VESPERA

Prologue:

When my sister and I were born, the doctors told my parents one of the twins would be dull and the other would be smart. Complications at childbirth, they said. As life would have it, I was the dull one, the one they felt they could abandon at any time.

I grew used to it. I was the second choice, the after-thought, the shadow that didn’t deserve the light. Well, until I met him. The man who chose me. The man who was about to become my husband.

"You look happy," Yolanda, my personal maid, said as she folded my clothes into the travel bag. Her eyes glistened with tears. "You are finally getting married to him, Miss Lorna."

I nodded, perfecting my hair in the mirror. I was marrying the love of my life, and for the first time, I felt like I was breaking free from my family's cage.

Tonight was supposed to be a night of joy.

"Is Lynn back?" I asked, a small pang of sadness hitting my chest. Even now, my sister hadn't congratulated me. I’d hoped she would show up before I left this house for good, but I guess I still didn't exist in her world.

Yolanda went quiet, her silence a heavy confirmation. She didn't want to break my heart. I understood.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated. When I saw the caller ID, I stood up abruptly, my breath catching in my throat. I blinked rapidly, trying to steady my voice.

"Hello, Katy."

"I really don't want to call you," Katy said, her voice dripping with ice. "Since you've finally gotten what you want, I guess I will have to accept you as my brother’s wife eventually."

I let out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry."

Katy exhaled sharply. She was my fiance's sister, and she had made it clear she thought I wasn't a good match. To her, Lynn, the smart one, the bright one, was the only choice for a man like Kiel.

"I can’t reach Kiel. Can you call him?" she snapped. "I don’t think he is with his phone, so go over to his house and check on him. Tell him he has to call me back."

A strange sense of relief washed over me. It was the first time Katy had ever asked me for anything. I hurriedly agreed, glancing happily at Yolanda before grabbing my coat. I didn't care that I was being treated like a messenger; I was just happy to be useful.

I drove to Ezekiel’s house, my heart fluttering with anticipation. I knew the door code, he had given it to me himself. But when I entered, the house was silent.

He wasn't in the living room. I looked around, confused, until I heard muffled voices coming from the roof terrace above the second floor.

I hurried upstairs, my footsteps light. I peeked through the heavy door leading to the roof, but the sight before me turned my blood to ice.

Standing near the ledge was a woman who looked like my mother and slightly like me, but was everything I wasn't, distinguished, radiant, and hauntingly beautiful. My twin, Lynn.

And in front of her stood Ezekiel, my husband-to-be.

My heart raced. Lynn was crying, her shoulders shaking as she looked up at my fiancé.

"Kiel, are you really going to go ahead with this?" Lynn’s voice broke. "Do you even love her? I don’t think I can..."

"Lynn," Kiel interrupted, his voice low and weary. "Our relationship ended years ago. I agree that I approached Lorna at first just to get back at you... but tomorrow is our wedding. Don't ruin the atmosphere."

I stopped breathing. My heart didn't just ache; it felt like it was being crushed by a giant hand. He approached me to get back at her? The man I worshipped had only used me as a weapon against my own sister.

"She is the dull one!" Lynn screamed, her voice piercing the night air. "She has nothing to offer you! I have everything! You don’t even love her that much. You’re only doing this so you won't break her!"

"Lynn..."

"Don't call my name like that!"

"You know Lorna doesn't have anyone except me," Kiel said, and his words felt like physical blows. "You don’t even treat your own sister well. She’ll break down if anything happens. I don't have the heart to leave her; she’ll harm herself. She depends on me. Yes, I did her a favor by agreeing to her proposal... but Lynn, don’t complicate things."

A favor.

I felt like I was dying. Every "I love you" he had ever said flashed through my mind, now revealed as nothing more than pity. He didn't love me. He was charitable toward me.

I was a stray dog he didn't have the heart to kick.

Lynn reached out, cupping Kiel’s cheeks, looking at him with a hunger I had never seen.

Then, she leaned in and kissed him.

