Chapter 2

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When I finally regained consciousness the following morning, my bed was surrounded by people.

As I came to, I could feel that my soul had weakened further, its hold on this body more fragile than before.

My mother leaned over me and asked carefully, “Is it Kira?”

“It's me,” I said.

A flicker of disappointment crossed my parents' faces before they could hide it.

I tried to sit up, but my arms trembled and gave way. Aiden caught me before I fell back against the pillows.

Once Aiden was certain I was out of danger, his brow furrowed.

“You know you’re allergic to chestnuts. Why didn’t you check before you ate them?”

My mother stepped between us.

“She just woke up. Leave her alone.”

Then she took my hand, fear still clear in her eyes.

“How could you be so careless with yourself? Kira will be waking up soon—” She stopped abruptly and covered his mouth.

Once, I would have asked why Kira’s name was always the first one she called.

Now I merely squeezed her hand.

“I’m sorry, Mom.”

My parents stared me in shock. Neither of them had expected me to accept the blame so calmly, much less apologize.

Aiden kept his eyes on me.

I forced a tired smile.

“I did the wrong thing. I'm sorry.”

Aiden went still.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, my father spoke up.

“There’s one more thing. Kira plagiarized someone else’s Honors Thesis before graduation. The student is planning to report her to the university. I need you to convince her not to.”

Aiden took my hand, his voice gentle and coaxing.

“You and Kira share one body. To everyone else, whatever she did, you did. Do you really want to stand by and let her ruin your academic record?”

“Make this go away, and I’ll give you anything you want.”

“All right,” I said calmly.

Only then did the shock on my parents’ faces begin to fade, replaced by relief and approval.

Aiden squeezed my hand, satisfaction warming his eyes. To him, my ready agreement meant I had finally learned to be sensible.

I looked out the window and watched a dead leaf scrape across the glass.

“Kira is my sister, after all.”

He smiled and kissed the back of my hand.

“I knew you would understand.”

An hour later, Aiden and I stood outside the student’s house.

The moment I pushed the door open, a familiar voice tore into me.

“Roxy, you liar! You stole my thesis and cost me my degree. I’m reporting you to the university right now. I’ll make sure they revoke your diploma!”

A girl rushed out. It was Emily, my best friend at the university.

“Roxy, I really thought you wanted to be my friend. You ignored me every spring and summer, but as soon as the weather turned cold, you'd come find me and ask me to go to the library with you.”

“I assumed you had your reasons. Then, right before graduation, you came to me and asked to read my thesis.”

“I was an idiot. I actually trusted you.”

Tears streamed down her face as she glared at me with pure hatred.

“I wasn’t the one who plagiarized your thesis, Emily. Please trust me...” I shook my head over and over.

Of all the people Kira could have hurt, she had chosen Emily—the only real friend I had ever made at the university.

But Kira and I shared the same face and identity. To Emily, I was the person who had stolen her thesis.

Nothing I said could undo the harm she had suffered.

Emily raised her hand, fury burning in her eyes.

I stopped trying to explain.

Maybe someone like me—someone who shared her face, her name, and half her life with another soul—had never been meant to have a friend of her own. How could I, when Kira could wear my face each spring and destroy every relationship I built each winter?

I lowered my eyes.

“I’m sorry, Emily. I betrayed our friendship.”

Tears blurred my vision.

Emily’s raised hand trembled. She looked at the tears streaming down my face, but in the end, she could not bring herself to hit me.

“Roxy, I never thought you were this kind of person.”

She stepped back.

“Leave. From now on, we’re no longer friends.”

She went inside and closed the door in my face.

I stared at the closed door and finally understood that I had lost my only friend.

This time, the calm I had been pretending to feel finally shattered. A broken sob escaped my throat as Aiden pulled me hard against his chest.

“It’s over,” he murmured against my ear. “You still have me.”

His arms were as warm and strong as ever. For one treacherous moment, I wanted to believe everything that had happened that day was a nightmare.

But I knew it was all real.

In just two days, I had lost the man I loved and my best friend. All the while, I could feel my soul growing weaker.

I had only two days left.