Everyone woke up to shocking news: the Daniels had called off the engagement.
"To the general public and the Rowland family, I, Melissa Daniel, have decided to call off the engagement for reasons best known to me. I apologize to everyone, especially Brian, who may not take this news well," the press release stated.
The announcement, released early in the morning, caused an uproar throughout the city. Social media exploded with opinions, and Melissa's phone had been confiscated the previous night for reasons still unknown to her.
The day before, after Mrs. Kate Daniel met with Mrs. Priscilla Rowland, she shared the conversation with her husband.
"I had an unscheduled meeting with someone today; Mrs. Priscilla and I had some discussion today, and while the discussion sounds strange, it's also beneficial for us. She wants to change the bride to Melinda. I think everyone noticed at dinner that she doesn't seem to like Melissa much, but I believe someone else may be influencing her to make such a decision" Mrs. Kate said.
"Change the bride? Why would she ask for something like that? When everyone already knows that Melissa will be getting married to her son" Mr. Daniel asked, shocked.
"I'm not sure of her reasons, but she gave me two options: either we change the bride, or we lose the alliance. You know how important this marriage is to us. We can't afford to lose it," Mrs. Kate explained.
"We can't lose the Rowland family. They're our only hope of rising to the top," Mr. Daniel acknowledged, while his heart kept racing.
"But what about Melissa? We've always favored Linda over her, and she has never for once complained about it. I overheard her saying the other day that this alliance was the best thing we've ever done for her. How do you think she'll feel when she finds out Linda will be replacing her? She might bear a grudge against us forever."
Mrs. Kate tried to reason with him. "Yes, we've been partial to Linda, but we are doing this for the benefit of everyone in this family. If we refuse to change the bride, and Melissa marries into the Rowland family while our status declines, do you think they would treat her with respect? They might even divorce her."
Together, they looked at the bigger picture and decided to prioritize their interests. Mrs. Priscilla's offer to replace the bride was their best option—they wouldn't lose out if they replaced the bride. That night, Mrs. Kate confiscated Melissa's phone under the pretense of an innocent request.
The next morning, Mrs. Kate went to Linda's room, having overheard her parents' discussion the night before.
"Linda, I need to talk to you about something, this decision was taken for our family's benefit, but then I don't want you to be too excited or trying to rub it on Melissa's face," Mrs. Kate began as she knocked on Linda's door. " Family comes first, we have decided to let you get engaged to Brian since the Rowlands want to call off the engagement if we don't replace the bride. We were given two options: either we replace the bride, or we will lose everything attached to our family's name."
She wasn't asking for Linda's opinion. She knew Linda had her eyes on Brian ever since Melissa got engaged to him. Mrs. Kate continued, "We've released a press statement calling off the engagement. We haven't heard from the Rowland family yet, but we expect them soon. You know what to do." She said walking out of Linda's room
Linda couldn't hide the joy on her face. It felt like she had finally achieved what she wanted, unaware that she had fallen into a carefully crafted trap of Mrs. Priscilla and her daughter Hilda.
Hilda, Brian's sister, and Melinda had been friends in the same social circle for years. Hilda, influenced by her mother, provoked Melinda, manipulating her into betting on who would marry her brother.
"I thought you were the apple of your parents' eyes, always getting the best. But look who's getting the best now, your sister Melissa. She's engaged to my brother, and we all know he's a catch," Hilda teased with a smug smile.
Melinda shot back, "She only got him because I didn't want an arranged marriage. If I wanted, I could have him, and my parents would agree."
Hilda's smile grew more wicked. "Who do you think you are to decide who Brian Rowland marries? Your parents chose Melissa over you, maybe because they think she deserves better than you or they don't see you as their first choice in a situation like that."
No one had ever spoken to Melinda this way, challenging her sense of importance. Sensing she had pushed Melinda enough to get on her nerves, Hilda decided to seal the deal.
"How about we make a bet?" Hilda suggested.
Melinda was intrigued, though cautious. "What kind of bet? And what's the prize?"
"If you win, I'll transfer ownership of my penthouse to you. If you lose, you transfer all the shares in your name to me," Hilda proposed, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
"And what are we betting on"
"Between you and your sister, who would be getting married to my brother"
Melinda hesitated. She couldn't afford to lose everything, but pride prevented her from backing down. She reluctantly agreed, comforted by the thought that the odds were in her favor. After all, she was certain she could win Brian's heart or even still get her parents to do her will.
The penthouse Hilda offered was located in Sun City, one of the most prestigious estates in the heart of the city. Renting properties in that area costs upwards of 12 million a month. Owning it would be a financial boon. Melinda considered it a win-win: if the engagement fell apart, she could still lease the property and support herself, possibly even take control of her family's company as the CEO.
Little did she know, the stakes of this game were higher than she thought, and not everything was as it seems.