“Alexander freaking Blackwood.” Candice let out an ear-piercing squeal, spinning on her heel like she was about to launch herself at him. Whatever she was trying to do, gush over him, maybe… went horribly wrong because she promptly lost her balance and crashed onto the ground in a heap, her short skirt riding up to expose black lace underwear. Jake, still processing the shock of everything, blinked before bending down to scoop her up. She slumped against him, mumbling something incoherent, completely oblivious to the tension crackling in the air. Alexander, on the other hand, hadn’t moved. He just stood there, his silver eyes locked onto mine—unblinking, unreadable. He wore a loose brown shirt with long sleeves and matching pants, an almost careless contrast to his usual sharp attire. I was surprised he wasn’t with his bodyguard. And suddenly, I felt it. Embarrassment. No. Humiliation. I was standing in a grimy alleyway, surrounded by drunk idiots, outside a rundown bar
I woke up with a pounding headache, my body sluggish and my mouth bitter as if I had swallowed regret overnight. What a stupid day yesterday was. Rolling out of bed, I shuffled toward the bathroom, my movements slow and mechanical. The cold water shocked my senses as I brushed my teeth and stepped into the shower, letting the heat loosen the tightness in my muscles. By the time I emerged, wrapped in a towel, the morning had fully settled in. I walked into the dressing room, scanning my options before settling on a long-sleeved blue dress with buttons running down the length to my legs. Simple, but elegant. Sliding into it, I glanced at the time it was already past eight. I checked my phone hoping to see a reply from candice but I didn’t get anything. I was going to have to call her soon afterall that’s what a real friend would do after leaving her in the arms of a typical stranger last night. Obviously, Alex is gone by now. That thought brought a small, relieved smile to my
Hello, Mom.” I stepped into the hospital ward, my voice soft as I took in the familiar sight. The open window let in a warm breeze, carrying the faint scent of antiseptic and fresh air. The couch in the corner. Mom looked cheerful, her cheeks slightly flushed as she chatted animatedly with the nurse. “Isla!” She beamed, lifting her arms toward me. I hurried over, embracing her tightly before pressing a kiss to her cheek. Gently, I placed a bouquet of daisies her favorite on the bedside table. “You look well,” I noted, watching the way her eyes sparkled as she batted her lashes, trying to look cute. Classic Mom. She was happy. She had no idea why I was really here. I had come to tell her about the Dubai trip—an announcement handed down by none other than my contract husband. And there was no way in hell I was going to agree to his condition. Still… maybe Dubai wasn’t such a bad idea. I needed the escape. After all, I was the one who had been assaulted by Drew an
Her frail hands trembled in her lap, clutching the hospital blanket as if it were the only thing anchoring her to this moment. I sat there, stunned, trying to process the words she had just dropped on me. Triplets. I was one of three children? The weight of it crushed me, and I felt an unfamiliar pit in my stomach. Everything I thought I knew about my past… about myself… was shattering. “It’s okay, Mom,” I whispered, reaching out to smooth the strands of hair falling over her forehead. But even I knew it wasn’t okay. Not really. Anger simmered beneath my skin… not just because of what she had endured, but because she had kept this from me for so long. If I hadn’t found out on my own, would she have ever told me? “What did you do, Mom?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Did you agree to his deal? Did you give him your children?” She met my gaze, eyes full of sorrow, her voice cracking as she spoke. “No, Isla. I didn’t.” She coughed weakly, and I instinctively p
There’s a saying: What you don’t know can’t hurt you. But that’s a lie. Ignorance isn’t bliss… it’s a slow death, creeping in the shadows until it swallows you whole. As the words left his mouth, he froze. His entire body went rigid, his breath halting as if he’d just swallowed something sharp. “What did you just say?” My voice was a whisper, but it cut through the air like a blade. Alex’s hands clenched into fists before one flew to his mouth as he mouthed the word “fuck” as if trying to shove the words back in. Regret flickered across his face, but it was too late. “Tell me, Alex. What did you say?” He turned to me, exhaling harshly. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I’m so sorry about all of this. The whole damn situation.” I grabbed his arm before he could pull away, and he flinched at the contact. “She was screwing Drew, wasn’t she?” His silence was deafening. “Beatrice was fucking Drew.” I tightened my grip on his chin, forcing him to look at me. His usual steel-like compos
“This has to be a joke, right, Alex?” My voice wavered as I spoke, but Alexander didn’t look at me. Instead, he lowered his gaze to the documents in front of him, flipping a page with calculated indifference before signing. Then, standing, he walked around the desk and handed the signed document to the man claiming to be my father. Alex didn’t even glance in my direction as he returned to his seat. “I don’t understand. What is going on here?” My chest tightened, but I forced my voice to stay firm. “I’m your father,” the man repeated. I shifted my gaze to the woman beside him. My stomach twisted. “So that’s the bitch who tried to kill my mother. And I’m guessing she’s your wife?” My words dripped with venom. At that, the man smiled a knowing, almost amused expression. “No,” he corrected smoothly. “This is my sister, Felicia.” Felicia. The woman’s crimson nails glinted under the soft light as she smiled at me like I was some long-lost treasure. Where was his wife? The
