CHAPTER 4

Marissa POV

“Are you sure you are ready to face him again?” my twin brother Lucien said to me. He looked at me worriedly. I nodded my head and smiled.

“I am,” I said, looking at him. I laughed at him.

We are fraternal twins. I am the oldest twin, but he treats me like his younger sister. I watched as he ran his hand through his brown hair, which was different from my blonde hair.

“Are you laughing at me?” he asked.

“Yes, I am. You are acting like a mother hen. Do you know how many times you have asked if I am okay to see him again?” I said as I watched him sit across from me.

“I want them to pay for what they did to you, Lucia,” he said, using my first name to address me.

“They aren’t worth the stress. He is still Nova and Levi’s father. I don’t want it to be the reason they will hate me. And Alaric…he doesn’t affect me that way anymore,” I said, looking away from Lucien.

I miss Nova. My pretty baby would be seven years old. I wonder if she would remember my face. I know Levi would love Nova if he knew he had an older sister. I wonder if they would ever meet each other. After the day I disappeared, I thought I had lost the baby. I found out I was still pregnant. The doctor said Levi was a miracle, because I did lose a baby after that fall.

I have changed, I know, but the thought of seeing him tonight makes my stomach churn. I hated that I felt weak when I thought of him. I won’t let him and his family walk over me again.

“Okay. Grandpa said we would hold your coming out as the new CEO of the Alden Group and the heiress. I will make sure it is done sooner. I don’t want that nitwit and his family walking over you,” he said.

I don’t want to, but I have no choice. It is my duty to hold the business, and Lucien’s duty to hold the underworld business.

“I think I have tried. It is time to retire and face my own responsibility,” he continued, and kissed my cheek as he stood up.

“Or you are just lazy,” I said as I laughed.

“Oh, you don’t want to do that now, Lucia. If I am lazy, then what are you, dear sister? The last time I remember, the underworld was originally your responsibility,” he said, laughing at me.

Before meeting Alaric, as one of the Alden heirs, as the first-born twin, I was given the responsibility of the underworld. I was trained to be cold-hearted, tough, and wicked.

At eighteen, I had the underworld in my control. People feared me. I made big men whimper and cower.

Coming back home with Levi, I don’t want that life anymore, or for my child.

“I am not as cold-hearted as you are, Lucien. I don’t want Levi…I am waiting to meet that person, who will melt that cold heart of yours” I wanted to continue but stopped as I hit his head. He turned to me with puppy eyes, then smirked.

“Not yet, dearest older twin. And all Aldens are cold-hearted,” he said as he walked to the large, expensive door and stopped.

“Bye, Lucia. I will be coming to pick you up, and wear the dress I ordered,” he said as he walked out, and I shouted after him,

“At least you admitted that I am older!!!” I laughed.

✮✮✮

At the dinner party

I walked in with Lucien, holding his forearm. I saw young ladies throwing looks at me.

I laughed mentally. I know my brother is a hot cake, but can’t they see the resemblance? Even though we are fraternal twins, we have the same eye color, and some of our habits are the same.

“The young ladies are giving me the bad eye, Lucien,” I said as I smiled for the camera.

“It’s because you look very gorgeous tonight, Lucia,” he replied as he leaned closer to me intimately.

“You know it is because of you, Lucien. You are the most eligible bachelor in the country, and you are with an unknown woman,” I said.

He looked at me, then said, “Let’s give them a show, twin,” he smirked mischievously.

“No, I will not be used as your shield to avoid these young sprinters,” I said as I took a glass of champagne. People watched as we talked in hushed tones. I am sure we looked like lovers rather than twins.

“They are not ladies, they are flies. They are everywhere, Lucia,” he said, still close to me.

I scoffed as people came to speak with us. They questioned indirectly to know who I was, but my brother shut them up mostly with rude remarks. I looked at him…’typical Lucien’…and shook my head, smiling, before turning to look around.

Then I saw him, clad in an expensive black tux. He looked the same, but there was a little fatigue in his frame. He stared right back at me coldly, not a hint of warmth. What was I expecting? I didn’t want to be the first to look away.

I wanted to show him that I am a different person now. I will not be intimidated by him. I stared back, my face blank, with no emotion.

Lucien came closer and asked, “Are you going to be okay, Lucia? I need to speak with someone. If you are not, I can…”

“Yes, Lucien. Go on. I can take care of myself,” I answered. He kissed my cheek and walked away. I picked another champagne glass and gulped it.

“I didn’t think you would still be whoring around. What am I saying? You are a manipulative lady. It looks like you caught a big fish this time,” I heard that familiar voice…the voice of the person I used to long for.