Bruno froze. His instincts screamed that something was off. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"You're not wearing your engagement ring," he said, pointing at her finger.
"That's because it no longer fits," Shelley whispered, leaning closer.
"This feels wrong. There's no way you could slim down within hours. And why are you trying so hard to make me believe you're Beauty? This is a prank, right?" Bruno asked, looking around for clues.
"So you don't believe me?" Shelley asked, disappointment evident in her voice.
"As a matter of fact, no. It's ridiculous!" Bruno replied.
"I'm ridiculous? Is that how you see me? I thought you loved me for real."
Bruno was speechless for a moment, unsure of what to say. Just as he was about to respond, the car door opened abruptly.
"That's enough, Shelley."
Beauty stepped out. She wore a stunning midnight-blue gown, her brown eyes accentuated with the same makeup Shelley had on. Her dark curls cascaded down her shoulders, soft and shiny.
When Bruno saw Beauty, he was convinced she was the real one. But what the hell was happening?
How could this woman look so much like her?
For a moment, he was speechless. "Beauty...?" he whispered.
"Yes, babe, see I am wearing your ring," Beauty replied, showing him the ring.
Shelley smirked awkwardly and stepped back toward the car.
"The prank's over, I guess," she announced.
"So it really was a prank?" Bruno asked.
Jessie came out from the car, grinning.
"Yes, it was a prank! We wanted to see if you could tell them apart. Shelley and Beauty are twins."
"Twins?" Bruno repeated, his gaze shifting between Shelley and Beauty. He studied their faces closely, realization dawning on him.
"I knew it! I knew you weren't her," he said, pointing at Shelley. "Your eyes... they're not hers. They don't look at me the same."
Turning to Beauty, he added, "I knew it was you."
Beauty's lips trembled with guilt.
"I'm so sorry, babe. This was all Jessie's idea. She thought it would be funny to test if you'd recognize me if you met my identical twin. I never meant to upset you. I should've stopped it sooner."
Bruno ran a hand through his hair, frustration and relief warring in his expression.
"You-" He paused, his voice softening. "You don't have to apologize. It's kind of fun. I could never not recognize you. But... you have an identical twin?"
He turned to look at Shelley, who waved shyly, her cheeks flushed.
"Yes. I just found out too! We look so much alike, right?" Shelley said.
Bruno reached out, gently cupping Beauty's face and studying it intently. Beauty pouted playfully.
"Yeah, but the eyes are different."
"Really? I'll ask my mom about it," Beauty replied with a smile.
Bruno leaned in and kissed her passionately.
"I'm so happy you're here. I've been waiting for you all night."
Shelley, sensing she was no longer part of the moment, smiled softly and muttered.
"Well, my job here is done." She turned to Jessie.
"Let's leave the lovebirds alone," Shelley said, and the two disappeared into the night.
Bruno slid his hands down to hold Beauty's waist. "You look stunning," he murmured.
Beauty blushed, her voice barely audible. "You look handsome too. Happy birthday, babe."
"Best birthday ever—having you by my side," he replied before leaning down to press a soft kiss on her forehead.
As they pulled apart, the sound of clapping caught their attention. Abigail stood at the mansion entrance with a wide grin, joined by amused guests who had witnessed the romantic reunion.
"Everyone's waiting for you, Bruno," Abigail announced as she approached them.
Bruno chuckled, his cheeks pink with embarrassment. Taking Beauty's hand, he said, "Come on. Let's cut that cake."
But Beauty stopped him. "It's your day, babe. I can't be by your side for this. Please, just enjoy today for yourself."
Bruno's face fell with disappointment. "But..."
"She's right. She's not going anywhere," Abigail interrupted, stepping in front of them. "You can dance with her later, but you have to cut the cake alone."
"You were part of this prank, weren't you?" Bruno asked.
"Well, it was fun watching you sweat," Abigail teased.
"It was easy. I can recognize her anytime," Bruno replied confidently.
"How sweet," Abigail said with an exaggerated eye-roll.
The MC's voice boomed as he called for the birthday boy.
"You have to go, babe," Beauty urged, gently pushing him.
Reluctantly, Bruno walked into the party to the sound of applause. He cut the cake and was about to return to Beauty when he saw both Shelley and Beauty entering the room at the same time.
"Wow, there are two of them!" Eric exclaimed, startling Bruno.
"What the hell are you doing here, Eric?"
"You invited me, dude," Eric replied.
"Don't 'dude' me. I'm your boss," Bruno snapped.
"Relax, pal."
Bruno ignored him, shaking his head.
"So, what do you think?" Eric asked.
"About what?" Bruno replied irritably.
"About meeting the slimmed-down version of Beauty. She's like a goddess. Look, even your father seems impressed."
Bruno glanced over to see Abigail introducing Shelley to their parents. Beauty stood beside her twin, blushing.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Bruno asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I know what you're thinking—regret," Eric said slyly.
"Grateful, actually. When I saw her, I knew something was missing, I was disappointed. It doesn't feel like it does when I'm with Beauty. When it was revealed to be a prank, I felt grateful that I met and had my version of Beauty in my life, she's gorgeous, she's just not Beauty," Bruno said proudly.
"So it's about her, not the body?"
Eric asked.
"It's about her," Bruno replied, glaring at him.
Eric smirked.
"Fair enough. But since I can't have Beauty, I might shoot my shot with the twin. What do you think?"
"Congrats," Bruno said flatly.
Eric continued, grinning. "If I had her in my bed, am I be allowed to picture Bea-"
A punch to the gut silenced him.
All heads in the room turned toward them.
"I'm fine! We're just friends!" Eric announced awkwardly.
"I'm not your friend," Bruno muttered.