SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA

CHAPTER ONE.

PREGNANT.

Lila.

"Do you think I can go in to see him now?" I asked my best friend, Olivia, who worked as a therapist in the hospital.

Currently, we were both in her office waiting for my husband whose bandages were to be removed today. He had his eye surgery two or three days ago.

"Sure, they should be done by now". Olivia, responded, her head buried in some sort of counseling book.

My heart gave a kick start out of excitement, Joy radiating through my chest as my face crumbled into a smile. At the same time, I began breathing heavily, my palms growing sweaty.

"Someone is anxious". Olivia teased with a smirk, as she peeped at me from her book. I shrugged, not denying her claim.

"You can't blame me. For a year now, he thought I was his Lily. How do you think he is going to react when he finds out he married me instead?" I questioned, feeling a lump in my throat.

"Oh please! You did him a favor when that bitch ran, so please get a grip of yourself and go claim your man". Olivia encouraged and I felt she was right, her words giving me strength.

I nodded, raising from my seat to leave when,

"Hold on". I paused in my tracks, furrowing my brows at her in confusion.

"Let me accompany you. I would love to see the look on his face". I rolled my eyes at her words but was grateful she wanted to extend her support further.

We made our way towards his ward, my heart racing with each step I took. Finally, I was about to turn the doorknob and enter when Olivia was called away for something urgent.

"Be strong. Raise your head high. You are the real Mrs Knight now". Olivia reminded me, giving me a pat on my shoulder before leaving hurriedly.

Her words sank in me and despite my hands trembling as I turned the knob, I took in a deep breath and opened the door, ready to reveal the truth.

I saw him immediately, my husband. He was fixed, his blue eyes open, filled with love and care as I walked in, but not towards me. He didn't even notice my entrance.

I was about to call out to him when I saw her, by his side. My eyes widened, my jaw dropping.

"Lily?" I muttered in disbelief, and she turned at the sound of my voice, her arms wrapped around Lucien, as he brought her to sit on his lap, his hands stroking her hair tenderly.

My heart clenched, and suddenly, It felt the air in the room was being sucked out.

'What was she doing here?'

"Oh! It's my sister-in-law" Lucian called out with glee, flashing me that beautiful smile of his that always sent my heart racing.

I faked a smile at his words, baffled and lost for words. What was Lily doing here, Didn't she disappear a year ago, leaving me behind to clean up her mess?

"You okay Lila? You look pale". She stated like she cared, but I could sense the mockery in her tone. I looked up to see the side of her lips curling up and knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"She is right. You do look pale, sister-in-law". Lucien acknowledged her words and my lips trembled, the ache in my chest worsening at what he used to address me.

'Sister-in-law? But I was his wife' I thought, trying to form out words but couldn't, my eyes growing misty.

I immediately looked down at my foot, my hands clenched together as different thoughts ran through my mind.

'How could this be happening, what do I do now?' I pondered, clueless.

"Speak up". My subconscious screamed at me, and I was about to, when the door barged open, and someone came in, grabbing me by my arm.

I stiffened, turning to find my mother-in-law, Rita, smiling at me. A fake one to be exact, her eyes glaring down at me.

"Oh Lila! Why don't you come out for a bit? I have something to say to you". She said, dragging me with her, and not even waiting for my answer.

I struggled, turning back to look at Lucien, who blinked at me repeatedly before Lily distracted him by kissing him on the lips, which he reciprocated.

I let out a gasp, my heart breaking as I suddenly felt weak and just let myself be dragged out.

"Girl! Keep quiet about this situation and do not ruin things for me". My mother in law warned, fury blazing through her eyes as she dug her nails into my flesh, causing me to wince from pain.

She looked so different from the woman who went on her knees, a year ago, tears in her eyes as she begged me to pretend to be my sister and get married to Lucien so he wouldn't hurt himself if he found out my sister ran away from their wedding.

"But I am h-his w-w-ife". I stuttered, struggling to release myself from her grip.

Rita snorted, before wrinkling her nose at me with disgust.

"Don't be silly. All he sees now is Lily as his wife. That's what he believes, and that's whom he loves, so stop being shameless". She snapped at me, before pushing me away roughly and storming out.

I stood there, stunned, her words sinking into me.

'What was going on, why was this happening?'. A year ago, My sister's fiancee, Lucien got into an accident that blinded him. My sister changed towards him after that and on the wedding day, ran away, leaving behind a note she couldn't marry a blind man.

I was begged and forced to substitute her since we had similar voices.. I also had to bear her name and pretend to be in her in his presence and in the process of doing so, I fell. I thought we could be happy but I was so wrong.

He is healed, and now she is back to claim her rightful place as his wife, and he would never even know the truth.

'Was I that worthless? Like an item that is tossed aside after its use?'

My legs wobbled, and I immediately placed my hand on the wall nearby to stabilize myself as tears rushed to the brink of my eyes.

Words couldn't describe how betrayed and used I felt. Even his mother, the brain of everything, was telling me to butt out.

"Lila, how did it go?" Olivia jeered happily as she came running towards me, but as she came closer and noticed my pale look, her smile disappeared immediately.

"What is it, why are you crying? Did something happen to Lucien?" Olivia bombarded me with questions but I couldn't say a word in response.

My insides were burning, my eyes blurry, and my head was pounding like I was being hit with a hammer.

I pressed one of my hands to my tummy, the antiseptic smell I was perceiving made me want to gag.

Despite my hands being on the wall, my limbs felt heavy, and my legs lost their balance. I fell to the floor.

"Lila". Olivia screamed in panic as she dashed to my side, muttering words my brain couldn't register.

I felt numb, my sight getting dim as all the tears I was holding finally came out and rolled down my cheeks. I kept recalling how he looked at her with adoration, ignoring me who was by his side when she abandoned him.

"Lily is back". I managed to mutter before slipping into unconsciousness.

"Beep, Beep, Beep". The sound of the ringing machine woke me up and did nothing to help my headache. Instead, it worsened it.

I let out a painful groan, trying to flick my eyes open, and was immediately blinded by the sunlight peeping in from the opened window.

"Lila, Oh thank God! You had me so worried". Olivia screamed out of relief, rushing to my side.

I managed to give her a weak smile, oblivious of my surroundings till he spoke up.

"Are you ill? You suddenly collapsed". My entire body froze, my eyes sparkling as my heart tightened with anticipation, full of joy.

'He came for me and sounded so worried. Perhaps there is a way after all' I thought, feeling hopeful, till she spoke.

"Probably too much stress from school?" Lily suggested and I fought the urge to scoff.

I had been done with school since two months ago but how would she know? She ran away. I completely ignored those two, biting hard on my lower lips to get myself back. I was beginning to feel teary again.

"How do you feel?" Olivia asked, placing her hand on my forehead to feel my temperature when the doctor walked in.

"Miss Vitale". He called and my chest tightened from pain.

It was supposed to be Mrs Knight.

"Congratulations. You are two weeks pregnant". He dropped the bomb and the entire room went as silent as a graveyard..