001

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Eleanor brimmed with a radiant smile as she admired her reflection in the mirror, savoring the moment slowly. She lifted her chin slightly, watching the soft lighting spill over her skin like warm honey. 

The woman staring back looked enchanting… someone confident, hopeful, and ready to be loved. She wore a deep scarlet dress, seductive in every sense, crafted from satin that clung perfectly to her hourglass figure. The neckline dipped into a teasing V that showed just enough cleavage to be tempting but still elegant. Tonight, she looked like a woman ready to be adored.

It was her birthday and also their four-year anniversary. December 31st… their night, the night they always celebrated together. They had made it a tradition to hold each other as the new year arrived, whispering promises of forever. The thought alone made her giggle softly. She picked up her phone to dial his number but hesitated, biting her lower lip. ‘Let him call first,’ she reasoned. ‘He’s probably preparing something special.’

Instead, she called his maid.

“Hello, Emily,” Eleanor greeted in her soft, polite tone.

“Good evening, ma’am,” the woman replied instantly.

“Is Lucas home?”

There was a small pause before Emily answered, “His whereabouts have been unknown for two days now.”

Eleanor blinked in confusion. “Did he forget today is our anniversary… and my birthday?” she whispered to herself, each word trembling with disbelief. Pushing away her rising worry, she quickly opened the couple’s GPS tracker… something they had downloaded jokingly during their first date.

“De Luxe Hotel?” she murmured, raising her eyebrows with a hopeful smile. “So you’re playing mysterious tonight, Lucas?” She giggled excitedly. “I’ll find you.”

She checked herself in the mirror once more, smoothing her dress and touching up her lips. Four years together… how could she want anything else except marriage? Lucas had been her savior, her confidant, her quiet place. He stood by her through poverty, heartbreak, and trauma. He held her through nightmares, wiped her tears, and always told her she was enough. Lucas loved her regardless of her background, and she fell for him again and again.

At the hotel, Eleanor stepped in with a smile, excitedly seeing how the GPS was pointing towards a direction. ‘I knew it!’ She walked farther as she couldn't wait to meet with the love of her life, but her smile faltered slightly when the receptionist stopped her from entering the exclusive floor.

“My fiancé is on that floor,” she said sharply. “Why can’t I go in?”

“You may call him, ma’am,” the receptionist replied politely, refusing to budge.

“It’s our anniversary. I want to surprise him,” she pleaded, softening her tone. After a long moment of persuasion, the receptionist finally handed her a temporary access card.

“Thank you,” Eleanor said, relief washing over her as she stepped into the elevator. The doors closed, sealing her in her bubble of excitement once again. She breathed deeply, imagining how shocked Lucas would look when he saw her standing there in his favorite dress.

‘Tonight is going to be long!’ She giggles repeatedly. 

The elevator chimed as it reached the final floor.

Eleanor stepped out with her heart pounding, rearranging her hair, and steadying her breath. She followed the GPS until she reached the room. ‘Eleanor, relax,’ she breathes out, not believing it's already been four years with Lucas. She lifted her hand to knock, but her fingers froze.

The door… wasn’t fully locked.

“Huh?” She let out a soft sound. Confused, she pushed it slightly… and voices drifted out.

She halted, hearing familiar voices. “How’s Eleanor, your soon-to-be wife?” one of Lucas’s friends asked playfully.

Eleanor flushed, butterflies dancing in her stomach. ‘They’re talking about me…’

Of course they were about to get married. Their wedding preparation was near… so it was understandable.

But the excitement drained from her face when Lucas’s voice cut in… cold, sharp, dripping venom.

“She’s still as stupid as ever.” Lucas continued with no warmth in his voice. “I can’t stand her.”

The words didn’t sink in at first. They hung in the air, sharp and heavy, like they were meant for someone else. Then they hit her… and everything inside her cracked.

“Aren’t you guys tired of fooling her? It’s been four years,” the other man sighed. “You don’t need to take it this far.”

Eleanor’s heart thumped unevenly. ‘Fooling me?’ Her fingers trembled on the doorframe.

“She needs to learn her lesson, Gavin,” Lucas replied, his tone icy. “She deserves it.”

The words echoed in her mind, still trying to figure out what was going on.

“Don’t you pity her?” Gavin asked quietly.

Lucas scoffed. “No.”

Before Eleanor could understand what was happening, another voice… one eerily identical to Lucas’s… spoke.

Her brain struggled to form a single thought. ‘Eleanor, get a hold of yourself!’ She widened her eyes clearly, almost doubting her eyesight.

“Come on, guys… What about you, Lewis? You’ve been fucking her for four years. Don’t you feel any remorse?”

Eleanor’s blood froze. She pushed the door slightly wider… just enough to see as she battles with her sanity.

Two Lucases. Two identical faces.

 Same jawline. Same eyes. Same everything.

Twins.

Twins he never told her about.

 Her heart nearly stopped.

Lewis looked away, jaw clenched. “Maybe we should let her go…” Something soft flickered in his eyes…. regret? Guilt? pity? ... but it vanished quickly.

“Are you going soft?” Lucas snapped. “Did you forget what she did to Vanessa?”

Eleanor sucked in a sharp breath as the name rang in her head. Vanessa. Eleanor stood still. Completely still. Like if she moved, she would shatter. 

“Of course not,” Lewis said with a dark snort. “How could I fall for a cheap girl like her?”

‘Cheap girl? What?’ Her lips trembled as she tried to intervene, but she couldn't… barely understand anything yet. Betrayal. Disappointment. Deception. Her feelings weren't clear yet; nothing had set in.

“She’s just a tool for my desire. She’s your fiancée, but since you won’t let her go, I guess I’ll just have some fun with her.” Lewis said with a nonchalant shrug. 

Her knees weakened instantly, a silent cry ripping through her chest as the details finally set in slowly.

“But do you really need to go as far as marriage?” Gavin murmured, unsure.

“Yes,” Lucas said coldly. “I’ll give her everything she dreams of… then take it all back. I want her to feel how cruel the world can be. She shouldn’t have messed with Vanessa.”

Eleanor staggered backwards after realizing the whole situation, her world spinning, her heart shattering. 

Four years… Four years of love, loyalty, and trust… nothing but revenge? For whom?

Vanessa.

Her tormentor. The girl who bullied her relentlessly during college, leaving scars she never healed from.

And she had unknowingly slept with her fiancé’s twin brother? The man she claimed she loved wasn’t exactly who he claimed to be, or what? Her feelings, body, and the last thing she was holding onto, her future… were used as pawns. Her breath trembled, her vision blurred.

She forced herself to leave, taking shaky steps backward. Her heels dragged in the hallway as she forced her feet to walk away instead of fighting. Confrontation or clarification. She wasn't stable enough to face her reality fully. At least not yet.