001— The Wrong Sister.

.. RILEY...

****

“We have had news, Miss Riley Gilbert… your mother… she’s in a coma.”

I blinked. Stupidly. Like my brain could just refuse to process the words. “A coma?” I asked, trying to calm my racing heart. “Like… sleepover at a hotel coma, or, uh… hospital coma? Because I want details before I start crying in the hallway.”

The doctor didn’t flinch. He adjusted his glasses, cleared his throat. “This is serious, Miss Gilbert. Your mother’s condition is critical. The surgery… it must happen immediately. Time is a factor. Without it, she—”

“Yeah, yeah, she dies. Got it,” I interrupted, rolling my eyes, though my stomach twisted at the thought. “Thanks for the pep talk, Doc. Really comforting.”

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, like he was used to idiots. “I need you to understand the gravity of the situation. Her organs are failing. The tumor has… spread. The operation carries risks, but it’s her only chance.”

I was this close to losing my mind. I couldn't believe this was happening. My mom has been sick for years, from surgeries to surgeries and now this? And I'm stuck in a shitty job, working my ass off to pay my rent, bills and my mom's too.

I crossed my arms, leaning back against the wall. “Risks?” I asked. “Like, the risk that she might wake up and hate me for missing her therapy sessions? Or the risk that my bank account finally cries itself to death?”

Dr. Harmon didn’t smile. He was too professional. “Miss Gilbert, I understand your frustration, but she needs your consent for the procedure. The surgery has to happen now. Delays could be fatal.”

I groaned, running a hand through my short, messy hair. “Of course. Now. Because my life isn’t complicated enough, right? Just throw in a medical emergency that I can’t pay for yet.”

He nodded. “We can start the paperwork immediately. You will have to make financial arrangements, but your focus needs to be on her care. Riley, I know this is difficult. But you need to decide. Time isn’t on your side.”

I sank onto the nearest chair, my boots scraping against the tile. Sarcasm had been my armor all my life, but it felt useless right now. I feel like I'm going to die soon too. I couldn't even ask my freaking wealthy twin to focus on Mom's treatment because she hates her immensely.

Cassidy and my mom haven't been on talking terms for years. And although she can make this go away, she'd rather die. “Fine,” I muttered finally, “Do the damn paperwork. I’ll get her the surgery. Just… keep her alive, okay?”

My pay day is in three days. I have to wait.

The doctor nodded, motioning toward the office where the forms waited. “We’ll begin immediately.”

I barely cry but right now, I just need to get this out of my system…I can't lose my mom.

***

I slammed the third empty glass down in frustration. “More." I choked out.

The bartender, a scruffy guy named Blake who’d seen me tanking more nights than I cared to admit, raised an eyebrow. “Hey, hey, slow down. Can’t give you another yet,” he said, holding up a hand.

“Just… five more. Give it to me. Please. Fucking five,” I snapped in a throaty.

God, this is Cassidy’s fault! Why does she have to be a bitch about her mom? Why do I have to deal with everything alone??

Blake shook his head, exasperated. “You’ve already had way too much, Riley. You’re a regular here. You’ll pay me after, alright? Just… slow down.”

I waved him off, grabbing the bottle anyway and tipping back half the contents. My vision blurred and my chest ached terribly. Here, I was spending money but I didn't care. I just needed something to shut the world off for five minutes. Then I'll go back to my miserable life.

Blake muttered under his breath as he cleaned glasses, but I didn’t care.

Then he leaned over the bar and smirked in a teasing voice. “I can bet my ass that man is into you.”

I froze mid-swallow, eyes narrowing. “Excuse me?”

He nodded toward a booth behind me. “The guy in the corner, dark hair, like… devilishly hot. Been staring at you the last ten minutes. Honestly, maybe you know him?”

I turned.

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Not only did I know him, he was my twin sister’s husband. Soren. Standing there in all his sculpted, dangerous perfection grabbing attention as always. My chest seized like I was going into shock. He's the man I've been obsessed over for years. We've dated briefly before the whole scandal and he went after Cassidy.

For a second… a foolish, reckless second, I imagined him looking at me like he wanted me.