Calling me an idiot right now? Completely valid. Honestly, what else do you call a girl who just discovered she has two birth sisters? A girl whose supposed husband….no, contract husband married her just to hand her over to a father she never even knew? A girl whose mother lied to her every single day of her life? Whose sister is a suspected maniac that possibly murdered someone in the same house she’s still living in? A girl who’s standing in the same room with the man who kept all these secrets— And kissing him? I didn’t even ask how he got to know about me. Didn’t stop to think about how much he already knew. I wasn’t asking the most reasonable questions, like: Where is Beatrice now? Is she being tracked by the authorities? Do they even know where she is? Does Beatrice know I’m here to replace her? Of course she knows. She must. Because that’s what I am, right? A stand-in. Kissing him. Pointlessly. Stupidly. To the point where his hands were
Thank God they weren’t heading back to the Blackwood Estate. That’s the only silver lining. I didn’t need Drew’s smug, annoying face anywhere near my personal hellscape or his mother’s. The last time I saw him was right after Nadia’s funeral and I promised myself then I wouldn’t grace his infuriating presence ever again. I hated that family. All of them. And the fact that he had something going on with Beatrice, my twin, my mirror, my stranger made my skin crawl. Who was she really? Because honestly, if you have a husband like Alex and still find time to roll around with his good-for-nothing stepbrother? You deserve your own Lifetime crime special. And then it hit me. I didn’t even ask the name of my other sibling. The one that doesn’t look like me. What kind of person am I? After hanging out with Candice, I stepped outside into the unholy heat of New York, only to find Orbot already waiting. He was chilling in the car, thank God. Not under the sun, obviously.
“I can explain,” I tried with a low hesitant tone. Alex turned, eyes narrowing as he reached for a black vest and slipped it over his head. “You took your sister’s diaries from the safe, didn’t you?” I didn’t bother denying it. Instead, I drew in a quiet breath, eyes fixed on the window, watching light dance off the trimmed hedges in the estate courtyard. “I had my reasons,” I said, steadier now. “And part of them is why I’m here.” I turned away just in time to avoid seeing him step into his black briefs and sweatpants. My gaze stayed glued to the distant driveway even as my skin prickled with the awareness of him behind me. “Pray tell… and what are your reasons?” “I said I’ll tell you once you eat something,” I replied calmly, motioning to the covered tray on his nightstand. “It’s past breakfast. I’ll ask the staff to make something fresh for you—because that,” I pointed, “is cold.” I added turning to fully gaze at him fully dressed in a black vest and black sweatpants.
I blinked, snapping back to reality as I stared at the same receptionist who had once led me into this very building when I came to sign the contract. Now she was leaning slightly over the front desk, her expression politely blank, her voice lined with confusion. “What?” I asked again, this time more sharply. I’d called his line earlier, sure. But I’d assumed he was just busy. Not… unavailable. “Did he say why?” I asked, forcing my voice to stay even. She squinted at the open file on her desk, her bright blue eyes narrowed slightly beneath long lashes. Dressed in a fitted black skirt and matching jacket, her high ponytail was perfectly slicked back—not a single hair out of place. She looked really pretty and professional. “No, ma’am,” she said, looking up again. “He didn’t inform us. We tried contacting him too, but his line isn’t going through.” I folded my arms and tried to act unbothered. “Right. I see…” There was a pause. Then she said, “You’d probably know what’s going
It would seem my twin was far more crazy than I ever imagined because every single one of her diary entries was laced with obsession. Page after page, she wrote about a man with blue eyes that she’d been stalking. It was night now, and I’d already retreated to bed after a quiet, draining dinner of half-warm noodle soup in the living room. Mom still hadn’t come downstairs. So I did what I always did, left her food at her door without a word. I carried the empty lunch plate back to the kitchen. At least she ate everything. The ceramic gleamed beneath the kitchen light, like it had been licked clean. Somehow, that made me feel better. A little. I felt kinda bad for going over to Alex’s house and… stealing. Well… scratch that. I didn’t steal anything. Not really. Besides, those were things I needed to see, needed to know. Regardless. What I did know now was that Drew was definitely back from Manchester. My accusations to Joseph had started off as pure bluff— But the look that fl
