CHAPTER 13

The young lady was staring at herself in the mirror. Everyone loves her and worships the ground she walks on, but she is extremely frustrated.
Whatever she wanted, she got it no matter what, but having this man with whom she was head over heels didn't feel quite right to her. For three years, she had tried to smile and push the whole thing to the back of her mind, but she couldn't.
For years, an imposter had been living in her place, stealing her friends, family, and even her fiancé. Even if the wench was no longer alive, she didn't feel any better about the situation. She had been dying to see that person, but she was killed before she could express her rage.
She wanted to show her how she was able to get everything back in the end despite having nothing. Why should she be grateful to her when she was the reason the clone existed in the first place? She was supposed to be a good girl and follow the rules.
Gwen Drysdale had become a celebrity or a superstar; she was engaged to Nolan Sheppard, who came from a prominent Clegend family. Even though he was not from the main branch, he was far superior to other families. She was completely satisfied with this individual.
This was the only good the clone could do for her. Gwen stopped interacting with her friends because the characters clashed, and she didn't want to be found out. She isolated herself from her friends to keep this huge secret hidden, despite reading the clone's daily diaries for year.
***
It was a good thing she was dead, though, because it gave her relief despite her desire to lash out at her. After years of pleasing Nolan, she was about to marry him and become a member of his family, which meant she would be moving to Clegend after the wedding.
This was a way for her to advance her status as well as her family's. Being able to assist her family in reaching a higher level was an honor for her.
"What is my baby thinking?" Isabelle asked after noticing her daughter frowning and deep in thought.
“Mom, everything. I am terrified; I just have a feeling that something bad will happen,” Gwen told her mother, clutching her hand tightly. Her lower eye was twitching, and it happened while she was thinking about the clone.
“There will be no harm done, sweetie. This day has been planned for a long time, so no one or anything will ruin it for us,” Isabelle assured her daughter.
“Do you think she's really dead, Mom?” Gwen couldn't help but wonder; no one had seen her body, and she was certain Nolan wasn't hiding her as well because she was a risk no one wanted to take.
“You must have faith in us. That clone is dead, and if it is alive, we will simply kill her again until she is truly dead and gone,” Isabelle said solemnly, and Gwen knew she meant it.
Gwen felt at ease after hearing these words from her mother, and she could now focus on her wedding rather than worrying about trivial matters.
“All right, mom, I'll keep my head in the game. I'm not going to let anything ruin this for me.”
"That's the spirit. Remember how to act and behave when you enter that household.”
“I'm not forgetting about it. I will make certain that I contribute to the company's success.”
“You may resent us now, but I must warn you that you should not place all of your faith and trust in a man. His love can change in an instant, so whatever you do, remember to prioritize yourself and plan for the worst. Today, we may be allies, but what will happen when he has everything he desires?”
Gwen's heart ached as she listened to her mother preach. How could she possibly not understand what her mother was saying? She adored Nolan so much that she was willing to walk on fire for him, but it was clear to her that he didn't feel the same way about her.
He didn't love her; instead, he treated her as if she were a sister or a companion. Gwen consoled herself by reminding herself that she was the one who was marrying him and not someone else, giving her an advantage.
Her mother was simply reminding her to leave some doors open in case something unexpected happened. Her family was riddled with secrets, and it was these secrets that piqued Nolan's interest.
They were not fools to not see what the others were up to the day of the proposal. There were better families than hers, and yet he chose the Drysdale’s; if it hadn't been for her family's connection, she would have believed the nonsense that the public spoke about, but after hearing about her family's connection, she realized that the world isn't just black and white.
“I will not do anything that will ultimately harm myself. I am not going to let my emotions get in the way of everything,” she said firmly, earning her mother's smile.
“That's my girl,” Isabelle said with a smile and a kiss on the cheek.
It didn't matter what she looked like as long as she was happy. She was aware of her mother's and family's feelings for her. They will never let her enter the lion's den unprepared, which is why she is so relaxed about this marriage.
When the time comes to fight, she will do so without hesitation, and her first target will be Nolan's mistress Clara. Did he think she was a damn fool?
The hall was packed with people who were beaming as they congratulated the two families on their children's marriage. Many people had been looking forward to the wedding, including Gwen, who had been waiting for years to finally tie the knot with Nolan.
With the Sheppard family on her side, no one can stop her, especially in the entertainment industry. She'd risen to fame in the three years since she debuted as a model. She desired to scale the heights until she reached the summit.
Unlike other models who make their debuts as models and focus on modeling, Gwen chose the path of acting because she aspired to be a Film Empress in the future.