs to marry someone before his older clients start seeing him as irresponsible."
I looked at the man on the screen and sighed. "How am I supposed to act like you? When are you even marrying him?"
"Tomorrow," she said quietly.
"What?!"
"Listen, Elena. Don't worry. He barely knows me, I only met him once. I'll teach you how to act like me in front of my parents, okay?"
"Living a fake life for six months?! Isn't that too much acting?"
"I'll guide you," Aunt Ophelia said. " I have no choice, since she doesn't like Elijah ."
"I thought you didn't support this?" I asked her.
"She wants to join the sewing contest. You can help her with that," Ophelia said.
I turned to Jennifer, excited. "Really?"
She smiled and nodded. "It is one of my dreams to pursue fashion."
"Wow, I'll do it!" I agreed immediately. Joining that contest had been my biggest obstacle, and if pretending to be her was the only way, then so be it!
"Thank you so much," she sighed in relief.
"Elijah Gilbert," she said. "He's the CEO of Sunny Technology."
"Wait, he owns Sunny?!" I gasped. "He's super rich! My dream man!" I laughed.
Jennifer nodded. "He's thirty-two."
"What?!" I almost choked.
"Is there a problem?" she asked in confusion.
"He's too old! I'm twenty-two!"
Jennifer laughed nervously. "It doesn't matter. It's just a contract marriage."
"Still a marriage," I muttered, rolling my eyes.
"There won't be any wedding night or romance in the marriage," Aunt Ophelia said. "Just public appearances together."
"Ohhh," I nodded in understanding.
"Can you walk in heels?" Jennifer asked.
A maid brought out a pair of high heels.
I stared at them nervously. "I don't think so…"
"You can try," she said.
With two maids holding me, I managed ten steps… then twenty. Not perfect, but not bad.
"Don't worry," she said, smiling. "You won't be standing much."
I brought out my phone and showed her a picture of my childhood friend. "This is Aidan."
Jennifer's eyes widened. I saw her poke the screen and blush.
"Don't mind his tattoos," I said, laughing. "He looks rough, but he's actually a nice guy, well, to me."
I looked at her face again and frowned. She was staring too long.
"He's handsome," she murmured. "Both inside and out."
I leaned closer and saw she'd swiped to another picture, Aidan's picture at the gym, shirtless. "His abs are amazing," she murmured.
I snatched my phone back, laughing. "He didn't even know I took that picture! Anyway, I'll call my best friend Anna. She'll help you while I'm gone."
Jennifer smiled. "We'll switch now and start training for marriage in your free time."
I nodded and quickly texted Anna. After a long round of nagging, she finally agreed.
"She said yes," I laughed.
Jennifer sighed in relief. "Good. Aunt Ophelia will show you my room and the rest of the house."