Everything inside me snapped. The world tilted. My legs turned to lead, and as I tried to back away, my body gave out. I stumbled, falling flat against the door with a loud, echoing bang.

The two of them jumped apart, their eyes snapping toward me. I saw the shock, the guilt, the sudden realization on their faces, but I didn't stay to hear their excuses. I scrambled to my feet and ran. I ran like the dull, pathetic shadow they thought I was.

"Lorna! Lorna!"

Ezekiel’s voice followed me down the stairs, but I didn't hear footsteps. He wasn't chasing me. He wasn't coming to save me. Even now, he couldn't even be bothered to run.

I threw myself into my car, the engine roaring to life as hot, blinding tears spilled down my cheeks. I couldn't see. I couldn't breathe.

My hands shook so hard I could barely grip the steering wheel as I peeled away from the house that was supposed to be my sanctuary.

As I reached the highway, a desperate, pathetic hope flared up in my chest.

My mother. She had to know. She would tell me it wasn't true. She would protect me.

With trembling fingers, I dialed her number and put it on speaker. It rang once, twice before she finally picked up.

"Lorna? Why are you calling so late?" my mother’s voice snapped, sounding annoyed. "You should be resting for tomorrow. Don't look haggard for the photos."

"Mom..." I sobbed, the sound torn from the depths of my lungs. "Mom, I’m at Kiel’s. He... he and Lynn. They just... they kissed. He said he’s only marrying me as a favor. Mom, please—"

There was a long, chilling silence on the other end. There was no gasp of shock, no outrage, no reaction. It told me everything I needed to know.

"Lorna, stop being dramatic," she said, her voice dropping into a cold tone. "You’ve always been the sensitive one. So what if they have a history? You’re the one getting the ring. You’re the one securing the alliance. Just go home, wash your face, and pretend you didn't see anything. It’s for the best of the family."

"You knew?" I whispered, the weight of that realization stinging worse than the betrayal itself. "You all knew?"

"We did what we had to do for your future," she replied, almost dismissively. "You should be thankful Kiel agreed to marry you. Honestly, I’m surprised he even noticed you. Now, don’t mess this up for us. Just be the good, quiet girl you’ve always been. Don't be—"

I hung up.

I didn’t want to hear the word 'dull.' I didn't want to hear 'quiet.'

Ahead of me, I could see the highway bridge; a concrete ribbon stretched over the dark, gaping river below.

My family hadn’t really built me a life; they’d constructed a coffin and expected me to be grateful for the silk lining.

If I was just a pawn to them, a mere "favor" to exchange, then I would remove myself from the game entirely.

I slammed my foot down on the accelerator. The speedometer shot up: 100... 120... 140. I craved the rush, the wind, anything to fill the emptiness in my chest.

But as the bridge turned sharply over the water, an instinct for self-preservation, or maybe just the old habit of being the "good girl", made me reach for the brake.

I stomped on it.

But nothing happened.

The pedal felt solid, unyielding, like there was a block of steel jammed behind it. I pumped it desperately, my heart racing. No. No, no, no.

I grabbed the steering wheel, trying to steer away from the edge, but the wheel groaned, locking into place with a sickening snap.

The car wasn’t mine anymore. It had turned into a guided missile.

In the rearview mirror, I caught a glimpse of headlights parked on the ridge behind me, watching.

Panic gripped me, an icy fear that made it hard to breathe. I fumbled with the door handle, but it wouldn’t budge.

Then, just as the guardrail rushed toward me, that fear... it vanished. I looked down at the black water below and thought of my mother’s cold voice. I remembered Kiel’s pity.

I stopped resisting.

I let go of the steering wheel and closed my eyes. If they wanted me gone, I would give them exactly what they asked for. I wouldn't be their "quiet girl" anymore.

The guardrail snapped like a toothpick.

For one incredible, weightless moment, I felt free at last.

Then, the car struck the dark water like hitting a concrete wall. The last thing I experienced was the freezing cold rushing into my lungs, sweeping away the girl who was always meant to be discarded.