CELINE’s POV
I watched them laugh for a moment before I cut in.
"Where’s my money?" I interrupted their laughter or should I say their daydreaming, and as expected… I was met with deadly stares from both of them.
They were the ones who offered me this--- to disguise as Brylee… to make Sebastian Anderson sleep with me and prove to him that Brylee was a virgin and no man had ever touched her before. And if he was convinced, he would eventually marry my sister.
My twin sister couldn’t do it because she was a bit of a whore who had slept with a large number of men. When they offered me this task, I immediately agreed to it because I needed the money for my mom who was badly ill. I can't let my mom suffer just like that. She has had enough with my dad... and I think it's time for me to make her happy.
I still recall her telling me that when I and Brylee were still months old, she found out that dad already had a lover named Sasha. She was the woman in front of me, gazing at me with fire in her eyes right now. Since my mother and I were abandoned by our father, he has never provided for our financial needs. He brought Brylee with him, and throughout her childhood, she thought of Saha as her mother, while she rejected her biological mother as her own.
This woman here treated both my mother and me like we were nothing more than beggars, as if in her eyes we were nothing more than trash. And this old man has never spoken to me and treated me like I was his daughter. In his mind, I was more of a burden, and I could feel that he sometimes wished that I hadn't been a part of his life. Not sometimes though, but always.
"Your money?" my father spat as he rose from his seat and moved closer to where I was standing. "Look at yourself! Poverty is written all over your existence!"
I took a deep breath, trying hard to calm myself while clenching my fists on both sides, controlling them not to smack my father’s ugly face. The money I was asking from him was not for me but for my mother!
"Honey, don't let your temper flare up with her. What kind of life do you expect if her mother is a beggar as well? Do you ever think that she can compare her beauty with our Brylee? She’s nothing but a complete yokel. Such a disgrace that you have a daughter like her!"
"Yokel?" I asked through gritted teeth. "You have to remind yourself that the yokel you’re referring to, is the one you asked for help yesterday!" I gradually loosened my fist, aware that it wasn’t necessary to go ballistic with a person like her but I couldn’t control myself with all their insults towards me and my mother.
"Is this how your mother raised you, huh?" my father roared in my face. "By talking to someone who is older than you, especially to my wife?! You’re showing me a lack of respect as your father!"
Father?
Since when did he act as my father? And he expected me to treat him as one? Hah!
And respect? He disrespected my mother at first! He’s not worthy of it.
"Why are you giving me that look, huh?" he inched closer and my eyes widened when he raised his hand to hit me.
“Do it! Hit me! You have never treated me as your daughter, anyway!" I was holding his eyes while staring at him with a blank expression, as if he were a complete stranger, and I could sense that he was becoming increasingly uneasy as a result of the gaze that I was sending his way.
His hand stopped mid-air and he only put it down when he heard his wife talk.
"Here’s your money!" she said, throwing the paper bills in my face and my heart thumped with wrath as I glared at her. "That’s ten thousand dollars, bitch!"
I heaved a deep sigh as I knelt down to pick up all of the money that had been scattered across the carpet and checked to be sure that I hadn't missed any bills. My heart was shedding tears of both agony and joy since I can finally support my mother’s treatment.
In my twenty-four years of existence in this world, Dad never gave me a single penny, but because I helped his loving daughter by pretending to be her, I got ten thousand dollars just like that.
When I was finally certain that I had got all the money with me, I stood up and sneered at them. "Thanks… I had no idea what the value of a virgin was until now."
I had just finished putting all of the money in my bag and was preparing to walk away with my head held high when, all of a sudden, my father's voice stopped me from moving away.
"Celine…"
I inhaled deeply and came to a complete stop, but didn’t turn around to face them once more. I didn't want to see their ugly faces. "I don’t want to see your face ever again in this city. Go back to the province where you currently live and stay there until you die." My father’s voice was cold as ice and I wanted to burst out crying, but I stopped myself. He’s not worthy of my tears.
"Right!" Sasha added, her annoying voice echoing in the room. "Never show your face in this place again! You’re as disgusting as shit!"
I tightened my grip on my bag as I slowly walked towards the door. I know the reason why they didn’t want to see me any longer. They were scared that I might destroy them and wreck everything. They were scared of being ruined by a beggar like me.
