Chapter 3

Costa Estate, 3:40 p.m.

I sat in the armchair at the far end of the living room, my back to the front door, facing the staircase. From this angle, I had a clear view of the entryway and the entire living room.

The rumble of an engine grew louder, and Pierre was the first one through the door.

His black shirt was unbuttoned to the third button, his hair looked as if he'd just rolled out of bed, and his sunglasses were pushed up on his head. His handsome face was set in a scowl that dared anyone to challenge him.

"Nick, get your ass out here!" He hadn't noticed me and shouted toward the second floor. "How dare you joke about Sis? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

He was the most straightforward person in the family, which was probably why he had gone into acting.

Unfortunately, he also happened to have the worst temper of them all.

"Where's the contract?" His voice boomed through the entire building. "Stop screwing around. I've still got three hours of shooting left!"

Elizabeth followed close behind him, a folder tucked under her arm and a carefully calibrated gentle smile on her face.

But the instant she crossed the threshold and her eyes swept to me on the sofa, she froze as if she'd been electrocuted.

The folder slipped from her fingers. She scrambled to clutch it, her knuckles turning white.

Her expression flipped from composure to terror to forced calm in a single beat, as if the stage crew had missed its cue.

Pierre didn't notice her reaction. He strode to the coffee table and slapped his hand down on it. "The contract! Hand it over!"

"Pierre..." Her voice was barely above a whisper, with a tremor of panic so faint it was almost impossible to hear. "Maybe... maybe we should sign it another day?"

"Like hell." Pierre grabbed a pen and bit the cap between his teeth. "Didn't you say you handpicked this show for me?" he said, words muffled by the pen cap. "When have I ever backed down from something you asked me to do?"

He uncapped the pen, the tip hovering above the signature line.

With a sharp smack, I knocked the pen to the floor.

The next second, I grabbed a fistful of his carefully styled hair and forced him to look up at me.

In that instant, the arrogance on his face drained away as if doused with a bucket of ice water.

"S-Sis?" The disbelief in his eyes turned to shock in an instant, then was swallowed by a near-manic fury. "Who the hell—"

Before he could finish, I yanked hard. His whole body was forced to bend forward, scalp stinging from the pull.

"Pierre Costa, I see you still haven't cleaned up that filthy mouth. You're really asking for a beating." I leaned down to meet his eyes, and Pierre's pupils trembled violently.

His mouth hung open, and a broken gasp escaped his throat. "That grip... it's exactly the same. You... you're really my sister?"

Elizabeth stood by the coffee table, the folder in her hands crushed out of shape.

She stepped forward, her voice suddenly rising, laced with a deliberate, nearly shrill tremor. "Pierre, you're the easiest one to fool. How can you be sure this is Aria? You know how many people have tried to impersonate her!"

Pierre's body stiffened. He was clearly wavering. Just as he tried to lift his head, I slammed my palm on the coffee table. "Kneel!"

Pierre's knees buckled on pure reflex, and he dropped straight to the floor in front of me.

Growing up under my discipline, some habits had been ingrained so deeply they'd become instinct.

He looked up at me, tears streaming down his face, but his lips twisted into a smile so strained it was almost grotesque. It was the same placating grin he used to wear as a kid after he got caught doing something wrong.

"Sis..." His voice splintered. "You... you really fucking came back!"

He lunged forward, arms wrapping around my waist, shoulders heaving violently as a choked, guttural sob tore from deep within his chest.

Elizabeth's face went ashen. Every word came out barbed. "Pierre! Snap out of it! You watched your sister get buried with your own eyes. How could she come back from the dead? Don't let that face fool you!"

She turned to me, looking like she wanted to tear me apart alive. "You had surgery to look like Aria. What are you really after?!"