CHAPTER 3

Mei’s POV

“We need you to marry in her place..”

The words rang in my head like a curse.

Me?! Marry?!

“This is a joke, right?” I asked sharply, my tone bitter.

Vivienne shook her head. “We didn’t drive for hours to come here for jokes.”

“You said you wanted me to marry a person I don’t even know?

“Precisely..” she replied with a clipped tone. "You look exactly like her so we need you to take her place. It’s simple.”

"You want me to marry a stranger," I said slowly. "So you can save face."

"We want you to fulfill a contract," Vivienne corrected. "In exchange, we will pay for your grandmother's surgery. All of it. Plus ongoing care.

And we will give you five hundred thousand dollars that’s enough to never worry about money again."

Five hundred thousand dollars!!

My grandmother's life!!

That was handing a blind check to all my problems in one go.

But then going deeper past the money and the life changing offer…there was no warmth at all.

Not even a glimpse of a mother’s heart.

"You don't care about me," I said, my voice low. "You don't care about Grandma.

All you just need a replacement daughter."

Vivienne didn't deny it. "You need us and we need you. This is a transaction."

“It doesn’t have to be anything more than that.”

A trancation?! With my own damn mother?! Who would have thought…

Charles reached across the table, he wanted to touch my hand but I pulled away.

His eyes darkened with guilt when I did. "Mei... please. Your grandmother has hours. We're the only ones who can help."

I looked at him then, his eyes were a little red. I could see glimpses pf emotions he was holding back.

Gosh! I hated him still—I hated both of them. But he was right…

"I'll do it," I said. "But not for you or for your money. For grandmother.

Because she's the only family I've ever had and I won't let her die because of your mistakes."

Vivienne nodded. "Then we have an agreement."

She pulled out a paper contract and I quickly signed by bame at the bottom without reading a word.

When I finished, I looked at them, then stood up.

"When this is over," I said, "I want nothing to do with you."

Vivienne smiled then, but it didn't reach her eyes. "We'll see."

The next morning arrived and exactly 6 AM. The surgery was scheduled after payment was made.

I still couldn’t believe that I had that amount of money in my account…

The surgery was to happen at exactly 8 AM. I was ready to stand outside her room like I was doing now till it was over, but a text came then.

"Car will pick you up at 8 AM. Be ready. —V.A."

8 Am?! The time for the surgery. I wanted to reject this at once. Tp tell her to push up the time.

But we made a deal and I signed a contract. She held up her end and now it was my time

The black car was waiting at exactly 8 AM. Just outside the hospital.

I stood on the sidewalk in my greasy uniform, watching the driver step out and open the back door.

He was tall and wore dark glasses around his eyes.

He looked at my clothes, his eyes judging for a second, before he looked away.

"Miss Forbes." “With me”.

I got into car as the soft and the expensive scent of perfume filed my nostrils.

A garment bag laid on the seat next to me and a white card was pinned to it.

"Change before you arrive. You will not embarrass this family."

I opened the bag and inside was a dress, a simple one too. But gosh it was so expensive.

Expensive enough to cover up my house rent for two years at the least…

I changed in the back seat, which was a little awkward and exposing, as the city passed by in a blur.

The dress fit perfectly around me. Of course it did. They already knew everything about me, why not my weight and height as well.

The drive was a little long, but we eventually pulled up there—the estate.

“What the hell..” the words escaped my lips .

The Ashford estate was not a house. It was a damn monument.

It had iron gates, a long driveway lined with trees and a large fountain in the center of a circular courtyard. The house itself was three stories high, glass windows on each level.

The car stopped at the front entrance and the driver opened my door. I stepped out, staring at the building, my mouth wide open.

Charles Ashford was waiting at the entrance. My supposed ‘dad’. Didn’t feel that way to me.

"Mei." He stepped forward, his hands reaching for me, then stopping himself. "You came."

"I didn't have a choice, did I?”

His eyes darken a little. "This is your home now," he said. "Whatever you need—"

“This isn’t my home.” I cut him off sharply. “And what I need is to know how my grandmother’s surgery is going.”

“It’s going well..” he said sharply. “I have a contact in there keeping me updated.”

“Can I show you…inside?” He asked calmly.

It was then I pieced it. Their dynamic. He was the weaker one of himself and my mom.

So..he still had genuine lingering affection for me. And Vivienne—none.

I sighed deeply. “Fine.” “Let’s go.”

We stepped into the mansion and the first sight of it caught my breath sharply.

The foyer was marble, every single area of it and it was shining…

There was a grand staircase that moved up to the second floor; a massive chandelier humg above us, shining with diamonds.

A woman was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

She looked aged, but her eyes sharp. "Miss Forbes," she said with a clipped tone.

. "I'm Margaret. I manage the household. You'll be working with me for the next two weeks."

"Working with you?"

"To become Emma." She handed me a folder.

"Your schedule. Every minute is accounted for. You get your hair done at 6 AM.

Makeup at 7. Etiquette at 8. Voice coaching at 10. Lunch at noon. Then more lessons in the afternoon and finally, dinner with the family at 7."

I stared at the folder then shook my head. "When do I get to see my grandmother."

"Not for the next two weeks that’s for sure.

But she’s stable and you have more important things to focus on."

“No, I don’t.” My tone was cold. “And I need to see her."

Margaret's eyes narrowed. "Miss Forbes. You are not here to negotiate, you are here to prepare. The wedding is in fourteen days. In that time, you must learn to walk like Emma, talk like Emma, dress like Emma. You must become invisible..and no one can know you're a substitute."

"I'm not a substitute. I'm her sister."

"You're a replacement," Margaret said coldly. "There's a difference."

Charles touched my arm. "Please, Mei. Just... for now. We'll arrange a visit soon. I promise."

I looked at him then, his eyes red a little.

I wanted to argue more, but stopped myself…because it wasn’t a lie.

Not really. I was a replacement.

“Fine.” “Let’s do this.”

I showed to my room. My room was bigger than my entire apartment.

A four-poster bed. Silk sheets. A chandelier. A walk-in closet that was already half-full of clothes. My clothes. Emma's clothes. I couldn't tell the difference anymore.

I stood in the middle of the room, not knowing what to do with my hands..not knowing where to sit or if I was allowed to touch anything.

My palms were sweaty now. I instinctively rubbed them on my dress—shit! Shit!

A small stain appeared there. Not this dress! What if I had returned this?!

Oh no, no, no—

“Mei.” A voice came, snapping me out of my haze.  "Someone wants to meet you."

Margaret's voice came from the doorway.

"Who?"

She turned, like the conversation was already over… "Be at the garden. Five minutes."

She was gone before I could ask anything else.

The garden was a large maze. I didn’t even know where I was going, I just walking foward. I found a bench near a fountain and sat down, careful not to ruin the dress any further than I already had.

I waited for minutes, then I heard it…

Soft foosteps.

I looked up then and froze—it was like looking into a mirror.

The same face; same eyes even the same bone structure.

Emma Ashford… stood a few feet away.

She was really my twin!