Andrew stood frozen, confusion etched across his face. His brows knit together, lips slightly parted as he stared at his brother. “What the hell are you talking about?” he asked, his voice low and tense.“Albert, you should stop talking nonsense, okay?” he snapped, his annoyance slipping through.Albert let out a bitter scoff, the sound sharp in the heavy silence. Without another word, he turned his back and walked over to the bed, sitting down heavily on the edge. His head hung low, eyes fixed on the floor like he was searching for answers in the carpet.Annabel stood a few feet away, eyes wide, her chest rising and falling a little too quickly. She didn’t understand what was going on—none of them did—and the sudden shift in Albert’s behavior scared her.Andrew approached his brother, his footsteps soft but purposeful. He paused beside him, let out a long sigh, and said, “Fine. I shouldn’t have hit you. I was angry, okay? You know how much I care about Annabel. Seeing you kiss her ma
It had been three weeks since Albert discovered that he and Andrew might not be brothers. He didn’t want to believe it. He couldn’t believe it. But the results on that piece of paper refused to lie. They stared back at him like a slap to the face, each word echoing doubt and disbelief.He’d thought about telling his parents. Maybe they could clear it up, say it was a mistake, something easily explained. But fear tangled in his chest—because they’d want to know how he got the information, why he even looked in the first place, and what had pushed him that far.Now, here he was, standing in front of their bedroom door, fist raised, hovering—frozen. His heart pounded, knuckles trembling ever so slightly. He was about to knock when the door swung open.Albert jumped.His father stood there, brows furrowing.“What’s the matter, Albert? Is there something you need?” His voice was gentle, laced with concern.“Huh—Can I come in?” Albert managed, his voice barely above a whisper.“Of course.”
Albert’s POV“This has to be a joke, right?” I said, laughing—but it was the kind of laugh that bordered on hysteria. My hands trembled slightly, fists clenched at my sides. The doctor didn’t flinch. He just sat there, calm, composed, as if he hadn’t just turned my world upside down.“I’m talking to you,” I snapped, my voice rising. “Tell me this is a joke!”He met my eyes, unfazed. “Trust me, I ran the tests more than once because the results confused me too. But I can’t lie to you, sir. There is no blood relation between you and your brother.”My heart dropped. I stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. “You must think I’m a goddamn joke,” I muttered, storming out of the office without another word.I reached my car, jaw clenched and mind racing. My fingers found their way to my mouth—I bit down on a nail, something I hadn’t done since I was a kid. This couldn’t be real. It couldn’t.The drive home was a blur, my thoughts looping in chaotic spirals. By the time I walked
Author’s POVMrs. Torres clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms as she stared daggers at Annabel. The hatred brewing in her chest felt darker, more twisted than she’d ever let herself admit. Just the sight of that girl ignited something uncontrollable inside her.“It’s alright,” Mr. Torres said firmly, casting a warning glance at his children. “You two shouldn’t speak to your mother that way.”“I’ll talk to her,” he added, softer now. “Try to make her see reason.”Andrew scoffed and rolled his eyes, the sound laced with disbelief.“See reason?” he snapped. “Are you serious, Dad? She almost got Annabel and Albert killed, and your solution is to talk to her? She should be arrested!”Mrs. Torres’s eyes flew wide, her breath catching in her throat. Never in her life had she imagined hearing such words—from her own son. That he would go so far for a maid…“Andrew!” Mr. Torres growled, his voice cutting through the tension like a whip. “She’s your mother. You do not speak about
Annabel’s POVI twirled in front of the mirror, smiling to myself. I loved this dress—it hugged all the right places and made me feel beautiful. I had a feeling Andrew would love it too.My heart fluttered as I thought about what had happened a few days ago. I’d told him I loved him—out loud. And I meant every word. I’d spent so long feeling unsure, confused… torn. But I wasn’t confused anymore. It was Andrew. It had always been him. I respected Albert, sure, but it wasn’t love.I stepped out of the dressing room, expecting to find Andrew waiting like he said he would.But he wasn’t there.I scanned the boutique, eyes flicking from one corner to another—until I saw them.Andrew and Esme. Together.Too close.She was practically draped over him, her hand on his chest, their faces inches apart.What the hell?“Andrew,” I called, my voice sharper than I intended as I stormed toward them.He immediately jerked away from her, stepping back like he’d been burned.“Anna… I—she… she fell into
Albert’s POV“What do you mean you can’t get the driver?” I roared, fury tightening my chest. “What happened to the CCTV cameras in that area? Are you telling me they didn’t catch a damn thing?” My voice rose, thick with frustration.“That wasn’t an accident,” I snapped, gripping the edge of my desk. “I saw the bastard’s eyes before he rammed into my car—he meant to do it. So find him. And bring him to me.”They all kept their heads bowed, not daring to meet my gaze.“Yes, sir!” they echoed in unison.“Then get the fuck out of my office.”The moment the door shut behind them, I shoved a hand through my hair and leaned back in my chair, the tension in my jaw refusing to ease. That crash wasn’t random. Someone targeted us. But who the hell would want to—?The door creaked open again.Tracy stepped in, her signature smug smile already plastered on her face. What the hell does she want?“You look stressed,” she said sweetly, strolling over and dropping onto the sofa like she owned the pla