Chapter Two

LISA

I push away from Lord Lore's arms and clear my throat.

"I'm okay my Lord."

His eyes shine with amusement.

"My Lord? Please just call me Lore."

"I'm sorry for bumping into you,I'm a bit clumsy tonight."

"No,the fault was mine."

"Thank you for catching me."

He nods his head and puts his hands in his perfectly pressed tuxedo pants.

I go around him and walk out of the house.

When I get back inside the event room,I see Mona chatting and standing in a perfect posture next to Lord Lore. The beam on my parents faces has me snatching another flute of champagne and downing it all. Then I flatten my dress and walk over,the minute I reach the circle,Mama's smile falters.

"Having a good evening?" I ask.

"Oh,my Lord,this is my twin sister,Lisa. Lisa,this is Lord Lore."

"Ahh,I actually thought you had rushed off and had a change of clothes," he smiles, showcasing his pearl white teeth.

"You've met my youngest daughter before?" Papa says with a hint of worry in his tone,which only I and my family notice.

"Yes,I actually met her in the hall."

"Yeah,we bumped into," I hiccup. "Each other."

Mama's eyes widen a notch.

"Lisa,you should watch where you're going,you could have caused misscomfort on Lord Lore."

"I'm sure it was an accident," Mona says to them.

That's the thing about my twin sister,she's always ready to defend me and try to make our parents see a brighter side to my actions,but they don't seem to pay attention,they always focus on the faults.

"I'm so sorry,Lore," Papa apologizes. "Sometimes Lisa can be-"

"No,I was the one who wasn't looking where I was going,miss Lisa was kind enough to apologize for something she did not do." Lord Lore defends me even though I was the one in the wrong.

I smile thankfully.

"So,what do you do miss Lisa?"

"I'm into art-"

"Lisa is going to become a Lawyer," papa cuts me off.

"A doctor and a lawyer,I see. That's, interesting."

Yep,one more thing. Mona has a PhD in doctorate, as for me,I'm an artist. Something my parents didn't agree to. So I've kept all my paintings hidden in my room.

I tuck my lips in and snatch another flute from a passing waiter's tray.

"Lisa," mama whispers close to my ear. "You need to stop drinking too much,stop before you end up embarrassing us all."

A group of rich looking people enter the room.

"Ah,there they are. I would like to introduce Mona to my brothers and sister, if that's okay with you of course."

"Sure,you can go ahead. Mona," papa tips his head, giving his permission and they leave. Before I start getting scolded,I dodge when they get distracted by proudly watching Lord Lore and Mona who are walking away,with his hand placed at the small of her back.

* *Later* *

After the union celebration event, I sit on my bed and wince at the pain slicing through my feet. I remove my heels and hiss when I see my red bruised toes.

"Fucking heels," I whisper to myself.

The door opens and Mona walks in.

"Hey you," she says.

"Hey you back."

She takes a seat on my bed and watches me intently. Her features a mirror of my own.

"Why did you leave early?"

"I-i just got tired,my feet were killing me."

Her gaze moves to my toes.

"Come on,let me take a look at those."

She grabs a kit and brings out some ointment,I place my feet on her laps and she applies it on my toes,then gently massages them.

After two minutes of silence,she speaks.

"You do know that our parents love you,right?"

She doesn't look up at me when she says the words,i remain quiet and she finally looks at me.

"Lisa.." she sighs. "Just because they are strict doesn't mean they don't love you."

"Everything I do is wrong in their eyes Mona,both you and I know that they can't stand me. They couldn't even have me at the family table and that says something. Maybe they even wish I wasn't born."

"Lisa!" She scolds. "Don't you ever say that again,papa and Mama love you,they just want you to be..." She trails off.

"Perfect like you?" I finish for her. I know I'm being unfair to her but it's the truth.

"I'm not perfect Mona."

"Right,I remember,I've got one thing better than you."

Her face falls and then she looks away from me. I immediately regret what I just said.

"Mona,I didn't mean to-"

"No, Lisa. You're right," she stands and hugs herself.

I stand and place my hand on her arm.

"Mona,what do you really want? Do you want this," I wave my hand in the air. "Marriage with Lord Lore?"

"I don't know,I mean,yes but-"

"No buts,you're not even sure you want to spend the rest of your life with this man. You're doing it to please our parents when you're actually in love with that gangstar."

"He's not a gangstar,Lisa." A smile plays on her lips. "He's just part of a Motorcycle club,MC."

"Right,the not so Lord guy it is."

Mona chuckles at my statement,then all those playful emotions vanish.

"But it's my duty to hold our family's honor. I can't have something happen to our family because of my selfishness."

"It's not selfishness Mona,it's called happiness and choice."

"Choice doesn't exist in our world Lisa,I was stupid to think falling in love for a few months was okay until I took on my duty."

My eyes widen in disbelief.

"So you just wanted to have fun and then leave the guy to go back to your original life? That's not how love works Mona,you can't just turn it on and off."

She smiles at me sadly and takes my hand in hers.

"You need to promise me Lisa, promise me to never mention Liam to anyone. He's now my past,a past I can't afford to bring to the future."

She says with pleading eyes full of different emotions. Fear,longing,pain and torment.

My chest squeezes at the reminder that I actually did reveal her secret to Silas in a moment of panic.

"Have you told him you're getting engaged in three days time?"

She shakes her head,no.

"But I'm going to tell him soon."

"You have to do it before the engagement then."

She bites her lower lip and releases it with a pop sound.

"Yes."

I take a step forward and hug her tightly.

"I hope you know what you're doing," I say.

"It's for the best. Thank you for always being there, Lisa."

"I'll always be there," I reply.

When she leaves my bedroom,all I can think about is how my life will be when I get to her stage, because whether I like it or not,the life Mona has stepped into is the same life that is waiting for me. It's just a matter of time before someone comes and asks for my hand,or papa proposes it to someone in his circle.