LOGINTia’s pov“Hi mum, could you do us a favour?” I asked hopefully. If that really was Bryce then we needed to get the boys out of the house.“Anything love what do you need?”“Well, I can’t go into too much detail but can you come and take the boys to stay with you for a few days. I can’t tell you why but we need you to be careful about it. Ben can’t know. Something is going on Mama but for your safety the less you know the better.” I tried to explain calmly but my nerves were shot.“What on earth?” she sighed under her breathe. “Is Mari ok? I’ll be there as quick as I can. Get their stuff sorted I’m leaving now.” Mama said.“She will be Mama don’t worry. I’ll look after her.”“I know you will Tiabean. You are such a good sister.”“So is she Mama”“Yes she is. My amazing girls. I’m the lucky one. See you soon love”“Bye Mama”I hung up the phone“Well?” Mari asked, wide eyed.“She’s coming we just need to get their stuff ready. what now?” I asked my beautiful, clever sister.“You go and
Chapter 60Mari’s povI was so fucking pissed off. What the hell was Ben doing? Leading me on then just shutting me down like that. I grabbed a plate ffrom the side and slammed it down into the sink. I crashed around the ktichen putting away the contents of the dishwasher noisily - and probably more forcefully than I should have. I looked out of the window to see Ben hugging Tiana. Was he sniffing her hair? What the fuck is going on? She turned then and headed inside. I carried on clearing up as she walked into the Kitchen.“Mari are you ok?” she asked her voice dripping with concern.“No Ti I’m not” I spat. “He was so fucking rude to everyone. I berated him and do you know what he did? He dragged me up the stairs to bed! Not the best circumstances but I thought finally some attention. Then half way through he just apologised got up and walked off! Like what the actual fuck!” I was ranting now. “Then to top it all off he’s out there hugging you and sniffing your hair what’s that all ab
Tiana’s POVI follwed Ben outside feeling confused. I know it had been a very trying and emotional day but hearing them shouting at each other was suprising.“What happened?” I asked sypathetically.“I don’t know. I mean, I guess I do but...” Ben started. He seemed genuinely lost. He rubbed his hands over his face frustratedly.“I guess just with everything that’s happened today it was just to much. To try and be intimte...” he trailed off.“Oh” I sighed. “Mari will understand don’t worry.” I tried to reassure him.“She will cool down and everything will be fine you’ll see.”“I don’t know if I want it to be.” It was a blunt yet emotional statement that left me deeply shocked. It was the absolute last thing I expected to hear from the man that had loved my sister since we were children.“What on earth do you mean?” I demanded. I needed to get to the bottom of this.“I mean, after everything that’s happened the last few days - Mari berating me at playzone, the stalker in the garden, you
Mari’s POVI was so incredibly grateful that Tiana had taken the boys upstairs quickly to get them ready for bed. The heavy, toxic tension in the dining room had become entirely suffocating, and I desperately needed to have a private, unfiltered conversation with my husband.I knew that today had been a monumental, life-altering shock for him. Discovering you were stolen from your biological twin is enough to break anyone's mind. But his unapologetic cruelty, his sheer, unadulterated venom towards Hillary and James – the two people who had loved and raised him his entire life – was absolutely disgusting. It was so far removed from the kind, empathetic man I had married that I barely recognised him.I took a deep, shuddering breath to steady my racing heart and walked back into the dining room.Ben was still sitting casually at the head of the long oak table, silently picking at a portion of leftover chips from his plastic plate. He didn't even look up as I entered.“I thought you just
Bryce’s POVI slowly pulled Ben’s expensive, ridiculously clean car up to the curb outside his perfect little house and killed the engine. The street was quiet, lined with manicured hedges and softly glowing streetlights that bathed the affluent neighbourhood in a warm, golden hue. It was sickeningly picturesque.I didn't immediately get out. Instead, I sat in the heavy silence of the leather interior, gripping the steering wheel as I stared at the illuminated front windows of the property. I reached up, pulled down the sun visor, and stared directly into the illuminated vanity mirror.My twin brother’s face stared back at me. It was my face, of course, but it lacked the hollow, hardened edge that the care system had ruthlessly carved into mine. Ben’s eyes were bright, untroubled, and painfully naive. I needed to soften my features to match. I needed to become the golden boy.I relaxed my jaw, forced my shoulders to drop an inch, and let a casual, easy smile stretch across my lips."H
Ben’s POVThe freezing, creeping damp of the derelict Fellsdello warehouse was slowly seeping directly into my bones. I sat shivering on the filthy, stained mattress, my knees pulled tightly to my chest as I stared into the oppressive darkness. The only sound in the cavernous space was the erratic, hollow dripping of rainwater leaking through the rotting roof and splashing onto the cracked concrete floor.Every few minutes, a fresh wave of blinding panic would wash over me, tightening my chest until I could barely draw breath. I yanked violently at the heavy iron chain secured around my left ankle for what must have been the hundredth time. The thick metal links clanked loudly against the rusted steel structural pole, the heavy-duty padlock refusing to give even a single millimetre. I was completely, utterly trapped.My mind was a chaotic, swirling nightmare. Bryce was out there. A man who shared my exact face, my voice, and my DNA, was currently wearing my clothes and my wedding ring
Chapter 16: What the F* Is Going On Here?**Cleo’s POVMy Uber pulled up outside Ben and Marissa’s house and I practically threw myself out of the backseat before the engine had even fully idled."Cheers, keep the change!" I called back to the driver, shoving a crumpled tenner through the gap in th
Chapter 18: The BoyNarratedIt was a crisp, painfully bright autumn morning. The ancient, skeletal trees lining the perimeter of the park swayed gently in the biting breeze, sending a cascade of crisp, golden leaves dancing through the chilled air.To the casual observer, the park was a picture of
Chapter 14Cleo’s POVIt was a deceptively sunny Saturday afternoon. The kind of rare British weather that lured you into a false sense of security, promising the warmth of the Mediterranean but delivering a sharp, biting breeze that cut right through your clothes the moment a cloud crossed the sun
Chapter 10Ben’s POVThe excited screams and playful laughter of what sounded like a thousand caffeine-fuelled children filled our ears the second we pushed open the heavy red doors of Playzone. It was a wall of sound, a physical force that hit you in the chest. The air inside was a thick, humid so







