"Beautiful!" Sienna looked at Vivianne's smile that seemed too wide and too plastic.
Now that Sienna knew Vivianne's true colours, she quickly saw through her step sister's fake behaviour.
Having been the older of the two, Sienna had always tried her best to take care of her younger sister and give her the best.
At her own expense.
"Really?" Sienna looked at her reflection, turning from side to side to inspect herself. The wedding dress was simple, Sienna had picked it out herself and it showed her classy yet understated taste.
The off-shoulder neckline showed off her delicate bone structure and collarbones, while the A-line cut of the skirt was not pretentious and emphasised her slim figure. She wasn't as stunning as Vivianne, but Sienna was extremely lovely today.
"Of course! Every bride looks beautiful on her wedding day, plus you're marrying into the Wright family!" The jealousy was evident in Vivianne's words.
The Wright family was one of the richest in the city and Sienna knew that if her name hadn't been specified in the agreement between the families, Vivianne would have greedily claimed the spot as the Wright family's daughter-in-law.
This solidified Sienna's resolve to go through with the wedding, she refused to let Vivianne have anything else from her!
The memory of Vivianne wearing a pale green peridot gem in an infinity loop flashed through Sienna's mind and her eyes hardened.
In fact, it was time to see how far she could push this.
"Don't you think it looks a little plain?" She asked Vivianne innocently. It wasn't too far from the truth, Sienna didn't like big jewellery pieces and had chosen minimal accessories to complement her gown.
"A little," Vivianne cast a critical eye over Sienna, clearly thinking she was boring, "I told you to pick bigger gems and accessories!"
"Why don't you lend me your earrings?" Sienna said casually, watching as Vivianne's eyes widened and her hand went up to touch her earrings.
"You… You want my earrings?" Vivianne was too stunned to disguise the reluctance in her voice.
"It's not everyday your sister gets married," Sienna smiled warmly, "Won't the earrings improve the outfit?"
Sienna watched with internal glee as Vivianne struggled to keep her pleasant expression. But Sienna had never asked Vivianne for anything before, so Sienna maintained an innocently smiling face, as if she didn't know that Vivianne nearly sold an arm and a leg to get her hands on those earrings.
"I-" Vivianne didn't want to part with her precious earrings, but she also knew that the family needed Sienna for this marriage in order to connect their family, "Of course… Here, let me help you."
With great satisfaction, Sienna held still as Vivianne took her prized earrings and put them on for her. They looked perfect, the bold design balancing out the elegant gown.
Just you wait, Sienna thought, I'm not going to stop at these earrings, I'm going to take everything from you.
***
Damon Wright was just as handsome as Sienna remembered him to be on their wedding day. She walked down the aisle slowly as the wedding march played, letting her feet take her to the man she had loved for more than three years.
In a fitted tuxedo that emphasised his broad shoulders, Damon's serious blue eyes and perfectly styled dark blonde hair made him look more like a wedding magazine model than a groom on his wedding day.
Despite how cold he had been throughout their marriage, Sienna still remembered falling for him in university, back when they had debated across the classroom in a business module they had taken together.
She remembered his searing blue eyes and the determined expression as they argued their opinions in front of the whole class, she remembered the rush of adrenaline from being taken seriously by someone in the business context.
The professor had laughed and praised both of their concepts, telling them both that they had potential to be great in the business industry. He had come over at the end of class to shake her hand and that had been that. She had fallen for him and never looked back.
Now, as she faced him, she saw that he had only grown more attractive since university.
His chiselled jawline and strong nose made him look like a Greek god. With his wealth and his looks, it was no wonder that the entire city's worth of girls (and some guys) were drooling after him.
The wedding ceremony passed in a blur. It was similar and yet, different from the first time. Everything went the same way that Sienna remembered, but this time, she was no longer nervous, excited or unsure.
Instead, she was cool, detached and business-like. She smiled when she needed to take a photo and politely greeted relatives and important people on cue. She signed the marriage document without even hesitating and didn't even blush when Damon pecked her on the lips in front of everyone.
The crowd cheered as Damon carefully pulled the veil back and placed a warm hand on her lower back, pulling her into his chest.
Slowly, he lowered his head until his lips met hers. Was it her imagination or did he linger longer than the first time? Either way, she thought of sad things like puppies dying until the kiss was over.
She met his eyes when he pulled away and gave him an unaffected stare.
You think I'll melt into a puddle for you? Not this time.
By the time evening came around and the two of them drove back to his mansion, she was exhausted, but still had to finish one last thing. She had been awed by the huge house with the massive gates and long corridors, but now, she viewed it as one of the loneliest places.
They stepped through the door and the servants immediately relieved them of their coats.
Damon dismissed the servants and she patiently waited for him to tell her they would be sleeping separately, but he simply walked to his own bedroom. Puzzled, she followed him and only when they had both walked into the room and he was taking off his jacket did she realise she had to say something.
"I'll sleep in the room down the hall," She stated firmly, naming the room she had been given when she first moved in.
Damon turned to her, surprised by her words. He paused for a moment before nodding slowly, "If that's what you wish."
Sienna frowned. That was what Damon had wished at the start. She's not about to sleep with a man she had sworn to hate in this life.
She pulled out the marriage certificate and put it down on the table. Then she looked him in the eye and repeated what he had told her three years ago.
"This marriage is only on paper," She said clearly and coldly, "You live your life, I'll live mine."