As soon as my mother has fully recovered from her illness... I will bring her back to Staten Island and we’ll live peacefully and happily together and forever. Until the day we die…
CELINE's POVSince I was already in possession of the money, I quickly went back to the hospital in order to settle my mother's bill. While I was waiting for the receipt, I looked about in an effort to find Dr. Henry so that I might express my gratitude to him; but, he was not yet present."Thank you…" I gave the woman at the register a friendly smile, and even though she couldn't see my face in its entirety due to the mask I was wearing, she still managed to give me one in return.I made my way down the hallway in the direction of the elevator while scrunching up my nose at the pungent odor of disinfection and other substances that I was hesitant to identify. I've never been a fan of hospitals, and if my mother weren't so sick, I would never, ever set foot in this institution.I took a deep, fortifying breath as the elevator doors slid open, revealing the ward where my mom lay still hoping to recuperate.When I was in the taxi earlier, I’d fallen asleep with memories of the night spe
CELINE’s P O VThe following day, I walked to the basement where the cafeteria was and I heard a noise coming from the corner where the big screen of the television was situated."Hey! Look! This young man has such a dashing appearance!" an exclamation was made by a woman wearing a name tag that read "Martha" while pointing her finger toward the screen.I couldn't help but be interested, so I moved closer to them and peered inside to see who she was referring to. When I saw Sebastian and Brylee grinning broadly at the camera on the television screen, my eyes enlarged significantly. At that very instant, a horde of reporters and microphones converged on the individuals in an effort to conduct an interview with them."Mr. Anderson, the Lauren family's daughter has expressed interest in getting engaged to you; are you seriously considering accepting her proposal?" Sebastian was approached by a middle-aged man.The astonishing man maintained an upright stance while exuding an air of unmis
CELINE’s POVI was washing some utensils on the sink when I heard Martha speak behind me. "Why are you wearing a face mask all the time, Celine?" she asked curiously.It wasn't until just now that it dawned on me that Martha and my mother were both patients in the same hospital ward, but she was further along in the healing process, so she could roam around the hospital specifically in the basement where there’s a television. Though we also have one here in the ward, she preferred to watch on a larger screen.My eyes flashed as I turned to look at her. "Martha… I've never been in good health, and it started when I was a child. Because bacteria are present everywhere, there’s a good chance that I could easily get sick whenever I visit the hospital. My asthma will flare up in a very short amount of time.’’"Oh, I see…" She acknowledged my answer with a nod and went back to watching television as she lay on her bed.I wiped my hands with the hand towel and walked back towards mom’s bed w
CELINE’s POVAs soon as the shaking of the elevator started, I grabbed hold of the iron railing that was next to me. The light went out for a split second before going back on as the most horrifying thump filled my ears, but then it turned off once more. Oh, God… When everyone in the room started yelling, I found that I had no way to hold back the gasp that burst up from within me.Someone yelled out, "What the hell is going on?""We have no way out!" a third party remarked."Oh my God, I’m claustrophobic…" I could clearly hear the woman in front of me murmur.Someone gave a response, and almost instantly… he pulled out his mobile phone and turned the lights on. He didn't spend any time and immediately punched the emergency button. Almost immediately, a booming voice could be heard emanating from the speaker located within the elevator."Everyone, listen! Try not to freak out. Everything is operating as it should. The maintenance staff is currently on their way to perform elevator rep
CELINE’s POVAnd all of a sudden, the light turned on and the doors to the elevator flung open. The people began to file out one by one. I didn't waste any time and immediately started squeezing myself with them, but then Sebastian grabbed me back by the hand and pinned me against the wall. "Brylee…?"Oh, shit!"Oh, Sebastian… Is that you?" I had to do it. I needed to pretend to be Brylee again. I'd got no choice because I was already trapped in his arms. I bit my lip as I pressed my body against his and hugged him tight. "I’m so sorry… I didn’t know it was you. I mean, I didn’t recognize you. It was dark in here.""Brylee…" he repeated and I grimaced as he called me by my sister's name, drawing closer to my ear and I felt him smirk as his lips barely grazed the side of my neck. "I miss you…" his voice was a low hiss, his warm breath fanned my jawline, and I squeezed my eyes shut. The fragrance of his expensive cologne invaded my mind, making me think back about the intimate session w
CELINE’s POV‘‘What happened to you, Celine?’’ As soon as I walked inside the ward, I could clearly make out my mother's concerned voice. My entire body was trembling, and I was sweating tremendously as a result of my nervousness. I was glad Sebastian Anderson didn’t follow me.I made an effort to put on a fake smile in the hopes that it would dissuade her from becoming worried about me. ‘‘Nothing, mom…’’ I responded while anting heavily. ‘‘I had the impression that it was appropriate to use the stairs. I had no idea I could get that worn out in such a short amount of time.’’‘‘There are many elevators to use, Celine. Why did you decide to use the stairs?’’ mom asked, the worried expression that was plastered on her face changed into confusion.‘‘To… exercise. Yes! I just want to exercise my legs and warm up my body. It’s too cold outside…’’ I hope she will buy my reasoning.And because she appeared to be convinced, she didn’t pursue the matter any further. I let out a breath of relie
CELINE’s POV‘‘Brylee!’’ By holding her arm, my mother prevented her from slapping me again, but when she did, Brylee jerked her hand away and aggressively pointed her finger at my mother.‘‘Don't put your hands on me, you senile old hag!’’ she pushed mom’s petite and weak body, and I was able to react quickly enough to catch her before she hit the ground. ‘‘You made a commitment to dad that you would move out of the city, right? What are you still doing here?!’’ she ignored mom and was now directing her finger at me.‘‘Shut up, Brylee!’’ I yelled back, and my mother restrained me just as I was about to hit her back. ‘‘Mom…’’ I protested, but she shook her head.‘‘Don’t hurt your sister, Celine…’’ she said as tears began to fill her eyes and all I could do was stare at her in disbelief. Why was she protecting this little shit! Brylee hurt her! She insulted her! And I can’t take what she was doing to mom anymore. It was breaking my heart into pieces.Brylee fixed her gaze icily on our
SEBASTIAN'S P O VAt exactly nine o'clock in the morning, while I was sitting behind my mahogany desk reviewing the monthly cost accounting report of Anderson Corporation, I observed that there were some differences between the reports of the costs of the materials and the costs of the output.‘‘What the fucking hell is this!?’’ I yelled, and my rage immediately grew to the point that I had to dial the number of the head of the financial department, Mr. Hunt to know what happened.In my entire life, I have been a man who has been competitive but impatient. I wanted everything, especially my businesses and the people working for me, to be well-organized and excellent.‘‘Good morning, Mr. Anderson...’’ the middle-aged man answered the phone cheerfully and I grimaced since I was not in the mood to greet him back. ‘‘Is there any—’’‘‘Mr. Hunt!’’ I interrupted him quickly. ‘‘I need you to immediately send the members of the internal audit team to the materials department. When I compared t