"The vampire prince has killed his wife again,"

"It has happened,"

"I feel pain for the ones who will be his wife again,"

This rumor will continue to be around. I can't count the times I have heard people say that. They all say the vampire prince has married 12 times.

Whenever the Vampire prince wants to marry again, a lot of women hide their daughters. No matter how much they hide their daughters, the vampire still finds his way around. You can't probably say I am not scared, I am very much afraid because I am 25 years of age, the age of marriage, but what can I do?

"Nadia, you are here to buy something again. You should be careful. You don't want to be the next victim, do you?"

"Aunty, don't worry about me. I am alright,"

"I could see that, but you need to be careful," the woman laughed

"Don't worry, I will be,"

"Do you want the usual?"

"yes,"

The woman packaged it for me

"Ok then, bye"

"bye Aunty," I left

"Mom, I don't want to marry him, I will die," Britney said to her mom while crying

"don't worry dear, you won't die, you will live," the mother said while hugging her

"Mom, I have an idea. Why don't we let Nadia take my place?"

" Nadia?" she looks confused

"Yes, she is not my sister, she is just a girl dad adopted nothing more. The prince has not seen me before, so he won't know about the switch."

" I can't do that.” she let go of Britney and stand up. “Nadia is a girl your father left in my hands before he goes.”

"Mom, as always, you care about Nadia more than me. You will let me die than Nadia.” she stands up. “Mom, who is your daughter? Is she the one or I am?" Britney said angrily and left the room where she was.

"Britney," the mom shouted

*"What should I do, do I have to choose between my two daughters? Honey,"* she looked at her husband’s picture . "you left me with these two beautiful daughters, one my daughter I gave birth to and the other is the adopted one, no matter the decision I choose, I will hurt the both of them, what should I do honey, tell me what? I don't want to lose the two of them," the mother shook her head.

I arrived home, and I didn't see my mom and younger sister in the living room.

"mom, I am back!" I shouted.

“Oh, isn’t that Nadia's voice?” she stood up. “Is she back?”

She went to the living room and Britney also coming out from another room.

"oh, Nadia, you are back. Let me see it." she took the bag away from me.

"Mom, are you alright?"

"Ye-"

" No, she is not alright, she is trying to make a big decision right now which should not even be a big decision." she scoffed

"Britney, that is enough,"

" Mom, it is not enough. I am your daughter while she is someone you and dad pick up in the trash or wherever someone like her is picked up from. So mom it is not enough," she shouted.

“Britney, what are you talking about?” I was so confused, I don’t know why Britney is acting like this. Britney didn't answer.

" Mom, what is Britney talking about?"

"Don't mind Britney at all. She is saying nonsense," my mom said trying to dismiss what Britney said.

"What I am trying to say is that you are an adopted child, a girl that was thrown away,"

As soon as Britney said it, I felt my entire world come crashing down. I was hopeless, I didn't know when I ran away.

" Nadia,” my mother shouted

I could hear the echo of her voice from far away

Mother slapped Britney

"Mom, you slapped me,"

“I will slap you again if you can’t keep your mouth shut,”

“Mom!”

"Don’t mom me. Are you happy that you told Nadia about her birth? She is my child, just like you. I have always looked at Nadia as my daughter. You can't tell me what to do," she shouted.

Mom wore her jacket.

"Mom, where are you going?"

" Where am I going? Are you seriously asking me that?" she hissed.

"Mom, you can't go, you can't leave me here," she said while crying

She didn't answer. Mother closes the door loud before leaving.

I was walking; I didn't know where I was. Why is this happening to me? Why? There was no answer to the questions I kept asking myself. I feel so stupid. I should have figured it out long ago, especially the way Britney normally treats me.

“Nadia,”

Isn’t that mom's voice? Why is she calling me?

"Nadia," mom called again.

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

"Why did you run like that? It is very dangerous to run out like that this evening.”

"Why are you worried about me? I am not your daughter.” I turned my back away from her.

