"It's so scary you know, Ate Sleia?! Magpapanggap ako na ikaw eh hindi ko alam kung kaya ko yun. Iba nalang please." Pagdadahilan ni Alice habang kitang-kita na hindi ito kumpiyansa sa magagawa niya.
"Look Alice, hahayaan mo bang makita mo akong ikakasal sa lalaking di ko naman mahal? And besides you have to just act like me before the said date of our marriage. You know 6 months ahead of our wedding time." Siela said truthfully. Kailangan niyang ipilit ang gusto niya sa pagkakataong ito.
"Ba't ambilis naman ata. Walang closure or bonding time man lang? Nakilala mo na ba kung sino ang magiging groom mo? It was unbelievably not true right?! Sunod-sunod na tanong ni Alice na makikitang hindi niya pa naintindihan ang buong pangyayari.
"It was part of their plan, Alice. You will definitely know more about Montreal Family unbelievable marriage traditions if you will be switching with me." Pagkukumpirma ni Sleia sa kapatid habang makikitang gusto nitong malaman ng kapatid nito ang kakayahan ng pamilyang kinabibilangan nila.
"Pero paano ka Ate, you know that you live in the city, kakayanin mo bang tumira sa probinsya and act like me?!" Pagkontra naman ni Alice para di pumayag ang Ate Sleia nito.
"Hinahamon mo ata ako Alice bunso. You know how I take every challenges on myself. Kaya ko yun, ako pa." Matapang na sambit ni Sleia habang pinapakita nito ang masel nito sa braso na wala naman.
"But what about our father? Hindi ko siya gustong makasama Ate or communicate with her. Paano yun." Tila sumusukong sagot na lamang ni Alice.
Lumiwanag naman ang ekspresyon ng mukha ni Sleia habang tila hindi ito makapaniwala.
"I really love you Alice bunso. Don't worry about dad kasi you will met him not so often and besides you can choose to meet my groom often for wedding preparations or stay in different houses or condo units I have. I don't mind it anyways. Alam ko namang si dad lang naman ang hadlang na nakikita ko why you look worried and isa pa, I just want you to explore my life as Sleia Miraly Montreal and just enjoy here to heal your broken heart, okay?!" Mahabang litanya ni Sleia to make sure that her sister doesn't have any problem staying here in United Kingdom or in her groom's side.
Umaliwalas naman ang mukha ni Alice sa sinabi ng kakambal. It was their father that bothers her existence or this kind of switching thing.
"Wait, last nalang Ate. I know that I agree with this lalo na't alam kong mapilit at makulit ka pero what if may mangyaring di natin inaasahan like a critical situations. Will we go back on our own life and we will switch back ahead of expected time?!" Paninigurong tanong ni Alice habang kitang-kita na wala siyang balak to stay in their switch place for a long time.
"Yes Alice. It's either one month before, three months or five months basta any time that we see a critical problems, we must switch back no matter what happens. Promised me okay?!" Puno ng kaseryosohanng sagot ni Sleia hanang nakatingin sa kakambal nito na may assurance.
"Yes Ate Sleia. I'll do my best as I promised you!" Seryosong turan naman ni Alice habang nagpinky promise pa sila.
Pakiramdam ni Alice ay may mali but she just didn't mind it. Siguro ay nakikita nitong hahanap pa ng paraan ang kakambal nito ng paraan para hindi ito tuluyang makasal or whatsoever. Kung gustong sabihin ng Ate Sleia nito ang binabalak niya edi sana she just directly spill it out on her pero wala.
Siguro ito na siguro ang way para malaman niya kung ano ang ipinapahiwatig ng kapatid nito about being her or what a Montreal Family looks like on the inside, not on just random observations of outsiders.
On the other hand, Sleia felt that she succeeded on her first move. Alam niyang si Alice lamang ang makakagawa nito because they are twin. She really knows how a life of being poor means. Nag-advance training siya sa military service noong kolehiyo siya without her dad noticing her dahil busy ito sa trabaho nito to run the Montreal Family businesses.
Thankfully ay magagamit niya iyon because of this switching thing. She do military trainings, survival trainings and many more. During college, she took three major courses, Political Science, Business Accountancy and Fine Arts. Thankfully nagawa niyang ishorten lahat ng ito because of her status and wealth. That's how the world keep running, no exceptions.
She paid the bill and go walk for another spot they want to go kasama si Alice.
She knows that she half lied for her twin sister but it was all part of her plan. Alice Grace Buenaventura played a bigger role here. Hindi niya ginagawa ito just for her sake. Yes, after her twin sister agree with her plan, it feels like the guilt and conscience are already dwelled up and all her reasons are just part of her plan.
She may look like an evil twin sister or abusive b*tch but she is doing it not for her.
Tinatapangan niya lamang ang sarili niya because in this world of her as Sleia Miraly Montreal, kahit sarili niya di man lang niya maipagtanggol, kahit kapatid man lang niya ay maprotektahan niya.
She never beg for a favor sa kahit na sino but for her twin sister only. If father will know this someday, she must prepare herself to that day will come. Hindi niya matatakasan iyon but for now she'll just do this thing for her own sister, in her own way.
Kung gagamitin niya ang pera niya to hire bodyguards for her sister, it will be suspicious dahil tatadtadin siya ng tanong ni Alice to why she needs bodyguards. Also, she don't trust other people. There are only few people would willing to die for someone that really needs their protections and loyalty. It's just a work and show nothing but an act of service and money.
Having switching places she will guarantee their safety kahit hindi na siya. The existence of Alice is her father's weakness and also her. The more closer their enemies are, the better for Alice to stay alive and live a carefree life. She don't want her death dahil makakapatay siya ng mga kadugo niyang nasa Montreal Family. Pera sa pera, ngipin sa ngipin at buhay kapalit ng buhay. It was way to survival.