ログイン“Nichole, darling, come down for breakfast,” Maya’s warm voice called, followed by a gentle knock on the door.The sound pulled Honey from a deep, exhausted sleep. She had stayed up late the night before, combing through every drawer and closet in Nichole’s room, hunting for any clue that might explain why they looked like identical twins. Nothing turned up. Frustrated and drained, she had finally collapsed into bed.Honey freshened up quickly and slipped into a comfortable lounge set. By the time she reached the dining room, the whole family was already seated at the elegant table, waiting for her. The polished scene felt like a dream compared to the constant struggles of her own family back home.“Good morning, everyone,” Honey said with a bright smile as she entered. She leaned down and hugged Grandma Nana tightly.Nana pecked her on the cheek. “How was your night, darling?”“Beautiful,” Honey replied, smiling as she took the seat right next to Nana. She wanted to stay close to the
“Oh, Nichole... you had us so worried,” Maya said tearfully, cupping Honey’s face in both hands as her eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry, Mum,” Honey replied softly, slipping into the role as naturally as she could. Liam stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t ever do this to us again.” “Never again, Dad,” Honey said with a small smile. God. They really think I’m Nichole. For one brief moment, the warmth in their voices made something twist painfully inside her. They loved their daughter. That much was obvious. It wasn’t forced. It wasn’t for show. It wasn’t the kind of cold, performative affection rich families displayed in public and forgot in private. It was real. And standing in the middle of it, wearing another woman’s face and name, Honey suddenly felt a wave of guilt press hard against her chest. She had expected arrogance. Distance. Maybe even cruelty. Not this. Not parents who looked at her like they had just gotten their whole world back. “
“How do I look?” Honey asked innocently, doing a slow three-sixty in front of him.Jay opened his mouth to answer, but for a moment, no words came out.Honey frowned. “I hope this is good enough.”“Y-yes,” Jay said at last, trying to catch his breath. “Did you really make this yourself?”“Of course I did.” Honey smiled, flipping her hair over her shoulder.She narrowed her eyes at him. “Wait... you don’t believe me?”A laugh slipped from her lips. “What? You think some magical fairy jumped into my room and helped me sew all this?”Jay let out a quiet breath. “I’m just surprised. Your dress is beautiful.”“Thank you.” Honey’s smile softened. “I’ve been making dresses since I was eight.”Jay looked genuinely impressed. “Wow. That’s a really young age to start.”Honey gave a small shrug, but there was pride in her eyes. “It’s what I love.”Jay’s gaze lingered on her longer than it should have.She looked stunning.Not because she was trying too hard. Not because she was dressed like the
Honey’s heart would not stop racing as she waited for Jay’s response.Jay’s brows furrowed immediately, as though he was trying to remember something.“I don’t remember anything from that night,” he said at last. “I was too drunk.”Honey shifted uneasily on her feet.She had not expected such a vague answer.Then again, she had been drunk too. She couldn’t remember anything either.“Let’s just forget about it,” Jay said.“Yes,” Honey nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.An awkward silence fell over the room, making both of them uncomfortable.“I hope you like your room,” Jay said after a while.“Yes. It’s beautiful,” Honey answered.“Okay… rest well. We leave for the Sinclairs’ mansion in the morning.”“Alright,” Honey said with a nod.But Jay did not leave.He kept looking at her like he wanted to say something more.Honey stared back at him, waiting to hear whatever was on his mind.Instead, Jay turned and walked toward the door.“Good night, Honey,” he said before closing it
Jay sat on a plush pink chair in the boutique, watching Honey as she sorted through the dresses hanging on the rack.“What do you think about this one?” she asked each time she stepped out in a different dress.Jay would nod, but his attention kept drifting elsewhere.His eyes followed the curve of her back. The soft sway of her hips as she moved in and out of the changing room.Honey was different.Even the way she walked was different from Nichole.That might be a problem, Jay thought.Finally, Honey stepped out of the dressing room again. Jay and the sales assistant both looked at her in expectation.“Which one do you like?” he asked.Honey pouted. “None of them match my style or personality.”Jay sighed. “What exactly do you want, Honey? I can have a personal stylist get whatever you need.”Honey shook her head. “I want to make my dresses myself.”Jay’s brows shot up. “What? You’re joking, right?”But the look on Honey’s face told him she meant every word.Jay paused. “You’re seri
“And who the hell are you?” Erick growled, his voice thick with suspicion as he sized up the man standing between him and his niece. “Someone you don’t want to mess with,” Jay replied, his tone low and dangerously calm. It was a voice Honey had never heard from him before—cold steel wrapped in quiet control. Erick’s hand dropped away from her. He narrowed his eyes, studying Jayson’s face like a man trying to place a half-remembered ghost. “You look familiar,” he muttered. Jay turned his head slightly, just enough to shift out of the direct light. Honey caught the subtle move and understood immediately. He didn’t want her uncle connecting the dots—that this was the governor’s son standing in a hospital room with his broke, disheveled niece. Erick stood there a second longer, brows furrowed. The resemblance nagged at him. He looks like the governor’s kid. But then he shook his head, dismissing the thought. Nah. No way a man like that would be mixed up with my sorry-ass niece.







