Chapter 2

ASTRID

It was Mia, my look-alike cousin who had chosen to be the prodigal daughter.

“Mia?” My aunt asked, blinking to see if it truly was her long-lost child that just walked in.

My uncle had the same dumbstruck look on his face as he approached her. “Is that really you?”

All the guests had their gaze sweeping from Mia — me, to the woman at the door whose name was also Mia. They spoke in small hushes.

It felt like someone snatched the world right out from under my feet.

I could see everything I managed to build slowly dissipate into thin air like ash thrown to the wind. Soon, I’d have to answer questions I never even prepared for.

The voice of my aunt’s teary voice brought me back to the room. “Where have you been all these while? You were gone for the longest time, I thought I’d lost you.”

Never had I seen such an expert manner of theatrics before.

Mia cradled her mom’s face as tears slipped down her own. Then she stretched out a finger to me. “Ask her. She is the reason I could not find my way home all this while.”

Her lies punched the air out of me. “What?” I whispered.

Jakob stepped away from me, glaring at me like he just witnessed the most foul thing to ever exist. “What?”

Panic rose in my chest. “I can explain, Jakob. Please.”

“Tell me it’s a lie. Tell me you did not try to impersonate the woman who was supposed to be my wife. TELL ME THE TRUTH.”

Mia beat me to it. “Not when she is the true mastermind of everything that has befallen me and stood in the way of my happiness. I thought travelling far away would hide me out of her grip. I was wrong.”

Her stance and the way her lies slid out smoothly had me doubting the true version of what I remember had really transpired between us that night.

NO! I wanted to yell but that little word seemed to be stuck in my throat.

Murmurs arose from all around us. A few guests had their phones out to record.

Mia left her parents to stand in front of me. “Tell the whole world the truth. Tell them how you came to meet me and threatened to kill me if I didn’t stay away from your man.”

I could not say a word still, struck dumb with disbelief that Mia would turn against me like this when the matter was the other way around.

She turned to Jakob. “I wanted to fulfill my duty as our parents deemed it important when she came and threatened my life. I’m not lying. I was forced to tell my parents that I was traveling to the countryside. I have never done it before but I had to.”

A wave of collective gasps rippled through the living room, the celebration thrown out the window. My heart felt like it had been ripped out, trampled over and over until nothing remained.

Jakob turned to my uncle, smacking my hand away when I tried to touch him.

“Why did you not tell my father about this the moment this madness began? We would have sought a way to protect you.”

My uncle, shaking his head, stepped forward. “I believe if we did, she could have killed my daughter, especially now that she had power. All this while, I thought Mia was on a trip…”

“That’s a lie!” No one paid me any mind.

“...I never believed I’d be seeing my daughter again.”

I forgot how to breathe as soon as he vomited those words. They seemed to believe that I would murder my own cousin over a man?

“I have never in my life tried to put hands on anyone,” the first spill of tears ran down my face. “She put me up to this and they forced me to help her. I swear it on my mother’s grave.”

“There she goes with the cheap emotional blackmail,” someone sneered from behind me.

“I’ve always known she was nothing but a devil pretending to be a goody-two-shoes.” Another one added.

“She is one greedy witch.”

One by one, they expressed their disgust, but nothing stung more than the betrayal of your own kin. I’d never felt so lonely in my life.

“How could you?” My aunt cried, giving me a look burning with pure scorn. “We sheltered you when your wretched mother died. How could you pay us like this?”

I couldn’t believe my ears. Why was she acting like she was not involved when they had this planned from the start?

Why were they acting like victims when I was the true victim here?

Two years before, Mia’s parents and Jakob’s family had struck a deal with each other, something that had to do with the conjugal union of their children.

But Mia, being the spoilt brat of her parents, openly rebelled against it. She only wanted to spend life with her no-good boyfriend.

So she made me attend the dates in her place, taking on her identity completely.

Everything got to its peak when she asked me to marry Jakob in her stead as she was moving out of the country with her boyfriend. Her parents convinced me their daughter’s happiness was paramount and our secret was safe.

“Why now?” I echoed my thoughts, staring at the people I called my family.

They had torn me down publicly, lied to my husband — soon ex, that I forced their daughter out of the marriage deal when they were the one who coaxed and threatened to kick me out if I did not stick to their plans.

What other choices did a homeless orphan have?

Tugging down the fancy scarf tied on her neck, Mia revealed a long line of scar tissue running from the side of her neck to the front of her collarbone.

“Remember when you gave me this?” she sniffled. “You said that was going to be a lesson to be learned for the rest of my life and you were prepared to do more if I did not step away from Jakob.”

“Mia!” I gasped, unable to stop the tears flowing freely now. “I never did that! I never touched nor threatened you!”

She broke down completely, shoulders shaking as wails broke out of her. Loud and heart-wrenching. “All I’ve ever done was try to love and protect you, tried not to make you feel lonely–”

“Stop! Just stop talking!” I sobbed, as my vision blurred out with tears.

“—you took everything away from my family, knowing fully well that I might find happiness with Jakob later. You broke my trust in you. I’ve been nothing but a fool…”

Her mother quickly embraced her, shooting me with a murderous look, ensuring I read all the ills she meant for me through that singular glare.

“But—”

“Enough of your lies, Mia, or should I say Astrid,” Jakob barked, eyes wild with fury. “As a matter of fact, I have been in touch with Mia the past few weeks where she confessed everything to me. I gave you a chance to tell me the truth, yet you lied to all our faces. What do you take me for?”

I shook my head rapidly, filled with despair. “I promise, I’m not lying. She made me do it. They made me do it! I swear!”

“I loved you as every devoted man would love his wife. I offered everything you could possibly need even when you kept whining like a greedy bitch for more attention. How could you betray me like this?”

This was it. Everything I’d feared finally coming to pass. Everything collapsed in one night. On my birthday.

“As from this moment, I want to never set my eyes on you. Ever again.” He motioned to some guards. “Pick her up and throw her out of my house. Not a single property of hers will cross that gate. Is that clear?”

They did not even wait to be told twice. Each of them grabbing my arm, they marched forward despite my futile attempt to break away. From the corner of my eyes, I saw the malicious intent on Mia’s face.

Everything was playing out beautifully. Just like she wanted.

Was this truly the end? It can’t be.

“Wait, you can’t throw me out like that, Jakob,” I lashed out. “I’m pregnant for you.”

The men stopped. Pin drop silence filled the room after my announcement. Jakob’s eyes found mine and for a second, I saw the change in his demeanor.

It was right there. Unmistakable.

Before I could capitalize on that, my uncle spoke up, rather scornfully. “I would not waste my time believing liars if I were you. If she faked an identity, she can fake having your baby.”

I waited with bated breath for Jakob’s final verdict, and just like I feared, he ordered me thrown out.