I didn't even think twice before jumping after her. I saw her in the water with her eyes closed, and I grabbed her and swam to the gravel ground. She struggled against my grip and pushed me away.
"Let me go!" She screamed at me, but she didn't make a move to go back into the water; instead, she started sobbing. I sat there awkwardly because I didn't even know what to do.
"It will be fine," I tried to assure her; ironically, I was the one who needed that assurance.
"It won't," she said, shaking her head.
"Do you want to talk about it? We might not even meet each other ever again, so why don't you get it off your chest?" I said, and she looked at me for some time before nodding.
"II'm just starting off my career." She said, looking at me, her voice breaking, "I'm finally living my dream, and just when everything seems to be going well, my dad's company had to face a crisis, and now, marriage to a big tycoon is the only solution," she said, pouring her heart out as I sat frozen at the spot. It's not every day that you meet a stranger who tells you all of their problems. "I shouldn't be telling you this," she said, sniffing, but I shook my head.
"It's fine." I told her, awkwardly patting her back.
"I've only seen him once, when we were little, at a business party, but you should've seen how heartless he was back then, not to mention now," she complained, and I could feel her pain. "I can't just tie myself down forever. He's ruthless, I tell you; he's even shady. I tried to explain it to Daddy, but he's not hearing any of it. So just let me go," she said, snatching her hand from my grip and walking back to the water.
My pathetic life flashed before my eyes, and I realized I had little to nothing to lose if I was in her shoes. I would even be gaining, my brother's tuition would be cleared, my mom could finally get surgery, and my school fees would not be a problem.
"Wait!" I found myself calling out to the girl. She stopped for a second and continued. "Hear me out first!" I said again, standing up from the gravel, that my butt was starting to hurt. She turned around and looked at me in confusion. "Let me be your substitute."
**
"Bye, honey, take care of yourself," Bianca's mother said, hugging her daughter one more time. I stood beside them awkwardly. The news about being a substitute came as a shock to only her mother because her father couldn't care less as long as his company didn't go bankrupt.
"Thanks again, Elora; you are a lifesaver, or should I say Bianca?" Bianca said, smiling, and I gave her a small smile.
"It's fine, and I should be thanking you instead." I said it sheepishly. The driver blew the car horn, and Bianca hugged me before entering the car.
"Thank you so much for helping my daughter, and you don't have to worry; we have documents ready for your new identity." Bianca's mother, Yvonne, told me. "Your soon-to-be mother-in-law booked an entire spa for you, so go get ready. Put on Bianca's clothes; you have to dress the part." She added, and I nodded absentmindedly before widening my eyes in shock. 'an entire spa?!!'.
I got lost trying to find Bianca's room, so I had the housekeeper show me where it was. The room was so big and was painted bright pink, which was cliche. I opened her closet and found clothes that could fill an entire boutique. I settled for a blue and white checkered gown with white canvas that was a little big for my leg, but it'll do. I tried to make my hair look presentable, but it was a big struggle.
As I walked down the stairs, Yvonne scoffed, but she quickly covered it up by smiling sweetly at me. A smile that could make me doubt I ever saw disgust clearly written in her face. I shifted uncomfortably in my van as she stared at me.
"The driver is waiting outside, and please be on your best behavior." It may be hard for you, but we don't need to arouse any unwanted suspicion," she said before turning back to the movie she was watching. I wanted to back out now, but I couldn't forget the joy in my brother's voice when I paid his lesson fees. Yvonne even made me feel worse. My stomach churned at the thought of meeting yet another rich lady who might probably think of me as a mole.
The car finally stopped at a big spa, and I rubbed my sweaty palms against my gown. So many thoughts ran through my mind: 'What if I embarrass myself? Or destroy something? What if they realize I'm not really Bianca Gates but just a low-life girl? What if-'.
"Miss?" I heard the driver call, and I realized that I was still in the car while he had already opened the door. My legs felt wobbly as I came down from the car, and I resisted the urge to turn around and run. "Give me a call when you are done, and I'll come and fetch you," he said before entering the car and driving out, leaving me standing in front of the spa.
Someone knocked into me, and I almost fell on my buttocks. "I'm so sorry. These shades are itchy, and I wanted to take them off," a woman said. She looked beautiful—beautiful, even. She looked like she was too good for this world, yet she was only dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have stood at the entrance." I apologized and gave way for her to pass.
"Aren't you going to enter?" The woman smirked, raising her perfectly carved brows, and I sighed.
"It's too fancy for me," I replied before realizing my slip-up. "I didn't mean to say that."
"It's ok. Sometimes I think it's too fancy for me too, but this is the life we've been thrown into, right?" The woman said this as we both looked at the building.
"Let's go in, shall we?" She said, and I nodded hesitantly, "I'm Trina, by the way," she introduced.
"I'm El.. Bianca, I mean," I said, almost forgetting who I was supposed to be. "My grandma calls me Elora; that's why," I said, trying to explain, my face turning red in embarrassment.
"It's fine, and I prefer Elora, if that makes you feel better," she said as the security men opened the door for us. We both walked to the front desk, and then it hit me: the spa was booked for me, so this woman wouldn't be here if she wasn't.
"Is the spa ready for my daughter-in-law and me?" Oh no! How could I have been so careless?