"Nadia, you are my daughter. I don't care if we adopted you. The day we adopted you was the day of our happiness. You were a joy to both me and your father. We love you and I have always treated you as my daughter. That won't change, got it?”

"Mom," I hugged her, and I was crying heavily

"There you go," she keeps patting my back. "Nadia, let's go home. It is cold,"

"Ok," I went with her

We arrived home, and my sister Britney was standing outside waiting for us.

"Britney?"

"Nadia, I am very sorry for what I said. I didn't mean to say it.”

"It is okay, I forgive you," We hugged each other

"That is good, I am glad the both of you have put the past behind you, now let's get inside, you don't want to catch a cold," my mother said happily

We went inside the house, and we warmed ourselves. My mom was in the kitchen making food for us, so I got curious about what Britney meant by "a big decision".

"Britney, what do you mean by mom has to make a big decision? What decision?"

"Well, they choose me to become the vampire prince bride,"

"What?"

"So I suggested mom take you to become the vampire bride, but right now I don't care. If it is my destiny to be killed, so should it be," she said while faking a smile

Why would the vampire prince come and cause chaos in our family? Why? I don't understand at all. I looked at my sister's expression. She is not happy. We eat that night and talked, then we went to sleep. I had a dream.

"Nadia, take your sister's place in the arranged marriage. It will bring blessing to you," The mysterious lady said.

"Who are you?"

"You don't need to know.”

The mysterious lady was about to leave

"don't go" I shouted

The mysterious woman left, and then I woke up from the dream. As long as I remember, I always had a dream, and that mysterious woman. I don't know her. Why would she say I should take my sister's place? What should I do?

The next day, We were in the dining table, my mother preparing food for us and my sister with a sullen face, I was thinking about the dream I have, why does she want me to take my sister place, I don't understand the dream at all.

" Nadia, what are you thinking about, this is a dining table to eat and relax, not a place for thinking,"

" I am sorry, mom,"

" And Britney what is with that look in your face, come on wipe that looks away from your face,"

" Mom, how can I wipe it off from my face knowing that I will soon die,"

My mother look down and tried her best to be happy.

" Let's eat happily right now and we will think about that later, ok"

We all eat forgetting about our sorrows. After we finish eating, we were all in the living room

" Mom, what are we going to do, am I going to die?" she said with a watering eyes

" You won't die, I won't let you, if I have to fight off the evil vampire prince, I will do it, ok"

" Mom," she hugged my mom and was crying

They took care of me and sheltered me, Why should I let them suffer and that mysterious woman said that I should take her place, why don't I do it?

" Mom, I will take Britney place,"

" Nadia, what are you talking about?"

" Why don't I repay you for what you have done, for taking care of me,"

" Nadia, you don't have to use your life,"

" Mom I have a question I need to ask, how many people have seen the vampire prince, it is all in our imagination. Mom, I am not killing myself, don't you know me again, the strong girl,"

" Nadia that is not the same," Britney said while wiping the tears from her eyes

" Nadia, please don't do it,"

" Mom, I am thanking you for giving me a home," I bowed

I left the living room

" Nadia," my mother shouted

" Britney, did you tell Nadia about it?"

" Mom, why will I tell her, I think of Nadia as my biological sister,"

My mother knocked on my room door.

" Nadia, open the door, it is me,"

I went to open the door, my mother came in and she sat down.

" Nadia, I am your mother, tell me is anything wrong, why have you decided to go in place of your sister, did Britney say anything to you?"

" Mom, Britney did not say anything to me, I volunteer because I want to,"

" I don't believe it, Nadia tell me what is the problem?"

" Mom, fine I will be honest with you, I had a dream last night,"

" What dream, is it the same dream you always had?"

" Yes, it is the same but a little bit different,"

" Ok, tell me what happened in that dream?"

" The mysterious woman said that I should take the place for Britney, she said it will come with blessings,"

" She said that, is that the reason why you decided to take the place for Britney,"