RIGHTFULLY MINE

Chapter 1

ZOE’S POV

On the flight back to Australia, sitting by the window side looking at the clear sky, all I had to think about is my cute little son–Jamie, who I had missed so terribly, his little arms around my neck, his giggles, the way he calls me mommy with his sweet voice and my twin sister Chloe, the only family I had left. My whole world revolved around these two. I had no choice but to leave Jamie behind, due to the conditions that came with my new job. It wasn't easy making that decision.

When the plane landed in Australia and I walked out, I closed my eyes and breathed in, the smell of home calmed me down. One year, that seemed like ten years. That was how long I had been away from my son and sister, working tirelessly overseas. I have been counting down to the day I get to hold my little boy in my arms again and kiss him all over his face.

My name is Zoe Packer. I used to be a proud office assistant to the director of Perkins group, one of the biggest companies in Australia, until the one-night stand with him that changed my life. Now I'm a single mother of a five year old boy, who used to live in Sydney with my twin sister before I left them both for a job I got outside the country.

I did not tell them I was flying in to visit, I plan to surprise them and just show up at their doorstep. I smiled to myself as I pictured in my mind how the look on their faces will be when they see me today. 

I had planned the whole day. We'd all go to the park, then go have some ice cream at our favourite spot, spend the rest of the day at the beach side and soak in every moment I had missed. 

But as I waited for my luggage to be cleared at the carousel, I got bored which led me to flip through the pages of the magazine I had picked up earlier. And that was when I experienced a moment of pure astonishment.

"Austin Perkins attends the royal gala with his wife, Zoe Packer."

I looked at the page with my eyes wide open and yet it seemed like I wasn't seeing clearly. My heart was beating really fast. Zoe Packer? That's my name. My full name. Married to Austin Perkins? The father of my child?

My stomach was upset as I continued to read. The article went on talking about their romance, and how perfect they looked together at the most talked about event of the year. There were pictures, Austin in a classic black tuxedo, standing beside a woman in a beautiful ball gown. A woman who looked just like me.

Chloe.

“What in the world is all this?” I said in disbelief. 

I grabbed my suitcase and stormed out of the airport. I took a cab and went to our apartment in Melbourne. But another shock was waiting for me there.

I was knocking on the door when our neighbour, Mrs. Harrison came out of her room and saw me. 

“Oh, Chloe, you're back? It's good to see you again.” She said to me, smiling. 

“Uh..Excuse me? I’m not..” I started but she cut me off.

“Zoe moved out some months ago. She packed up and left right after she got married. Some rich guy in Sydney. But I'm surprised you're here looking for your twin sister.” She said, frowning.

I felt the ground shift beneath me. “Um..I'm sorry ma'am. Did she leave a forwarding address or anything?

Mrs. Harrison shook her head. “No, dear. But I saw her leaving with the little one. He couldn’t stop talking about moving to a bigger house and getting a bigger room. He looked happy.”

Happy. My son. With Chloe. Living a life that she had no right to live. My life!

“You mean you didn't know your twin sister was getting married? She didn't tell you?” she asked, sounding surprised and worried.

I could not answer Mrs. Harrison’s question. Who would believe I had no idea my own twin sister was getting married or moving out of the city with my son?

I stood there, lost in thought. Trying to make sense of everything. Chloe wouldn’t do this to me. Would she? She knew all I had been through for the past five years. She was there for me when I found out I was pregnant.

Then a different thought struck my mind. Wait a minute… Was this the reason Chloe had been acting strange for some months now. She would give excuses to get off the phone, avoided video calls with me and didn't let me speak with Jamie as often as I used to. She told me she was trying to get a job, which I found really hard to believe. But not in my wildest dream did I think it was because she was planning something like this behind my back. 

So, she got married to Austin? How on earth did that happen? Was this what she planned to do all along? My head was spinning with ideas and questions I had no answers to.

“Is everything alright, Chloe?” Mrs. Harrison asked, looking closely at my face.

I turned to look away, my vision became unclear, fighting the tears threatening to fall down my cheeks. I couldn’t believe this. My twin sister had stolen my identity, my son, my son’s father, my entire life.

“Thank you, Mrs Harrison. I have to go.” I said, not waiting for her to respond. 

My hands were made into fists as I walked out of the apartment, my chest burning with betrayal. 

I picked out my phone and dialled Chloe's number as soon as I got into a cab.

It rang. Once. Twice. 

Then she picked. “Hello?”

“Chloe.” I swallowed hard. “What the hell is going on? How the hell are you now Austin’s wife? And I just left the apartment, I was told you moved out, with Jamie?”

Silence. Then the click sound.

She hung up. 

Oh she didn't just hang up on me.

I called her back. She didn't answer. 

I called her back again. But it went to voicemail. 

I kept sending her text messages till I arrived at the hotel but she didn't respond to any of them. 

An hour later, I was pacing in my hotel room, my head spinning with ideas and questions. When I heard a notification sound on my phone. I quickly grabbed it from the bed. 

Chloe: I'll come see you in Melbourne tomorrow. 

There's no way I'm waiting till tomorrow. I'm going to Sydney. I'm getting to the root of this today.