It made more sense in my head, at least. “What? Where do you… where do you even get such claims from?” Joseph pressed, eyes narrowing as I stared at him. “You needed him to look for me. You knew he’d find me after you lost Beatrice. After she ran away from you.” “She didn’t run away.” “She left you. Because of your—” “My what?” he snapped. “You know nothing. You absolutely know nothing.” “Hey!” A voice called from behind. I turned to the door. Seriously. They don’t knock in this company? Of course—it was Celeste. She walked in with that stupid suit then settled into a seat at the back. “I’m so sorry if I interrupted you, Daddy… Sister. But the meeting is still ongoing, and we can’t proceed without your presence. If you’ll excuse us, Sister. Daddy, please.” Joseph’s eyes shifted to her, then back to me looking almost apologetic. “Oh, it’s fine,” I muttered. “Actually, it’s fine. I’ll be going now.” “Wait—” “No, really. It’s fine.” I stood, casting one last
“I need to see you.” I whispered into the phone, my voice barely carrying over the soft tap of rain against the window. It had been raining since morning. I stood by the window, watching fat droplets slide down the glass like tears. Mom hadn’t left her room all day after our little…. Misunderstanding. I hadn’t bothered to knock either. I left her breakfast by the door hours ago, untouched. No thanks. Nothing. And honestly? I didn’t have the strength to beg for connection anymore. I needed to see Joseph. I knew he couldn’t come here. Not with Mom in the house—she’d probably hurl something at his head if she so much as heard his voice. But this wasn’t about them. It was about Beatrice. If she had really been out there, roaming free… then he needed to know. Because if Joseph didn’t get a grip on his daughter soon, she was going to do something unspeakable. And I wasn’t going to sit back and wait for it to happen. “Okay, um…Is everything alright?” “No, it’s not,” I repl
It was a Saturday and a rainy one at that. The kind that made the world feel quieter, like nature was trying to hush everything for a while. I had just finished my morning jog. Yeah, I’m one of those people now trying to stay active, trying not to be that couch potato waiting around for the next person to come kidnap me in my sleep. Not anymore. The rain began just as I bent over to dust off my sneakers, my breath slow and steady, a thin sheen of sweat clinging to my skin. I peeled the towel from around my neck and dabbed it over my face, sighing as the first drops splattered against the porch railing beside me. “Good thing I didn’t get wet,” I muttered, though oddly enough, part of me had wanted to. Wanted to feel the rain on my body like a restart. But I knew better. That wouldn’t be a good sight for the neighbors. Not that I knew them. Inside, the house was heavy with silence. Mum was here now. I’d finally discharged her from the Blackwood Hospital. She hadn’t said a single wo
“How did you know I lived here? Surely Joseph didn’t tell you… or was it Celeste?” I asked, folding my arms across my chest, watching him from the doorway. Alex arched a brow at me, the corners of his lips twitching with mild amusement. “I really hate when you ruin things by mentioning your sister’s name,” he said casually. “And yes, I found out because I followed you yesterday. Saw you outside your porch… with some very…. friendly MALE friend of yours.” He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world like stalking someone was a totally normal behavior and how was that even possible? The stalking i mean because i literally saw him drive past us yesterday unless… I scoffed, shaking my head as I pushed the door open a little wider but made no move to invite him in. “We didn’t exactly end things on a good note yesterday,” he continued, his tone easy, almost playful. “Thought I’d come over and be a gentleman.” At that, a laugh escaped my lips before I could stop mys
“Surprised you still remember me,” he chuckled, stealing a quick glance at me before fixing his eyes back on the road. His hands stayed steady on the wheel as he veered past a rumbling commercial truck, the engine growling in the distance. Honestly, I hadn’t expected to see him again. And truth be told, I wasn’t exactly waiting for it either. Not that I disliked him or anything… but the memory of him felt like something better left behind me. “You look… different from the last time I saw you,” I said, my voice trailing off as I shifted my attention to the window. A long crack spidered across the glass, clumsily patched up with black tape. Very professional. “You look different too, sweetheart,” he tossed back casually. “Where’s the blondie?” Realizing he meant Candice, I winced inwardly. I hadn’t really kept her updated lately. It made me feel like a terrible friend. “She’s good. I’m sure,” I said, forcing a casual shrug. What I really wanted to ask was what he really me
I was on cloud nine, and Alex was the one taking me there. Right in front of the damn golf course.His mouth crashed into mine like he was starving—urgent, hungry, reckless. Our bodies moved in sync, lips dragging, tongues clashing. My purse had fallen somewhere by the lounge chair, its screen lit up and beeping but I was… occupied.His kiss held the same intensity he’d used to swipe his tongue between my thighs that night—and the second the memory struck me, so did the heat between my legs.God.His hands slipped under my gown, like he knew exactly where to go. His fingers grazed my thighs, slow and deliberate, climbing higher until—He froze.Then groaned into my mouth.I wasn’t wearing underwear.The sound that tore from him sent a jolt straight through my stomach. He didn’t say anything, just gripped me tighter and lifted me like I weighed nothing. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, and I gasped, my breath faltering as his mouth found that tender spot behind my ear. M