God, he shouldn’t even be here. He should be home, with his perfect wife, living their perfect life. And here he was… ruining mine with his handsomeness.

“Riley…” Blake said cautiously, probably noticing my sudden pale panic. “You good?”

I waved him off, heart hammering. “Yeah. Totally fine.”

Lies. Every word is a lie.

He was coming toward me. My thighs clenched on instinct, a reflex I couldn’t control.

Fuck. My body betrayed me every damn time he was near— the worst was when we hugged briefly after their blissful wedding. I wanted to cry and die at the same time.

I wanted to kick myself for it, but also… no. Not even close. I wanted him more than I wanted air.

Before I could even catch my breath, his hands were on my arms, gripping me, looking furious as hell.

My heart jumped, chest tightening as I was dragged away from the booth.

“Why the hell are you here, Cass?!” His words were slurred.

I froze and my stomach dropped. Shit! Drunk. He’s drunk. And he thinks I’m Cassidy. The only difference between us is my messy, short hair, my tattoos and right now, it seems it's completely invisible to him right now.

“I… I just…” I started, voice trembling, trying to think fast, but my mind was fuzzy from booze.

“You just what? Sneak out? Leave the kids alone while I’m at home busting my ass?!” His hands dug into my arms, shaking me slightly. “Huh? You think that’s okay?”

I swallowed, my pulse racing. Part of me was giddy. He hates Cassidy. He hates her. Not just angry… resentful. And right now, he’s noticing me.

“I… I needed a drink,” I said softly, voice small, sarcastic even though it shook. I should tell him right now I'm Riley…but fuck, he'd stop talking, he'll take those perfect hands from me. And he'd leave.

“Needed a drink?!” He shoved me back a little, a chair scraping behind me. “You needed a drink while the kids…while I…while everything—God, the principal called me today! She said you left Zayden at school to go to a party! You—what are you even doing with your life?!”

I blinked, my chest tightening in a delicious, horrible way. My lips parted. He’s angry at Cassidy, but… the words, the fury, the raw emotion, he’s talking to me. My body shivered under him, craving that anger and all that heat.

“Wait… I…” I stumbled over my words, ignoring the fact that he thought I was her. “I… I didn’t mean…”

“Didn’t mean?!” He barked, hands now on my waist, pulling me close. “You cheat, you lie, you leave me and the kids… and now you come here, drinking like a damn fool!”

I let out a shaky laugh, the alcohol fuzzing my brain. “I… I’m… sorry?”

“Sorry doesn’t fix this!” He growled, stumbling slightly but keeping me against him. “Do you even care about anything? About me? About your…our life?”

I swallowed hard, heat crawling through me. I wanted to tell him, no, it’s me. I’m not her. But that would ruin everything. Right now… I don’t care. I want this. I want him.

“I… I care,” I whispered. My lips brushed his chest, feeling the warmth of him. “I… really do.”

He froze for a heartbeat, eyes narrowing, then slurred, “You… you’re supposed to be home! You’re supposed to… be… behaving! Not out here, making me lose my mind!”

My pulse skyrocketed. He doesn’t like Cassidy. He doesn’t want her. Every bitter accusation, every drunken rant. Of course, he’s human, he’s flawed, he’s not perfect, and she’s not perfect either.

I didn’t wait for him to finish. My lips found his, desperately, trembling, and the heat of him overwhelmed everything, the alcohol, frustration, years of obsession, heartbreak. I kissed him hard, and he… he kissed me back, sloppy and drunk, hands roaming, pulling me impossibly close.

Everything inside me melted. My mind screamed, This is wrong. So wrong. But I don’t care.

His voice broke through, ragged. “So this… this is what you do after pissing me off? You think I'm going to fuck you?”

I whispered against his lips, “If you're man enough, husband."

He growled, half-laughing, half-angry, as if he didn’t know whether to hurt me or kiss me more. And I… I let myself drown in it, years of stupid, obsessive love collapsing into one perfect, terrible, reckless moment.

I couldn’t stop. He probably wouldn’t remember tomorrow. I didn’t care. For the first time in years… I felt like I mattered. I was seen.

And I kissed him again…. God, he was intoxicating.