CONTRACT BRIDE FOR THE DEVIL

"All done, sweetheart" Sophia's excitement-filled voice spilled into the bridal suite as she finished zipping up the wedding dress.

Emily stepped in front of the full length mirror, her ethereally beautiful face showing just how awed she is. The makeup glowed in unison with her pristine skin, and the dress is just as perfect.

It's a masterpiece of lace and silk with delicate florals and intricate patterns that shimmered in the light. The fitted mermaid silhouette hugged her curves, accentuating her waist and flaring out in a dramatic train that cascaded down.

A warm smile graced her face as she turned around, hugging Sophia dearly.

"Can't believe you're finally getting married to Sage, he's so lucky to have snatched my sweetheart away" Sophia gushed, breaking the hug to hold Emily's hands.

"I'm the lucky one, Sophia. Five years with no single day of pain? He's my lucky charm, and I definitely can't wait to walk down the aisle with him. I'm impatient!" Emily gushed right back, her happiness over the top as the veil swirled on her hair bun.

"Just a few more minutes, sweetheart," Sophia reassured.

"I have you to thank. All of these wouldn't have happened without you" Emily's eyes filled with respect as she spoke.

Despite Sophia's pregnancy, she took it upon herself to prepare this wedding hall and even paid for it herself. She did Emily's makeup too since she's a cosmetologist, and Emily's shoes were also gifts from her.

They've been best friends since they were teens, and they did everything together, relying on each other as they're both orphans.

While Sophia is a door-to-door cosmetologist, Emily is a model who's only just starting to gain recognition in the Glamour Models Industry (GMI)

She met Sage in the last year of highschool, and it's been rainbows and unicorns since then. Sage might be from a poor family, but at least...he loves her dearly, and she'd do anything so far it gets a smile on his face.

"You're my best friend, and I've been dreaming of doing this for you. You only have to prepare for my baby shower after your marriage" Sophia said sweetly, and Emily's laughter bloomed.

She brought her hand down to Sophia's protruding tummy, rubbing it carefully.

"I can't wait to meet the father. You've always been avoiding the question anytime I asked"

"You'll meet him soon, trust me sweetheart" Sophia carefully backed out, picking her phone out of her bag that's sitting on a chair.

"Will be back in a jiffy. I need to make a call" she said.

"Don't take long" Emily replied warmly, and Sophia exited.

With another sweet smile, Emily faced the mirror again, checking herself out and imagining how smitten Sage would look when he saw her in this dress.

He's probably waiting by the hall double doors already, and she's starving to set eyes on him too.

For a second, she wished her parents were here to witness today, but she brushed the thought away as fast as it came.

Her eyes suddenly caught Sophia's bag on the chair, a white paper is peeping out of it, about to fall off.

"So clumsy" Emily purred, taking the paper with the intention of tucking it into the bag properly, but what she saw on the other side of it stopped her.

It's not just a paper, it's a picture.

A picture which made sudden sweat roll down her backline, a picture which made her throat go dry.

It's a picture of Sage, her husband-to-be, and Sophia.

In the picture, Sage is on a knee, kissing Sophia's baby bump while Sophia stroked his hair with her hand, her lips heavy with laughter.

Emily staggered involuntarily, and her ankle twisted in her right shoe, making a sharp sound.

She's seeing things, isn't it?

She blinked her eyes, but the picture still stood there in her hand, looking the same.

Her breaths coiled in her lungs, and her chest tightened as sweat soaked her face.

The room suddenly felt like it was closing her in, and she ran out of it, her twisted ankle the least of her problems.

Her dress was sweeping the ground as she ran down the silent white hallway, looking for Sophia.

Where is she?

She needs to tell her this is her own imagination, that it's fake.

Emily ran past a washroom, but the voices she heard inside made her stop, then she took two steps back.

The words came loud and clear.

"Are we really gonna do this today again? I already explained things to you. I have to marry her if we want to live fine for the rest of our lives. You're pregnant, and we need money for the baby to come alive"

Unmistakably, that's Sage's voice.

Emily felt a sting in her head, and it became hazy, but the second voice ruined her more.

"I understand she's starting to rise to fame in the industry, and that's why you need her, but I'm scared. What if you fall for her after this wedding"

The voice was Sophia's.