The Consolation Prize

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"Monique! Monique! Monique, open the damned door!"

The loud booming voice of Oliver and his heavy incessant knocking snapped Monique from her sleep. Her brown eyes landed on Nathaniel's sleeping form. He was lying on a fat blue couch, his long-sleeved polo creased, his arm lying on his stomach while his other arm was lying at the backrest of the couch. She slowly got up from the soft comfortable bed with her jumpsuit still on her body as she opened the door, the hinges creaking.

Oliver's knuckle was raised in the air, attempting to do another knock. He had a hard look on his face, his eyebrows drawn together while his jaw was clenched.

"What's happening?" she asked drowsily, her throat parched with water. Oliver's face hardened even more when he saw his cousin lying on the couch, snoring softly with his mouth slightly parted.

"Monica is gone," he said despondently, his hands covering his face. There were tears pooling at the corners of his eyes but the look on his face was another story. They looked hopeless. "Your mother called me just as I was heading down for breakfast."

His voice sounded so broken. She wanted to comfort him, pull him in her arms but she knew she had no power to make him feel better. Monica was always better even when it came to comforting. It was evident when Oliver failed in an exam and Monica wasn't there. Monique tried to coax him everything would be better but he wasn't even convinced not until Monica came and all his worries fleeted once he saw her.

Monique felt something tugging on her heart. She was the last one who saw her twin sister. She felt her heart shatter, and she felt betrayed. Why did Monica lie to her? Why didn't she tell her anything? Why didn't she tell Monique about something she was struggling? She wanted to help Monica if she was ever struggling with something and now she was gone, she had no idea where to look. She felt helpless and useless, and somehow, she felt that Oliver was blaming her for Monica's disappearance.

Nathaniel stirred from his sleep, rubbing his eyes. His blue eyes widened in surprise when he saw them. He almost forgot it wasn't Monica inside the room. "What are you doing here, Ollie?" he asked, his eyes filled with inquisition.

"Monica's gone," he reiterated helplessly. His nose pinked while his eyes were filled with tears. It was the first time Monique saw him cry. And it had to be on the day of their wedding ceremony.

"Did you call her phone?" Nathaniel asked calmly. Oliver was growing restless, his body pacing back and forth as he snapped his fingers.

"I tried several times but... but she's not answering." He let out a sob on his throat. He breathed soundly through his nose. "I can't track her. I can't find her."

"There has to be some other way," Nathaniel suggested.

"Your mother suggested," Oliver said, his eyes looking at Monique, "that you will be my bride for the time being. FBI teams are discretely and hopefully searching for Monica." He didn't seem to agree with her mother's suggestion but his eyes looked tired and he was on the verge of giving up. If the bride wouldn't show up at the wedding ceremony in the afternoon, Oliver would be humiliated and flustered.

It would be broadcasted in the national news. Business tycoon is bailed by a runaway bride. His reputation would be tarnished from being a business tycoon to a broken-hearted man.

Even if it would be tarnished, the hurt on Oliver's chest would never go away. He would have sleepless nights and if Monique—if Monique was really going to be the back-up bride, then she couldn't help Oliver from getting over her twin sister. Or nonetheless, getting over the question: why did she leave?